AUC or Law School?

[shawnroche]

Hello, please don't just reply IMG bad. I am aware, there is no IMG I would consider except for AUC as the class sizes are not insane and they seem to accept candidates who have a decent chance of succeeding and don't see us as a walking dollar sign (compared to the others, they obviously still do)

I graduated college in 2019, i have a biology degree. I have 2 years of extensive research experience doing TBI and AD research. I left because giving mice concussions made me sad. lol I did NOT want a PhD in neuroscience so it was time to look elsewhere. I am currently a legal assistant and like it alot. I take my LSAT in october and I am testing in the 70-80th percentile. MUCH better than my MCAT.

My ability to learn and study have improved greatly since college, mainly due to reading. I had to read a ton once I started working in the lab. There is some extenuating circumstances to explain my 3.0 GPA, Fiancé had symptoms that mirrored cancer, spent the entire semester, year really, taking her from specialist to specialist only to have everything come up inconclusive and be directed to the next doctor or diagnostic test. Ultimately, she does not have cancer, thank God, but something else that impacted us, not sure she wants me spilling the intimate details here. But things took a toll, I did not do what I needed to ultimately and my grades DRASTICALLY suffered that year. No grade forgiveness so i worked my ass off the remaining undergrad, my GPA skyrocketed (semester GPA not overall) and I was able to just get it to a 3.0 when I graduated.

I honestly did not study for the MCAT, no excuse. Just stupidity. I got a 492. Just based on that alone I know just like 3 months of studying could realistically get that to a 500ish, but I am not sure I would realistically even be able to get into a DO school; it is asinine how competitive this is when we are facing a physician shortage. (no i am not saying everyone should get in or that I deserve to)

Anyways, I enjoy law, it is interesting and takes a ton of critical thinking and believe I could build a career here. My parents are real estate agents and really want me to join their firm as a real estate attorney. That field sounds so freaking boring, I would want to do IP law/Big Business/Medical Malpractice, as does being a doctor, which is my clear cut number 1, my CARS section was my only good one lol. My question is, should I apply for and attend AUC if accepted knowing that it is realistically my only option for medical school or go to a good law school instead?

orrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr should i give more time and retake the mcat in spring 2024 while anticipating a Fall 2024 law school matriculation?

If you want more context or have any questions please ask, I appreciate responses that don't involve insulting me.

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[Saxappeal1]

OP, can I ask you, what are your motivations for becoming a physician?

 

[Rachapkis]

Your GPA and MCAT make MD and DO schools unrealistic at this point. Caribbean schools are in fact bad. You may be forced to leave AUC with a lot of debt and no future in medicine. It is much easier to get into law school than medical school (although not the competitive law schools). However, forging a successful career in law can be tough too. Whichever path you take, I would spend time understanding what someone in that career actually does, whether your skill set is suited for it, and whether you will enjoy it. Whether it's a white coat or a business suit or the NY Yankees pinstripes, you will be wearing that uniform for a long time, so take the time to make sure it's the right path for you. If you ultimately decide that medicine is the path for you, I would suggest that you read Goro's guide for pre-meds who need reinvention.

 

[Saxappeal1]

^Also that.
What if you were to not make it at the Caribbean school?
Believe me I am not saying this to be mean.
With the GPA and MCAT, it may be beneficial if @gyngyn or @Goro could make a comment about whether or not a post-bacc would be helpful for your path to medicine.
Also you'd have to retake the MCAT I think.

 

[gyngyn]

^Also that.
What if you were to not make it at the Caribbean school?
Believe me I am not saying this to be mean.
With the GPA and MCAT, it may be beneficial if @gyngyn or @Goro could make a comment about whether or not a post-bacc would be helpful for your path to medicine.
Also you'd have to retake the MCAT I think.

They would require a sustained period of academic excellence, a much better MCAT and the strong conviction that medicine is the right way forward. At the moment it appears that none of these is in the cards for OP and that is perfectly fine. Given a choice between law and educational malpractice in the Caribbean...pick law every time.

