Anyone here from NYC who can help me decide on a post bacc program? I am considering applying to Hunter College’s program bc Columbia and NYU are so expensive. I hear it’s super-competitive to get in. But are there other options I should consider as well? I live in the UWS and would prefer to find a program in Manhattan. Thanks!
Starmoon and I have written quite a bit on this subject. I highly recommend premed postbacc at CUNY, whether Hunter or City College-- really inexpensive, sufficiently rigorous, and of course it got us into medical school, which is what it’s all about.
See:
http://www.oldpremeds.org/fusionbb/showtopic.php?t…
Thanks for the response. I couldn’t find any threads on NYC post bacc here, would appreciate any links if you have them.
I also wonder what the pros and cons would be of taking courses at these schools without being in a formal post bacc program (that is, if it’s even possible to do so).
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I couldn’t find any threads on NYC post bacc here, would appreciate any links if you have them.
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Link is provided in posting above.
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I also wonder what the pros and cons would be of taking courses at these schools without being in a formal post bacc program (that is, if it’s even possible to do so).
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The only con to putting the courses together on your own is that students who are enrolled in a program get first crack at course availability. I don’t ever remember being denied a course though-- these are giant intro lectures we’re talking about, even organic chem.
You may or may not be entitled to advising if you are not enrolled in a formal postbacc program. If you do not have an advisor, you need to plan out how your are going to put recommendation letters together. (In general, AMCAS candidates should waive their right to see recommendations-- so you need a recommendation process where you are not handling unsealed letters.) Good advising (not from a listserv although they are a fun place to start!) really helps get you through this complicated process.
Also: alumni have rights. If you already have a bachelor’s degree, it is possible that your old college’s premedical office can prepare your committee letter with a combination of letters from back then and letters from your current premed professors.
Thanks for the link–don’t know how I missed that!
Speaking of which, I missed the March deadline for Hunter post bacc and thought the best plan is to start taking courses there in the fall, as I complete my post bacc app in for spring (due in October). I wasn’t sure the college would let me do that, but you’re giving me some hope that they would. I really hope so, because I’m not sure going back to my undergrad for a committee letter is an option. I never got any letters since I never finished pre-med there (only took Calculus, Bio and Chem).
Back in 2003, that deadline was soft; I know I applied during the summer before, not March. Give it a try-- I think you may still get into Hunter post-bacc for Fall 2009. (Especially with a good declaration of intent and recommendations.)
Unfortunately, the post bacc web site says NOT to send in apps now because they will throw them out ! bummer… see below
http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/studentservices/prehe al…
IMPORTANT NOTICE - THE APPLICATION DEADLINE FOR THE FALL 2009 ADMISSION IS CLOSED. ANY APPLICATIONS RECEIVED AFTER THE DEADLINE WILL BE DISCARDED. THE REVIEW PERIOD FOR SPRING 2010 WILL BE ANNOUNCED BY APRIL 15TH, 2009. PLEASE DO NOT SEND EARLY APPLICATIONS FOR SPRING 2010 AS THEY WILL ALSO BE DISCARDED.
Another question: my undergrad was at Columbia. Would it look bad that I started pre-med at Columbia, then went back to finish/repeat those courses at Hunter? FYI I don’t want to have to go back to Columbia. It is just too expensive.
