Tufts Postbacc...may be a loaded question

[maybull]

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I posted this question in the postbacc forum, but I was really hoping for some Veterinary Student advice. I am 32 y/o and I have a long road ahead of me. Some perpective from other students, current or former, would be a great help....

I am considering enrolling in a postbacc program at Tufts to fulfill prerequisites before applying to veterinary school. My question may seem oversimplified, but it is one that I have repeated to myself throughout my research into schools and programs.

Statistically those who complete a structured postbacc program have a high rate of acceptance into medical school (reported, on average, 80-88%), particularly when they are in the postbacc program at the medical school where they intend to apply. However, the traditional medical school applicant has a much lower acceptance rate (I have seen 1 in 3 widely reported).

If so, why wouldn’t more students (or almost all) needing several classes enter a postbacc as opposed to structuring their own classes?

I understand that the postbacc costs more money, but in the end it seems like a sure thing *if* you do well (which is essential in either circumstance).

Am I missing something? The statistics seem so drastically different, I am sure there are more factors to consider (drop out rate, sponsorship, applicant pools).

Can anyone shed some light on this for me? Thanks….

 

[kate_g]

I get the idea that a lot of med-school postbacc programs are awfully restrictive on admissions. They have GPA requirements (either a minimum or a maximum), they don't want you to have taken *any* of the prereqs yet, or are only for "disadvantaged" applicants. Plus, there aren't that many of them, so you'd need to move to wherever the program is, which might be a problem if you've got a family. And, they put you under a serious full-time load so you probably can't work, which means if you're not rich to start with that you have to take out loans to pay the expensive tuition. So my guess would be that there just aren't that many people, out of the entire med school applicant pool, who actually fit the criteria for formal post-bacc programs.

That's all stuff I've gotten from reading the non-trad forum, which is mostly med folks. I don't know anything at all about formal post-bacc programs geared toward vet med.

 

[wildfocus]

don't forget that postbacs are generally older, have life and job experience, are often more focused than traditional students, and work part-full time jobs -- all of which increase one's chance of getting into a professional program. i've taken lots of night classes at the community college with students who were changing careers - but not getting a new bac degree - and many of them get accepted into programs, so it may not be that by being a postbac you have a better chance, but that other life experiences give you an overall advantage.

i just finished a postbac and finally sent off my vet apps this fall (after seven grueling years)... i wouldn't recommend starting another bac program just to get into a grad program, though, unless you need that bac program for your long term career goals. my first bac was in english, before i knew what i wanted to do, then i went back to school for a wildlife science/biology degree because i want to become a wildlife vet and researcher. your statement of purpose should reflect why you've taken each step, and your postbac program should reflect your goals (not look like you did it just to buy time). also remember, that it takes a LOT of time (especially if you have a job and are married) and costs $$$. good luck!!

 

[maybull]

thanks kate, yes $ is always an issue. wildfocus, what an accomplishment. Did the postbacc take 7 years? You did it part time?

I need 6 or 7 classes. I was an international studies major. My GPA was low, 2.9. Mostly due to poor freshman & sophmore grades. Although the following are not grades that count toward a GPA, I scored very high at the law enforcement academy (98.5%) where there was a high failure rate.

Between my low GPA and lack of undergrad prereq's, I thought my only shot was with a postbacc. As for getting in, I don't even know what they are looking for, so I am attending an informational session next month.

Does it sound like a postbacc is necessary?

 

[JIKJen124]

Let me speak as someone who started the road to vet school in a structured program, and then left after one year to finish elsewhere. Although I certainly enjoyed the friends I met, the advisors I had, the veterinary experience opportunities that were available to me, and more generally the experience of living in a new city (I moved from DC where I had been for 4 years to Philly), I'm not sure if I had it to do over again I would have.

First of all, pre-vet is different from pre-med. We have more classes to take and more demands to have as much clinical experience as possible. My program was designed to be completed by pre-meds (8 basic courses) in 12 months with no time for volunteering/working, or 2 academic years part-time (allowing for 8-10 hours of work per week). Because of one of the advantages of the program - having our own classes separate from undergrads - the curves were still set at B-/C+. That meant that about 1/2 of the students pre-health dreams were significantly hampered if they weren't in the top 1/2 of each of their classes, which made the program hyper internally competative after a competative admissions progress to get in. Since pretty much everyone in the program had quit whatever career they had prior to becoming pre-health, there was no shortage of desire/deterimination. I'm sure the success rate was quite high after successful completetion of the program.

After a year in the program with only 5 courses completed and 10 more to go to fully prepare my for my target list of schools, I left the program. I was not alone in the decision, as several of my other pre-vet friends from the program chose to do the same thing. All of us have completed our course work else where and now are in the waiting game.

Moving home was an excellent cost decision for me, although I did lose the social benefits of living in Philly. Taking classes with 19 year olds again too some adjusting, but in the end I much prefered my DIY program. I was able to take more classes per semester so I could finish in a more realistic time frame, and I was able to find two great mentors and great clinical experience without being near a VTH. In alot of ways, I wish I had done it DIY at a local university from the start.

I'm not sure that answers your questions about the Tufts program specificially, but I thought sharing my insights/experiences from having done it both ways.

Jen

 

[maybull]

Jen - that is exactly what I was looking for - a perspective from the DIY side. Thanks so much!

 

[JIKJen124]

I'm glad I could help. If you need more perspectives/whatever just PM me, I don't mind sharing.

 

[sambone]

Whoops...posted twice somehow

 

[sambone]

Hey Maybull -

Comparing post bacc to trad. student acceptance rates may not really tell you much - it could just be that post bacc-ers on the whole (formal or informal) are more focused/experienced/whoknowswhat and tend to get in more frequently.

Im going the DIY post bacc, and it's been working out great.
Money was the big issue for me, so I got a full time job with educational benefits ( I pay 150$ out of 1800 per class) at a respectable university with plenty of prereq night classes. I take two classes/semester and honestly it's exhausting, but I figure if I couldnt handle this almost non-stop schedule then I probably would suck at vet school!

I think some people need the guidance of a post bacc program, but with everything being on line these days it's really easy to figure out what you need to take and how to organize your schedule. I also really love not needing a guidance counselor to sign my registration forms, etc.

Hope that helps!

 

[wildfocus]

hi again - yes, my postbac took seven years part-time. i was working full-time at the university (which provided some tuition exemption) and part-time at the animal hopsital to keep up with my skills. i took classes (usually 1-4 a quarter) whereever i could (so my transcripts are from the university where i got both my bac degrees and from several community colleges) and b/c i was on the post-bac route, i had not only the science prereq courses, but all my wildlife classes too. honestly, i wouldn't trade in these last few years for anything - i learned so much with my post-bac. if a post-bac fits in with your career goals, i would recommend it, but if not, sounds like the other route is best. 🙂