Question about college seniors applying for post bacs

[Xueli]

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Hello all...

I'm a senior in college, and I'm currently applying to some post bac programs (scripps, mills, bryn mawr, usc, johns-hopkins, goucher)...I'm applying for them because I've just recently decided to go into medicine, and I like the idea of having a structured program with small class sizes. However....I'm wondering if I'll even be accepted to any of them seeing as I'm really not changing my career (I haven't even started one yet!). Will this be a great disadvantage for me come decision time? I mean I don't really want to take a couple years off just to work in a different field...just for the purpose of getting accepted to these programs. In that case....I'd just stay for an extra year and take premed courses at my university.

 

[stbxTechie]

I'm a senior in college, and I'm currently applying to some post bac programs (scripps, mills, bryn mawr, usc, johns-hopkins, goucher)...I'm applying for them because I've just recently decided to go into medicine, and I like the idea of having a structured program with small class sizes. However....I'm wondering if I'll even be accepted to any of them seeing as I'm really not changing my career (I haven't even started one yet!). Will this be a great disadvantage for me come decision time? I mean I don't really want to take a couple years off just to work in a different field...just for the purpose of getting accepted to these programs. In that case....I'd just stay for an extra year and take premed courses at my university.

Well, the obvious plan would be to apply to a few and find out... if you don't get in, stay for the extra year and take premed courses at your existing university.

Another big issue is cost - how much is tuition where you're going? The private postbacs are expensive, compared to most state universities, perhaps not so much compared to private undergrad.

Lastly, how certain are you that medicine is what you want to do? Assuming you can afford to do it, a year of related volunteer work (or something paid like EMT, if you can qualify and get into it) would both look good to the postbac and medical school applications, and might help reinforce your decision - or help you reconsider it before you've spent a lot of money on postbac tuition.

 

[kronickm]

Contrary to popular belief, you don't need to be a CAREER changer to take these programs, a MAJOR changer is just as good. Basically you cannot have taken very much in the way of science courses during your undergrad, at least this is the case for the more traditional post-bacs (which most of the programs you listed are). I, for example, was a philosophy major, with no science experience, and, despite the fact that I never had a career (I applied to my post-bac 1 year post B.A. during which I worked in health care) I am still considered a career changer.

You should note, however, that the programs you listed are quite competitive so I hope you did well in your undergrad whatever you did.

 

[Xueli]

Yeah they are some pretty competitive programs...I opted out of applying for the less competitive options because I'm only willing to leave Minneapolis if I get into these programs....I like their med school admission rates (believe me i know all about the cost!). hey and if i'm not accepted to them, I'll just stay at my school (the u of minnesota) and get ahold of a premed advisor. As for my stats, I have a 3.9 gpa. I'm currenly volunteering at in a path lab and in an emergency dept...and I've done some overseas pub health internships in china/india. So hopefully I have some sort of chance!

 

[Xueli]

but yeah...I might end up waiting one year before I apply to these programs just so I'm able to get a full year of volunteering in (I've been volunteering for about 3 months now)...I want to be able to have the best credentials possible before I start apply to these heavily competitive programs. In that case I might have to do a gap between graduation and starting the program (that is...if I even get accepted to any of these progs!)

 

[postbacker]

Hello all...

I'm a senior in college, and I'm currently applying to some post bac programs (scripps, mills, bryn mawr, usc, johns-hopkins, goucher)...I'm applying for them because I've just recently decided to go into medicine, and I like the idea of having a structured program with small class sizes. However....I'm wondering if I'll even be accepted to any of them seeing as I'm really not changing my career (I haven't even started one yet!). Will this be a great disadvantage for me come decision time? I mean I don't really want to take a couple years off just to work in a different field...just for the purpose of getting accepted to these programs. In that case....I'd just stay for an extra year and take premed courses at my university.

Some of the more competitive post bac programs (say Goucher and Bryn Mawr) will expect applicants to have already done significant volunteering, preferably in a medical setting. Other programs seem to be less concerned about that, but all look for applicants who have the best shot at "success" meaning a fairly strong GPA (3.5 and up) and a standardized test score history indicating high proficiency at such exams...there are lots of 2007 college grads in the post bacc programs I am familiar with - I guess I was a little surprised by that fact myself - but ultimately these programs are accepting those applicants who they believe will succeed, so being a recent college grad is evidently not a problem and may even be desired...for example, some of these programs also report that the longer students have been out of school, the harder they find getting back into the grind, so I think there is a very real trend towards younger matriculants in these programs...

Having said all of that, if you have the option of "hanging around" your current college and taking the pre reqs, I recommend that, especially if it is economical - these post bacc programs are expensive, and I think the value to students of the "structured program" aspect is a tad overrated with one exception - post bacc programs that write a committee letter for you can be instrumental in your success.