UC Post-Bacc Programs

[ltlmssunshine]

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Hi, I am planning on doing a post-bacc starting Fall of '09 and preferably in California and I was wondering if there are people that have done any of the UC post-bacc programs. If so, I would appreciate any advice about:
1. how the application process went for you
2. which one you went to
3. what it was like (i have heard that registering for classes is difficult because you are only allowed to register after everyone else has done so)
4. how beneficial was it for you and where did you end up for med school
Thanks in advance.

 

[Icantlose]

I would like to know as well because I am going to apply this year but unfortunately nobody has answered...

 

[Icure]

bump

 

[DarknightX]

Hi, I am planning on doing a post-bacc starting Fall of '09 and preferably in California and I was wondering if there are people that have done any of the UC post-bacc programs. If so, I would appreciate any advice about:
1. how the application process went for you
2. which one you went to
3. what it was like (i have heard that registering for classes is difficult because you are only allowed to register after everyone else has done so)
4. how beneficial was it for you and where did you end up for med school
Thanks in advance.

Don't know if you still need an answer, but here is my experience:

I realized by May of my first application cycle that I probably wasn't going to get into med school, so I wanted something to really help my application the second time I applied. I decided to try some post-bac programs, because I figured this would show commitment, plus I could take some classes and improve my gpa.

1. The application process, as I remember it, was pretty simple. They just wanted a copy of your AMCAS, and a personal statement, plus letters of rec. It's kind of applying to med school again, except you already have everything done.

2. I went to UCLA for my post-bac. The program they have their is called RAP. (Re-application program). I don't know if it's around anymore, but they claimed a 90% acceptence rate to UCLA SOM during my interview, which is what sold me. They basically told me if I got X MCAT score, and X GPA during my post-bac, that I would be guaranteed an interview (which I did recieve), and I would have a 90% chance of acceptance. I chose the UCLA program because I went to UCLA for undergrad and would have loved to go their for medical school.

3. I thought the program was severly lacking on a number of different levels. First of all, there was very little support/counseling. I didn't need my hand held, but I did need some direction. I basically got one session with the program director at the time, and she told me that I needed to take some more classes to raise my GPA. I already knew that, but when I asked her which classes, she said, well it's up to you. That was kind of the answer for everything....should I do more research...up to you. Do a master's? Up to you. There was very little guidance in terms of what classes to take, or any MCAT instruction or anything like that.

The other thing that really sucked was that we weren't considered students at UCLA. That means we had to register through UCLA Extension, which means we either had to add classes after they were full (which was very difficult), or we had to take classes that were offered by UCLA Extension (which are a complete joke, they do nothing to help prepare you for medical school. It's like going back to community college). On top of that, we recieved no financial aid. I think we got like a $2000 dollar stipend for the whole year, which didn't even cover the cost of classes. There no mock interviews, not really much support in terms of our applications. I remember when I turned in my application as a re-applicant, I couldnt even get an advisor to read my personal statement. There were a ton of promises at the beginning, but they failed to disclose many, many things. I wouldn't recommend this program to anyone until the many deficits are addressed.

4. In terms of benefit, it helped because I got to put on my application. That's really the only benefit I can think of. I could have taken the classes on my own, I studied for my MCAT retake on my own, I wrote all my personal statements on my own, and recieved very little guidance. Even when applying, I asked which medical schools look kindly on re-applicants, and I was told to go look in the MSAR or whatever it is called(that book with all the info about medical schools). Literally, it was the worst program ever. Comparing that to my friends who went to UC Davis, UCI, and UCSD, I had it a lot worse. I really regretted my decision. They got financial aid (while I was working to pay for school), they got a ton of support, letters of rec, and MCAT prep courses. We got zero of these things. I did end up getting into a UC for medical school (not UCLA, unfortunately), so things worked out OK for me.

However, I heard that the old RAP director retired recently, so maybe they will fix the problems that they had. If anyone has any other questions, let me know. I hope this was helpful.

 

[Icure]

Thank you DarknightX, your comments did help.

Has anyone else been in a UC post-bac? Your comments are greatly appreciated.I am currently applying to UCLA/CDU, UCI,UCSF,UCSD.

 

[doctormusic]

I recently talked to a Ucla Rap admissions officer and she said that the program focussed on accepting students with socio-economic disadvantages. The class size is only 30, so don't bother unless you fit the profile.

 

[zippyh20]

Don't know if you still need an answer, but here is my experience:

I realized by May of my first application cycle that I probably wasn't going to get into med school, so I wanted something to really help my application the second time I applied. I decided to try some post-bac programs, because I figured this would show commitment, plus I could take some classes and improve my gpa.

1. The application process, as I remember it, was pretty simple. They just wanted a copy of your AMCAS, and a personal statement, plus letters of rec. It's kind of applying to med school again, except you already have everything done.

