It is settled.. PODIATRY here I come..

[BTR1208]

Okay so after talking with some family and also a podiatrist I have shadowed I have decided to pursue podiatry 100%. I was torn between going for a CRNA or pod school and overall podiatry is going to give me exactly what i want in a career.

Now my situation....

I have all prerequisites and a ton of hours. I started at a CC my first two years due to financial reasons. I did well there, transferred to a 4-year and maintained my grades. I took several; upper level bio classes as well as G-chem 2, Ochem 1/2 at the 4-year.

The way everything transferred over I will not have my bachelors by the time I would matriculate but will have more hours than most people with a bachelors.

With that said my oGPA is 3.7 and my sGPA is 3.75.

Only thing I need academically is the MCAT. Now how long should I study for this? I foubd a 3 month study guide but I am going on vacation and won't be back until the middle of June. That would put me at taking the MCAT in the middle of September which I would rather not do. I would like to be able to take it around the middle of August at the latest. I want my app in by the first of September.

- Will not having a bachelors degree kill me> I do have my associates from the CC but again, the way things transferred I will not have my bachelors. A ton of credits though and a solid GPA. I figure I nail the MCAT I should be good to go.

- Is it realistic to study for the MCAT in say 8 weeks? What scofre should I be aiming for? I see the averages at most schools is 22-23. Is 8 weeks enough to get that score? I am strong at chemistry/organic. Physics is my weak point but I can hit that hard. How long do most prospective pod students study for the MCAT?

So ready to get this journey started.

My list of schools in order I plan to apply to:

DMU
Kent
AZPOD
Barry
NYCPM

I would be perfectly happy going to either of the top 3 but figure I better apply to 5 to be safe?

Thank in advance!!

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[CoffeeMonster]

The mcat is now scored differently and new sections have been added. The 3 month guide on here is for the old mcat. Your best bet at this point is to buy a prep book from amazon and just crunch through everything in that book and do a ton of practice questions and passages (most important part). Don't fall into the trap of only reviewing the material and not doing passages because it will lead you to fail. Keep track of everything you're getting wrong and why, then go back and review later to cement everything. Kaplan or Princeton Review both have prep books for the new mcat on amazon right now and I personally would go with Kaplan for the new test. Then in the last couple of weeks you should buy the official practice tests from AAMC and take them similar to official conditions timewise and distraction wise. If you go hard, all this should be possible in 1.5-2 months.

If you want to go to either DMU or AZPOD, it's important that you do well on your mcat because these schools have the highest entrance requirements. Your gpa is fine.

 

[Masttt91]

1. Most if not all pod schools require a bachelors degree before you start. How many credit hours are you short for graduation? Is it that you dont meet the minimum credit hours at that paricular school or are you missing a few classes for your major? Talk to your academic advisor and tell them of your situation. You might be able to have your transfer credits reevaluated for credit. You may even be able to petition to wave a few of the requirements. Otherwise I would try to squeeze in those classes before graduation.

2. The recommended amount of time is 3 months for the mcat. However it is certainly possible to do well enough with that much time. I would take a practice test to see where you are at and then gage how much time you need. BUT REMEMBER. There is a new version of the mcat out now (starting April 2015) with a new scoring system . Any of the old material is pretty much obsolete.

 

[Pod Zilla]

Everything said so far are solid advice so I wouldn't reiterate anything. However, you technically do not need a bachelors' degree to enter podiatry school, but it is almost unheard of to get in without one. So you're planning on taking a 6+ hour standardized exam for entrance into medical school with only 8 weeks of prep? Good luck. Personally, I would invest probably a good 3-4 months of prep time. If you end up with a solid score, applying in November would not be a big deal because you will be a strong applicant. And you should really look into getting your bachelors...

 

[BTR1208]

I have spoken with DMU,, Kent, WesternU and AZPOD. They all said a bachelors is not required and that each case is looked at differently. I figure score a good MCAT and I will be able to get in somewhere.

I will have excellent LOR's, great work experience, high GPA, etc.

I will start studying for the MCAT June 15 and take at least 8-12 weeks to ensure a solid score.

 

[ashtonmccants]

As far as MCAT prep is concerned, I would personally look at the 3-4 month time frame that Pod Zilla stated earlier. The MCAT did not get shorter, so the same amount of prep time that was previously recommended would not be sufficient. There are 3 new sections that need to be reviewed and practiced in order to achieve a favorable score. BTR you are correct when you state the a bachelors degree is not required, however it is not common to gain admission without one. Good luck on the MCAT.

 

[brittany24]

Okay so after talking with some family and also a podiatrist I have shadowed I have decided to pursue podiatry 100%. I was torn between going for a CRNA or pod school and overall podiatry is going to give me exactly what i want in a career.

Now my situation....

I have all prerequisites and a ton of hours. I started at a CC my first two years due to financial reasons. I did well there, transferred to a 4-year and maintained my grades. I took several; upper level bio classes as well as G-chem 2, Ochem 1/2 at the 4-year.

The way everything transferred over I will not have my bachelors by the time I would matriculate but will have more hours than most people with a bachelors.

With that said my oGPA is 3.7 and my sGPA is 3.75.

Only thing I need academically is the MCAT. Now how long should I study for this? I foubd a 3 month study guide but I am going on vacation and won't be back until the middle of June. That would put me at taking the MCAT in the middle of September which I would rather not do. I would like to be able to take it around the middle of August at the latest. I want my app in by the first of September.

- Will not having a bachelors degree kill me> I do have my associates from the CC but again, the way things transferred I will not have my bachelors. A ton of credits though and a solid GPA. I figure I nail the MCAT I should be good to go.

- Is it realistic to study for the MCAT in say 8 weeks? What scofre should I be aiming for? I see the averages at most schools is 22-23. Is 8 weeks enough to get that score? I am strong at chemistry/organic. Physics is my weak point but I can hit that hard. How long do most prospective pod students study for the MCAT?

So ready to get this journey started.

My list of schools in order I plan to apply to:

DMU
Kent
AZPOD
Barry
NYCPM

I would be perfectly happy going to either of the top 3 but figure I better apply to 5 to be safe?

Thank in advance!!

Congrats on your decision to pursue podiatry! Your gpa looks great. The only thing that would really harm your application (and be a big waste of money) is a poor MCAT score. Don't take this new test lightly, from what I've read/heard about it so far.. the thing is a beast. 8 weeks seems like too little time, even with 8 hour study days. Take every practice test you can, and be sure to review them thoroughly. Aim to score as high as you possibly can.

In addition to making you an easy acceptance for the schools, a good mcat will also give you a higher scholarship amount. Logistically, an extra $1k-5k scholarship bonus makes 3-5 months of solid study a better choice. I wouldn't worry about the pod schools filling up. (I interviewed for 5 schools in March/April and they all accepted me and had spots left). You'll be one of the first ones to get an interview with your gpa and if you have some decent ECs. Good luck!