Visiting Student vs Continuing Education: Does it matter?

[FredAstaire]

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Hello everyone,

I recently graduated from my alma mater with a 3.69 GPA, and decided to take some additional courses at U of Nebraska Omaha to bring my GPA up to a 3.7X for both science and cumulative.

Is there a difference if I become a visiting student taking those courses or apply to become an continuing education student? Is there an advantage one way or the other? Thanks.

 

[flatearth22]

Hello everyone,

I recently graduated from my alma mater with a 3.69 GPA, and decided to take some additional courses at U of Nebraska Omaha to bring my GPA up to a 3.7X for both science and cumulative.

Is there a difference if I become a visiting student taking those courses or apply to become an continuing education student? Is there an advantage one way or the other? Thanks.

 

[Tapepsi]

If you've already graduated, your undergrad GPA will be a 3.69 and will not change. What you're doing now is a postbacc which will have a separate GPA. It's really not going to do anything for your application. Besides even if it was added to your UG GPA, taking additional courses to raise your GPA by 0.01 isn't really going to help at all (and a 3.69 is a great GPA btw).

 

[theWUbear]

If you've already graduated than your undergrad GPA will be a 3.69 and will not change.

Wrong

 

[flatearth22]

If you've already graduated than your undergrad GPA will be a 3.69 and will not change. What you're doing now is a postbacc which will have a separate GPA. It's really not going to do anything for your application is what I'm saying. Your GPA is already good so don't worry about it.

Actually post-bac GPA is a part of your undergrad GPA per AMCAS. It's grad GPA (masters, PhD) that is separate and given less weight. Hence why many are advised to do a postbac to bring up their GPA - it actually does bring up their uGPA.

That said, OP is wasting his time if he thinks a 3.7x will be the magic ticket that gets him into med school over his 3.69. Instead of wasting his time on this fruitless endeavor he should get a job doing clinical research or volunteer at a free clinic.

 

[Tapepsi]

Actually post-bac GPA is a part of your undergrad GPA per AMCAS. It's grad GPA (masters, PhD) that is separate and given less weight. Hence why many are advised to do a postbac to bring up their GPA - it actually does bring up their uGPA.

Ah well then my apologies. 😳 I still stand by what I say though that taking additional classes just to slightly raise your GPA isn't a good idea. Like flatearth22 said, that time could be used more productively.

 

[theWUbear]

Hello everyone,

I recently graduated from my alma mater with a 3.69 GPA, and decided to take some additional courses at U of Nebraska Omaha to bring my GPA up to a 3.7X for both science and cumulative.

Is there a difference if I become a visiting student taking those courses or apply to become an continuing education student? Is there an advantage one way or the other? Thanks.

Those two designations may differ in your registration capabilities, times, etc. I'd look into that. If you're doing it because you're into the courses and/or they're basic science-related then have at it OP. If not, as everyone else has said, you have fulfilled the GPA requirement of med school and it would serve you better to be researching or working

 

[FredAstaire]

Actually post-bac GPA is a part of your undergrad GPA per AMCAS. It's grad GPA (masters, PhD) that is separate and given less weight. Hence why many are advised to do a postbac to bring up their GPA - it actually does bring up their uGPA.

That said, OP is wasting his time if he thinks a 3.7x will be the magic ticket that gets him into med school over his 3.69. Instead of wasting his time on this fruitless endeavor he should get a job doing clinical research or volunteer at a free clinic.

1) LizzyM suggested to me to do whatever it takes to get over the 3.7X hump, because some schools like hers place you in different bins based on GPA milestones. So just that 0.01 GPA difference from 3.69 to 3.70 may mean an interview or not at her school.

2) I was only going to take ONE 4-credit hour course, which is all it takes to bring me over the 3.7X hump. I can easily volunteer with just a one-course commitment. I have already have more than enough research with 8 poster presentations/oral talks for conferences, and 4 first author journal publications.


Please get back on track to answer my question: any advantange of being a visiting student or continuing education student?

 

[flatearth22]

1) LizzyM suggested to me to do whatever it takes to get over the 3.7X hump, because some schools like hers place you in different bins based on GPA milestones. So just that 0.01 GPA difference from 3.69 to 3.70 may mean an interview or not at her school.

2) I was only going to take ONE 4-credit hour course, which is all it takes to bring me over the 3.7X hump. I can easily volunteer with just a one-course commitment. I have already have more than enough research with 8 poster presentations/oral talks for conferences, and 4 first author journal publications.


Please get back on track to answer my question: any advantange of being a visiting student or continuing education student?

Doubt it makes a difference. Continuing education student has the connotation of being more non-trad-ish...but will adcoms even notice this minor detail?

Congratulations on your 3.7x and good luck on your Medical School goals in 2011.

 

[kami333]

1) LizzyM suggested to me to do whatever it takes to get over the 3.7X hump, because some schools like hers place you in different bins based on GPA milestones. So just that 0.01 GPA difference from 3.69 to 3.70 may mean an interview or not at her school.

2) I was only going to take ONE 4-credit hour course, which is all it takes to bring me over the 3.7X hump. I can easily volunteer with just a one-course commitment. I have already have more than enough research with 8 poster presentations/oral talks for conferences, and 4 first author journal publications.


Please get back on track to answer my question: any advantange of being a visiting student or continuing education student?

Ask the registrar or admissions office at U of N.

At the last university where I took postbacc classes, continuing education was non-credit and had to sign up in open registration, visiting/non-matriculated students got credit but had the last sign up slot before open registration, and 2nd bachelors students had the highest priority registration. As a 2nd bachelors student I was able to sign up for classes 6 weeks before my gf, who was non-matriculated.

 

[FredAstaire]

So, if I am a 2nd bachelor student, I don't have to take a full course load right? Maybe just one course a semester until I get into med school. I have no actual obligation to finish this second bachelor - correct?

 

[theWUbear]

So, if I am a 2nd bachelor student, I don't have to take a full course load right? Maybe just one course a semester until I get into med school. I have no actual obligation to finish this second bachelor - correct?

It depends on your luck 😛
Both of these scenarios could possibly occur after signing up as a second-degree student:
1. You get online registration access, never hear anything again from admissions, just sign up for class and show up in the fall 👍
2. You get emails about mandatory advising meetings that you need to complete before getting registration privileges, you are forced to present a plan that allows you to earn the degree to your new adviser, he/she has to approve of your registration 👎

I was recommended by the pre-health deans at my post-bacc institution to sign up as a 2nd degree student, so when 'student advising' came calling I talked to him and we had my advising deferred to him, so he just let me take whatever classes I wanted. All of this is probably too much of a hassle for you since you're looking for just one class. If being a second-degree student involves jumping through these hoops I wouldn't do it if I were you - unless that meant not being able to sign up for any of the classes I want to take

 

[kami333]

^ What he said.

It really depends on the school.

At the university I was talking about, they kept emailing me about declaring a major and meeting an adviser but I just ignored them for the 4years I was there without any issue. Plus their system would give me messages about missing pre-reqs, but would let me sign up for any class that I wanted anyways. Right now I'm a transient (non-matriculated) student at a local community college and since I haven't transferred my courses over, I can't sign up for anything without getting approval from the registrar.

 

[CodeBlu]

wrong

+1