Second Bachelor's vs Master's

Due to financial reasons, I am taking all my prereq science classes at a CC right now and will be completing the prereqs by Spring of 2010 and should be able to take the MCAT late summer or early fall of 2010, at the earliest.


But I have no confidence that I can get into medical school with CC-only route. So I decided to invest some more time before applying. I can either transfer to a 4-year university and pursue second BS in Biology, or apply to master’s degree program in Biology.


I already have a master’s degree in computer science and have been working in IT for 6+ years.


It seems if I go for the second bachelor’s degree route, I will have more freedom to take any advanced science classes I want and have more time to do volunteering, etc.


But the Master’s degree program offers research opportunities as well as RA/TAships, which offers full tuition/fee waiver + monthly stipend.


So Second Bachelor’s vs. Master’s?






Due to financial reasons, I am taking all my prereq science classes at a CC right now and will be completing the prereqs by Spring of 2010 and should be able to take the MCAT late summer or early fall of 2010, at the earliest.


OK OK, but VERY few make it with CC alone, I know of TWO personally I posted their BIOS some time ago (one a PhD in education and the other a retired Army O-6 and an instructor at the “Command and General Staff College”)


But I have no confidence that I can get into medical school with CC-only route. (Your intuition serves you well). So I decided to invest some more time before applying (BRAVO). I can either transfer to a 4-year university and pursue second BS in Biology, or apply to master’s degree program in Biology.


I think that the second-degree thing puts you “in the line” much better than the other possibilities (I KNOW, I KNOW there are disagreements here)


I already have a master’s degree in computer science and have been working in IT for 6+ years (I do not mean to crush your B__ls but that means NOTHING as far as medical school is concerned…. All it will do it put “EGO problems” in your face).


It seems if I go for the second bachelor’s degree route, I will have more freedom to take any advanced science classes I want and have more time to do volunteering, etc. (YES YES YES how right you are here… keep up the good work)


MY VOTE: Second Bachelor’s

It seems there’s no cheap and easy way to prepare for medical school. I thought if I can get into master’s program with full tuition/fee waiver w/ monthly stipend, I can avoid incurring any debt before starting medical school. But it seems I pretty much have to become a “30-year-old-college-fres hman” in order to fully prepare for medical school.

I’m getting a second bachelors at my university if that helps you with your decision making process.

As counter-intuitive as it may seem, more weight is generally given to excellent performance in undergrad science courses than in master’s level classes due to grade inflation.

2nd bachelor’s here… starting with:


base level chem


base level bio


base level math


I don’t care that the classes are lower level than what I might have had in high school 30 years ago.


What I care about is 4.0, appropriate courses, and 30+.


G’luck to you!

So what is wrong with being a 30 year old freshman? I enrolled ON my 38th Birthday, August 21st, 2000 and what a magical birthday present it was for me!


I was a 38 year old freshman and frankly over the following four years I must certify that I had the time of my life!


Richard

sure looks like I will be starting another bachelors at 32! The second time around is always better anyway

Thank you all for your suggestions. Now it’s clear to me what is the best option for me. I have been thinking and planning about this a looooong time and couldn’t decide. But now, Second Bachelor’s it is. Good thing I asked early because I was going to “waste” my next summer studying for the GRE.

Today was my first day of my Biology for Majors course which is a pre-cursor to get into all the other joyous bio classes that I need and at 27 I can safely say that I am the third oldest in the class, including the teacher. It is an 8:00 a.m. class and the majority of the people look as though they just rolled out of bed and half of those continued to sleep through the class. The professor was thrilled when I knew how much oxygen was in the atmosphere. I actually really liked the first day, of course these days I tend to really enjoy college and appreciate it. Nothing wrong with being that 30 or almost 30 or almost 40 year old in the freshman class!

On a related topic, what if someone did the general pre-reqs such as bio, ochem, physics and gen chem at a CC but then did a full semester/quarter of UD science classes at a university to prove the point that it’s not just a fluke that he/she did well at a CC? It seems like overkill to me for someone to get an entire second degree just to apply to med school…it’s not like the applicant will ever use that second degree. Hell, technically the applicant won’t even use the first if he/she ends up in medicine.

A second degree is not always necessary, even with a mediocre GPA. (I can attest to that). However, some people want to give themselves the best possible shot and for them, that seems to include a second degree in a science degree.


I would certainly encourage someone who takes most or all of the pre-reqs at a CC to take upper level courses at a 4 year institution. Doing well in the upper levels will help prove your academic chops and help dispel any thoughts that good grades were accomplished only because they were at a CC.

