I know I keep coming back to this whole comm. college thing. I keep looking for pre med programs out there. Discovered much to my surprise there is a “University of Harrisburg” in the capital city, which is where my comm coll is. What good can it be if I’ve NEVER heard of it? Not even from people who go on to PSU? Who knows, but it’s somewhat aggravating thinking for the sake of the word “community” it will automatically be assumed all my college offers are associate degrees, when I know certain programs are bac. programs (paralegal is one that comes to mind) there. I hesitate to transfer knowing full well the program I really wish to get into does not require a ton of pre reqs (Philly Coll. of Osteopathic Med.) and I could actually be ready to apply next May. What happens if I transfer to an actual pre med program to fix my horrific GPA from my ten years ago degree? I don’t know. Just relatively stressing today, worried the dream may never happen, when I’m trying to be systematic about things and I just can’t figure out how to do it effectively.
Yes, I’m rambeling right now. I’m not sure why I’m letting this bother me, but figured if anyone would understand perhaps you people would. My husband just sort of glazes over and says, “whatever you want to do honey”. My kids just ask me if they can have my computer to play on Webkinz.
So here I sit, reading posts, getting myself worked up, and trying to prove to myself I can do this thing and hoping desparately I can redeem myself through my comm coll. Secretly, I’m contemplating transferring, or at the very least calling this place called U. of Harrisburg and seeing what they are about. I’m not sure if transfers a year before I apply will look good though and so I sit.
Bah. O.k. I’m done for the moment with the rambeling.
I’m sure I’ll vent some more later.
and hoping desparately I can redeem myself through my comm coll.
Not sure if this will help, I hope so.
Don't look at needing to redeem yourself from past grades, or correcting some wrong that you believe you did. Most of us on here have done worse and/or are older and/or are just as confused (we just may not let the world in on that side).
Focus on what you can do now. Do the best that you can do "now", get to the best academic institution you can "now" and if you get great grades, the rest will take care of itself including your past.
Today is today.
Yesterday is long forgotten.
Tomorrow is yet to come.
I have a feeling from your post that you live in or near Harrisburg, PA. As to University of Harrisburg, it is a private college specializing in science and technology. It does offer a Bachelor of Science degree, which would be totally acceptable for med school application. It is a private college, about 7 years old.
As to your favorite med school, PCOM (Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine), the premed requirements are the same as for any medical school: Chem I & II with labs; Biology I & II with labs; Organic Chem I & II with labs; Physics I & II with labs.
Have you completed most of your prereqs? What about the MCAT? PCOM requires the MCAT. And, competition at PCOM is pretty stiff; doable, but tough.
As to what you call ‘rambling’, all of us go through this stage at time. I think the end point is, how bad do you really want to be a physician? How much are you willing to sacrifice? Can you even imagine yourself doing anything else in the future, or is this (as one of my LOR writers said) a ‘fire in the belly of the beast that cannot be quenched’?
Take your time. Make every step you take a positive one; good grades, good MCAT, good volunteer experience. That is what will add up to an outstanding application. Don’t rush. You’re still plenty young!
Thanks guys. I’m just having that “ack!” moment, knowing I’ll never be happy unless I’m in healthcare doing diagnostics. I have so many reasons I want to do it, but that’s neither here nor there.
I’m post bacc so all I need are the Sciences and Maths. I’ve just finished the first half of gen chem and bio, and starting the second half of bio and pre req math for physics (coming next fall).
Trying to decide if I want to do A/P and Genetics this summer or pre calc (as a lot of the D.O. programs don’t require calc but the M.D. programs do).
I do live about an hour north of Harrisburg PA. I checked the distance of Juniata, and it’s 2.5 hours away. It’s just undoable with little ones in school. I’m prepared to move for med school and residency, but not for the undergrad classes. I just can only subject them to so much if you know what I mean?
I just don’t know what transferring 18 months before applying looks like to admissions. It’s all so confusing and I feel like I’m doing things haphazardly and yet, I’m not intending to.
I’m assuming I’ll sit the MCATs next may when I get finished w/ Physics. Which means I should probably start focusing on that…eeek. And somewhere in there figure out volunteer opportunities/experience opportunities.
