Greetings everyone,
I just joined and would like to be sure I am on the right track. I graduated in Bio with 2.67 GPA 8 yrs ago and have finally decided to go for medicine. My plan is to retake the big 4 (Inorg,org,Phys,Bio)to bring the GPA up then take the MCAT. However, since I work full-time, I can only take 2 courses at a time.
It was mentioned to me that Admissions committees frown upon the “one or two courses-at-a-time” method; especially if you’ve already taken them. But since I did not do well the first time which has been about 10 yrs ago, I need to really brush up on the concepts for the MCAT and to increase the GPA.
How much of a difference would it make enrolling in a Post-bacc program vs following my plan? I would also appreciate any suggestions I’ve not mentioned.
Thanks!
The suggestion I would make is to add a year to your plan and take a couple of advanced courses (biochem, genetics, cell bio are a few examples) in addition to the prereqs. If you take two courses at a time while working and do well, most schools will be happy. If you add a couple of new science classes as I suggest, you won’t just be rehashing old stuff and can show your smarts.
Hey Byron2! Welcome!
I am following that exact plan - I can only afford to take 2 classes per semester for time and financial reasons. I work full-time outside of school and so far, so good. The same advice was given to me to take some higher-level courses after the “big 4”, and that’s probably the best thing to do if you are willing to give it a little extra time to apply.
Good luck!
Thanks Denise! I like that suggestion since I’m not in any rush. I’m more concerned about following the RIGHT plan to get there so this is something I would definitely consider.
Thanks J-
How r u doing in the big 4 so far? I’m in Algebra I and Chem I right now. Just got 100% on the first Chem quiz and 9 on the 1st two labs. I’m not getting too excited yet though…Still a long way to go before we get into the nitty gritty. I’m just shocked I couldn’t pull a grade like that before even on the simplest concepts. Just lacked the focus I guess. But hey, at least life provides many opportunities to adjust and move forward.
Hey Byron,
I’m in a similar position (retaking sciences) in efforts to learn the material for the MCAT and, as a secondary benefit, elevate my GPA somewhat … I am taking these undergrad courses at a CC, two at a time. I did contact a few schools with regard to my “coursework” and one school indicated that even though the CC and load isn’t optimal, my MCAT scores and UPPER-LEVEL sciences at a university will be reflect my abilities … So, I’d have to second adding a few advanced sciences (Biochem, Genetics, Molecular Biology) to your plan … Good luck!
I too have heard that taking one or two courses at a time is considered by some medical schools (for some reason especially Canadian schools) to be insufficient to show the ability to handle a tough medical school curriculum. However, most of us have to work or take out loans, and some of us don’t qualify for loans without some sort of collateral (e.g. a house).
Another reason to take one or two courses at a time is to get your “feet wet,” and to better gauge how you can handle science work. I’m taking two courses right now, and doing very well in them. But I also have more free time than I had anticipated (even with work), so I will probably add one extra course to my load next semester. But I’ve learned my lesson: I won’t overdo it, like I did in undergrad, when I worked and volunteered and took a full load – and paid the price for my foolishness and underestimation of my abilities.
Quote:
Greetings everyone,
I just joined and would like to be sure I am on the right track. I graduated in Bio with 2.67 GPA 8 yrs ago and have finally decided to go for medicine. My plan is to retake the big 4 (Inorg,org,Phys,Bio)to bring the GPA up then take the MCAT. However, since I work full-time, I can only take 2 courses at a time.
It was mentioned to me that Admissions committees frown upon the “one or two courses-at-a-time” method; especially if you’ve already taken them. But since I did not do well the first time which has been about 10 yrs ago, I need to really brush up on the concepts for the MCAT and to increase the GPA.
How much of a difference would it make enrolling in a Post-bacc program vs following my plan? I would also appreciate any suggestions I’ve not mentioned.
Thanks!
Hi there,
Since you have already graduated, re-taking courses will not add to your undergraduate GPA. Everything that you take from here on out that is outside of a formal graduate program will be listed on AMCAS as post-bacc work and will be calculated as GPA for post bacc work. Since you work full-time, you are not going to be able to take full-time science coursework. I would not attempt to load up on courses in an effort to try to impress an admissions committee. You want quality not quantity if you are doing “damage control”.
Getting into a formal post bacc might be a bit difficult with your 2.67 GPA as most are designed for folks who have been non-science majors with above 3.0 GPA who wish to attend medical school.
Another strategy that you might want to look into is a Non-thesis masters program like the Georgetown non-thesis in Physiology. You will be taking courses with medical students and if you score well, you are admitted to GT medical school. There are other programs out there that are similiar to GT’s so look for them.
Another strategy is to get into a masters program in a scientific area, do well and take the MCAT after you have reviewed or audited the pre-med courses that you need. You would then be applying with a very high graduate GPA and competitive MCAT. The caveat is that you will have to finish your masters before applying. The plus-side is that you would have research + publications and a useful degree too. Many graduate programs are geared for working adults and have coursework that you could take in the evenings or weekends.
Before you invest tuition money in re-taking courses, make sure that you get the most “bang for your buck”. While you definitly need to refresh your knowledge, you may not need to re-take courses but rather update your knowledge or show a string of recent coursework with a 4.0 GPA. Again, unless you received Ds in your previous pre-med coursework, take something at a higher level that gives you a good review (Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Human Physiology [not Anatomy & Physiology], Histology).
The MCAT is another story. This is a test of application of knowledge from the pre-med courses: General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, General Biology and General Physics. If you are lacking a fund of knowledge, then you may need to do some solid coursework but do not underestimate the value of plenty of practice with the testing method of the MCAT. This is far different from the testing methods of most undergraduate institutions. Be sure to do plenty of practice tests to guage your abilities with this exam.
Good luck!
Natalie
Congrats on beginning the process. I would imagine that 2 classes plus full time work will be plenty impressive for the medical schools, especially if these courses are lab courses, which in-effect end up doubling your class load.
I’d also suggest that prior to taking your MCAT that you attempt to get in molecular biology, unless your pre-req work covers a lot of this. A physiology course would also be very good. You want your MCAT score to really kick butt to help off-set a lower GPA, so do everything you can to be prepared for it, including taking as many practice exams as you are able and reviewing as many MCAT review materials as you can to get a feel for what is fair game regarding content on the MCAT.
Good luck in your classes!
Larry
Thanks for the feedback everyone. I will take this all into consideration. I really want to make this work and it helps to know there’s great support out there.
Byron2