Special-Student vs. Degree-Seeking

[SuccessSW]

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I'll be finishing up my MBA in December, but my real passion is for medicine. I want to start my post-bacc studies in January at the 4-year unversity here but I'm unsure of whether to take classes as a special non-degree seeking student or to formally enroll in the pre-med program. I started undergrad back in 1998 and I think most of my pre-reqs would transfer. Any advice on the matter?

 

[liverotcod]

The main problem I ran into as a special student is that I was last to register. This made getting into overstuffed intro bio classes difficult.

 

[seabreeze811]

I'll be finishing up my MBA in December, but my real passion is for medicine. I want to start my post-bacc studies in January at the 4-year unversity here but I'm unsure of whether to take classes as a special non-degree seeking student or to formally enroll in the pre-med program. I started undergrad back in 1998 and I think most of my pre-reqs would transfer. Any advice on the matter?

Hi,

I think for your case, i would go for the post-bac program b/c i have a number of friends at the UCI postbac who have successfully been admitted to medical school after the completion of the program. They highly recommended it. so i'm just basing it off of what i've heard. good luck!

 

[Soleil9]

When i did my informal post-bacc at Michigan State Universtiy, I registered as a second bachelors degree student. It was almost like I was a transfer student with LOTS of credits. So, I was considered a senior, and thus got to register first. I also was eligible for some financial aide. I never was planning on finishing my 2nd bachelors, but they didn't have to know that!

I know at MSU a few post-bacc's who didn't know about 2nd bachelors, and they registered as "Life-Long Learning" students. This is a registration status that allows for general members of the community to attend a class or 2 at MSU. The credits are double the cost as that as a regular undergrad, and you register last. A horrible option!

Good Luck!

 

[happy20003]

yes soleil9 i will be doing my informal post bacc at arizona state university, the pre med advisor told me that if i applied as a non degree student, then i wouldn't get financial aid. she advise me to do a 2nd bachelor so that i can get financial aid. i too never plan of finishing my 2nd bachelor but no one has to know that.
i have a BA degree(graphic/web design) and will soon start with the pre med classes in Jan 05, the advisor told me that there is no way that i can do the post bac in one yr, and still apply to med school. i will still go through the gilde or transition yr(even if i finish it in 1 yr), so mind as take my time and do it in <2yrs.
since my degree doesn't have any bio,chm, phy class she advises me to take a one class lower than the require pre med class, for example take chm 130, and phy 101 instead of chm 113(gen chem w lab) and phy113 (gen phy), well u know what pre reqs are, so i am not going to list all of them. she is worry that i might freak out and not get a good grade becuase its been a while that i haven't taken these science classes. 🙂

 

[mshheaddoc]

To the OP (original poster):

I'm in the same situation. Currently enrolled in an MBA program and I will be enrolling as a 2nd degree candidate most likely as formal post-bacc programs may be not the best idea for me (#1 expense, #2 distance and #3 as mentioned above you don't get fin aid as special student (ie - non-matric)).

Good luck!