Yes, still rambeling. I fear it may be one of those days. Thanks for putting up with me.
I know it feels overwhelming to make these decisions. I’m there with ya! It’s like trying to rope the moon and the stars and somehow get them all in some sequential order to make your dreams happen! Keep plugging away at it one step at a time and keep the end goal in mind but do your best in taking the steps to get there. Eat the elephant one bite at a time…
But, the elephant is sooooo big! Haha.
Ya know, I use that metaphore all the time w/ other people. Must remember to apply my own advice. I guess I’ll call Harrisburg Uni. and see what’s up there tomorrow.
… since Linda commented that U. of Harrisburg is a private school, I’m guessing that it will be WAAAAAY more expensive than either public university or CC. Finances matter, and I do think that since you already have a degree, doing your science/math at CC is not as important… IF you nail the MCAT / knock it out of the park / . If you have stellar CC grades (MUST be As) and good MCAT scores, you will get looked at carefully by most, though not all, schools. And you can do that without spending a fortune or going into debt. The money really is important. So take a deep breath, go ahead and look at Harrisburg’s program, but be prepared to commit anew to the course you’ve already established.
I wholeheartedly agree with jkp’s comments. What you want to focus on is what you can do from here on out. You can’t do a thing about what’s already happened.
Mary
Well, I must confess I have two B’s already…not intending on any further. One from a psych class that just took a beating when I was put on bed rest at the end of my pregnancy, another a math class, that just KILLED me and every time I asked for help I was told “if you’d do the homework you wouldn’t be confused”, um yes, I did do the homework. You just won’t answer my questions on said homework. So I hired out a private tutor towards the end of the semester to help me understand all the crap. I’m actually quite proud of that B in spite of it not being an A. I pushed through and got the grade after having to retake it and feeling completely lost the entire way through.
I called Harr. U. Their program is much different. I’ll have to wade through things to figure out what courses to take, but at only a year and a half/ two years max, of classes left, I see no reason why costs should jump too terribly high. I mean they will sky rocket yes, but they shouldn’t accumulate too terribly bad in that short of a time frame.
Not to rain on your parade, BOOBS, but Harrisburg University has only candidate status with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. I don’t know if that’s good enough to meet the near universal medcial school requirement that courses be taken at a regionally-accredited college or university?
Since your sights are set on PCOM, is PCOM’s post-bacc totally not doable?
PCOM is actually 2.5 hours away from me. A move I would thoroughly do if I could assure entrance into a program in Philadelphia, but since there are no guarantees, I can’t uproot my children just yet. We had three moves in a year once and it wrecked havoc on our little girl, so I hesitate to move only to have to move again a year and a half later. If Hershey has a post bacc program that would be ideal. I’m going to call them tomorrow (though after giving birth there I swore I’d never return. Ha!)
Hey! Until a couple of months ago I lived in Carlisle, PA- small world, eh?
I spoke to a premed advisor at Dickinson College back in the summer, and she was really helpful. She told me that Hershey DOES have a postbacc program, and I think it feeds into their Medical school. Dickinson College in Carlisle doesn’t have a postbacc program, but they have excellent, really fascinating science courses. It’s a small college, so the classes are small and relationships with professors are more likely than in a bigger University. I really wanted to do my prereqs there. Are you near enough for Dickinson to be possible? It’s also private and expensive, but definitely accredited and reputable. If nothing else, you could meet with a Premed advisor at Dickinson and get her opinion on your plans. But then, maybe you already have a good advisor at HACC.
Anyway, good luck!
I’d have to mapquest Dickenson. I’m about an hour north of HACC as it is, not sure how much longer the commute would be, but I’m definitely calling Hershey today. It would be awesome if I could get in there since it’s closer than HACC and would give me a leg up on the med school. I’ve also been wanting to volunteer in the oncology peds ward there so if I’m already there, it would be ideal. I don’t know why I keep feeling drawn to that ward, but I do. I have a friend who was an RN in the L&D dept for twenty years at hershey so she could explain the ropes to me. I just wasn’t aware until yesterday of this potential option. I’ll definitely give them a call, and maybe Dickenson, since I was also going to call Brandywine and West Chester (which would necessitate a move sooner than later and I’m not sure I want to do that yet).