What the heck does post bacc mean?

[GummyBear13]

Hey gals and guys,

I have completed my undergrad with about a 2.8 GPA. I desperatly need to do something to improve my chances of entry. Taking DAT in June 2012

Whats a Post bacc? Do you mean Grad school? Are you suggesting that students complete the ENTIRE grad program or should I just take grad school courses non degree? Grad Bio degrees at my school are 30+ hours of study. Chem is about the same.

Man thats expensive! if non degree and no aid. How can I get aid?

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[AwesomeTeeth]

Post bacc is for people that have a non-science background and want to complete the prerequisites to be eligible for application to med. school.

If you have already completeled the prequisites you would most likely need to do a special masters program instead.

That's true for most university programs that advertise themselves as a post bac program. However, post bac in general means taking classes after you finished your bachelor's degree. People do informal post bacs by taking many upper level biology classes if they've already finished the pre-reqs.

But yes, in this case OP would probably be better off doing special masters programs.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

"Postbac" is a generic term for any educational opportunity catering to those who have earned their initial undergraduate bachelor's degree. There are different formal postbac programs that cater to different potential applicant pools: non-science undergraduates who need to take the science prerequisites vs. science undergraduates who need more intense science coursework. There are some postbac formal programs that give out a certificate upon completion of the program, others get a degree (master's usually). A lot of other people do postbaccalaureate coursework on their own along with other undergraduates but don't receive any special advising or additional support that formal postbac programs do provide. You'll have to consider the appropriate implications regarding financial aid eligibility and the pool of money against which you are pulling for financial aid (undergraduate vs. graduate/professional).

 

[Seahawk]

Post bacc is for people that have a non-science background and want to complete the prerequisites to be eligible for application to med. school.

If you have already completeled the prequisites you would most likely need to do a special masters program instead.

False. Sometimes but not always.

Plenty of science people take courses in an informal manner to raise their GPA after they graduate or even come back from a science background to do pre-reqs.