Pre-Med Crisis: DIY or Formal Postbacc

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EnzymaticFuture

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Hey Pre-med family, hope all is well. I just have a quick question. I got accepted to the GeorgeSquared post bacc program but i was wondering if a DIY postbacc (30 credits) would be just as good to get me looked at for most DO schools and maybe low-tiered MD schools (if successful in post bacc & MCAT)?

Stats: 3.09 cgpa, 2.85 sgpa, 3.64 other

East African, URM

Great EC and LORs

MCAT pending.

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Hey! I don't feel like I'm qualified to answer your question on your chances, so I will leave that for some one else. I was wondering, though, how long did it take for you to hear back from GMU about your acceptance to the GeorgeSquared program? I submitted my app on the 7th and it was marked complete on the 15th. I'd really like to attend the program if I get in, so I'm anxious to know how long it takes to receive a decision. It seems like all of the SMP/PB programs differ in their decision making time period.

Wishing you the best of luck!
 
Hey Pre-med family, hope all is well. I just have a quick question. I got accepted to the GeorgeSquared post bacc program but i was wondering if a DIY postbacc (30 credits) would be just as good to get me looked at for most DO schools and maybe low-tiered MD schools (if successful in post bacc & MCAT)?

Stats: 3.09 cgpa, 2.85 sgpa, 3.64 other

East African, URM

Great EC and LORs

MCAT pending.
Hi all! I just graduated from the GeorgeSquared Advanced Biomedical Sciences program in May 2018. Please feel welcome to post any questions you may have. I would love to share my insight and be as transparent as possible, since I too was in your shoes searching on SDN last year. If you have any academic or formal questions (such as your credentials, application process, deadlines), I recommend that you email the program directly. Otherwise, I can answer away here!
 
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Hey! I don't feel like I'm qualified to answer your question on your chances, so I will leave that for some one else. I was wondering, though, how long did it take for you to hear back from GMU about your acceptance to the GeorgeSquared program? I submitted my app on the 7th and it was marked complete on the 15th. I'd really like to attend the program if I get in, so I'm anxious to know how long it takes to receive a decision. It seems like all of the SMP/PB programs differ in their decision making time period.

Wishing you the best of luck!
If your application is confirmed complete, give them time to process it. I believe for me, it took 4 weeks to get my acceptance, but for other classmates, it took a little longer because their application materials were still trickling in. It is appropriate to send a gentle email to touch base with your application status, but unless you are approaching strict financial aid deadlines, I wouldn't worry.

Good luck!
 
I am not to familiar with the George Squared program. From looking at their website it seems as if it is a graduate certificate program. So I am not sure if the courses taken in the program count as post-bacc or graduate courses. If they fall under the "graduate" category on the AMCAS then it would be better to do a DIY post-bacc.

From what I've seen on SDN it doesn't really matter where you do your post-bacc just that you do well. The good side of the George Squared program is that they provide you with the Kaplan MCAT prep course which might be helpful. On the flip side if you did a DIY program and it was significantly cheaper then you could probably pay for the Kaplan course with the money you'd save anyways.

Whatever program you are considering, make sure that the courses you take qualify as post-bacc when you apply to medical school and not graduate courses. As per the most recent report from the AAMC, when considering who to invite to interview, postbacc coursework falls under the "Highest Importance" rating, while graduate or professional program falls under the "Lowest Importance" rating.

@toinfinityandbeyonce maybe be able to tell you if the courses fall under post-bacc or graduate.
 
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I am not to familiar with the George Squared program. From looking at their website it seems as if it is a graduate certificate program. So I am not sure if the courses taken in the program count as post-bacc or graduate courses. If they fall under the "graduate" category on the AMCAS then it would be better to do a DIY post-bacc.

From what I've seen on SDN it doesn't really matter where you do your post-bacc just that you do well. The good side of the George Squared program is that they provide you with the Kaplan MCAT prep course which might be helpful. On the flip side if you did a DIY program and it was significantly cheaper then you could probably pay for the Kaplan course with the money you'd save anyways.

Whatever program you are considering, make sure that the courses you take qualify as post-bacc when you apply to medical school and not graduate courses. As per the most recent report from the AAMC, when considering who to invite to interview, postbacc coursework falls under the "Highest Importance" rating, while graduate or professional program falls under the "Lowest Importance" rating.

@toinfinityandbeyonce maybe be able to tell you if the courses fall under post-bacc or graduate.

Hi! GeorgeSquared courses will be reported on your medical school application as graduate coursework.
 
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Do a DIY postbacc. Get a 3.7 or better in it and a 510+ on your MCAT, and you can be a solid MD candidate; as an URM, you might be able to get away with a 505+ and a 3.6+.
 
Do a DIY postbacc. Get a 3.7 or better in it and a 510+ on your MCAT, and you can be a solid MD candidate; as an URM, you might be able to get away with a 505+ and a 3.6+.

URM can get passed with way lower than a 3.6 GPA and still be competative (obviously depends on the specific schools).
 
Wow, thank you for the replies everyone! I decided to do a DIY post bacc at my state school (UNLV). Can’t wait to embark on this journey of reinvention. Good luck to everyone!
 
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Good luck. If your GPAs make it above the magic 3.0 number and your MCAT's north of, say, 505, you should get some love. 510+ is preferred though.
 
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