<p>Im sure these kinds of topics have been discussed before on this forum, but I am posting this because I have a very specific question. I have been accepted into both Washington University in St. Louiss and Columbia Universitys post-bac premed programs. I am having a very difficult time making a decision. I actually already told Washington University yes a few weeks ago which is before I had heard from Columbia, and I would feel very bad going back on that; however, if the opportunities I would have attending Columbia would be significantly better, I do think it would be in my best interests to attend Columbia even though I have already told Washington University yes. I realize that you get out of something what you put in. I am going to work my tail off regardless of what program I attend, so I am just wondering which program would open the most doors for me (i.e. make me the most competitive medical school applicant) assuming I work very hard at both of them. If the same doors would be opened regardless, I think Washington University is the best choice because it would be less expensive (both tuition and living expenses). Part of me feels that I would have picked Columbia had I been accepted to both at the same time, but would it really make that big of a difference? I think both schools have great programs, but I would like to hear about firsthand experience at both of them. Thank you.</p>
<p>Assuming that you don’t have ties to either place, WashU is a no-brainer. Many/most of Columbia’s non-doctoral grad programs are money-makers for the college they exist to make money for Columbia. </p>
<p>WashU is cheaper, smaller, and a top 5 med school. The only thing that it doesn’t offer is the Ivy label.</p>
<p>Isn’t everybody’s post-bac pre-med program intended to be a cash cow? Not that I mean to knock them, but aren’t they all intended to be money-makers for the institutions that run them?</p>
<p>But I’d agree that the two programs are comparable in terms of academic strength, advising and placement. If you like Wash U, and you’re not one of those people who simply must be in New York, and Wash U costs less, I can’t see a compelling reason to go to Columbia.</p>
<p>Hello,
I don’t know much at all about WashU’s program, but I just finished the Postbac Premed Program at Columbia in May. I had also looked at and been accepted to a few other Postbac Programs and I chose Columbia for a few reasons:
- The Postbac-specific advising staff; I really liked knowing that the advisors would understand me as a nontraditional applicant and be aware of what my specific needs would be like…they proved to be extremely helpful.
- The community. It might sound silly, but I was pretty nervous to embark on studying sciences/going back to school, and it seemed to me that Columbia had clubs and events specific for the Postbacs to feel supported and like part of a larger family. I found that to be true and extremely helpful.
Finally, I knew I could depend on a Columbia education to prepare me for medical school, and I knew that getting a strong GPA there would speak to an admission committee loud and clear. I felt like I learned an incredible amount, and by the time the MCAT rolled around I felt very prepared. I got to know plenty of my professors pretty well, and now I have recommendation letters on file now from many of them. All in all, Postbac Programs are tough, and you’re right when you say that you get out what you put in…but the Columbia Postbac Program was everything I’d hoped it would be. Just thought I’d put my opinion out there- good luck with your decision!</p>
<p>Maybe the admissions people at these programs are different, but I would worry about the message you’re sending the school if you accept but don’t attend. I’d think they’d have a negative view of your med school application if they knew you applied to their pre-med, got accepted, agreed to come, but then backed away. If the programs are comparable and you agreed to go to one, then don’t look back.</p>
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<p>Not an issue. From a practical standpoint, folks in postbacs are happy to get accepted to ANY med school. Aiming for a top 5 from a postbac is an unrealistic goal without a BIG hook.</p>
<p>Do post-bac pre-med programs mainly exist to avoid the medical schools’ disdain of taking the pre-med courses at community colleges (which someone with a bachelor’s degree could do if that were not a concern)?</p>
<p>I thought they existed mainly for people who decided well into, or after, their undergraduate years that they want to go to medical school.</p>
<p>If that were true, why does Columbia’s list of medical schools that students have attended look like a Who’s Who of medical schools? What kind of big hook?</p>
<p>^^Read the not-so-fine print. Columbia’s website clearly says over its ‘50 year history’, students have gotten into…the question you should be asking is, ‘how many got into Hopkins/Harvard last year?’ </p>
<p>hookees (or non-trad backgrounds that make them very interesting persons):</p>
<p>[Profiles</a> | Columbia Postbac Premed](<a href=“http://www.gs.columbia.edu/postbac/postbac-profiles#Calvin%20Nash]Profiles”>http://www.gs.columbia.edu/postbac/postbac-profiles#Calvin%20Nash)</p>
<p>ucb: true/strict post bac programs are designed for students with no/little science background. Indeed, the top postbacs (e.g., Bryn Mawr, Hopkins, Scripps) exclude anyone who has taken ~half of the premed requirements. Such 'true programs have a 90% placement rate into med school. (Of course, such programs are extremely competitive.) </p>
<p>Over time, however, many colleges have added ‘post-bac’ programs which also serve as a gpa enhancer, i.e., for a student who has taken some/all of the premed prereqs, but received poor grades. Thus, in this case, students are taking more science classes to boost their sgpa. </p>
<p>The Cal States, for example, accept both types of students (no-science undergrads and gpa enhancers). UC only offers post-bacs to (ahem) ‘disadvantaged’ applicants.</p>
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<p>But isn’t it the case that, if it were not for the medical schools’ disdain for taking pre-med courses at community colleges, someone in that situation could just take the pre-med courses inexpensively at a community college instead of at an expensive post-bac program at a four year school?</p>
<p>ucb,</p>
<p>my impression was exactly yours. Med schools want to see the coursework done at a reputable school and thus post-bacs were created (and the high tuition/low aid isn’t a bad deal for the schools either)</p>
<p>UCBalum, I have no idea. My wife went to medical school a generation ago. After graduating from an Ivy with a non-science B.A., she took most of her pre-med classes in night school, and took Organic Chemistry in summer school. A couple of really snooty medical schools wouldn’t accept her night-school course work, but she had a lot of options for medical school.</p>
<p>But, as I said, that was back in the days when surgeons were also barbers.</p>