<p>Would it be possible to attend a post-baccalaureate program to finish my prerequisites for medical school RIGHT after I graduate with a Bachelor's degree?</p>
<p>Here's the plan I'm hoping will work out: I would like to graduate from my college with a Bachelor's degree in English in 3 years instead of the normal 4. After my three years at that undergrad college, I would like to take 2 years to finish my pre-med classes (I would have only taken the required math classes and maybe a course or two in Chemistry) at a post-bacc program.</p>
<p>Is there any way this can work out? Or do you think it would be better just to finish my prereqs now at my college and finish in 4 or 5 years? Any insight would greatly help. Thanks in advance!! :]</p>
<p>The easier route would be to do your pre-reqs while you’re still attending undergrad.</p>
<p>–post-bacc programs are expensive. (On a per credit hour cost, much more cost effective to do your pre-reqs at your college unless you doing an informal post-bacc at a local public college)</p>
<p>The basic pre-med requirements are only four courses (plus English, which you are taking anyway). You can fit these into your program and graduate in four years.</p>
<p>All you need is biology, chemistry, physics, and organic chem. The only sequencing required is that you have to get the intro chem in ahead of the organic chem.</p>
<p>Something is going on here. maaee, you are 18 years old. Why are you even thinking about a post-bacc now? You need to get your pre-med requirements taken care of at a 4-year school and just apply the traditional way. I get the sense that there is some master plan you are not telling us about, and you think it will benefit your app. </p>
<p>It won’t. </p>
<p>Just do it the regular way. Transfering won’t hide grades. Post-bacc’s don’t look better than regular UG degrees (assuming equal courses). Post-bacc’s are for those who need them. They are not a plan, they are a way out of a hole. Just don’t put yourself in the hole to start with. </p>
<p>I learned from somewhere that a new fad these days is to major in something that has nothing to do with premed, and not take any premed class while in college. After college, make a “career change” to join some post-bacc program. Some are genuine career changers. Some are not. Most of these kids are from families who are capable of financially supporting them for N years after college (read: some of the private college kids.)</p>
<p>Since OP appears to be not from this kind of family (“I was enrolled at UC Berkeley, but unfortunately, the costs to go there are too high for my family”), this path is likely not good for him/her.</p>
<p>Just thought of this: Is it a coincidence that much more kids from private college take a gap year before applying to medical school? (DS is included in this category. LOL.) Also, if you compare the families of the kids who are working part time and studying at a community college in order to become a CNA or even a LVN, to the families of those who go to medical school, my bet is you will see a significant difference.</p>
<p>* I would like to graduate from my college with a Bachelor’s degree in English in 3 years instead of the normal 4.*</p>
<p>If you qualify for Pell or Cal Grants or anything like that, you won’t get that money for those added years if you graduate first. some aid is for undergrads only.</p>
<p>Instead…do NOT graduate…stick those classes in while you’re doing undergrad and graduate in 4 years. If necessary, do an English class or some other “non pre-med class” over the summer at a CC.</p>
<p>Go to UCI, CSULB, or CSUF for undergrad …if you can commute to one to save money, then do so. Do you live close enough to one of these schools to commute? If not, which UC or Cal state do you live near.</p>
You need to get your pre-med requirements taken care of at a 4-year school and just apply the traditional way. I get the sense that there is some master plan you are not telling us about, and you think it will benefit your app. </p>