43 MCAT, 3.1 GPA, 2.1sGPA, what to do?

[boxer0011]

Hello, I have a friend who is going to apply for medical school. Could you please help him, thank you so much.

cGPA: 3.1
sGPA: 2.1. Failed O-Chem number of times, failed genetics number of times failed cell bio. Continuous low grades in transcript.
Academically dismissed from graduate program taken after college.

Years of continuous volunteer, two posters for research, 2 years shadow.

Treated for ADHD and Anxiety. THEN:

MCAT: 43 (Jan 2015, 13 Verbal). 39 over a year ago, he re-took because of 3 year rule.


PLAN of ATTACK:

1. Take summer 2015 and Fall 2015 courses. Re-take failed courses.
2. Spring of 2016 continue to take courses.
3. Apply to SMPs (DO and MD) in spring of 2016.
4. Apply to medical school in summer 2016 while in SMP.

Will summer and fall semester of good grades be enough for SMP’s? Also, will summer fall and spring be enough to apply to medical school while in SMP? With grade replacement the 2.1 can become higher. Thank you so much, please help him.

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[Mad Jack]

Your plan is perfect. Best shot you'll have. You might be able to get into some of the schools that reward reinvention, @Goro could certainly help you out with suggestions in that regard.

 

[boxer0011]

Your plan is perfect. Best shot you'll have. You might be able to get into some of the schools that reward reinvention, @Goro could certainly help you out with suggestions in that regard.

Oh ok thank you. He would like to go DO.

 

[Mad Jack]

Oh ok thank you. He would like to go DO.

Goro's totally the guy to ask. He actively compiles a list of schools that are re-invention friendly. I'm sure he'll stop by later to drop some wisdom.

 

[boxer0011]

Goro's totally the guy to ask. He actively compiles a list of schools that are re-invention friendly. I'm sure he'll stop by later to drop some wisdom.

Thank you, I read a bunch of his posts. I hope the plan is good, thank you again.

 

[boxer0011]

The concern is the SMP's. Good SMPs where you have to take classed with DO students are the ones he is looking for thank you.

 

[Mad Jack]

The concern is the SMP's. Good SMPs where you have to take classed with DO students are the ones he is looking for thank you.

The SMP is less important than the coursework retakes. The linked DO SMPs are good though- they'll certainly boost his competitiveness, and are designed precisely for his sort of situation. Touro-NY's is the one I'd recommend, personally.

 

[DokterMom]

Clearly this person is very, very bright.
But how on earth did it take so very long to realize he had ADHD and seek treatment?

I agree that the plan of attack is appropriate, but that question will be asked, and it's one that should be pondered well beforehand and there are likely some life-lessons embedded in the answer.

 

[Goro]

A very good plan. A SMP might not be needed if the other postbac courses are aced. Typically, one should have around 30+ credits in a DIY post-bac.

i would not recommend applying to med school while in the SMP; I'd like to see results from said SMP. The key goal for your friend is to not merely rescue GPA, but to demonstrate that he could survive a med school curriculum. Luckily, there are a number of good schools that reward reinvention, like Case, BU, Duke, Drexel, Vandy, and U Miami, among others..


PLAN of ATTACK:

1. Take summer 2015 and Fall 2015 courses. Re-take failed courses.
2. Spring of 2016 continue to take courses.
3. Apply to SMPs (DO and MD) in spring of 2016.
4. Apply to medical school in summer 2016 while in SMP.

Will summer and fall semester of good grades be enough for SMP’s? Also, will summer fall and spring be enough to apply to medical school while in SMP? With grade replacement the 2.1 can become higher. Thank you so much, please help him.

 

[TheBatman]

That's actually very interesting. He failed almost all of his classes but then rocked the MCAT twice. Even though your 'friend' (which is actually you) repeated so many courses it still leaves me baffled at how well he did on his MCAT. Was it because he mastered the material so well because he repeated the courses so many times. I'd really like to know what he did.

