Should I do a Post Bacc for one year?

[sa012]

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Hi,
I have completed all my science courses, but need more time to study for the MCAT; however I don't want to waste one year, and was thinking I might as well do a post bacc. and gain more control over the science courses..any thoughts?? Besides some post baccs are affiliated with med schools directly. Any responses will be appreciated!

 

[TriagePreMed]

No. If you're done, you're done. If you have a good GPA, guard it. Spend your time volunteering or doing research.

 

[sa012]

Thanks for your reply! Does it look better to med schools if you take the year off after graduation or actually attend school regularly?

 

[deleted248403]

Depends on your GPA

 

[NewmansOwn]

Assuming your credentials are competitive for med school admission, do something fun with your year off. It'll be your last long stretch of time to do so and most medical schools will absolutely not hold that against you; some might even see it as a plus. The current trend in med school admissions is more well-rounded students, not more science robots -- hence the success of career-changer postbac programs.

Nervous about bumming for a year? Remember that just about anything can be made "medically-related." Ski patrol at Telluride for a year? More like: "Regularly provided acute medical care and transport to injured and ill individuals in challenging and varied situations." You get the idea.

 

[jbg]

Assuming your credentials are competitive for med school admission, do something fun with your year off. It'll be your last long stretch of time to do so and most medical schools will absolutely not hold that against you; some might even see it as a plus. The current trend in med school admissions is more well-rounded students, not more science robots -- hence the success of career-changer postbac programs.

Nervous about bumming for a year? Remember that just about anything can be made "medically-related." Ski patrol at Telluride for a year? More like: "Regularly provided acute medical care and transport to injured and ill individuals in challenging and varied situations." You get the idea.

I don't mean to bug into your post sa012, but I have a question for NewmansOwn, I just graduated with B.S. in bio and have a 3.4 GPA and I need to raise it for MD schools, but I don't want to do the post-bac program (don't really want to take out more loans), I just want to take some post-bac classes.. I'm really not sure where to look for that info around here.. Would it even help if I took several upper level science courses like neurobio?? In undergrad, I completed these: physio (B+), cancer bio (B+), immunology (A), evolution (A). My first two years in college is where I screwed up that caused my GPA to be this low and I never retook any classes.

I plan to take the MCAT in april of 2011 and meanwhile, I'm doing research and working as a tutor (+ the regular volunteer work).

Thank you very much.

 

[NewmansOwn]

I don't mean to bug into your post sa012, but I have a question for NewmansOwn, I just graduated with B.S. in bio and have a 3.4 GPA and I need to raise it for MD schools, but I don't want to do the post-bac program (don't really want to take out more loans), I just want to take some post-bac classes.. I'm really not sure where to look for that info around here.. Would it even help if I took several upper level science courses like neurobio?? In undergrad, I completed these: physio (B+), cancer bio (B+), immunology (A), evolution (A). My first two years in college is where I screwed up that caused my GPA to be this low and I never retook any classes.

I plan to take the MCAT in april of 2011 and meanwhile, I'm doing research and working as a tutor (+ the regular volunteer work).

Thank you very much.

Are you planning on applying next summer (2011)? If so, you can take a few upper-level classes at your local 4-year university this year to boost your GPA, but you'll need to temper the load to have time to adequately study for the MCAT.

Honestly, a 3.4 and, say, a 38, 39, 40, etc. on the MCAT will almost certainly get you into an MD school -- especially with an upward trend and solid extracurriculars. Take a class or two this fall and spring if you'd like, but blowing away the MCAT should be your top priority by far. If you think you can do so by studying 8 hours a day for the MCAT, then forget the classes and go full-time MCAT.

 

[jbg]

yes, I'm planning on applying next summer and I have started studying for the MCAT early because I have forgotten most of the organic chem, physics, and gen chem (the classes that I did poorly in my first two years).

So even though I graduated, taking classes outside of the actual post-bac program would still boost my science GPA (but wouldn't replace it, it would only replace it if I did the program, correct)? The last three years, I pretty much had 3.6 and above and my GPA still @ 3.4. Unless post-bac classes would replace my science GPA, I don't know how much four or so As can actually help. The one advantage I see of that is, at least, it would show med schools that I'm capable of doing well in upper division courses. But then again, I did take a few of those and have gotten some As and some Bs (also in Histology last year I got a B+ unfortunately...). Well, according to you, the best thing for me to do is kick butt on the MCAT.

Thanks, I appreciate your feedback.

 

[sa012]

Depends on your GPA

My GPA is around a 3.7