MD 3.72 cGPA/3.61 sGPA/526 MCAT Investment Banker (blargh I know)

[PhysicsWolf]

Hi all,

It's been a long year and some months as I've worked towards my goal of getting into a medical school. Below is roughly what I will list on my AMCAS next summer. I took my MCAT late, and was uncomfortable applying this cycle as I didn't get my scores back up until recently.

Short backstory: Graduated from noname school with a degree in Biology Ed. Got a job as a middle school teacher. Did that for four months, and decided to move onto a job as an IB Analyst so I could devote more time to MCAT/post-bacc classes (lol yes, my time as a teacher was 10x more consuming than my IB job). Moved to Boston last January, and started working full time. Recently left my firm after nearly 8 months (loved it there), in order to go on a Fulbright ETA to Germany. Will return next spring, when I'm going to submit my AMCAS. My boss was amazing enough to actually give me sabbatical so I will be back in IB during my app cycle.

GPA: 3.72 (4.00 Post-bacc -25 Credits)
sGPA: 3.61
MCAT: 526 (recent), 25 (2 years old)

EC's
- Sponsor for two school clubs: Middle School Pen Pal Initiative to Indonesia & My school's Food Desert Awareness Club
- 400 + Hrs at Hosp, shadowed two MDs
- Volunteered to tutor underprivileged children
- Volunteered at my Firm's weekend Finance tutoring program
- Editor of College Newspaper

Research
- 2 Non-science Pubcs
- 4 years exp in Science Labs (as an assistant/lab monkey)
- 3 Years exp in non-science labs (as primary investigator)



My DREAM schools

Literally any MD school. But UVA tugs at my heart strings (VA In-state). Afraid they won't accept me b/c of mirrored test-taking/GPA past. ANY advice greatly appreciated.

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[Lawpy]

I'm surprised you got into investment banking from a no-name school with a job as a middle school teacher (since IB has the notion of being selective only to Ivy League business grads). But congrats on your success!

Exactly how were you a primary investigator in non-science lab? I'm curious because you may need to elaborate that in your essays and interviews. Aside from that, a massive upward trend from a 25 to a 526 (which is a 43 on the old scale) is impressive and will make you competitive for any MD school. It's unlikely that schools will average an old score with the new score, since the two scoring schemes are different (and schools compare the two based on overall percentiles). The GPA/sGPA are fine, though a bit low.

I think you are fine wherever you apply. Good luck and have fun!

 

[PhysicsWolf]

I'm surprised you got into investment banking from a no-name school with a job as a middle school teacher (since IB has the notion of being selective only to Ivy League business grads). But congrats on your success!

Exactly how were you a primary investigator in non-science lab? I'm curious because you may need to elaborate that in your essays and interviews. Aside from that, a massive upward trend from a 25 to a 526 (which is a 43 on the old scale) is impressive and will make you competitive for any MD school. It's unlikely that schools will average an old score with the new score, since the two scoring schemes are different (and schools compare the two based on overall percentiles). The GPA/sGPA are fine, though a bit low.

I think you are fine wherever you apply. Good luck and have fun!

Hey thanks for your reply! To answer your first question, I do not work at a big name firm! In fact, it was founded in the 2000's. It is amazing, all the same. So don't think BCG, Accenture or anything like that!

Secondly, my undergraduate degree was a double major in Biology & Education. I was a Biostatistics TA for the last (2) years of my undergrad. During that time, I ran a longitudinal study at the Teacher's College at my University about student performance. My publications stem from that effort.

And thank you. The first time, I studied for my MCAT haphazardly for 1 month. I thought I wanted to be a teacher. But when I was faced with that reality, I knew I had been foolish. The second time around I made a concentrated 9-month effort and received a score I never thought I was able of achieving.

Fingers crossed for UVA or Chicago. Either of those schools would be just...HEAVENLY! But again, I will do with any M.D. admission, I think that is a big enough feat lol

 

[md-2020]

@PhysicsWolf congrats, from a fellow IB applicant (3 year summer intern) w/ almost identical stats!

You're mad competitive. Since you're in Boston, how do you feel about Harvard and BU?

I'd hit every top school in the country if I were you. And your in-state schools for safety & cheaper tuition.

 

[Lawpy]

Hey thanks for your reply! To answer your first question, I do not work at a big name firm! In fact, it was founded in the 2000's. It is amazing, all the same. So don't think BCG, Accenture or anything like that!

Secondly, my undergraduate degree was a double major in Biology & Education. I was a Biostatistics TA for the last (2) years of my undergrad. During that time, I ran a longitudinal study at the Teacher's College at my University about student performance. My publications stem from that effort.

