Badly need some advice

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Sman17

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I am in a bit of a tight spot and was wondering if anyone had any advice on what to do. To start out with I applied last year, for the 2006-2007 school year. My application, however, went in late due to the fact that I took the MCAT in August and I had some problems getting some of my transcripts sent out. As a result most schools did not recieve my primary application until late September. I feel that I am a borderline candidate. I was able to get a 33 on the MCAT (11 on each section) and have several years of research experience as well as some volunteer experience. I was also an officer in a couple of clubs during my undergrad years. The main thing holding me back is my GPA as I have about a 3.1 cum. and about a 3.0 math/science. I was a bioengineering major at a very good engineering school (which I know is really no excuse and makes no difference to the medical school admissions committees).
I just completed the first semester in an SMP program and I ended up getting a C in one of my classes. My GPA for the first semester ended up being a 3.0 which is no different then my undergrad. GPA. I searched around this board and saw a posting saying that a C in a grad. program is equivalent to an F in undergrad. I am curious if I should stay in the program or leave and do some volunteering work in order to improve my application. I didn't get the bad grade due to a lack of effort (I did study), but due to some outside circumstances. I was also curious if I did leave the program without getting a degree would I be obligated to make mention of it on any future medical school applications or applications to other SMP programs? I really am unsure as to what to do here. I'd really appreciate any advice you guys could give me.

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You know exactly what is holding back your application -- a poor GPA. Why would you think that volunteer work would help? You need an injection of good grades, and the only way to get that is to take some classes.

I don't advocate hiding stuff, but if you don't submit it to AMCAS it doesn't exist as far as they know. They have no way of knowing you attended that post-bac and got crappy grades unless you tell them. Schools might wonder what the hell you were doing this year when you weren't busy with those classes, so you'd better have a good story to fill in the dead space on your resume.
 
I may be able to help. I was an engineer before med school. Let me know what
your strengths are i.e. kind of engineer and undergraduate school and any technical experience you have.
 
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You know exactly what is holding back your application -- a poor GPA. Why would you think that volunteer work would help? You need an injection of good grades, and the only way to get that is to take some classes.

I don't advocate hiding stuff, but if you don't submit it to AMCAS it doesn't exist as far as they know. They have no way of knowing you attended that post-bac and got crappy grades unless you tell them. Schools might wonder what the hell you were doing this year when you weren't busy with those classes, so you'd better have a good story to fill in the dead space on your resume.
Agree with the first part, disagree with the second part. AMCAS explicitly requires you to report grades and submit transcript from every school you've ever attended post-secondary. When they say EVERY SCHOOL, they really mean it. I was dual-enrolled at a community college as a senior in HS in 1993, and I even had to submit THAT transcript when I applied last year in 2005, even though the classes weren't reported on my main UG transcript. :rolleyes: It's a royal PITA, but yes, you need to do it. Those are the rules. As for AMCAS finding out if you don't, these are exactly the kinds of skeletons in your closet that have a horrible habit of falling out at just the wrong times....it's not worth the risk of getting caught in a lie like that, OP. How much longer do you have in the SMP? Also, are your "outside circumstances," whatever those were, resolved so that you can earn good grades from here on out? I think if I were in your position that I would really put my all into acing my SMP classes this semester and finishing strong. Again, this assumes that your situation has been resolved.
 
I definitely agree that it would be best to finish the SMP program and not lie to AMCAS- they have your social and can easily trace what schools you have been enrolled in. I would try to show an improvement in your SMP grades, so that even if your overall science GPA increased only slightly, you can clearly show that, though it takes time, you are capable of doing well in science courses.

Maybe, if you are willing to put the time in, you can consider, after the SMP, taking graduate science classes at a local university in which you are confident that you can do well and earn some much needed A's. Or, you can try to get a stellar MCAT score and explain that your MCAT scores are more reflective of your ability than your GPA. I have seen engineering students with your gpa and with decent MCAT scores get into medical school.
 
I am in a bit of a tight spot and was wondering if anyone had any advice on what to do. To start out with I applied last year, for the 2006-2007 school year. My application, however, went in late due to the fact that I took the MCAT in August and I had some problems getting some of my transcripts sent out. As a result most schools did not recieve my primary application until late September. I feel that I am a borderline candidate. I was able to get a 33 on the MCAT (11 on each section) and have several years of research experience as well as some volunteer experience. I was also an officer in a couple of clubs during my undergrad years. The main thing holding me back is my GPA as I have about a 3.1 cum. and about a 3.0 math/science. I was a bioengineering major at a very good engineering school (which I know is really no excuse and makes no difference to the medical school admissions committees).
I just completed the first semester in an SMP program and I ended up getting a C in one of my classes. My GPA for the first semester ended up being a 3.0 which is no different then my undergrad. GPA. I searched around this board and saw a posting saying that a C in a grad. program is equivalent to an F in undergrad. I am curious if I should stay in the program or leave and do some volunteering work in order to improve my application. I didn't get the bad grade due to a lack of effort (I did study), but due to some outside circumstances. I was also curious if I did leave the program without getting a degree would I be obligated to make mention of it on any future medical school applications or applications to other SMP programs? I really am unsure as to what to do here. I'd really appreciate any advice you guys could give me.
Right now you're trying to make up for "bad" past grades. First, take heart, because a 3.0 in engineering isn't bad. Most ADCOMs don't know how hard it is to get one. :D

