PostBacc vs Non-degree and increasing GPA

[Livestrong51085]

So I graduated from Penn State in '08 with a B.S. in Kinesiology. Originally, I thought I wanted to go into Physical Therapy, but then realized I always wanted to be a doctor deep down. So I just scrapped all my PT applications and am now embarking on the med-school journey.

My first course of action is to get all of my pre-reqs taken. I really don't have most of them, since my Kinesiology degree focused on human anatomy/physiology, etc, and didn't have a broad biology background, nor chemistry or physics.

So, I'm looking at having to take 4 chemistry courses (2 inorganic/2 organic), 2 physics, 2 biologies, and I'll probably take an ethics, biochem, and genetics course too (depending on the specific med school). I have the english/humanities/psychology courses already.

But my question is this. Do med schools prefer that you enroll in a post-baccalaureate program to finish all of the pre-reqs? Or do they not care if you just do them on your own, as long as you meet all the requirements?

The registration for the post-bacc program at Penn State ended in October, and I can't start the next one until Summer (I imagine all other schools besides Penn State's registration ended around that time too [regardless I want to go to Penn State anyway]). I want to start this January, optimally, and there are still spots open in the courses I need to take.

I spoke to Penn State's science department (who does the pre-professional recommendations), and they said that even if I don't enroll in the post-bacc program, they would still advise me and provide me with the recommendation.

So, do Med schools like to see these Post-bacc programs, or do they not care as long as all the requirements are met and you have the preprofessional recommendation?

Finally, if I just take these courses as a non-degree seeker, the grades I receive WILL contribute to my undergrad GPA the registrar's office tells me, which is great, b/c my undergrad GPA was only a 3.52, so I have a real opportunity to bring that up to a 3.8 or so.

My question regarding the GPA is this: Obviously the med schools will see that I took these additional pre-req courses AFTER I initially graduated. Do they still prefer to SEE an increased overall GPA (which would only happen if I returned to Penn State and didn't complete them at some random community college, which is my plan anyway).

I guess my question is: Say I get straight A's in all the classes I take, whether it be at Penn State or at a community college near my hometown. Am I better off getting the inreased GPA at Penn State or would it make no difference if I took them somewhere else and didn't get the increased GPA because the med school would know it was after I officially graduated and would see that I still got straight A's in them?

I'm really sorry for the long post and all the questions. Any insight or help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks guys and gals!

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[Usernamed]

The general consensus always seems to be that it doesn't matter. Make sure you take as many if not ALL of your pre-req's at a four-year university and get the highest grades you possibly can. I'd definitely take advantage of Penn's pre-med advising and their application process; big schools like that usually have a couple of negotiations with MD schools that allow students an extra letter of rec, etc.

The other important thing I've been told is that increasing your undergraduate GPA is impossible. As a degree-holder, you have an undergrad GPA and a post-bacc GPA. I think both are calculated as cumulative and science GPA's, but you can't change what happened as an undergrad. That said, I've never applied and don't know how AMCAS calculates the two.

 

[Livestrong51085]

Thanks, I appreciate the feedback. Yeah, I think I'm going to just do it own my own without the actual "post-bacc certificate", but still have them advise me, etc.

I have to talk to the lady tomorrow, she was out sick today, and see what she says about undergrad and post bacc gpa in the eyes of medical schools.

My registrar's office said it just continues off the undergrad gpa, but who knows?

 

[kami333]

The other important thing I've been told is that increasing your undergraduate GPA is impossible. As a degree-holder, you have an undergrad GPA and a post-bacc GPA. I think both are calculated as cumulative and science GPA's, but you can't change what happened as an undergrad. That said, I've never applied and don't know how AMCAS calculates the two.

You've been told wrong.

If you take undergrad classes after graduating, you're grades are calculated under postbacc and into your cumulative GPA.

Something like
Freshman:
Sophmore:
Junior:
Senior:
Postbacc:
Cumulative:

 

[Livestrong51085]

So here's my question then:

I've heard that med schools don't like community colleges. Am I better of taking my pre-reqs at Penn State, especially since they are such a HUGE part of the admission process?

Also, do the post-bacc classes get added into the gpa ONLY if you go to your original undergrad school, or is it just any undergrad classes anywhere? Thanks for any respones, this is really a great board.

P.S. - Whoops, one more question, sorry! When I take these courses, I'm only going to be taking them 2 at a time at most. Do admissions committees not value say a 4.0 gpa in the pre-reqs in that kind of situation as highly as they would a 3.8 from another student who is still undergraduate and taking 2 pre-reqs at a time also AND a few other general humanities courses? I'm pretty sure that's self-explanatory, but any definitive answers are always great. Thanks!

 

[Anita817]

So here's my question then:

I've heard that med schools don't like community colleges. Am I better of taking my pre-reqs at Penn State, especially since they are such a HUGE part of the admission process?

Also, do the post-bacc classes get added into the gpa ONLY if you go to your original undergrad school, or is it just any undergrad classes anywhere? Thanks for any respones, this is really a great board.

P.S. - Whoops, one more question, sorry! When I take these courses, I'm only going to be taking them 2 at a time at most. Do admissions committees not value say a 4.0 gpa in the pre-reqs in that kind of situation as highly as they would a 3.8 from another student who is still undergraduate and taking 2 pre-reqs at a time also AND a few other general humanities courses? I'm pretty sure that's self-explanatory, but any definitive answers are always great. Thanks!

The pre req classes are included with your undergrad GPA regardless of where you originally obtained your degree. It is very common for people to obtain a bachelors from one school and attend another (often part-time) for premed reqs. The primary reason to switch is usually cost. I did this, and met many others who did as well through the process. Don't worry about only taking a couple classes at a time--just get good grades and stay busy by working, volunteering, gaining clinical experience, etc. Not one interviewer has asked me why I've been taking my pre reqs part time at a state school versus full time through my private undergrad university. As long as the numbers and ECs are good, the couldn't care less.

 

[Livestrong51085]

Actually Penn State is a State school, lol (although it's the most expensive). For me, if I worked and tried to apply to Med school, I think I would go crazy. I'm working right now, and even when applying to PT schools (which I obviously don't want to do anymore), I was really stressed. I would only be able to take one class at a time, too, and even then, I'd be overwhelmed from a whole day of work only to go to class from 6-10pm and learn O-Chem? Aye, I don't even wanna think about it.

More power to the people who can manage that, but I don't think I could.. I just want to go back and focus solely on getting the rest of my pre-reqs, get it done in half the time, so I can finally start getting to where I want to be. I'm going to be 25 in May (I took a few years off after graduation), and I already am probably not going to be able to start med school (if I get in) until the 2012 year, when I'm 27. Even though I know more and more people are going to med school at a later age nowadays, I'm still 5 yrs behind the "normal" age.

 

[Usernamed]

You've been told wrong. If you take undergrad classes after graduating, you're grades are calculated under postbacc and into your cumulative GPA.

What!? So, when in the heck are they going to require pre-med advisers actually know what they're talking about?

Thanks for the correction. That's seriously fantastic news.