MangiaMangia
Full Member
- Joined
- Mar 8, 2020
- Messages
- 13
- Reaction score
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Looking into postbac programs (and the many threads here), I couldn't find a collective resource of questions that would be good to ask OF a postbac program (to help narrow down choices).
Adding some of the questions I've drummed up, and hoping to hear more that would be helpful:
- Overall cost of program. (Is it a set rate for the program no matter how long you take, or is it a yearly cost? Is it a public or private school? is there instate tuition feasibly?)
- Is the program eligible for financial aid or merit scholarships? (If so, how much?)
- Are student loans applicable?
- Student MCAT performance
- The number of graduates vs. matriculants (which programs weed out a ton of students?)
- Acceptance rate to school (MD, DO, otherwise) from graduated students (not matriculated)
- Deferment options (moving is hard, sometimes you can't get to your program right away)
- Class size (can you stand out?)
- Is it a cohort school, or one that you take classes with undergrads? (this links to community and standing out in the crowd)
- Linkage (it seems the vast majority of schools with linkage have a small opportunity for even qualifying, so I tend not to look at them much, but perhaps I'm wrong.)
- What are the programs or attached hospitals known for (do you already know what field you want to learn more about and is it available as a clinical exprience?)
- Can you even register? (do you recieve priority? are you competing for classes you need to take every semester?)
- Advisement (is it good? are you competing? are the answers pre-bottled?)
- Volunteer, shadowing and research opportunities (will they place you? are they tied to a hospital? do you need to find everything on your own?)
- Community (do you get to know other postbacs? how big is the postbac community? is it competitive or inclusive and mutually driven?)
- Cost of living around the school (remember these costs add up and you haven't even BEGUN med school)
- How difficult are the classes (is it possible this might hinder rather than help? can it lower the GPA you've worked on so hard to make it a financial risk? do you want the challenge to see if it's right for you even so?)
- Prestige (do you care? does it help?) ... from what I've researched prestige never beats a good GPA when it comes to formal postbacs)
- Will you like where you live? (are you in a city? will you have to board? what's the campus like?)
Adding some of the questions I've drummed up, and hoping to hear more that would be helpful:
- Overall cost of program. (Is it a set rate for the program no matter how long you take, or is it a yearly cost? Is it a public or private school? is there instate tuition feasibly?)
- Is the program eligible for financial aid or merit scholarships? (If so, how much?)
- Are student loans applicable?
- Student MCAT performance
- The number of graduates vs. matriculants (which programs weed out a ton of students?)
- Acceptance rate to school (MD, DO, otherwise) from graduated students (not matriculated)
- Deferment options (moving is hard, sometimes you can't get to your program right away)
- Class size (can you stand out?)
- Is it a cohort school, or one that you take classes with undergrads? (this links to community and standing out in the crowd)
- Linkage (it seems the vast majority of schools with linkage have a small opportunity for even qualifying, so I tend not to look at them much, but perhaps I'm wrong.)
- What are the programs or attached hospitals known for (do you already know what field you want to learn more about and is it available as a clinical exprience?)
- Can you even register? (do you recieve priority? are you competing for classes you need to take every semester?)
- Advisement (is it good? are you competing? are the answers pre-bottled?)
- Volunteer, shadowing and research opportunities (will they place you? are they tied to a hospital? do you need to find everything on your own?)
- Community (do you get to know other postbacs? how big is the postbac community? is it competitive or inclusive and mutually driven?)
- Cost of living around the school (remember these costs add up and you haven't even BEGUN med school)
- How difficult are the classes (is it possible this might hinder rather than help? can it lower the GPA you've worked on so hard to make it a financial risk? do you want the challenge to see if it's right for you even so?)
- Prestige (do you care? does it help?) ... from what I've researched prestige never beats a good GPA when it comes to formal postbacs)
- Will you like where you live? (are you in a city? will you have to board? what's the campus like?)
