UPenn Post Bacc Program

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If you are looking for the book for chem 001 this summer it is, Chemistry Principles -Steven Zumdahl - 6th Edition.
 
Has anyone heard from Sally when the orientation is for summer? I recieved an email saying they'd decide on a date, but haven't recieved another..
 
Orientation was a waste of time IMO - they give you some random talks and the only useful thing was getting your upenn ID
 
sm640739 said:
Has anyone heard from Sally when the orientation is for summer? I recieved an email saying they'd decide on a date, but haven't recieved another..
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In the same boat, one e-mail but not any additional.

Plus, they canceled my advisor meeting an hour before it was scheduled and I called twice to reschdule it to no avail. :caution:
 
mtulli said:
In the same boat, one e-mail but not any additional.

Plus, they canceled my advisor meeting an hour before it was scheduled and I called twice to reschdule it to no avail. :caution:
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ME TOO!!!! I was supposed to talk with her yesterday!!! I was not happy. I finally got in touch with her assistant (I guess) and got a new appointment, but it was a little frustrating.

No word on orientation either.
 
robflanker said:
You can always email the prof and ask. I refuse to get books from the bookstore cos they r always like 40 bucks per book more
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Yea, I try to steer clear of the college bookstores...always a rip off.
 
The only thing I like about the college bookstore is the convenience. Often times you will get a big shrink-wrapped package of solutions manual, lab packet, etc., etc.

Tracking all of these materials down individually online saves a lot of money but can be such a hassle.

Plus, I love books so much I hate when people have pooped around all over my pages. :shrug:

Thanks for the heads up emtdan. I hope they post the summer chem syllabi soon, one month until show time.
 
Hey guys. I just bought the textbook on half.com for $60. Just figured I'd share the site with you all!
 
From what i've gathered on the grading curve i'm not sure if you are my friends or my competition!

The race is on!
 
Thanks for the input re: orientation. I'm going just bc i need the ID and want to meet people .. Not expecting much else 🙂
 
As far as linkage is concerned I know it was discussed a little while back by I believe Audman but I have a more specific question that may be more difficult to answer.

If I am trying to link to say Jefferson, a school which requires a PB GPA of 3.4. What will make me competitive for nomination? A 3.6 or a 3.8? Pitt requires a 3.7, would a 3.8 be competitive or does that not quite cut it?

Are there few slots available and the prospective applicants get weeded out according to who falls below the others?

In addition, with 0 Post-Bacc experience thus far, isn't this May due date a little ridiculous? No idea on performance and no idea how the school treats linkages. Such is the gamble.:smack:
 
mtulli said:
As far as linkage is concerned I know it was discussed a little while back by I believe Audman but I have a more specific question that may be more difficult to answer.

If I am trying to link to say Jefferson, a school which requires a PB GPA of 3.4. What will make me competitive for nomination? A 3.6 or a 3.8? Pitt requires a 3.7, would a 3.8 be competitive or does that not quite cut it? It will vary every year based on the applicant pool. Jeff is amongst the most popular links here, so I would assume you should be look 3.6+ for that link, a rocking MCAT as well. Its a very competitive process.

Are there few slots available and the prospective applicants get weeded out according to who falls below the others? Not sure how many slots there are. Penn only sends their best candidates to interview at the respective med school and then its up to the med school to pick the ones they like the best

In addition, with 0 Post-Bacc experience thus far, isn't this May due date a little ridiculous? No idea on performance and no idea how the school treats linkages. Such is the gamble.:smack: It is def a long way in the future.
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See Red.

I've been saying a while the linkage stuff at Penn isn't all that its cracked up to be
 
robflanker said:
See Red.

I've been saying a while the linkage stuff at Penn isn't all that its cracked up to be
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Sounds like a bit of a joke. It is good to know, however, that Jefferson will be as competitive as the top programs. It's like pin the tail on the donkey, or chugging a beer, putting on a blindfold, and trying to hit a 90MPH fastball.

Maybe you'll get lucky.:wtf:
Thanks rob, I'll just pick a school and see how the situation pans out.
 
If you request to linkage and your grades are not above par, or you decide you don't want to link, can you cancel your request to link?
 
No point in cancelling. It doesn't mean anything if you don't cancel and don't link.
 
emtdan said:
If you request to linkage and your grades are not above par, or you decide you don't want to link, can you cancel your request to link?
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To elaborate on what rob said above, if your grades aren't competitive you simply won't get a nomination and you will enter into the regular applicant pool for the following academic year.

You are entering upon a contract that is contingent upon your academic success as well as your MCAT. If either falters, you breach your contract and it is therefore null.
 