My situation is little more tricky:


Undergraduate major: Computer Science


First 3 semesters of undergraduate: GPA ~2.9


Rest of undergraduate: GPA ~3.85


Overall undergraduate: GPA 3.5, Major GPA 3.7


Overall, not too bad


But I really messed up during my graduate studies.


Course only GPA: ~3.2


Research/Indepedent GPA: 2 A+'s


Overall GPA: 3.45


Anyone who knows anything about graduate programs can tell you overall GPA of 3.45 at graduate level is equivalent to ~2.8 undergraduate GPA.


I’m very confident that I can get 4.0 for all the prereqs completed at my CC. But just don’t think that’s going to be enough. I was wondering if a second bachelor was necessary or if I could do 2 full-time semesters (~6 courses) of advanced science classes and then apply.

I say 2nd bachelor’s.


I’m done with the pre-reqs this fall, but my undergrad grades(from 5 years ago)were pretty average, so I’m going the 2nd bachelor’s route to prove that I can do well in the upper Bio’s beyond the prereqs - my GPA needs the help. Still taking the MCAT next spring, tho.


Not sure if that helps you any, but that’s just my 2 cents, anyway.

I’m 33 and anticipate beginning my 2nd bachelors this Fall, (maybe my first class this summer). It was great reading your comment. Thank you. I’m sooo grateful to find this support exists and that so many other like minds are going through this!

Okay, now that I know I will be transferring to a 4-yr university to get a second bachelor’s degree, a scheduling question.


By the time I transfer to a 4-yr university, I would have completed all prereqs at a CC. So I will only take advanced science classes for the second bachelor’s degree in Biology.


Would I have to complete the second bachelor’s before applying? Or apply after the first year of second bachelor’s?


Here is my goal:

  1. Spring 2010: Finish all prereqs at CC

  2. Summer 2010: Study for MCAT, take MCAT end of the summer

  3. Fall 2010: Start second bachelor’s at a 4-yr university.

  4. Spring 2011: Contiue with second bachelor’s. If needed, retake MCAT.

  5. Summer 2011: Apply early for 2012 admission

  6. Fall 2011: Finish up second bachelor’s. The university I’m looking at, only requires 32 hours of bio so 3 semesters should be enough, if not, I can finish up Spring 2012.

  7. Spring 2012: Continue with second bachelor’s or do something else…

  8. Fall 2012: Hopefully…


    I’m hoping, I don’t have to wait until my second bachelor’s program is done to apply.



Alright, I have a question. . .Anyone want to assess my situation ?


I’m going the cc route, not 2nd bach. I have only 4 required classes to take - 2 bios, 2 Ochems. My physics, math, and chem requirements were fulfilled at a university during my 1st BS.


4 classes doesn’t really fill out a curriculum for a second degree, right? I’m also going to take biochem and genetics for sure, anat and physiology maybe. My GPA is 3.89, so I don’t feel that I need to get a second degree to boost that, either.


I am not trying to be arrogant and act like I know better (b/c I sure don’t), but my required prereqs will be fairly balanced at a university and a CC. The extra courses I take will just swing the balance to be a little CC-heavy.


Also, if I can take some courses at the off-campus site of the university, I am not opposed to it. I’m just keeping my day job for financial reasons right now, but that won’t make much sense if I don’t get in because I made a dumb choice when taking prereqs.

My 4 yr college states a 2nd bachelors is 30 credits.


Does that help?

  • BOOBS Said:


Does that help?



Kind of. . .It helps to know, not necessarily to decide.

I have 19 required hours left, but 4 are already in progress at the CC. I am definitely taking 8 more on top of that, so it would almost get me that BS degree. Mostly, it just comes down to me whining about wanting to keep working FT and pay lower tuition costs. . .I already know what I'm going to do, I guess. I'll just have to chime in about 2 yrs and let y'all know if the CC-route worked for me. It worked for 50 people my advisor advised last year. . .

I should just stay off forums - they give me more heartburn than anything .
  • AliJ Said:
  • BOOBS Said:


Does that help?



Kind of. . .It helps to know, not necessarily to decide.

I have 19 required hours left, but 4 are already in progress at the CC. I am definitely taking 8 more on top of that, so it would almost get me that BS degree. Mostly, it just comes down to me whining about wanting to keep working FT and pay lower tuition costs. . .I already know what I'm going to do, I guess. I'll just have to chime in about 2 yrs and let y'all know if the CC-route worked for me. It worked for 50 people my advisor advised last year. . .

I should just stay off forums - they give me more heartburn than anything .



50 people got into medical school through CC-only route? From a single CC? Are you from California? Heard CA has some special arrangement between CC's and medical schools.