Is it OK to do your post-bacc at multiple universities

[Nasem]

Becuase of my job and the way it keeps changing, I've been forced to do my post-bacc at 3 different places (MSU, Oakland university, and 2 courses at a Community college).... My total so far is 32 credits with a straight 4.0.... Next term (spring 2009), I'll be pushing 17 credits at Oakland, if (and this is a big IF) everything goes well and I earn a 4.0 in every class, I should be sitting at a 49 credit post-bacc with a straight 4.0

Does it look bad that I did it at different universities ?

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[dec0y]

Becuase of my job and the way it keeps changing, I've been forced to do my post-bacc at 3 different places (MSU, Oakland university, and 2 courses at a Community college).... My total so far is 32 credits with a straight 4.0.... Next term (spring 2009), I'll be pushing 17 credits at Oakland, if (and this is a big IF) everything goes well and I earn a 4.0 in every class, I should be sitting at a 49 credit post-bacc with a straight 4.0

Does it look bad that I did it at different universities ?

I would explain this on your application. My understanding of this is that it can be interpreted as professor picking to the extreme -- moving around universities to find the easiest prof. I would be prepared to tackle this allegation on your application.

 

[Nasem]

thats crazy. how can one pick easy professors?

 

[dec0y]

thats crazy. how can one pick easy professors?

Word of mouth mostly. Looking at other students past exams, picking classes that are likely to be curved. ratemyprofessor.com. This kind of stuff happens all the time.

 

[girl82]

Becuase of my job and the way it keeps changing, I've been forced to do my post-bacc at 3 different places (MSU, Oakland university, and 2 courses at a Community college).... My total so far is 32 credits with a straight 4.0.... Next term (spring 2009), I'll be pushing 17 credits at Oakland, if (and this is a big IF) everything goes well and I earn a 4.0 in every class, I should be sitting at a 49 credit post-bacc with a straight 4.0

Does it look bad that I did it at different universities ?

I would not worry about it. I had to do something similar to get all classes in during a reasonable time frame. The adcoms I have spoken with said this is perfectly understandable for non-traditional students. I think what the above poster is saying applies more if you are a traditional student who takes requirements outside of his regular university.

 

[Nasem]

well... there is one piece of information I left out...

the schools aren't close to each other lol, Oakland is in rochester mi and MSU is in east lasing (almost 2 hrs apart)

But I guess I underestand what you guys are telling me, I'll try my hardest to stay at MSU and not go to Oakland, that way most of my post-bacc stays with 1 university

 

[dec0y]

Ah, that is probably less of an issue then. I am in a large metro area and there is literally 5-10 places to take a given pre-req within short driving distances.

I would still be prepared to mention this in your application. Maybe one or two sentences in the part where you talk about going back to school.

 

[oldbigbear]

Grr... So this is something else I have to worry about?
I'm planning on splitting up some classes because of the limited schedule that my primary university offers. There are no 'one' classes offered in the Spring, so I'm going to take Bio and Physics one at a Community College and then start in with Chem one in the Fall. After that my plan is to take A&P over two summers at a Community college because my university doesn't offer them during the summer at all. Otherwise I'd be looking at adding a whole extra year. Is this reasonable? Other than these four all my classes will be at my primary university. I guess I better be ready to explain...

 

[dec0y]

Grr... So this is something else I have to worry about?
I'm planning on splitting up some classes because of the limited schedule that my primary university offers. There are no 'one' classes offered in the Spring, so I'm going to take Bio and Physics one at a Community College and then start in with Chem one in the Fall. After that my plan is to take A&P over two summers at a Community college because my university doesn't offer them during the summer at all. Otherwise I'd be looking at adding a whole extra year. Is this reasonable? Other than these four all my classes will be at my primary university. I guess I better be ready to explain...

As was said before, I believe this is less of a problem with non-trads as they tend to have a lot of commitments other than school. Just be ready to answer questions if they ask.

...and why are you taking A&P?

 

[oldbigbear]

Well I have a limited science background especially in biology. Also my post-bacc recommends it. Finally I thought knowledge I gain in A&P would really help as I prep for the MCAT. Is that reasonable? Am I taking a class I don't need to take?

 

[student1799]

Grr... So this is something else I have to worry about?
I'm planning on splitting up some classes because of the limited schedule that my primary university offers. There are no 'one' classes offered in the Spring, so I'm going to take Bio and Physics one at a Community College and then start in with Chem one in the Fall. After that my plan is to take A&P over two summers at a Community college because my university doesn't offer them during the summer at all. Otherwise I'd be looking at adding a whole extra year. Is this reasonable? Other than these four all my classes will be at my primary university. I guess I better be ready to explain...

I sympathize with your situation, but I do think this is a risky plan. There is a SIGNIFICANT prejudice among adcoms against taking prereqs at CC's: some (BU, for example) flatly state that they won't accept these courses, and many others look down on them because they're assumed to be easier than the same courses at a 4-year school. So even if you get a 4.0 BCPM while taking your prereqs at CC's, you won't really get credit for that at most med schools.

I remember a post I saw on SDN a couple of weeks ago. This student, who was from CA and really wanted to go to a UC med school, had graduated from a UC undergrad and THEN did all her prereqs at a CC-- she didn't realize this was not a good idea. She put in her AMCAS and AACOMAS apps in September, but ended up withdrawing before even being verified, after she spoke to an adcom from one of the UCs. He told her that no one would take her >3.9 BCPM seriously unless she "validated" it by taking a full year of upper-level bio courses at a 4-yr institution.

Even if you're not from CA, I think this reaction is a pretty good indication of how most adcoms look at CC courses. I would do anything possible to take almost all of your prereqs at 4-yr schools, and only use the CCs to plug the odd gap (like a lab you can't schedule in at your primary school).

 

[Nasem]

Some medical schools are VERY hard on CC credit (like the poster before me had mentioned), while others respect the CC credit ....I'll give an example...

I was in a similar situation, I finished most of my pre-meds as a post-bacc student at MSU (my general chemistries, organics, and all thier labs), but MSU NEVER offered biology at a good enough time for me to take (since I work a fulltime job and biology at MSU is offered at the WORST possible times anyone can think of)..... to make story short, I called up MSUCOM and MSUCHM, and explained to thier admissions my situation, they said, "we totally respect the science department of Lansing community college and if you have to take a course or 2 there because of your conflicting schedule, it shouldn't be a problem with us, besides, you've taken most of your pre-req at MSU and managed to 4.0, so a few Community college credits here and there shouldn't hurt you"

My opinion is, avoid Community college credits ONLY IF YOU CAN.... If you can't, then don't worry about it