 

[Glandzburg]

That's actually very interesting. He failed almost all of his classes but then rocked the MCAT twice. Even though your 'friend' (which is actually you) repeated so many courses it still leaves me baffled at how well he did on his MCAT. Was it because he mastered the material so well because he repeated the courses so many times. I'd really like to know what he did.

The MCAT is more than just a test of one's knowledge of the pre-reqs... seems more likely that OP's "friend" is intelligent but lazy in his coursework, or his ADHD is severly affecting his classroom performance.

 

[Morsetlis]

Intelligent + Lazy + ADHD... wonder if we have specialties for that

 

[boxer0011]

A very good plan. A SMP might not be needed if the other postbac courses are aced. Typically, one should have around 30+ credits in a DIY post-bac.

i would not recommend applying to med school while in the SMP; I'd like to see results from said SMP. The key goal for your friend is to not merely rescue GPA, but to demonstrate that he could survive a med school curriculum. Luckily, there are a number of good schools that reward reinvention, like Case, BU, Duke, Drexel, Vandy, and U Miami, among others..

Oh ok thank you so much Dr. goro. We were thinking of applying to DO SMP's, TCOM, LECOM, and VCOM has them. Basically, in these, if you get a certain GPA you are more or les guranteed a spot. Also, you can submit grades while you get them in the SMP. But we will look into them thank you. We are trying to avoid the gap year.

 

[boxer0011]

A very good plan. A SMP might not be needed if the other postbac courses are aced. Typically, one should have around 30+ credits in a DIY post-bac.

i would not recommend applying to med school while in the SMP; I'd like to see results from said SMP. The key goal for your friend is to not merely rescue GPA, but to demonstrate that he could survive a med school curriculum. Luckily, there are a number of good schools that reward reinvention, like Case, BU, Duke, Drexel, Vandy, and U Miami, among others..

Oh ok thank you so much Dr. goro. We were thinking of applying to DO SMP's, TCOM, LECOM, and VCOM has them. Basically, in these, if you get a certain GPA you are more or les guranteed a spot. Also, you can submit grades while you get them in the SMP. But we will look into them thank you. We are trying to avoid the gap year.

 

[boxer0011]

I'd really like to know what he did.

Are you studying too? If so here is what to do:

Read Princeton Review Physics, biology, OC and Chemistry several times, around 8-12 times each to master all the concepts. Understanding the concepts is critical.

Solve problems, buy used books on amazon to save.

For verbal read philosophy books (Jean-Paul Sartre, René Girard, Robert Nozick, etc). Then solve LSAT, GRE, MCAT passages.

 

[boxer0011]

The MCAT is more than just a test of one's knowledge of the pre-reqs... seems more likely that OP's "friend" is intelligent but lazy in his coursework, or his ADHD is severly affecting his classroom performance.

ADHD made if difficult for him to plan. The problem is that it interferes with study habits as well, so you have problems developing a fixed schedule, study habits and when you are studying it is hard to stay focused. Laziness played a role too.

 

[NYCdude]

dat mcat tho

 

[Glandzburg]

ADHD made if difficult for him to plan. The problem is that it interferes with study habits as well, so you have problems developing a fixed schedule, study habits and when you are studying it is hard to stay focused. Laziness played a role too.

Touché, but your friend MUST get this under control if he hopes to have any success in his medical education!

 

[Hospitalized]

I'm Curious. Does a 43 with a 13 vr mean that said "friend" got every question in the BS and PS sections correct? Or did he just score equal to or the highest of anyone taking the test that day?

 

[moop]

I'm Curious. Does a 43 with a 13 vr mean that said "friend" got every question in the BS and PS sections correct? Or did he just score equal to or the highest of anyone taking the test that day?

According to most of the known scales from the practice AAMCs, at MAX there was 1 wrong on BS or PS. Hardly any test section allows a 15 with 2 incorrect.