And thank you. The first time, I studied for my MCAT haphazardly for 1 month. I thought I wanted to be a teacher. But when I was faced with that reality, I knew I had been foolish. The second time around I made a concentrated 9-month effort and received a score I never thought I was able of achieving.

Fingers crossed for UVA or Chicago. Either of those schools would be just...HEAVENLY! But again, I will do with any M.D. admission, I think that is a big enough feat lol

I think you'll be fine with these explanations. Good luck!

 

[PhysicsWolf]

@PhysicsWolf congrats, from a fellow IB applicant (3 year summer intern) w/ almost identical stats!

You're mad competitive. Since you're in Boston, how do you feel about Harvard and BU?

I'd hit every top school in the country if I were you. And your in-state schools for safety & cheaper tuition.

Hey! Have you graduated yet? I never actually did a summer IB program, but I imagine it's similar, we usually have our summer kids on all of our cases.

Haha and nice joke...Harvard. With that sGPA I think I'd be automatically screened out. I am applying to both Tufts & Boston, but there are so many applicants that I'm not pinning my hopes on it.

But thank you for the encouragement, and best of luck to you (this cycle?).

IB sure does prepare us to sell ourselves haha.

 

[md-2020]

Hey! Have you graduated yet? I never actually did a summer IB program, but I imagine it's similar, we usually have our summer kids on all of our cases.
Haha and nice joke...Harvard. With that sGPA I think I'd be automatically screened out. I am applying to both Tufts & Boston, but there are so many applicants that I'm not pinning my hopes on it.
But thank you for the encouragement, and best of luck to you (this cycle?).
IB sure does prepare us to sell ourselves haha.

Yep, I graduated 2 years ago as a junior, applying this cycle.

Your app is very competitive for the top schools, actually. My app with very similar numbers: http://www.mdapplicants.com/profile.php?id=30864 has already been very successful, and it's still early in the cycle.

Don't underestimate yourself, and thanks for the kind words.

 

[Goro]

With your app, any school is your school.

While some schools average MCATs, plenty others don't. A 526 doesn't arrive in the mail every day, you know.

So start your list with U VA. Follow up with Harvard, Yale, JHU, the NYC schools, Wash U, Gtown, U MI, Emory, Keck, Stanford, UCSF, Duke, Vandy, Baylor, U Miami, BU, Pritzker, Jefferson, U VM, the NYC area SUNYs, UCSD, UCLA, Case, Mayo, Tulane and Hofstra

Hi all,

My DREAM schools

Literally any MD school. But UVA tugs at my heart strings (VA In-state). Afraid they won't accept me b/c of mirrored test-taking/GPA past. ANY advice greatly appreciated.

 

[PhysicsWolf]

With your app, any school is your school.

While some schools average MCATs, plenty others don't. A 526 doesn't arrive in the mail every day, you know.

So start your list with U VA. Follow up with Harvard, Yale, JHU, the NYC schools, Wash U, Gtown, U MI, Emory, Keck, Stanford, UCSF, Duke, Vandy, Baylor, U Miami, BU, Pritzker, Jefferson, U VM, the NYC area SUNYs, UCSD, UCLA, Case, Mayo, Tulane and Hofstra

Hi @Goro, thank you for your reply. Was wondering if I had an off chance at Harvard, Boston, Tufts? I'd like to stay in Boston more than anything. There's just something about this city!

 

[Goro]

Yup...those are al three doable targets. Although Tufts has some pretty obscene tuition.

Hi @Goro, thank you for your reply. Was wondering if I had an off chance at Harvard, Boston, Tufts? I'd like to stay in Boston more than anything. There's just something about this city!

 

[GrapesofRath]

Only thing I'll add is be wary of schools where your MCAT is way above the 90th percentile(ie schools with 34-35 type MCAT 90th percentiles) and those which are low yield(Drexel, G-town, GW, Va Tech etc). There's a solid chance your score is so high it'll get screened out.

But like everybody else has said, you have a shot at any school you apply to. A list of a dozen or so top 20 schools, 4-6 or so medium tiers, your state programs and a couple lower tier's Goro listed would be a solid list.

 

[PhysicsWolf]

Yup...those are al three doable targets. Although Tufts has some pretty obscene tuition.

Thanks. I guess I'm just getting a bit discouraged by looking at the Top 20 MSAR stats...most have a 10th percentile cGPA that IS my cGPA lol (around a 3.6). And at places like Harvard, it's even a bit higher than that.

 

[GrapesofRath]

Thanks. I guess I'm just getting a bit discouraged by looking at the Top 20 MSAR stats...most have a 10th percentile cGPA that IS my cGPA lol (around a 3.6). And at places like Harvard, it's even a bit higher than that.

