Hello OldPreMeds! First post starting off with a question.
I’m not going to turn this into a formal vs. informal post-bacc debate. I just need an opinion…
Would you go the informal route if you were out-of-state? I’m trying to decide between the informal GSU (georgia state) or the formal NYU. Neither is cheap. GSU will be $55k - $60k (including cost of living), and NYU is $90k for 2 years and cost of living. NYU has 7 linkage school agreements and a 90% acceptance rate to med schools if you’re successful in the program.
I’m just sick of thinking about it, it’s been on my mind for 3 weeks now and if I don’t make a decision in the next couple of days it will be too late to apply for a private loan. There are many pros and cons to leaving and staying but I don’t want to make this a really long post.
Thanks 
With that information, considering the chunk of change for either, the linkages with other medical schools do serve as a plus. The 90% acceptance rate can be a bit misleading. Often formal post-bacc’s will not give a university letter to a student unless he/she has reached a certain criteria. Thus these students never apply and do not get counted in the 90% acceptance.
I would to hear more of your background/situation and see if perhaps there are other schools to consider. Are you a resident of New York? Other then the linkages that NYU has to offer, is there a reason you want to come to NYC? Inquiring minds want to know
Well, for the deeper story. I’ve lived in Atlanta for 5 years, and I just recently found out I’m still not a resident of Ga. It was kind of kick in the face since I thought I would get in-state tuition to GSU. I’m a resident of SC and by the time I found this out, USC (columbia) and Clemson already had their classes filled :(.
Besides the linkages there isn’t much more at NYU. The classes will be harder (calculus and calc-based physics are part of the curriculum). NYU gives some finacial aid but it’ll probably only shave off $25k of the $90k I will have to pay.
I guess maybe it’s just the fact that it’s NYC - it could be an interesting 2 years of my life. I could also just go to GSU this semester then transfer to Clemson / USC in the spring to get in-state tuition.
Really? to be considered a GA resident for purposes of in-state tuition you must be there for more that 5 years? was this something that the University told you? wow, I’m suprised
As for New York, there are other programs that might have decent lunkages and possibly cost less such as Hunter. Also, I am fairly sure in NY you only need a year to be resident and some of the state and city schools have programs.
If you are looking to move and are willing to fork over the bucks, the programs at Georgetown might be worth looking into, though I think everything is already filled.
I actually applied to Georgetown’s pbpm post-bacc also I haven’t heard back from them yet. I’m still a Ga. Resident because I was claimed as a dependent on my parents’ income tax this past year, sadly.
Thanks for the input. I may just wait on NYU, $90k in loans is a lot to handle before I’m even in med school.
I’m not sure about Georgetown…are you talking about the SMP, or just the post bacc? The SMP which would run about $60K requires all prereqs and the MCAT completed.
D-gray, is there any reason you wouldn’t do an informal post bacc in GA…I’m sure that you can find a way to take your classes with living expenses way less than $55K. That really seems a lot of an informal post bacc.
I meant the GTown PBPM program, not the SMP.
I actually think I’ve made up my mind and will go ahead and take the classes in Ga. The only reason I came up with $55k is it’s $810 / hour and with all my pre-req classes it adds up to around $35k in tuition. The rest of the money is for an apt. for 2 years and some living expenses but I’ll see how much I can shave off and try to live meager
“I’m still a Ga. Resident because I was claimed as a dependent on my parents’ income tax this past year,”
I am confused, you have lived in GA for 5 years, you are on your parents taxes as a dependent, yet you are pricing classes as out of state at $810 an hour. yet the GSU website seems to suggest that your are in-state with $203 an hour
The GSU website states:
DEFINITION OF A RESIDENT STUDENT
A resident student for tuition purposes is defined as one who has abandoned all prior domiciles and has been domiciled in the State of Georgia continuously for at least one full year (365 days) immediately preceding the first day of classes of the term for which in-state tuition classification is sought. A nonresident student for tuition purposes is a student not eligible for classification as a resident student under these regulations.
The individual’s physical presence within the state of Georgia for one year must be associated with substantial evidence that such presence was with the intent to maintain a Georgia domicile. Physical presence within the state solely for educational purposes without substantial evidence of the intent to remain in Georgia will not be sufficient for resident classification regardless of the length of time within the state.
http://www.gsu.edu/es/residency.html