 

[Obnoxious Dad]

Hello, please don't just reply IMG bad. I am aware, there is no IMG I would consider except for AUC as the class sizes are not insane and they seem to accept candidates who have a decent chance of succeeding and don't see us as a walking dollar sign (compared to the others, they obviously still do)

I graduated college in 2019, i have a biology degree. I have 2 years of extensive research experience doing TBI and AD research. I left because giving mice concussions made me sad. lol I did NOT want a PhD in neuroscience so it was time to look elsewhere. I am currently a legal assistant and like it alot. I take my LSAT in october and I am testing in the 70-80th percentile. MUCH better than my MCAT.

My ability to learn and study have improved greatly since college, mainly due to reading. I had to read a ton once I started working in the lab. There is some extenuating circumstances to explain my 3.0 GPA, Fiancé had symptoms that mirrored cancer, spent the entire semester, year really, taking her from specialist to specialist only to have everything come up inconclusive and be directed to the next doctor or diagnostic test. Ultimately, she does not have cancer, thank God, but something else that impacted us, not sure she wants me spilling the intimate details here. But things took a toll, I did not do what I needed to ultimately and my grades DRASTICALLY suffered that year. No grade forgiveness so i worked my ass off the remaining undergrad, my GPA skyrocketed (semester GPA not overall) and I was able to just get it to a 3.0 when I graduated.

I honestly did not study for the MCAT, no excuse. Just stupidity. I got a 492. Just based on that alone I know just like 3 months of studying could realistically get that to a 500ish, but I am not sure I would realistically even be able to get into a DO school; it is asinine how competitive this is when we are facing a physician shortage. (no i am not saying everyone should get in or that I deserve to)

Anyways, I enjoy law, it is interesting and takes a ton of critical thinking and believe I could build a career here. My parents are real estate agents and really want me to join their firm as a real estate attorney. That field sounds so freaking boring, I would want to do IP law/Big Business/Medical Malpractice, as does being a doctor, which is my clear cut number 1, my CARS section was my only good one lol. My question is, should I apply for and attend AUC if accepted knowing that it is realistically my only option for medical school or go to a good law school instead?

orrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr should i give more time and retake the mcat in spring 2024 while anticipating a Fall 2024 law school matriculation?

If you want more context or have any questions please ask, I appreciate responses that don't involve insulting me.

OP, I have a law degree and practiced until I could no longer stand it.

About 38,000 lemmings march off to law school every year. That's about 18,000 more than the legal job market can actually absorb. About 8,000 of those lemmings will either flunk out of law school or fail to pass the bar. Another 10,000 will never practice or will hang out a shingle and fail miserably. The 20,000 who are left may make a living practicing law but 10,000 of those people will hate it. Substance abuse and self-loathing are highly prevalent among lawyers.

Academic prestige is vastly more important in the legal profession than the medical profession. With a 3.0 GPA you have a very steep uphill climb to be admitted to a law school that might put you in a position to get a DECENT job. Go to law school transparency to check out the data about LSAT/GPA, starting salary and cost.

Discover law schools | Law School Transparency

Find the best law school for you by using in-depth reports of each state and school regarding admissions, cost, jobs, salaries, bar pass rates, and more.

www.lawschooltransparency.com

If you live in a state with a large population and several state law schools, you might get admitted to a cheap third tier state school like Akron or Southern Illinois. Another option is to go to a cheap state night law school like Cleveland so you can at least cover your living expenses with a job. Please refrain from going to some fourth-tier private school from which you would emerge with a debt of $150,000 and no job.

To my knowledge there is only one law school professor who owns up to the law school scam and that is Paul Campos of the University of Colorado. Go to this link and download the whole article. "The Crisis of the American Law School" by Paul Campos

Law school is NEVER a backup plan.

 

[cj_cregg]

To be frank, your GPA and MCAT score, regardless of the reason or how justified it may be, do not suggest you have presently mastered the content necessary to do well in medical school. I am not a law school person but my understanding from friends that were is similar to Obnoxious Dad's post above. (Please correct me if wrong, actual law school people) I've been told the job market for law students graduating from anything outside of a top 15ish school is appalling and not in the fields that you are interested in. The top 15 schools require top percentile GPA and LSAT which you do not have.

 

[Splenda88]

Do a DIY post bacc and make sure you get a 3.5+ GPA and retake the MCAT. You might be able to get into DO school if you can get a 502+ MCAT score.