Preparing for postbacc?

Started by betterlate
Get help with your application

Use all the free resources available to you from SDN: articles, guides, expert advising, forums discussions, and school research.

Browse articles Compare schools My application plan Read Interview Feedback
Practice for interviews Ask an Advisor
B

betterlate

Full Member
10+ Year Member
I'm curious to know what, if anything, people did to prepare for their formal postbacc programs. Did you read any subject review books? Take formal or informal classes?

I have a masters degree in audiology, a program of study that includes a lot of science coursework. That said, I've never taken chemistry (even in high school) and it has been 17 years since high school physics. Should I be laying down some groundwork before classes start in June?
 
I am taking the time between now and the beginning of my post-bac to read as many books for fun as I can.

Not helpful, I know...
 
betterlate said:
I'm curious to know what, if anything, people did to prepare for their formal postbacc programs. Did you read any subject review books? Take formal or informal classes?

I have a masters degree in audiology, a program of study that includes a lot of science coursework. That said, I've never taken chemistry (even in high school) and it has been 17 years since high school physics. Should I be laying down some groundwork before classes start in June?
Click to expand...

Depends where you will be going. If you're going to a true, decent formal postbac program, you will get plenty of careful attention and instruction and no preparation is necessary. Mine even offered a 2-day math review course prior to the start of fall term.

If you're doing it on your own, I would recommend only brushing up on math. My personal recommendations are the Princeton Review's 'Math Smart' and 'Math Smart II.' They review all the math you'll need in gen chem and physics (the only classes where you really use advanced math at all).

Otherwise, yeah, just read for pleasure while you still can.
 
NewmansOwn said:
Depends where you will be going. If you're going to a true, decent formal postbac program, you will get plenty of careful attention and instruction and no preparation is necessary. Mine even offered a 2-day math review course prior to the start of fall term.

If you're doing it on your own, I would recommend only brushing up on math. My personal recommendations are the Princeton Review's 'Math Smart' and 'Math Smart II.' They review all the math you'll need in gen chem and physics (the only classes where you really use advanced math at all).

Otherwise, yeah, just read for pleasure while you still can.
Click to expand...

Awesome, thanks for the recs! I am going to a formal postbacc program that has a math review. I can use all the help I can get, though, so I think I'll pick up copies of the Math Smart books. (And a bunch of novels, while there's still time. *g*)
 
moneduloides said:
I am taking the time between now and the beginning of my post-bac to read as many books for fun as I can.

Not helpful, I know...
Click to expand...

*g* No, that's a good reminder. (And a good excuse to pick up some of those books I've been meaning to read...) Thanks!
 
I was in a similar boat. I ended up not doing any prep and it worked out fine. If you really want though you could brush up on your math skills. This would help for gen chem and physics. Nothing crazy, basic algebra and trig review. I have found that text books often assume you know nothing and do a good job of presenting the skills you'll need to be successful. That said, some background experience would be helpful albeit not always necessary.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.