California post-bacc blues . . .

Well, another setback seems in the works. As some of you well know, my home state (California) has had significant budget problems as of late. In an effort to cut costs, many of the colleges and universities are cutting programs and courses. Qualified undergrads are being turned away. Their administrators want prospective students to go to a community college and then transfer to the 4-years schools; now the premed courses at these schools are impacted, and turning away students also.
This situation doesn’t bode well for someone such as myself: I had intended on taking an informal post-bacc program starting in the summer at a local 4-year school (I missed the spring deadline). My job ends Friday; I was planning on spending the next few months boning up on my study skills, reviewing basic math and the sciences prior to hitting the books full time.
Now I don’t know what to do. Perhaps I should go the formal post-bacc route. I talked to several programs and they said I should consider applying. However, it would mean relocating; they are more expensive and less flexible about what I can take. I would be competing with hordes of other premeds for grades, but perhaps I would at least be taking classes that I need. On the other hand, if I’m going to relocate to another part of the state, perhaps I should leave the state and go elsewhere. I realize that in doing so I would lose my residency status, but this is an option.
I’ve alway wanted to live in New Mexico . . .

Yeah I’m in California too and it’s a real mess right now. I think the CSU schools are no longer accepting the exploring/non major people right now which pretty much kills the informal route. I don’t think any of the UC’s take exploring students either.

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Yeah I’m in California too and it’s a real mess right now. I think the CSU schools are no longer accepting the exploring/non major people right now which pretty much kills the informal route. I don’t think any of the UC’s take exploring students either.


I don’t know if you are in northern California…it sounds as if you are. UC (Berkeley) has an extension program. Have you looked into that?
Cheers,
Judy

The UC extension classes don’t have the labs for the most part, and if you try to get the labs, you can’t take them by themselves. The only class of theirs that has the lab component is bio X19,which is equivalent to one semester of prereq biology. I know that UCSF accepts that class because I e-mailed the professor. Extension has the biochem and higher level electives like immunology, but for the prereq courses other than the bio I mentioned, it isn’t enough.
There’s always open university at Cal state and SFstate if you’re in northern CA. It ends up being far more expensive and if you’re pursuing a degree, there’s a limit to the amount of open university credits you can take, but if you’re just doing your prereqs ad hoc, it works fine. It works just like standby at airports-you show up, see if the prof will let you in the class, get him/her to sign a form, pay the $ and you’re in. You’re waived from some of the health and tech fees but you pay more per credit, so it’s a wash.
hope this helps. i’m finding this whole “where’s waldo” game for post-bacc programs pretty frustrating myself. i’m just going to calstate hayward and hoping nothing drastic changes when i start.
melanie

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There’s always open university at Cal state and SFstate if you’re in northern CA. It ends up being far more expensive and if you’re pursuing a degree, there’s a limit to the amount of open university credits you can take, but if you’re just doing your prereqs ad hoc, it works fine. It works just like standby at airports-you show up, see if the prof will let you in the class, get him/her to sign a form, pay the $ and you’re in. You’re waived from some of the health and tech fees but you pay more per credit, so it’s a wash.
melanie


There is a strong pre-med group of post-baccs at SFSU as well. Ditto with SJSU. (And Cal State Hayward, as Melanie mentions.) Many students are taking courses as “open university” students. I don’t know how it will change with the California educational budgetary problems, but right now they are good programs.
Cheers,
Judy

Hi!
I just started as a second bach student at SJSU this semester and had minimal trouble getting into my classes. However, I was rejected at SFSU for second bach. I couldn’t afford to do open university (I needed financial aid since I’m not working). I applied and was accepted as a second bach student to Cal Poly SLO (really wanted to go there, but due to family obligations couldn’t move from N. California right now), SJSU, and CSU Hayward. If you are in the bay area…I’m very pleased so far w/ SJSU. There are alot of us post-bacs! As far as enrollment restrictions, there are signs posted all over campus about getting apps in NOW (by this Friday 2/6) for Fall 2004 AND Spring 2005.
PM me if you would like to know more. I met with advisors at both SJSU and CSU Hayward b4 making my decision.
Rose

I’m in southern california so if anyone has experience with these schools let me know. Based on what I know, my best alternative is to go to a CSU to complete, but if there are other alternatives, let’s hear them. I can’t relo anywhere else because of my job, so this is it until med school