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- Mar 2, 2015
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Well, I've wanted to post this for a while now, and I'm so humbled to finally be able to do so. Warning for those about to read it, it's going to be long! I'll put a smaller stats portion at the end if you'd rather skip to that.
But this is basically the story of rock bottom premed! Well, for most of College, I was enrolled in a BS/MD program. Unfortunately, the cliche fell in love with a guy, ignored my grades, relationship fell apart, and my lift was in disarray. At the time, I was pretty down in the dumbs, as this was my first real love, but in hindsight, of course it seems stupid. My program's MCAT cut off was a 26, with at least a 7 subscore in each section. I scored a 23 at the beginning of the summer (was so depressed I didn't study at all) and after the summer, scored a 25 with a week's worth of studying. I was subsequently kicked out of the program. Now, I mean it's easy to say, wow that was a horrible decision. And yes, I totally get that....now! Two years later, I no longer cringe at my lost opportunity. Instead, I laugh and say, what was going on with you?
That semester, I'd seriously messed with my GPA as well. At the beginning of senior year, in 2014, I sat a 3.64 cGPA and a 3.39 sGPA. I decided this wasn't me, this wasn't life, and this wasn't going to be my story. That last semester in college, I did my internship. I majored in Life Sciences Education, and was teaching a middle school at the time. I also took 12 credits that semester, and was studying 5-6 hours a night for the MCAT.
Lastly, I tackled a lifelong issue that I'd had - fitness. I'd been overweight most of my life, and gained even more during college. So, I started running which helped a lot with my mental sanity during MCAT prep, and trained for, and eventually ran a half-marathon about a year after I'd started. It wasn't easy, and I wish I could write that a million times. My days were so packed! I'd study for the MCAT, teach the kids at school, write my lesson plans during lunch, stay up until 11 at night, wake up at 5 in the morning to run. I was more busy than I'd ever been in my life. But I was hungry.
At the end of that semester, I dropped a lot of fat, and gained a lot of muscle. Today, I run about 5 miles a day. I got straight A's in all of my courses, boosting my cGPA to a 3.66 and sGPA to a 3.44. I published in an Education Journal, became a good teacher, and got hired at a wonderful middle school. At graduation, I delivered the graduation address, and graduated Cum Laude. And yes, I took the darned MCAT for the THIRD TIME! I scored a 36 (11/11/14). It was euphoric. I then backpacked through Europe for three months, returned, and have been teaching full time ever since. This upcoming cycle, I will be submitting an application.
I went from an anxiety ridden BS/MD dismissed student to a confident teacher. I absolutely adore teaching, and am so lucky to be able to live the life I have right now. And I hope I can soon add Medical School Student to that.
Now I'm getting ready to submit, and am confused about my chances, and my school list.
cGPA: 3.66
sGPA: 3.44
Residency: Maryland, but I currently live in Washington, D.C.
MCAT: 36 (11/11/14)
EC's: President of Horticulture Club, Judge on Student Conduct Board, and Columnist for School Newspaper, hobbies: fitness
Research: 2 2-year longitudinal studies, 1 publication, 2 summer programs
LOR's: 2 Science, 1 Non-science, 2 volunteering (One from my Boss, School Principal)
Volunteering: 400 + hrs at Hospital, 200 Hours at Food Pantry
Shadowing: Shadowed 1 internist for about 200 Hours, worked for him for free over the summer as an apprentice Phlebologist, and shadowed him
Any advice? SDN gave me a lot of advice during my MCAT prep, and I was hoping I might gain further insight into which schools are best for me, or whether I should think about going into an SMP prior to applying.
Over the year, I've especially admired posts from @Goro @gyngyn @LizzyM @NickNaylor and @Catalystik
But this is basically the story of rock bottom premed! Well, for most of College, I was enrolled in a BS/MD program. Unfortunately, the cliche fell in love with a guy, ignored my grades, relationship fell apart, and my lift was in disarray. At the time, I was pretty down in the dumbs, as this was my first real love, but in hindsight, of course it seems stupid. My program's MCAT cut off was a 26, with at least a 7 subscore in each section. I scored a 23 at the beginning of the summer (was so depressed I didn't study at all) and after the summer, scored a 25 with a week's worth of studying. I was subsequently kicked out of the program. Now, I mean it's easy to say, wow that was a horrible decision. And yes, I totally get that....now! Two years later, I no longer cringe at my lost opportunity. Instead, I laugh and say, what was going on with you?
That semester, I'd seriously messed with my GPA as well. At the beginning of senior year, in 2014, I sat a 3.64 cGPA and a 3.39 sGPA. I decided this wasn't me, this wasn't life, and this wasn't going to be my story. That last semester in college, I did my internship. I majored in Life Sciences Education, and was teaching a middle school at the time. I also took 12 credits that semester, and was studying 5-6 hours a night for the MCAT.
Lastly, I tackled a lifelong issue that I'd had - fitness. I'd been overweight most of my life, and gained even more during college. So, I started running which helped a lot with my mental sanity during MCAT prep, and trained for, and eventually ran a half-marathon about a year after I'd started. It wasn't easy, and I wish I could write that a million times. My days were so packed! I'd study for the MCAT, teach the kids at school, write my lesson plans during lunch, stay up until 11 at night, wake up at 5 in the morning to run. I was more busy than I'd ever been in my life. But I was hungry.
At the end of that semester, I dropped a lot of fat, and gained a lot of muscle. Today, I run about 5 miles a day. I got straight A's in all of my courses, boosting my cGPA to a 3.66 and sGPA to a 3.44. I published in an Education Journal, became a good teacher, and got hired at a wonderful middle school. At graduation, I delivered the graduation address, and graduated Cum Laude. And yes, I took the darned MCAT for the THIRD TIME! I scored a 36 (11/11/14). It was euphoric. I then backpacked through Europe for three months, returned, and have been teaching full time ever since. This upcoming cycle, I will be submitting an application.
I went from an anxiety ridden BS/MD dismissed student to a confident teacher. I absolutely adore teaching, and am so lucky to be able to live the life I have right now. And I hope I can soon add Medical School Student to that.
Now I'm getting ready to submit, and am confused about my chances, and my school list.
cGPA: 3.66
sGPA: 3.44
Residency: Maryland, but I currently live in Washington, D.C.
MCAT: 36 (11/11/14)
EC's: President of Horticulture Club, Judge on Student Conduct Board, and Columnist for School Newspaper, hobbies: fitness
Research: 2 2-year longitudinal studies, 1 publication, 2 summer programs
LOR's: 2 Science, 1 Non-science, 2 volunteering (One from my Boss, School Principal)
Volunteering: 400 + hrs at Hospital, 200 Hours at Food Pantry
Shadowing: Shadowed 1 internist for about 200 Hours, worked for him for free over the summer as an apprentice Phlebologist, and shadowed him
Any advice? SDN gave me a lot of advice during my MCAT prep, and I was hoping I might gain further insight into which schools are best for me, or whether I should think about going into an SMP prior to applying.
Over the year, I've especially admired posts from @Goro @gyngyn @LizzyM @NickNaylor and @Catalystik