We note that the average age for individuals entering health professions graduate school is approximately twenty-five. Therefore after completing their undergraduate careers, most students do not directly enroll in graduate school.
If your cumulative averages fall within the range of rejected candidates, you should probably consider two other options:
1) Delaying: You could delay your application so that you have time to take science courses which will hopefully bring your cumulative averages into the range of accepted candidates. Increasing numbers of students have waited until the spring of their senior year (or later) to be evaluated by our Premedical Committee. (Our Committee advises and writes letters for a significant number of alumni every year.) The schools then have senior year grades to evaluate. This would mean that the student would potentially begin graduate school one year after graduating from Boston College. We recommend that students whose academic credentials are not competitive consider waiting at least until the summer after their senior year to apply. You can avoid wasting significant time and money (application fees) which hopefully will free you up to concentrate on improving your academic performance in the classroom. An excellent senior year and/or strong post-baccalaureate coursework can greatly improve chances for admission.
It can be very advantageous for a student with a modest science GPA to consider enrolling either full or part-time in a post-graduate program. Three options appears below:
A) Premedical Post-Baccalaureate Programs: There are specific Premedical Post-Baccalaureate Programs that are designed to help students with non-competitive science averages become more competitive candidates for graduate school. To get more information, visit “Postbaccalaureate Premedical Programs” (sponsored by the Association of American Medical Colleges) and the Health Professions Advisory Program page on this (sponsored by Syracuse University).
As you are researching possible programs, please be aware that some will lead to a Masters degree and others will not. Additionally, some programs are designed for students who have not taken any of the required premedical/predental courses whereas others are designed to strengthen the academic background of students who have already taken the basic sciences. Therefore it is important that you research your options carefully and only apply to those programs that are appropriate for your background. Over the past few years, the programs listed below (in no particular order) have been popular with B.C. students. There are many others, so please check the websites above.
1. Post Baccalaureate Masters Programs: These programs are generally designed for individuals who have done reasonably well in their core science prerequisites, but their science averages are not quite competitive. Typically these programs are organized such that the student takes some of his/her coursework at the associated medical school. A certain number "places" are usually held at that institution's medical school each year for those students who have done well in the post-baccalaureate program. Again, the programs listed below have been popular with B.C. students, but others may be found by searching the above websites.
Boston University - M.A. in Medical Sciences
Chicago Medical School - Master of Science in Applied Physiology
Drexel University (Medical College of Pennsylvania/Hahnemann University) Interdepartmental Medical Science (IMS) Program
Georgetown University - Special Masters in Physiology
New York Medical College - Graduate School of Basic Medical Sciences (various masters programs in biochemistry, physiology, etc. )2. Post Baccalaureate Non-Masters Programs: The AAMC and Syracuse sites (see above) list many full or part-time programs. Harvard Extension, in Cambridge, and the University of Pennsylvania (School of General Studies) in Philadelphia have been two popular programs. If your science average is very close to being competitive, or money/time are issues, you may want to enroll in science courses part-time through an evening or extension school at a nearby college or university.
3. Post Baccalaureate Programs for Individuals with Little or No Science Background: The above sites also list more formal programs for those students who have not yet taken the required core premedical courses. Of these, Tufts, Brandeis, and Columbia offer programs that have been popular with B.C. students.
B. Traditional Masters Programs: One could simply enroll in a traditional masters program (e.g. biology) that would expose you to further science coursework. Given that you are looking to raise your science GPA, we strongly suggest that you look for programs that are more coursework oriented, rather than research oriented.
C. Public Health Programs: Some students with an interest in societal health issues have enrolled in Masters in Public Health Programs (see the website for the Association of Schools of Public Health) and upon completion of their degrees, have successfully applied to and been accepted at medical schools. Please be aware that public health programs vary in terms of the focus of their coursework. Some programs emphasize policy/administrative courses, while others offer more science oriented courses. We suggest you look for programs that offer a number of science electives.
If you are considering applying to medical school, and choose to delay, you should also reconsider when you plan to take the MCAT.
There are other options in addition to the ones listed above. We strongly suggest you discuss your ideas with a member of the Premedical/Predental Office staff. Ultimately, the decision as to whether (and how long) you delay is up to you, but discussing the pros and cons may make it easier for you to decide on an appropriate "course of action."
2) Researching Other Career Options: Regardless of your GPA, you should also research other professional options. We also suggest you visit the BC Career Center.