UC Berkeley Extensions?

[Great Satchmo]

Quick over-view of where I am:

Graduated from a CSU last May with a BA in Psychology (3.6 overall, 3.8 last 2 years). During undergrad I held 2 research assistantships, TA'd for a senior level course (abnormal psych), was a board member for Psi Chi, volunteered with Autism Speaks. I scored a 1270 and 5.5 on my GRE (620 verbal, 650 quant)

Since then I held a position tutoring low-SES youth, am a full-time public health research assistant at Stanford School of Medicine, working on a part-time job writing workbooks about anxiety for Asian-Americans, and am volunteering at Stanford Hospital's Emergency Department. I have some conference presentations, and some co-authorships for papers/textbooks that are done/will be done.


SO, among some Ph.D. programs I'm thinking about, I still (despite going in many directions) have a LOT of interest in trying medicine (especially after reading more and being in the ED volunteering).


Intially I wanted to do a full time post-bacc that is structured, preferrably the 1 year program. But considering constraints, I was starting to think about the Berkeley extensions.

If I have NONE of my pre-reqs done, what kind of course load with a full time job is do-able, and how long would that take?

Is UC Berkeley extensions going to be looked upon as highly? Or will these be considered more of a community college level deal?

Any experiences?

Upsides or downsides of this particular approach?

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[murfettie]

why not enroll as a grad student at a cal state

 

[Great Satchmo]

I've thought about that, but considering I don't have the pre-reqs I'm sure I won't be admitted to a bio/chem/etc masters programs.

Would I just apply for a public health/psychology/stats or something like that MPH/MA/MS and then take courses on the side (they'd have to be ungrad courses, correct)?

If I could go into debt while getting a masters and getting my pre-req work done, I'd definitely be happy, rather than going into debt and coming out with no degree before med school apps.

 

[sarahg]

I have no personal experience to share but go to the Postbaccalaureate Programs board and search "UC Berkeley extension." There are a lot of bad comments about it.

 

[dangit]

Satchmo,

I would say don't go to Berkeley extension. it's not the same thing as studying on the Berkeley campus. I graduated from Berkeley. I never did the extension, but I met people who did it. They don't learn from Berkeley professors. They learn from other professors (not Berkekeley affiliated) and they take the same amount of tuition from you that they charge Berkeley students. Sorry, but it's not worth it. I'm thankful to Berkeley for allowing me to study there, but I have to strongly suggest you go elsewhere. Someone suggested you go to Cal State. Well, I very strongly suggest you go to SFSU (San Francisco State University). If you're thinking about Berkeley, then I guess you're from the Bay area. I acutally did my post-bacc at SFSU for two years. I have to say, it's such a good deal. The tution is much cheaper than Berkeley extension and the class sizes are very accomodating. I learned form tenured professors and they teach very well. I don't know if you know, but the UC's are very reserach oriented. Cal States (such as SFSU) are very education oriented. In other words, the professors there are there for students and to teach, not for research. I learned a lot from SFSU and I'm so glad I spent two years there. Was it hard? Yes. It's challenging, but it's doable. Ask more questions if you have any.

 

[Ntyeller]

Hi!

I actually did the UC Berkeley Extension post-bacc and had great success with applications. PM me if you want more info.

BTW: it doesn't matter if you are taught by "tenured professors" or not in a post bacc. Heck, a lot of undergrad classes are taught by assistant professors (i.e. those who have not earned tenure). What matters is that you take the correct prereqs and do well, wherever you decide to go. The instructors I had at Extension were great, as was the class size and the advising. Some instructors were not affiliated with UC Berkeley undergrad/grad, but they had been professors at other schools at previous times (UVA, Harvard, MIT, etc). Anyways, I can give you more info if you'd like.