What should I do about post-bac?

[tranquilometro]

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I'm going to graduate with about a 3.1 in anthropology next semester from a public university in Florida. I have a science gpa of 2.41, but I have only taken the calc, physics, and general chem classes.

Does anyone have any specific post-bac pre-med programs they'd recommend for me to apply to? I'm looking at schools in Florida, Texas, and California. I'd have to work and go to school, so a part-time option would be nice 🙂 I have two schools (CSU Fullerton and UC Berkeley) that I liked, but I have no idea how competetive they are. I'm a Florida resident, but I don't know if that makes a difference for post-bac.

Thanks.

 

[tranquilometro]

In other words: given my stats, does anyone recommend any post-bacc programs I should I apply to? I've done some "research" myself, but I am looking for opinions from people more experienced than me.

 

[DrMidlife]

I wouldn't recommend any particular postbac program. Your GPA is too low to get into a big name competitive program.

I would recommend a second bachelors, with a science major (preferably biochem or something less generic than bio), at any university campus where you can get A's and faculty recommendations.

Where would you thrive?

Best of luck to you.

 

[tranquilometro]

Thank you Dr. Midlife! I saw one of your other posts that had many school stats posted. It was very useful for me and I am sure many people appreciate the time you put into that. I also used a postbac search function provided on this site, although your post was much more succinct! I read your default response too! It was great! I also think it's great how you do not give up on something that you want!

In your opinion, would it be possible for me to be accepted into a non-big name school postbac program? It's very hard finding statistics on their acceptances, and I can only judge them by their application standards so far. I'm still doing my "research" though. I'm not sure if my goal is to go into medical school right away, but I would like to take many pre-med classes (hopefully in the form of postbac) in order to see if it's really what I'm interested in. Postbac is also much more affordable than a second bachelor's degree and money is tight! I would like to get a masters in some sort of neuroscience and then take things from there, but my primary concern is getting my foot in the door.

Sorry if this is a silly question, but is it possible to take the pre-med classes (calc, physics, chem 1 &2, organic chem 1 & 2, biochem, biology 1& 2) collectively at any community college outside of a defined postbac program and then be able to apply to medical school?

 

[DrMidlife]

In your opinion, would it be possible for me to be accepted into a non-big name school postbac program?

Possible, sure, but I think you're overestimating the power of a "postbac." The word means "any undergrad coursework after completing a bachelors degree." What is it you want by doing a "postbac" vs. just taking more classes? Some sense of completion, some certificate?

I'm not sure if my goal is to go into medical school right away, but I would like to take many pre-med classes (hopefully in the form of postbac) in order to see if it's really what I'm interested in.

Taking more classes is one of the less effective ways to find out if you want to be a physician. More effective:
- volunteer in a hospital or clinic
- read the health sections of major newspapers
- shadow physicians
- talk to nurses & other folks working in healthcare
- get a job in any industry you like, so that healthcare isn't the only field you know anything about, so that you have something to compare healthcare to, and so you get some clues to what your work style/preferences are

Postbac is also much more affordable than a second bachelor's degree and money is tight!

How do you figure? Because it's shorter? I doubt it - you have multiple more years of undergrad ahead of you.

I would like to get a masters in some sort of neuroscience and then take things from there, but my primary concern is getting my foot in the door.

If your possible goal is med school, you need to know that grad work will NOT DO ANYTHING to counteract a low undergrad GPA: you're not getting into med school by doing grad work in something sciencey. Your undergrad GPA is your fate, with respect to med school.

Sorry if this is a silly question, but is it possible to take the pre-med classes (calc, physics, chem 1 &2, organic chem 1 & 2, biochem, biology 1& 2) collectively at any community college outside of a defined postbac program and then be able to apply to medical school?

Possible, sure, but not a good idea for you. People who have already demonstrated competitive academics can get away with doing community college prereqs. People who have yet to demonstrate competitive academics should not do community college coursework. This has nothing to do with the quality of instruction or whether a CC will prepare you for the MCAT and med school - many CCs are just fine - it's about how you're going to make your case that you're not a risky proposition, when your credentials are not as strong as other candidates. You need to inspire confidence that you're ready to thrive under a crushing load of basic sciences for 2 years.

A few basic facts:
- about 45,000 people apply to med school every year
- about 20,000 get in (more than half do not get in)
- the people who get in have an average 3.6 GPA

Best of luck to you.

 

[tranquilometro]

Thank you once again, Dr. Midlife! I feel like you have already done too much for me, and I am very thankful. You seem to have a natural compulsion to help, so it's no surprise to see that you're listed as pre-med!