My adviser wasn't around again when I called her today!!! Is anyone else having this much difficulty with advising?? It's a bit discouraging. I have questions concerning linking! Is the deadline May 1st or May 15th. It's says May 1st on the linkage request form, but I thought I saw May 15th somewhere else. And is Mt Sinai still an option? Cause it is not on the LPS website...but is on the document of criteria for linking. If anyone can answer these questions, I will love you for life! 😍 hahaha!
 
Per the Linkage Workshop at Penn a few weeks ago;
Mt Sinai linkage
  • undergrad cGPA; 3.3
  • sGPA at time of nomination; 3.6
  • Sit for MCAT by; 30th April
  • MCAT Score; 33 (no section lower than a 10)
  • 1 yr only
Timeline (for Mt. Sinai and i added the years to make it less confusing but all the dates are not mine);
  • Linkage request; May 1st 2010
  • Nomination; Feb 15th 2011
  • Nom/Letters: April 2011
  • Interview: May 2011
  • Provisional Offer: not listed
  • MCAT; by end of April 2011
  • AMCAS app: finish in March 2011
  • Final offer: June 2011
  • Start @ Med school: August 2011
Nomination process (all programs);
  • May 1st - submit linkage request form
  • Review file - "review how you have performed in the past, and how you are performing in our program"
  • Committee votes as to who should be nominated
 
all of the discussion for linkages... is this for those who are completing in one year? Since I will be completing in 2, do I apply for linkages next year? Advisor never covered this (not surprised, just saying..)
 
sm640739 said:
all of the discussion for linkages... is this for those who are completing in one year? Since I will be completing in 2, do I apply for linkages next year? Advisor never covered this (not surprised, just saying..)
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If you're doing the two-year it will be next May for you, the year before you plan on matriculating into medical school.
 
well rob...you are officially the love of my life. haha.

thank you for your help!
 
SM - as mtulli said, everything occurs in your 2nd year.

Zil - no problem
 
emtdan said:
From what i've gathered on the grading curve i'm not sure if you are my friends or my competition!

The race is on!
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They are your competition. Consider choosing one or two people to share work and help with...and the rest?! well you'll see soon enough.

In terms of the advisors that you all are having a hard time meeting with, don't stress about it. You can figure out what classes you need to take to get into the schools you want to go to. Your gpa is more important than taking as many classes as you can.

And linkage, my class had probably 7 people link to jeff, and 4 link to penn. so don't think it's bs just cause people don't talk about it much. It is competitive, but very doable, even for a mediocre student (jeff and drexel that is, penn wanted >3.6, which, really is doable too!). You don't have to rock the mcat. the tough part about it is that they want you to take the mcat at such and such a date, so you need to be prepared well before the rest of your class who will be applying with the standard timing. So since you're taking early, you will have less time to prepare. When i was there, penn just wanted 10 in each section, and jeff a 9 in each section.
 
Stixman28 said:
They are your competition. Consider choosing one or two people to share work and help with...and the rest?! well you'll see soon enough.

In terms of the advisors that you all are having a hard time meeting with, don't stress about it. You can figure out what classes you need to take to get into the schools you want to go to. Your gpa is more important than taking as many classes as you can.

And linkage, my class had probably 7 people link to jeff, and 4 link to penn. so don't think it's bs just cause people don't talk about it much. It is competitive, but very doable, even for a mediocre student (jeff and drexel that is, penn wanted >3.6, which, really is doable too!). You don't have to rock the mcat. the tough part about it is that they want you to take the mcat at such and such a date, so you need to be prepared well before the rest of your class who will be applying with the standard timing. So since you're taking early, you will have less time to prepare. When i was there, penn just wanted 10 in each section, and jeff a 9 in each section.
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That's really a good thing to hear, so thank you. Nowadays Penn wants > 3.6 and 11 in each subset of the MCAT. Jeff > 3.4 and I believe 10 in each subset. Do many people choose to wait for the regular application pool so that they are not limited? This makes sense to me.

I assumed they would have on record whether or not one has had their "first" meeting with an advisor so I have been diligent. I woke up this morning at 8:00 AM to be caffeinated and ready for a 9:30 interview. 9:15 incoming call to cancel.:poke:

Beginning to lose patience and desire to speak with anyone. Maybe my new (and third) meeting time will pan out.
 
