Should I get another bachelor's degree?

[zoner]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hey

Just wanted to hear people's suggestion. I am almost done with my very first semester of doing post bach curriculum at Cal State Long Beach and really enjoying all the science classes I am taking so far and doing well in them. So it's going to take full two years to complete all the premed prerequisites and another glide year until I actually start med school (that is if I get into any). So thats total of three years. Should I spend extra year (total of 4 years) and get another bachelor's degree in the science or should I go straight to med school?

Thanks

 

[Catalystik]

Another bachelors degree won't make a difference in the med school application process. A reason some apply for a second degree is to be eligible for loans, or to get priority for class registration. But if you never finish the degree, adcomms won't care as long as you already have the first bachelors degree.

So I'd go straight to med school, unless you really, really want that extra degree.

 

[WhatsNext]

I'm getting a 2nd degree, but my situation is different. After doing the required prereqs plus the recommended upper division sciences, I am 11 credit hours away from my 2nd bachelor's. Plus, I was able to do this without extending my application timeline. If pursuing a 2nd degree would have delayed me a year in starting med school, I would not have done it. Having the degree wouldn't be worth waiting a year in my opinion.

 

[NTF]

The only reason to keep taking undergrad classes is to repair your uGPA. If your GPA is solid than a 2nd bachelor's won't really add anything to your application. If that's the case I'd say go ahead and apply w/o a 2nd degree.

 

[sassilysweet]

I went back for a 2nd bachelor's, to make myself a better candidate for medical school but also to have a back-up career that I actually liked in case things did not work out.

It only took my a year to complete it (all my prereqs were basically the same as my med school prereqs that I already had taken).

Depends on your timeline, financial situation, and ultimate goals.
Don't get a biology degree just to get a biology degree.

 

[zoner]

for me though, i have 3.15 UGPA from 11 years ago, all in the humanities. So I don't know how much that'sgoing to matter. So does this mean, I should take more undergraduate classes before I apply to med school to get my total GPA up? or can just just get all A's on my premed prereqs?

 

[Nasrudin]

for me though, i have 3.15 UGPA from 11 years ago, all in the humanities. So I don't know how much that'sgoing to matter. So does this mean, I should take more undergraduate classes before I apply to med school to get my total GPA up? or can just just get all A's on my premed prereqs?

I was in the same position. Two things should be in the gambler's tool box. The MSAR book. And a gpa spread sheet or written tabulation. No matter who says what about this and that. It's you at the table calling your own bets. and that's exactly where you'll be in the future. You'll be sitting there with your couple thousand dollars--obtained through whatever means--spreading $30 and then $100 or so on med schools across the country hoping to get someone to read your app. before tossing it in the trash based on an uncompetitive gpa.

So step one involves projecting where your cum gpa will be given multiple contingencies--completing a full degree vs. just the preq's or what have you. then you can take these data and see where on the MSAR book graphs you'll sit. Then you've got your odds.

What that's worth to you or what that means is a personal decision. Nobody can possibly help you with that.

I will say that intangibles are very important. One thing you should regard as a positive item is that you can potentially have a very high science gpa. this can be very helpful. i can't say to what degree this helped me. but I'm sure that it did. other things involve how you come across personally on paper. I chose to take some risks in this regard. I think I took the notion that I already wasn't going to please everyone so I better try for some real authenticity to at least appeal to few readers of my application. again this is all very subjective. and it's impossible to judge what actually does the trick.

just some things to think about.


No harm can come from completing the degree. so your decision should involve the more material items involved.

good luck.

 

[ArkansasRanger]

I'm getting a 2nd degree, but my situation is different. After doing the required prereqs plus the recommended upper division sciences, I am 11 credit hours away from my 2nd bachelor's. Plus, I was able to do this without extending my application timeline. If pursuing a 2nd degree would have delayed me a year in starting med school, I would not have done it. Having the degree wouldn't be worth waiting a year in my opinion.

I'm thinking about getting a second one because I'd also only be about 12 hours away from a bio degree. Prereqs combined with all the bio I had in college would make it a readily available degree (biology). I don't necessarily care to get a bio degree, but if I have any wait time I'll fill out the form to get one.

 

[sassilysweet]

I'm thinking about getting a second one because I'd also only be about 12 hours away from a bio degree. Prereqs combined with all the bio I had in college would make it a readily available degree (biology). I don't necessarily care to get a bio degree, but if I have any wait time I'll fill out the form to get one.

If you are that close, I would go ahead and add it.
However, are you just adding a second major or going back and getting a second degree? It is WAY easier to just add the second major as opposed to going back to school and filling out all the paper work for a second degree. I think financial aid and loans are all considered differently, too.

 

[ArkansasRanger]

If you are that close, I would go ahead and add it.
However, are you just adding a second major or going back and getting a second degree? It is WAY easier to just add the second major as opposed to going back to school and filling out all the paper work for a second degree. I think financial aid and loans are all considered differently, too.

I could care less about getting another degree, but as affordable as college is in Arkansas and being that close to one it only seems like the prudent thing to do. By taking all of the chemistry, physics, and math courses required as prereqs; adding in all of the biology I took years ago; and throwing in a few more biology classes I'd have a biology degree out of the deal or at least I would where I'm looking to take the prereqs at. I'm not sure what your question is, but I got my B.S. degree in 2003 so I don't have anything to add a second major too. My intent here is to speed through the prereqs, as feasible, and then move on with life, but if I'm only three courses shy of another degree then why not. It all really depends on how I feel about it at the time. What I've learned in my life is that college and careers are totally unpredictable.

 

[futureboy]

for me though, i have 3.15 UGPA from 11 years ago, all in the humanities. So I don't know how much that'sgoing to matter. So does this mean, I should take more undergraduate classes before I apply to med school to get my total GPA up? or can just get all A's on my premed prereqs?

It depends on the math. If you have a lot of undergraduate credits, you may not be able to get your cumulative GPA up to the 3.5 range with just the prereqs. You may end up getting the bio degree for this reason. Also, I agree with the others--if you end up being close to the bio degree but not needing it, you might as well just take the extra classes and get it. The degree may be useful down the line.

 

[sassilysweet]

I could care less about getting another degree, but as affordable as college is in Arkansas and being that close to one it only seems like the prudent thing to do. By taking all of the chemistry, physics, and math courses required as prereqs; adding in all of the biology I took years ago; and throwing in a few more biology classes I'd have a biology degree out of the deal or at least I would where I'm looking to take the prereqs at. I'm not sure what your question is, but I got my B.S. degree in 2003 so I don't have anything to add a second major too. My intent here is to speed through the prereqs, as feasible, and then move on with life, but if I'm only three courses shy of another degree then why not. It all really depends on how I feel about it at the time. What I've learned in my life is that college and careers are totally unpredictable.

It was unclear if you were already enrolled & finishing your first major or if you were taking classes just to fulfill prereqs for med school with a previous BA/BS (a non-degree-seeker).

You might get some advantages by becoming a degree-seeking student if you are currently not.

 

[ArkansasRanger]

You might get some advantages by becoming a degree-seeking student if you are currently not.

Such as?

 

[sassilysweet]

Such as?

Earlier registration times and other loan possibilities (but you didn't seem worried about money)

 

[ArkansasRanger]

Earlier registration times and other loan possibilities (but you didn't seem worried about money)

Oh, yeah, neither one of those are going to apply, but thanks for trying.