HI guys-My wife and I are looking to attend a Post Bac programs next year. We were wondering if any of the current students can comment on their programs in terms of quality of instruction (similar to pick a prof). We'd really like to attend a program that has attentive and detailed instructors with fair grading procedures. Similar to Pick a prof, can you guys post student review of the profs, with grade review within the core courses? thanks in advance!
Teaching Quality at Post Bac (UPenn, Goucher, Bryn Mawr, etc)
- Thread starter IDSID
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IDSID said:
Hi there,
I'm in my first semester at the Penn post pacc program (i'm finishing up orgo and physics but started with upper levels...weird) I have only had one exam and it was difficult but fair....i think that's a phrase you'll hear a lot at Penn....i did my undergrad there as well and I'll tell you exams in general are detailed and comprehensive (i.e. you need to understand beyond memorizing facts)....two trends i've seen in science classes have been 1) you must know all concepts and facts and on every exam it will test those facts in detail AND there will always be a question or two on something related, but beyond what you've seen in notes/book....so getting A's is tricky sometimes....getting perfect scores is very very difficult. Secondly, I have taken classes where the exams are more straighforward with little application...but you may need to know a whole notebook worth of concepts and facts....so volume over application....specifically for professors....they seem great....many during the summer (or through CGS in general) are traveling profs and don't normally work/teach at penn....take this for whatever you want....they still seem good and ironically my current biochem prof teaches at the Bryn Mawr post bacc program as well....so i like to think that he, as well as others, realize the structure and function of these programs which may ultimately work in your favor....pm me with any other questions! best of luck.
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Hey there,
Recent Goucher graduate here. I hate to sound like a broken record around here because I've already posted similar comments in other threads on this board, but I thought the teaching at Goucher was fantastic. The post-bac classes are very small (about 30 students per year) and are completely separate from the undergrad courses. As a result, there are no curves, the grading system is designed so that everybody can earn an A if they put in the work (after all, they want all of their students to go on to med school), and there is a real culture that goes with small classes at a small liberal arts school in which profs are very accesible, and really care about teaching.
You can PM me if you have specific questions, although I am in the process of moving right now, and depending on when you catch me, may be offline for a few days.
Recent Goucher graduate here. I hate to sound like a broken record around here because I've already posted similar comments in other threads on this board, but I thought the teaching at Goucher was fantastic. The post-bac classes are very small (about 30 students per year) and are completely separate from the undergrad courses. As a result, there are no curves, the grading system is designed so that everybody can earn an A if they put in the work (after all, they want all of their students to go on to med school), and there is a real culture that goes with small classes at a small liberal arts school in which profs are very accesible, and really care about teaching.
You can PM me if you have specific questions, although I am in the process of moving right now, and depending on when you catch me, may be offline for a few days.
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I'm in the postbacc prehealth program at Penn, and I just finished my first semester of summer gen chem today. It was comprehensive, high-volume, and grueling -- i.e., I had no life outside of chemistry. That being said, I did very well, thought the lecture professor was outstanding, find the postbacc advisors to be helpful and readily accessible, and the other postbacc students (at least the other prehealth students in my class) to be bright and highly-motivated but mutually supportive.
What Chrissy says about the exams at Penn is pretty accurate, but you can definitely get an A if you're focused.
PM me if you want information that's more specific than this.
What Chrissy says about the exams at Penn is pretty accurate, but you can definitely get an A if you're focused.
PM me if you want information that's more specific than this.