Honestly it's kind of funny how these things work and somewhat counter intuitive but if you are above the 10th percentile GPA wise at these top 20 schools and your MCAT is within their median range, you can often be considered within striking distance. While someone with a 3.85 has an advantage over someone with a 3.68 or so, the 3.68 will not rejected from a top school because of their GPA alone when they have a 36+ MCAT score which is the median for those schools. Put it this way I'd probably rather apply to top 20 schools with an MCAT score around their median and a GPA just above their 10th percentile than doing it the other way around and applying with a 3.85/32 or so.

And we are talking about people for whom are at their MCAT median. You are way above it and will attract attention. Even if you are below their 10th percentile GPA with your MCAT it's worth gunning for some big names.

 

[625233]

Bro, you do realize you scored a FOURTY THREE, right? I wouldn't believe someone if they told me they scored a 39... Your on some next level shet.

 

[PhysicsWolf]

Bro, you do realize you scored a FOURTY THREE, right? I wouldn't believe someone if they told me they scored a 39... Your on some next level shet.

I really do owe it to spatial repeating or whatever they call it. First time, I followed what everyone had told me, to study for a short period. That coupled with my own laziness got me a low score, but a score I honestly never anticipated.

I'm a worrisome person by nature, so to have such a short period to study for a test just ruined my confidence. For this most recent test, I studied close to a year, and it helped me, especially bc I was a non-trad who was already working!

But thanks bro. Harvard/Boston/Tufts would be very convenient for me. I'll keep y'all posted on what happens come a year's time!!

 

[WedgeDawg]

Hey there fellow Virginian,

Apply to all VA schools (UVA, VCU, EVMS, VT), BU, Tufts, and then any top 20s that strike your fancy (hint: apply to most of them, though perhaps leave out UCLA and UCSD and definitely leave out University of Washington). Can't guarantee you'll get accepted to a top 20, but I would be surprised if you didn't at least get a good cohort of interviews. I think you have a solid shot at UVA and extremely high chances at the other three VA schools. In your shoes, this would be my list:

Harvard, Stanford, UCSF, Hopkins, Penn, WashU, Columbia, Duke, Yale, Michigan, Chicago, Northwestern, NYU, Sinai, Vanderbilt, Cornell, Pitt, UVA, VCU, EVMS, VT, BU, Tufts.

Shouldn't need more than that.

Best of luck!

 

[Banco]

You moved from teaching to IB for the lifestyle...? Usually they work 80+ hours a week. Then you had enough time to score a 526?

 

[md-2020]

Thanks. I guess I'm just getting a bit discouraged by looking at the Top 20 MSAR stats...most have a 10th percentile cGPA that IS my cGPA lol (around a 3.6). And at places like Harvard, it's even a bit higher than that.

I'm a worrisome person by nature, so to have such a short period to study for a test just ruined my confidence.

We have similar stats and I've been overwhelmed by II's already. I'm an ORM, too. Don't undershoot too much.

 

[PhysicsWolf]

You moved from teaching to IB for the lifestyle...? Usually they work 80+ hours a week. Then you had enough time to score a 526?

What most people do not realize (including myself) is that teaching is a life-consuming effort, at least during your first few years. As a teacher, I would teach classes all day long, and when I wasn't, I was meeting with parents, going over IEP's, making a million copies a day, and then after school, spending about four hours making more lesson plans, more copies, and replying to more emails. It was absolute madness. Definitely made me appreciate teachers 10000x more.

I moved to IB because I saw many of my friends did, in fact, have a better lifestyle than I. Working at the firm I do now, I get into work at around 8 (as opposed to 6 when I was a teacher, as I had to make copies in the morning and do staff meetings), I have independent work until 4, and then a team meeting until 530. I got home from the gym at 630, and studied until 10. I usually got about 9 hours of sleep a nigh.

As a teacher, I got maybe 6 hours if I was lucky, but I was usually restless and woke up all night because I was thinking of how to make my nextday more efficient.


In IB, for me, work ends at 5:30. I pick up whatever I have to do the next day. Also, I don't have to give a lecture to 120 people daily, so it's not really that stressful. I have a wonderful cube, and look at spreadsheets all day doing stuff that I find to be challenging, but also intellectually stimulating.

With teaching, work does not end at the end of a school day.



tldr; I wish I could write a book about how hard it is to be a first year teacher.

 

[PhysicsWolf]

We have similar stats and I've been overwhelmed by II's already. I'm an ORM, too. Don't undershoot too much.

Thanks for the vote of confidence. I am ORM as well, so this is encouraging.

Best of luck this cycle!! I hope you see many top 20 acceptances !!

 

[Banco]

Yeah I don't know where you are working IB now, but if you are at a bulge bracket that schedule is unheard of. Meaning that it is a great schedule for IB and not typical at all.

Either way your chances are great.

 

[kb0275]

How did you study for the mcat?