Post-Bac Program vs Open University

[vfc999]

Hi there!

I would really appreciate any help anyone can give me about this matter. I am about to be a senior in college and by my calculations I don't think I can reach the general 3.0 cumulative GPA minimum.

 

I really have my heart set on PA school but my grades just aren't high enough. I go to a competitive 4-year university and am getting a BS in Biological Science w/ a Physiology emphasis. I have one year left and by my estimations I will only be able to reach a 2.85 cumulative GPA and a 2.56 science GPA if I were to be realistic about what I think I could get. My biggest issue with grades in college was with chemistry. I had a very weak base in chemistry and any class that built off of it just ended up...bad. Unfortunately I cannot retake classes that I got a C in at my university so I would really like rebuild my basics after I graduate. I understand that taking more classes will have a diluted effect on my cumulative and if I don't do well in them a second type I'm basically screwing myself over. 

 

However I have good reason to believe I can do better once I am in a different environment if I am given the opportunity to rebuild my foundations/prereqs (long story involving drama and stuff so I'm going to leave it at that). From my calculations I can conceivably bring my cumulative to a 3.0 in approximately a year and my science to a 2.7.

 

I have been looking into formal post-bac programs like at SFSU or Cal State East Bay. But there isn't as much leniency on what I can take. I have also been looking into open university courses where I could just pick courses I need and take them as is. I know that the post-bac's can give you a certification or something at the end but I don't know if that really matters. So...

 

Does it matter if I do a 1-year post bac or 1-year of classes at an open university?

 

What are some other good post-bac programs for a science major who is trying to raise her GPA?

 

I would really like to get certified as an EMT and work as well. I plan on taking up to 2 years "off" (doing post-bac, working for hours, etc).

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[pmed8]

Have you considered Paramedicine?

 

I am in Illinois but the Paramedic class at the local community college is 40+ credit hours total which CASPA counts as science. It shouldnt be too hard to knock out A's if you put some effort into it and you'll be gaining valuable patient contact hours and experience all at the same time.

 

Mike

[Epangerl]

I couldn't swing my local paramedic program because it's full-time days and I work then, but I found another option. A lot of the PA school prereqs fall under a health sciences AS at my community college. Despite already having a BS in another science from a top university, I transferred the credit to the local community college (which has evening classes) and am getting another set of letters just for knocking out the prereqs, repeating at least one of the especially old classes or ones with a lower grade than I'd like (though I know it will only average and not cancel - the point is to refresh the knowledge), and maybe one or two extra classes. The for-credit CNA and EMT courses are cheaper at my CC than the not-for-credit versions, too, and I'm taking advantage of that. I also have a chemistry hang-up from high school (though I've worked in labs for fifteen years after graduation) and my classroom chem grades were bad enough to drive down my college GPA, but the 4.0 I have right now at the CC is steadily raising it back up.  Good luck in however you choose to prepare.

[vfc999]

Thank you so much for both of the options. I'll definitely look into it. I'm thinking about working as an EMT but I don't really know how it'll fit into my post-bac schooling.

 

My main concern with a CC was that my school's counselor said it wouldn't really have a large influence on a PA admissions board. My experience talking to her was unpleasant but she has been doing the job for a while so I at least needed to take some of what she said to heart which is why I was worried about trying something at a community college to raise my gpa.

[cinntsp]

Thank you so much for both of the options. I'll definitely look into it. I'm thinking about working as an EMT but I don't really know how it'll fit into my post-bac schooling.

 

My main concern with a CC was that my school's counselor said it wouldn't really have a large influence on a PA admissions board. My experience talking to her was unpleasant but she has been doing the job for a while so I at least needed to take some of what she said to heart which is why I was worried about trying something at a community college to raise my gpa.

 

It sounds like your counselor doesn't know as much as she thinks she does.

[MedicinePower]

My main concern with a CC was that my school's counselor said it wouldn't really have a large influence on a PA admissions board. My experience talking to her was unpleasant but she has been doing the job for a while so I at least needed to take some of what she said to heart which is why I was worried about trying something at a community college to raise my gpa.

It's too bad the counselor feels this way as it just isn't true. Admissions boards love applicants who got off to a rough start and then really turned themselves around.

 

Retake any class you got a B- or less in. Get your EMT and work for a year or two in order to rack up the HCE. Good luck!