2. I went to UCLA for my post-bac. The program they have their is called RAP. (Re-application program). I don't know if it's around anymore, but they claimed a 90% acceptence rate to UCLA SOM during my interview, which is what sold me. They basically told me if I got X MCAT score, and X GPA during my post-bac, that I would be guaranteed an interview (which I did recieve), and I would have a 90% chance of acceptance. I chose the UCLA program because I went to UCLA for undergrad and would have loved to go their for medical school.

3. I thought the program was severly lacking on a number of different levels. First of all, there was very little support/counseling. I didn't need my hand held, but I did need some direction. I basically got one session with the program director at the time, and she told me that I needed to take some more classes to raise my GPA. I already knew that, but when I asked her which classes, she said, well it's up to you. That was kind of the answer for everything....should I do more research...up to you. Do a master's? Up to you. There was very little guidance in terms of what classes to take, or any MCAT instruction or anything like that.

The other thing that really sucked was that we weren't considered students at UCLA. That means we had to register through UCLA Extension, which means we either had to add classes after they were full (which was very difficult), or we had to take classes that were offered by UCLA Extension (which are a complete joke, they do nothing to help prepare you for medical school. It's like going back to community college). On top of that, we recieved no financial aid. I think we got like a $2000 dollar stipend for the whole year, which didn't even cover the cost of classes. There no mock interviews, not really much support in terms of our applications. I remember when I turned in my application as a re-applicant, I couldnt even get an advisor to read my personal statement. There were a ton of promises at the beginning, but they failed to disclose many, many things. I wouldn't recommend this program to anyone until the many deficits are addressed.

4. In terms of benefit, it helped because I got to put on my application. That's really the only benefit I can think of. I could have taken the classes on my own, I studied for my MCAT retake on my own, I wrote all my personal statements on my own, and recieved very little guidance. Even when applying, I asked which medical schools look kindly on re-applicants, and I was told to go look in the MSAR or whatever it is called(that book with all the info about medical schools). Literally, it was the worst program ever. Comparing that to my friends who went to UC Davis, UCI, and UCSD, I had it a lot worse. I really regretted my decision. They got financial aid (while I was working to pay for school), they got a ton of support, letters of rec, and MCAT prep courses. We got zero of these things. I did end up getting into a UC for medical school (not UCLA, unfortunately), so things worked out OK for me.

However, I heard that the old RAP director retired recently, so maybe they will fix the problems that they had. If anyone has any other questions, let me know. I hope this was helpful.

On the contrary, I was also in UCLA RAP and I have gotten acceptances to great schools and interviews at most the UC's (jan/feb interviews so still waiting), all because of this program. It changed my life. The director, who has retired (unfortunately), expected initiative from you to some extent, but if you asked, she gave me a list of schools other applicants had applied to, mock interviewed me and read most of my 30 secondary applications, a lot of them in her last week while she was about to leave (I felt slightly guilty asking her, but she read them and critiqued them with open arms).

The office at UCLA academic outreach has truly changed my life and the other people my year would say similar things. However, there were weaknesses like any state funded program. I agree with Darkknight that the program didn't hold your hand, pay for all your schooling and walk you through everything, but the entire summer was spent on the MCAT, then during the school year they gave us opportunities to seek more help with their connections if we needed it, for free or reduced costs. The summer could have been organized better, our year could have also been more structured as well. But, the program was meant to give you some sort of direction and help you achieve your goals. They left it openended because not one applicant is the same and not one med school is looking for one type of applicant. If you liked research, you were told to continue it, if you had little clinical exposure, they connected you with a preceptor at olive view or westwood/ucla hospital. The program was great for people who were self motivated, as most post baccs are.

The office director wrote a very personalized letter (one of my best letters, so some of my interviewers have said) for all of us who finished the program in good standing and also wrote one for another who decided to change careers to another health field. Also, the $ we got was a grant for ~1700 for the six week summer program which was more than enough to pay for housing and food (i used some for classes the next quarter), then ~$900 a quarter to take ~2 classes at extension (each costing ~$400-500) so you have to pay some money, but if you got the $2000 loan, which most of us got, you could easily pay for the high cost of living in LA for the quarter as long as you were reasonable. And, yes some of the classes were easier than others, especially being a uc undergraduate, but I learned a lot I will be applying in medical school next year, guess it depends on the classes you pick. And these classes are looked at EXACTLY the same as UCLA regular classes (from what I've learned through this app cycle). Maybe the program has improved, but the people I talked with from the year before also had positive experiences. This year, the director of the program did retire and they are in limbo of picking a new person, but Im sure there will be no difference in the quality of the program.

Also, if we complete the program you get a free interview at UCLA DGSOM, but we were never told a 90% acceptance to UCLA (don't know if that was an old thing), we were told a 90% acceptance to medical schools as a whole. Oh and for reference: http://www.medstudent.ucla.edu/prospective/premedical/default.cfm?pgID=183
PM me if you have questions