If I take Chem 001 w lab 1st summer session ...does this mean I can take Chem 102 w/ lab second session....or is Chem 101 w/ lab required for Chem 102 w/ lab....thanks
 
abdul14 said:
If I take Chem 001 w lab 1st summer session ...does this mean I can take Chem 102 w/ lab second session....or is Chem 101 w/ lab required for Chem 102 w/ lab....thanks
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Post-baccs are to take CHEM001 which, like 101, feeds into the second semester CHEM102.
 
mtulli said:
That's really a good thing to hear, so thank you. Nowadays Penn wants > 3.6 and 11 in each subset of the MCAT. Jeff > 3.4 and I believe 10 in each subset. Do many people choose to wait for the regular application pool so that they are not limited? This makes sense to me.

I assumed they would have on record whether or not one has had their "first" meeting with an advisor so I have been diligent. I woke up this morning at 8:00 AM to be caffeinated and ready for a 9:30 interview. 9:15 incoming call to cancel.:poke:

Beginning to lose patience and desire to speak with anyone. Maybe my new (and third) meeting time will pan out.
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Its a big program. so lots of people do lots of things. not everyone there wants to be a doctor. we had people who wanted to be vets, dentists, PA's and NP's. Some people, after going through the program realized they wanted to be nurses, or maybe even leave healthcare field all together. So people aren't necessarily not linking to keep their options open, but bc their plans were different all along.

So id say, largely, yeah, a lot of people apply in the normal cycle. a good chunk of people try to link too, but only some of those are successful.

I don't know anyone though who finished the program and didn't get to go to the type of program they wanted to (be that md, do, dvm, dmd etc.)
 
Stixman28 said:
Its a big program. so lots of people do lots of things. not everyone there wants to be a doctor. we had people who wanted to be vets, dentists, PA's and NP's. Some people, after going through the program realized they wanted to be nurses, or maybe even leave healthcare field all together. So people aren't necessarily not linking to keep their options open, but bc their plans were different all along.

So id say, largely, yeah, a lot of people apply in the normal cycle. a good chunk of people try to link too, but only some of those are successful.

I don't know anyone though who finished the program and didn't get to go to the type of program they wanted to (be that md, do, dvm, dmd etc.)
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It def is a big, disjointed program.
But I know at least 2 people who have yet to get where they want to go and just finished their glide years, and thus now have to take another glide year. *edit - and they did decent here, >3.6; no idea MCAT or undergrad GPA*
 
Stixman28 said:
Its a big program. so lots of people do lots of things. not everyone there wants to be a doctor. we had people who wanted to be vets, dentists, PA's and NP's. Some people, after going through the program realized they wanted to be nurses, or maybe even leave healthcare field all together. So people aren't necessarily not linking to keep their options open, but bc their plans were different all along.

So id say, largely, yeah, a lot of people apply in the normal cycle. a good chunk of people try to link too, but only some of those are successful.

I don't know anyone though who finished the program and didn't get to go to the type of program they wanted to (be that md, do, dvm, dmd etc.)
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I understand now, thanks for that clarification. I didn't realize how broad the focuses of people in the program.

robflanker said:
It def is a big, disjointed program.
But I know at least 2 people who have yet to get where they want to go and just finished their glide years, and thus now have to take another glide year. *edit - and they did decent here, >3.6; no idea MCAT or undergrad GPA*
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That's just terrible... did they only want to go to one place or did they apply broadly? Worst nightmare come true... especially with those GPA's.
 
mtulli said:
That's just terrible... did they only want to go to one place or did they apply broadly? Worst nightmare come true... especially with those GPA's.
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I don't think its terrible at all. Not everyone is meant to be a doctor and if they don't get in, then maybe its not for them. I empathize with them and wish they had got what they wanted; but not everyone who wants to be a doc, can be a doc. I wanted to be a pro-soccer player when I was a kid, not matter how bad I wanted it, it clearly didn't pan out. Do you feel its terrible for me? If not, why is it any diff? It just wasn't meant to be and sometimes one has to accept their own limitations.

They applied broadly, slightly later than most but certainly not like the last week possible.

The MSAR tells you that there is no certainty in medical school admissions. You can have a 3.6+ cGPA and a 35 MCAT and still not get into medical school for whatever reason. I think its important to keep things in perspective - one should not feel entitled to a med school acceptance just because you have a 3.6 cGPA....
 
robflanker said:
I don't think its terrible at all. Not everyone is meant to be a doctor and if they don't get in, then maybe its not for them. I empathize with them and wish they had got what they wanted; but not everyone who wants to be a doc, can be a doc. I wanted to be a pro-soccer player when I was a kid, not matter how bad I wanted it, it clearly didn't pan out. Do you feel its terrible for me? If not, why is it any diff? It just wasn't meant to be and sometimes one has to accept their own limitations.

They applied broadly, slightly later than most but certainly not like the last week possible.