I was hoping that I could improve my GPA through postbac. What is the main benefit of improving it through a second bachelors verses through postbac? I think that's where my main confusion lies with your posts. I haven't taken many of the pre-med classes. Through number crunching, there is a lot of potential to improve my science GPA into something competitive, so I am hopeful. I actually just changed my major from environmental engineering to anthropology in order to graduate next semester instead of Fall 2012, after trying very hard for my school to let me take and re-take the pre-med classes. They wouldn't due to my GPA. You can't blame them for that, but you can't blame me for trying. All of my bad grades were in the first two years, and I have a 3.75 engineering GPA since all of those classes were taken the 2nd two years. The raging irony for me is that the classes I have A's in are upper division courses requiring comprehensive knowledge of the gen-ed classes I got C's in.

You've really helped so much and your sticky is great! I consider myself category 3. Thank you once again.

 

[DrMidlife]

I was hoping that I could improve my GPA through postbac. What is the main benefit of improving it through a second bachelors verses through postbac? I think that's where my main confusion lies with your posts.

OK you're going to have to point me to what you mean by postbac. What program are you talking about and why do you think it's important for you to do it?

The term "postbac" is meaningless to me - it's just an adjective. I need a noun. Actually I need an URL.

This is like my mom talking about her "macular." She never says "degeneration", just macular. "How's your spot-like, Mom?"

 

[DrMidlife]

Oh, I think I see. You want structure. OK.

Here's the deal. You have a 3.1 overall. You have a lot of science in your 2.41, if you're engineering. So you can't just get the prereqs done. You need a LOT of science coursework to get your numbers close to admissible range.

Generally, non-linkage structured postbacs won't know what to do with you. Maybe UT Dallas would. But a non-linkage structured postbac is a web page and an adviser who probably has an Asian Studies degree. Maybe a Kaplan discount. Maybe a premed club. That adviser honestly can't help you figure out how to stage a GPA comeback unless they've got some perspective and creativity - which they don't really get paid well enough to have.

You need A's, in lots of hard science. It's WAY more important to pick a school where you can take lots of hard science and get A's than it is to pick a school that advertises a "program."

So that's problem #1: what do you need to do to get A's? Where will you be set up to succeed?

Problem #2: how to pay for it. You probably need access to federal loans. Thus you probably need to be in a degree-seeking program. Such as a 2nd bachelors.

Problem #3: you need registration priority in a TON of hard science classes. Thus you probably need to be a regularly admitted student. And you probably need to be admitted to a major like biochem or neurobio to have enough classes to take.

You might also have particular location needs or whatnot, but that likely comes under problem #1.

Hope this helps.

 

[tranquilometro]

By "postbac" i meant those 19 programs. Here is one example:

http://services.aamc.org/postbac/viewprog.cfm?id=171&PROG_NAME=Post%2DBaccalaureate%20Health%20Professions%20Certificate%20Program&PROG_INST=UC%20Berkeley%20Extension




Thank you once again Dr. Midlife. So I'm guessing steps 1 through 3 all point towards a bachelors over a postbac program then, if I'm hearing you correctly. Once you have a bachelors degree, you don't get FAFSA.

Are the 19 programs in Category 3 of your sticky's initial post non-linkage structured postbacs? Would you consider them to offer hard science classes?

My ideal situation would be to be able to work part time or full time, and take classes part or full time for about two years improving my GPA by retaking classes I have already taken, and taking the rest of the pre-med classes I haven't taken, and then either applying to Masters programs in something I'm actually interested in, or applying to medical schools. The more I look into it, the less realistic this seems, but I'm not discouraged since rarely do things go as planned.

 

[tranquilometro]

Here is a better link as to what I considered as "postbac".

http://extension.berkeley.edu/spos/premed.html

 

[ScoobyDooo]

Hey tranquilometro,

You should call the postbacc programs and ask them if their program is right for you. The people whom I have spoke with are very kind and helpful. For the Berkeley extension, request a phone appointment with Dr. Brown.

Good luck!

 

[tranquilometro]

Thank you Scooby Doo! I will do just that! It's so nice having an online community to help everyone out. I really like this. I emailed the CSU LA branch to see what their program stats were. I do not qualify 🙁 , but I found the information useful. Here was the response:

(For CSU LA)
Minimum science GPA must be a 3.0 (average varies year to year but last year was 3.42). Cumulative GPA must be minimum of 2.5. We accept 30 students and 122 applied so 24.5%. About 48% of our students are accepted to different health profession schools.

Getting into Berkeley would be so convenient, but I make the most of things. I have a chronic medical condition (part of the reason for my bad performance in the beginning of school) so that has really helped me to be optimistic no matter what the obsticles are! Given my stats, I'll definitely be applying to as many schools as I can afford.