Post Bac to help in MCAT

[shaggy411]

Im looking to apply to post-bacc programs to help me do better on the mcats. which ones focus on mcats. my sci gpa is like 3.5.. i took the mcat and got below 20.

I also see that some schools let you enter in the fall and take the mcat in april and if you do well u, you start med school at the same school that same year in the fall? Anyone know of any programs that allow this???????

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[truckibear]

Im looking to apply to post-bacc programs to help me do better on the mcats. which ones focus on mcats. my sci gpa is like 3.5.. i took the mcat and got below 20.

I also see that some schools let you enter in the fall and take the mcat in april and if you do well u, you start med school at the same school that same year in the fall? Anyone know of any programs that allow this???????

there are no post-bacc programs that focus on the mcat per se, but doing a post-bacc could improve your mcat since there is usually a heavy load of science courses. however, although these courses may help, they are usually bio courses so you would still have to study for verbal and the physical sciences. there are schools that let you enter in the fall and that same year you can apply to medical school (including theirs) and if you do well in the program they will consider you for an interview (ie Georgetown and EVMS). Drexel is the same but it's a 2 year program instead of 1. however, there is no school that guarantees admission to students who do well in the program (as far as i am aware). evms has a good history of accepting their post-bacc students but from what i hear, georgetown does not (although it's a great program and many east coast schools will consider students from this program).

i think you may be better off devoting the year to studying to retake the mcats (as opposed to doing a post-bacc). reason is, post-bacc may do more harm than good if you are stressed about school (and do poorly, thus harming your GPA and compromising your MCAT), especially since these programs tend to be pretty intense. take an MCAT course and study a LOT outside of the course (and even before the course begins). do practice tests over and over and over. it's the best way to do well on the MCAT. good luck!

 

[CUarzt]

i suggest you consider for what reasons your science gpa is at 3.5 vs. your mcat at sub-20; i strongly urge you to consider studying for the mcat instead of a post-bacc program.

you seem set on applying for fall '07 matric; otherwise, id suggest you do a one-year postbacc, study for mcats the following year, take them in spring '07, and apply for fall '08 matric

but this may be much too late on your calendar

at any rate, closely inspect your study habits for the previous mcat, reconsider your motivational approach, and act accordingly

just my $.02

 

[Sundarban1]

there are no post-bacc programs that focus on the mcat per se...

To the contrary, Harvard's HCP is designed so that all of their pre med classes (bio, chem, ochem, phys) include only what is necessary for the MCAT.

 

[JIKJen124]

One of the favorite things that the Penn program likes to advertise is how well their students do on the MCAT. I can't tell you how many times I've had profs say, I'm making this section/test/whatever inordinately hard, but it's OK, it'll pay off on the MCAT. So, that may be something for you to consider. Also, you get committee letters from a structured post-bacc which maybe helpful for med school applications. I am personally pre-vet so, as you might imagine, things being inordinately hard for the sake of an exam I never have to take, doesn't make me so happy... But it could help you!!

To the contrary, Harvard's HCP is designed so that all of their pre med classes (bio, chem, ochem, phys) include only what is necessary for the MCAT.