Application Dilemma

[hughesn2]

Okay, so I sent in my application back in late August before I even received my MCAT scores because I felt confident enough with the test that it was worth waiting another two weeks to send in my application so that the processing would be finished by the time my MCAT scores came in. I was kinda correct because I somehow got an interview invite from Barry before my MCAT score came in and got word from Scholl, Kent, and Temple (the only three other schools I applied to) that they received my application.

The issue was that despite being confident in my score I did not do as well as I expected. I bombed the biology portion and I knew there was no way to get accepted with that score. Kent State sent me an email saying something on the lines of "We have seen your application and we were wondering if you were planning on taking the MCAT again." I replied with a 'yes.'

Then in October I got really negative of myself and called it quits on my dream of being a podiatrist so I told myself to go down the Masters of Public Health-Epidemiology route. Then after talking with my family more and more, especially my cousin who is at a D.O. school & her boyfriend who is at P.A. school, I decided to go back to the route of Podiatry School.

Now to my issue. So I plan on retaking the MCAT, which I have yet to sign up for. I am in the grind of studying for the MCAT again and changing up my study tactics. I understand it says that the final application date is June 30th, but lets be serious most schools probably have 95% of their slots taken up by the end of March. So my main dilemma is that I want to retake the MCAT, but from past years or even talking with the schools now if I wait till late March to take the MCAT what are the odds that there are enough slots to stay competitive. I really don't want to wait till the 2015 cycle, but I also don't want to rush the MCAT to get a 5% chance to get in. Because to me, the people that are getting accepted past March tend to be the D.O or dentist school rejects like it was last year while I was on here.

Or how many other people plan on doing a route like this where they have to wait till late to finish it up. My other issue is that my GPA isn't so stellar since unfortunately my major at MSU was one where the 6 hardest 420+ level classes were all bell curved/class ranked base where only 30% of the students get a 3.0 and the bottom 25% automatically get a 1.5. I finished with a 3.16 GPA and I know in an interview I can explain for the low grades.

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[benoit75]

What is the question?

You want to continue pursuing podiatry? Good! Take the next available mcat and finish up your application (you already paid for it anyway).

Depending on your stats and the number of seats left open, you might get in, you might not. Ultimately, you will have given yourself a chance for this cycle which I would chalk up as a sunk cost with regards to your application fees.

Also, your gpa is not low, assuming your sgpa is about the same.

 

[CapCrunch]

Perhaps you should take an MCAT prep-course, and/or assess why you did so poorly on the biology portion of the test. If you were a life science major with a low gpa, and did poorly on the biology portion of the MCAT, I would not be so quick to attribute your low gpa to your college, but rather yourself. Podiatry school, like any professional school will not be easy, and it might be in your best interest to fill any gaps in your basic science knowledge before beginning pod school.

I've said it a few time on these forums; taking onus for your academic shortcomings is difficult, but once you do, you'll find it easier to correct and move forward.

 

[heybrother]

DMU doesn't fill till April/May. Please lay off the "my school is hard" spiel.

 

[josebiwasabi]

Your undergrad's grading scale is not unique. my undergrad had a similar system, 15% A, 25% B, 40% C, 15% D, 5% F, and this was at a top 25 university. Stop using it as a crutch, especially since your GPA is not the red flag on your application anyway.

Evaluate why you did poorly on the bio section of the MCAT and focus on improving that.

Good luck.

 

[mcja]

Don't give up!! Sign up for a MCAT-prep course. Either Kaplan or TPR. I personally liked TPR but that's my opinion. But whatever you do , do not give up. You already have one school interested in you. Don't let the MCAT be the only thing that's stopping you from being a podiatrist. And I agree with a previous poster, you have to let go of the my undergrad was tough BS. Good Luck.

 

[hughesn2]

Well the main issue as to why I am asking this is that when I checked out Kaplan's MCAT prep courses before and the only ones are February 20th to May 18th. So I don't want to pay $2,000 for the class only to rush the MCAT and take it well before the 12 week class is over. So that is more my issue. So my main question would be: Does anyone know of others that have gotten accepted after their applications were final in April?
And the undergrad part is that I know I can explain several of my health issues that go along with my major, so let me worry about that! My plan is to go into Podiatry, but I just don't want to rush the MCAT like I did during the summer.

 

[mcja]

Princeton Review has a live online course that starts this Sunday and will get you ready for the march mcat date. I also believe they're running a special for $250 off right now. Have you looked at threads from previous years to if see someone else was in your situation?

 

[hughesn2]

I never liked online courses. I am more of an in-class kind of person.