Secondly, crap happens, and sometimes you get distracted from school. That's ok, but get it taken care of and then come back to your SMP. The SMP was the correct move, so stick with it.

On the outside chance that the "outside circumstances" were a relationship gone bad or some extra-curricular that took up too much time - you have to focus and cut it out. The thing keeping you from being a doc is the perceived value of the 3.0. That's it. If you need to live like a hermit for 2 months to focus on just scholastics, then do it. Part of getting your dream is setting priorities.
 
Right now you're trying to make up for "bad" past grades. First, take heart, because a 3.0 in engineering isn't bad. Most ADCOMs don't know how hard it is to get one. :D

Secondly, crap happens, and sometimes you get distracted from school. That's ok, but get it taken care of and then come back to your SMP. The SMP was the correct move, so stick with it.

On the outside chance that the "outside circumstances" were a relationship gone bad or some extra-curricular that took up too much time - you have to focus and cut it out. The thing keeping you from being a doc is the perceived value of the 3.0. That's it. If you need to live like a hermit for 2 months to focus on just scholastics, then do it. Part of getting your dream is setting priorities.

Sounds like good advice. Also isn't a 3.0 in smp atleast pretty good. A C in med school competing against other smp'ers and the med school class isn't a deal breaker is it? Some people fail classes in med school and require remediation and the op is making a 3.0. Can any SMP graduates comment?
 
I was a bioengineering major at a very good engineering school (which I know is really no excuse and makes no difference to the medical school admissions committees).

Wow... :eek: I don't have that much to add to this thread, but I just wanted to comment on how similar my situation was back in undergrad.

I had the exact same MCAT (11 on all three sections), same major (bioengineering), same extracurriculars, same research! (Different GPA though.) Yes, unfortunately, some adcoms don't understand how difficult the engineering degree is. I feel your pain.

Good luck to you!
 
I am in a bit of a tight spot and was wondering if anyone had any advice on what to do. To start out with I applied last year, for the 2006-2007 school year. My application, however, went in late due to the fact that I took the MCAT in August and I had some problems getting some of my transcripts sent out. As a result most schools did not recieve my primary application until late September. I feel that I am a borderline candidate. I was able to get a 33 on the MCAT (11 on each section) and have several years of research experience as well as some volunteer experience. I was also an officer in a couple of clubs during my undergrad years. The main thing holding me back is my GPA as I have about a 3.1 cum. and about a 3.0 math/science. I was a bioengineering major at a very good engineering school (which I know is really no excuse and makes no difference to the medical school admissions committees).
I just completed the first semester in an SMP program and I ended up getting a C in one of my classes. My GPA for the first semester ended up being a 3.0 which is no different then my undergrad. GPA. I searched around this board and saw a posting saying that a C in a grad. program is equivalent to an F in undergrad. I am curious if I should stay in the program or leave and do some volunteering work in order to improve my application. I didn't get the bad grade due to a lack of effort (I did study), but due to some outside circumstances. I was also curious if I did leave the program without getting a degree would I be obligated to make mention of it on any future medical school applications or applications to other SMP programs? I really am unsure as to what to do here. I'd really appreciate any advice you guys could give me.


33 MCAT and 3.0, just apply to St. George or the AUC and get a free ride...
 
33 MCAT and 3.0, just apply to St. George or the AUC and get a free ride...

and of course you can also apply osteopathic - and you would have a good shot at that..

But your stats are pretty decent, so SMP work would help you out if you wanna stay US MD..

Why the carib recommendation so early? he has the stats to stay in the US..
 
True, it all depends if you want to wait another year. I would say if you don't mind waiting another year take some classes to raise your GPA like everyone else is saying, and if you can hit atleast a 3.3 apply to about 25-30 schools and you should get in somewhere if everything else looks good. Anything can happen though, a 3.2 was accepted over six 4.0's at University of Michigan (what I heard). As for the Carribean, I know people with high MCATS like yours are eligable for a scholarship that pays your whole education at the AUC and St. George...
 
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