Recent College Graduate looking for help

[NHans]

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Hi, I'm a recent graduate with a bachelor's in psychology. I have taken a few of the pre-medical requirements, but would like to retake some to boost GPA as well as a refresher (calc and linear algebra were freshman year). I was wondering what kind of program I should be looking at? I know there are career-changers, academic record-enhacers, and now recently the SMP's.

Also, I've read about some people taking the MCAT's before entering into a post-baccalaureate program. Is this something I should look into? This doesn't immediately make sense to me as doesn't the MCAT draw on knowledge obtained from the very courses a post-bac offers?

Also, are GRE scores important in admissions in any of the above programs?

Thanks for all the help, I'm new to this whole scenario.

 

[jslo85]

Hi, I'm a recent graduate with a bachelor's in psychology. I have taken a few of the pre-medical requirements, but would like to retake some to boost GPA as well as a refresher (calc and linear algebra were freshman year). I was wondering what kind of program I should be looking at? I know there are career-changers, academic record-enhacers, and now recently the SMP's.

I think it's too early for you to look at AE specific programs and SMPs if you haven't finished most or all the pre-req requirements. You also wouldn't qualify for the pure non-traditional formal programs for pre-med either because you have "some' science background.

You need a hybrid AE/pre-med program that allows students who have completed some but not all of the pre-requisites and allow you to take upper division ones in addition as well. Another option is for you to take them at a local 4 year university as an informal post-bacc if you do not wish to enroll in a formal program.

Also, I've read about some people taking the MCAT's before entering into a post-baccalaureate program. Is this something I should look into?

Usually the MCAT requirement is for students who have a complete application and are dead set on applying to medical school but have a deficit in their application that would prevent them from being competiitve and therefore need an SMP to improve their credentials prior to medical school application.

I would not recommend you to take the MCAT as you haven't even finished most/all of your pre-requisites and would lack much of the fundamental knowledge required to do well on the test.

So no, this is not something you should be looking to at this moment because those programs that do specifically require the MCAT are ones that you currently do not qualify for.

This doesn't immediately make sense to me as doesn't the MCAT draw on knowledge obtained from the very courses a post-bac offers?

It doesn't make sense to you because the programs that do require the MCAT specifically are SMPs. They are programs that offer medical school courses or their equivalent as a way for a student to demonstrate their academic competence.

This does not apply to you as you need a hybrid pre-med/AE program such as UVA, UT Dallas, SFSU, or WashU.

Also, are GRE scores important in admissions in any of the above programs?

GREs or SAT scores are required for pre-med and AE formal programs and for traditional Masters programs.

 

[NHans]

Thanks for the information and help. Are WashU, SFSU, UT- Dallas, and UVA the only hybrid programs? I'm unfamiliar with the "hybrd" designation (even though that is what I should be looking at) as I find the school information off of the AAMC site.

Thanks again.

 

[jslo85]

No they are not the only "hybrid" programs, and the designation is my own though I find it somewhat fitting.

Usually the majority of formalized programs are either set as AE or pre-med whereas those programs serve mainly those who have taken some but not all the pre-requisites but wish to not only finish the pre-reqs but take a plethora of upper division courses as well in a formalized environment.

The AAMC site is pretty outdated and unhelpful imo even though it is "official". You're far better off asking individuals in this forum or looking at Dr. Midlife's stickies for information pertaining new and suitable programs for you as well as pros/cons from students who have actually went through them before. As hard as this is to believe (I can imagine), I'd rather rely on veteran SDN members in this forum to give advice about programs rather than relying on the AAMC site.

Those aren't the only programs, but those are the ones that come immediately to mind that I have find as decent based off of student reviews and my own research that are suitable for individuals with circumstances like yours.