The MSAR tells you that there is no certainty in medical school admissions. You can have a 3.6+ cGPA and a 35 MCAT and still not get into medical school for whatever reason. I think its important to keep things in perspective - one should not feel entitled to a med school acceptance just because you have a 3.6 cGPA....
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I don't think there is any entitlement involved with anything. That being said, for someone who works hard to achieve something and doesn't, it is a terrible feeling. Childhood dreams and professional ambitions are very different things, in my opinion. One is born from ignorance and the other from mature contemplation, action, and effort. I don't think the particular comparison is relevant to what I originally meant.

They committed themselves to a program and saw it through with success. They still came up short. If I were in this position I would in fact feel terrible about it. There's nothing worse than failing. The need to accept it as a bump in the road and move on is a very different thing than the nightmare that is not achieving what you set out to do.

I'm not going into my Penn program with the expectation that after I have completed it, HMS or JHU should feel obligated to accepting my amazing self. Will I shoot for the top? You bet. But my disappointment in failure doesn't serve to discount my effort and potential for success. Nor does it make me spoiled. It will in fact be a horrible situation if I have to take multiple gap years--I can't see any possible argument contrary to this fact.
 
mtulli said:
It will in fact be a horrible situation if I have to take multiple gap years--I can't see any possible argument contrary to this fact.
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The contrary argument is - maybe you should take it as a sign...

I feel I should clarify this isnt all directed at you, more of a hypothetical person.
 
You can only choose one school to link to, correct? You can't try for multiple? Just checking.
 
robflanker said:
The contrary argument is - maybe you should take it as a sign...

I feel I should clarify this isnt all directed at you, more of a hypothetical person.
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Well I don't necessarily diasgree with that point.😛 Stubbornness must be accounted for!

And of course, my "disappointment" is hypothetical as well as my "success."
 
mtulli said:
Just one.
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just one. and i would be careful asking anyone at the school that. they want you to know you want to attend the school your linking to. for many reasons. if you're just linking to link anywhere, they may not want you. (ppl do ask this question and they always get a response like this)

also, i feel this little tiff is meaningless without an mcat score. the school can only do so much for you, and it cannot take your mcat. I don't blame penn for a second if someone who went there has not yet been accepted if they don't have the whole package.
 
Its not a tiff stixman28 but thanks for your 2 cents...

Mtulli and I were having a goodnatured and even-tempered debate
 
Finally had the advising meeting...pretty basic...

Me: I want to do this, this, and this

Adviser: Sounds good.

One suggestion...start going over Chemistry before class begins...which I had planned to do anyway.

Just though I'd share so that future students know what to expect...unless they don't read the forum...and just ask questions. In which case everyone should refer to this post #844. Haha.
 
lol I told you advising appointment would be a waste of time.

I did mine over the phone cos I didn't want to drive 4hrs to Philly
 
Anyone here in the Specialized Sciences take a lot of upper level science classes. I have advanced courses in Immunology, Endocrinology, and Medical Microbio, but my cGPA is a 3.55 after two retakes and my sGPA is around a 3.35, so I would really like to get this up. What is the average GPA for this program?


 
I am an SSP student.

You should do the grade calculations based on the number of credits you have to see if you can even raise it much with more classes. For example, I am not taking anymore classes as even if I got an A; my GPA will only go up 0.01 per class.

Avg GPA for what? Acceptance into SSP? Nothing is published but with your numbers, you'll get in
 
robflanker said:
lol I told you advising appointment would be a waste of time.

I did mine over the phone cos I didn't want to drive 4hrs to Philly
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You were 100% correct...I did mine over the phone too. Going to Philly made no sense..even more so now that I know what the appt is like!
 
robflanker said:
I am an SSP student.

You should do the grade calculations based on the number of credits you have to see if you can even raise it much with more classes. For example, I am not taking anymore classes as even if I got an A; my GPA will only go up 0.01 per class.

Avg GPA for what? Acceptance into SSP? Nothing is published but with your numbers, you'll get in
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Thanks...I'm prob applying to a few medical school as well as post-bacc programs as a backup. Yes I was talking about avg GPA for the SSP, but I didn't think anything was published. I would come in with about 120 credits, so As may not make my GPA go up drastically, but they still would help. Plus, I could get some more specialized course work. Just a little worried about paying for the SSP, and then Medical School on top of that.
 
If you don't get in this cycle you'd be better off doing graduate work. Not an SMP, but an MPH if that interested you. Or a core sciences masters.
 
Re: the advising.

They didn't have me scheduled when I called but forwarded me because the person I was written in for was "available."

45 second phone call.

If I had driven the 5 hours for that I would have died laughing.
 
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