rejected by post bac

Just got a rejection letter from the formal post bac program at northwestern. Not discouraged but really really angry.

  • jkdamighty Said:
Just got a rejection letter from the formal post bac program at northwestern. Not discouraged but really really angry.



Why angry? what are you angry about? you can vent here; attitudes and emotional states affect us all in this process and often are the hardest thing to overcome. So I am curious what is going thru you at this time.

Well, I’m not as angry now. I’m one of those types who, when told I can’t do something, my response is “Not only will I do it, I’m gonna make you watch me WHILE I do it!” But I was viscerally angry mainly because it’s been the hardest year of my life. I was laid off, lost a home and widowed in the last 7 months. So now, I just feel like saying “Don’t you get what I’m doing?! Get the hell out of my way, I have a world to change, dammit!” But you can’t really be that blunt to an adcom, so…


I sat down at the computer and took a look at NEIU, which is as close to my place as NU and waaayyyy cheaper. They have all the facilities and pre med advising. AND I still have time to register for their summer term. AND they don’t make non trads wait to pick their classes after all the regular ugrads have picked it clean like UIC does. So I’m calling an advisor tomorrow. So, I’m better now that I’ve regrouped. I’ve come to the conclusion that after what I’ve been through this past year, I think my status as a survivor is well intact.

I can understand your anger. I, too, got rejected by several formal post-bacc programs (Scripps, USC, etc.) so I went and did a second bachelors.


But, doing a second bachelor’s has opened some nice doors for me: I got priority on classes, was able to participate in research, and not connections to medical fieldwork research that has always interested me, but would have never been available to me if I went formal post-bacc. The downside, of course, is that it takes longer, because there are more requirements to fulfill.


And my science grades are not that great, but oh well.


As far as “changing the world”: I wonder how true that really is among doctors in specific and health care workers in general? Or is it just something that premeds are prone to saying to justify their desire to go to medical school? I am not trying to criticize your intentions; I just see this phrase “changing the world” as being overused, cliched, and perhaps even disingenuous.

I also understand your anger. I had applied to only 2 post-bacc programs. One (the one in my home-town, and the cheapest) did NOT send me an acceptance or rejection. I called, got directed to one office, left messages to no effect, called several more times, got directed to another office, got a message a week later - telling me they didn’t know anything about the post-bacc program. Went down in person, was told the person I needed to see was out but was given a THIRD number. Called - no such number. Went down AGAIN…by now 3 days after classes have started, and was told "Of COURSE you were accepted -with your background! You had a very strong application! " No one could tell me why I wasn’t notified of the acceptance, or why no one knew who could tell me whether I was in or not.


So, I went to the further away, more expensive program (which I actually liked much more). And I’m very glad I did - I’m convinced it was the right place for me to go.


I’ve gotten over the anger by realizing that, as Desiderata says “no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should”.


Kate

I understand your skepticism. And no, I didn’t use “change the world” in my personal statement. However, I did say that I was interested in endocrynology, cardiology, psychiatry and bariatrics because the chances are greater that it puts me in contact with more obese patients. And obeisity is what led to the death of my wife. So even if I manage to help bring one person back from the brink with my experience, I will have had an effect.

Sorry for you about your wife’s death. It sounds like you have good motivation for medical work, given your experiences and that you and your wife went through. This country, indeed this world, needs more physicians like you, and physicians who are willing to work with populations that are not served or are underserved. Based on my own observations and interviews, most physicians and other health care providers are not interested in devoting their life to health work with the needy. Yet, these are just the people that need services the most.

I’m in NW post bacc program doing my 3rd quarter now. I have 3 main points.

  1. ~25% of the class dropped after 1st quarter. This is first year before organic chemistry. One guy was in my Intro to bio class we took at community college before NW started. He was a strong student in that class and got a good A. He recieved C’s at NW and ended up dropping. I don’t know what grounds they rejected you on but this is something to consider, even for people they let in there is considerable difficulty.

  2. ANYONE (provided they have completed college level algebra and an into to biology class at any college) can register for these classes as a student at large. If you still feel this program is for you then you are able to register for the classes. The certificate is meaningless.

  3. I believe that anyone who works hard and is of reasonable intelligence can become a Dr. Maybe not go to school or even practice in the USA necessarily, but there are certainly jobs available. If changing the world through becoming a Dr is going to continue to be your ultimate goal this is only a hurdle