Drexel MSP, UPenn Special science, LECOM, PCOM, Georgetown and BU questions

[redwings54]

So I have been posting on here for a while and have gotten some good advice. I have a somewhat tragic past which you can read about if you look at my past posts. I can sum it up quickly here though. Graduated from a top liberal arts college in 2004 with a degree in chem and a 3.05 GPA, 2.83 science. I have taken the MCAT twice with scores of 25 and then 24 with an even spread. I have tons of EC's including research with a publication, chair of a community service org, RA, TA, tutor, member of select honor societies, captain of our rugby team. I won a fellowship to Russia and Scotland to study holistic medicine and a few more things. However, I came home early because my relationship fell apart and I became suicidal. I learned that I was bipolar, depressive and all that. Now I am in therapy and taking meds and getting much better and understand things a lot more. I applied to DO schools this year and found out that I was not going to be recommended by my premed committee. So I am using individual recs to apply to the three schools I already sent secondaries into. The rest I withdrew from. So I am pretty much resigned to not getting into medical school this year and I might not even be mentally and emotionally ready to attend if I do get in.

So what now. I am looking into post bac programs up the wazoo. The top programs I am considering are UPenn special science program, Drexel MSP program, LECOM program, UConn program and maybe the Georgetown and BU programs, although I doubt I will get in either place. I have searched the posts here about all the programs and am looking for more information. Were the programs supportive of your and your goals? Did it help you achieve an acceptance at medical school? Did you need to have a glide year after your program or did you apply during the program? Would you suggest it to someone else? Any help or insight would be much appreciated. Thanks all.

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[MSc44]

So I have been posting on here for a while and have gotten some good advice. I have a somewhat tragic past which you can read about if you look at my past posts. I can sum it up quickly here though. Graduated from a top liberal arts college in 2004 with a degree in chem and a 3.05 GPA, 2.83 science. I have taken the MCAT twice with scores of 25 and then 24 with an even spread. I have tons of EC's including research with a publication, chair of a community service org, RA, TA, tutor, member of select honor societies, captain of our rugby team. I won a fellowship to Russia and Scotland to study holistic medicine and a few more things. However, I came home early because my relationship fell apart and I became suicidal. I learned that I was bipolar, depressive and all that. Now I am in therapy and taking meds and getting much better and understand things a lot more. I applied to DO schools this year and found out that I was not going to be recommended by my premed committee. So I am using individual recs to apply to the three schools I already sent secondaries into. The rest I withdrew from. So I am pretty much resigned to not getting into medical school this year and I might not even be mentally and emotionally ready to attend if I do get in.

So what now. I am looking into post bac programs up the wazoo. The top programs I am considering are UPenn special science program, Drexel MSP program, LECOM program, UConn program and maybe the Georgetown and BU programs, although I doubt I will get in either place. I have searched the posts here about all the programs and am looking for more information. Were the programs supportive of your and your goals? Did it help you achieve an acceptance at medical school? Did you need to have a glide year after your program or did you apply during the program? Would you suggest it to someone else? Any help or insight would be much appreciated. Thanks all.

Just my 2 cents
i would really focus on getting 100% better first, your young and have time. This is just more added stress. It would be terriable if u got in and were not able to finish because of not being emotionally ready. TAke your time, take care of yourself, there is plenty of time to go to medical school. I have delt with bad anxiety and ocd. it takes a long time and lots of therapy to learn about your issues. I too have come a long way and actually am doing well with out pharmacological help. Now that i look back its a dam good thing i did not go straight to med school, i dont think i would have been able to handle it as well as i will be......ended up getting a MSc in mol bio to kill time....

my point is timming is crucial
good luck to you my friend

 

[jintonic5]

i agree with the above response. i was in very similar shoes as the OP- went to a top school, struggled with a relationship, needed to take time to get better, etc.

don't rush it and work on healing first. everything else will fall in place as that happens.

good luck and best wishes.

 

[redwings54]

BUMP


Just trying to see if anyone has any more info about the post bac programs themselves. I am pretty set on the way I, personally, need to progress so I am looking for info on the programs.

 

[silverdime]

BUMP


Just trying to see if anyone has any more info about the post bac programs themselves. I am pretty set on the way I, personally, need to progress so I am looking for info on the programs.

Georgetown's been pretty strict in the last few years with a 27 MCAT cut-off and 3.0 BCPM. There are exceptions, but they're happening less and less as the applicant pool continues to rise in quality. BU's admissions policy is very similar.

As others have said: maybe your best chance is to take a year off, show your recovery, and then apply to a post-bacc. Don't rush in. The quality is highly variable and you want to get into the best possible.

The top programs recruit students they feel could get in to med school with an improved graduate GPA. You may want to take a strong look at a third re-take of your MCAT if you want to be competitive.

 

[bio-chik]

I went to the BU Master's program and it was awesome! They accept people with all ranges...either low GPA's trying to improve, or low MCATs...I was in the good GPA, low MCAT group...(below 24) and I got in. If you are dedicated to go to medical school and you express that in your letter and have good LOR...you'll get in. But be ready to study your butt off!

We were in class with the 1st year med students and it is very competitive within the masters students. BU typically takes about ~30% of their masters students into their first year class. And you get to skip most of your classes, as long as you get at least a B+ (I believe). You'll have to take gross anatomy though. My friend is in her 3rd year now....and she got in with a ~3.5 GPA from the masters program and a 25 on the MCAT! (She re-took the MCAT for a 3rd time and got a 25 after the program)...She stayed in Boston during her application process and made connections with all the advisors...and worked her butt off...and got an interview and GOT IN. Another friend from the program got an interview with a 19 MCAT, and 3.6 GPA. She didn't end up getting in, but did get into Western (DO program) in CA.

So I hope it gives you some hope! I know it helps me! I'm reapplying this year...after being out of the master's program for 3 years. So good luck, it's a great city and a great program! A lot of my friends go into a medical school somewhere!

 

[NRAI2001]

I went to the BU Master's program and it was awesome! They accept people with all ranges...either low GPA's trying to improve, or low MCATs...I was in the good GPA, low MCAT group...(below 24) and I got in. If you are dedicated to go to medical school and you express that in your letter and have good LOR...you'll get in. But be ready to study your butt off!

We were in class with the 1st year med students and it is very competitive within the masters students. BU typically takes about ~30% of their masters students into their first year class. And you get to skip most of your classes, as long as you get at least a B+ (I believe). You'll have to take gross anatomy though. My friend is in her 3rd year now....and she got in with a ~3.5 GPA from the masters program and a 25 on the MCAT! (She re-took the MCAT for a 3rd time and got a 25 after the program)...She stayed in Boston during her application process and made connections with all the advisors...and worked her butt off...and got an interview and GOT IN. Another friend from the program got an interview with a 19 MCAT, and 3.6 GPA. She didn't end up getting in, but did get into Western (DO program) in CA.

So I hope it gives you some hope! I know it helps me! I'm reapplying this year...after being out of the master's program for 3 years. So good luck, it's a great city and a great program! A lot of my friends go into a medical school somewhere!

How long ago did your friend get into western? On their website they say they have an avg gpa of 3.55 and avg mcat of 27. Are they bluffing? I have heard from other people that the real numbers aren't really that high.