Should I even apply to pod school?

[Sar]

So here are my stats:

cGPA: 2.80
sGPA: 2.475
major: biology

I picked biology as my major because I intended to go into research field but after doing research with couple of professors at my school, I had a change of heart.

I know my stats are horrible for pod school. I took DATs couple years ago without any preparations and I did horrible on it. I got 15.

What are my options now?

This fall, I will be going to nursing school for a BSN (my second bachelor's degree). I'm doing this to get experience in medical field and at least make descent money to pay my debts off while going to grad school. I am aiming for straight A's for my BSN. That will bring my GPA up a little bit.

Will that help me?

What can I do now that can help me strengthen my application for pod school?

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[215353]

So here are my stats:

cGPA: 2.80
sGPA: 2.475
major: biology

I picked biology as my major because I intended to go into research field but after doing research with couple of professors at my school, I had a change of heart.

I know my stats are horrible for pod school. I took DATs couple years ago without any preparations and I did horrible on it. I got 15.

What are my options now?

This fall, I will be going to nursing school for a BSN (my second bachelor's degree). I'm doing this to get experience in medical field and at least make descent money to pay my debts off while going to grad school. I am aiming for straight A's for my BSN. That will bring my GPA up a little bit.

Will that help me?

What can I do now that can help me strengthen my application for pod school?

This is a tough situation. I personally think you are doing the wrong thing by going into a BSN program. Why commit your time and money into getting a degree you will not use? Doing well in a BSN program will not make you a more competitive applicant. The courses are "nursing specific" and won't provide any indication that you can handle a medical school curriculum at a podiatric medical school. Pod schools might question your dedication to podiatry too.

Instead of wasting your time with a BSN program you should use that time to get accepted and complete a post-bacc program. A good post-bacc program will give you the chance to take a large academic load of upper level undergrad and grad level science courses. This will give you the opportuntiy to demonstrate you can be successful in difficult science courses and that you can handle a large amount of credits (like you would see in medical school).

If you complete a 1-2 year post-bacc program and do well academically this should show pod admissions committees that you can handle the work.

There are post-bacc programs all over the US. A good place to look is the post-bacc forum on SDN...you can research programs there.

 

[air bud]

i agree. Not sure who is advising you on these decisions, but I would think more about this and talk to school advisors and even pod school admission people. getting a BSN is not the solution if you want to go pod.

 

[UW66]

I agree X3. And the final thought process that you can make money while youre in a future grad (i assume you mean pod) school, although a good one, is going to be very unrealistic for most students. Unless youre a natural genius with a photographic memory youll have absolutely no time for work. the only job i could image investing even a few hours a week in would be sitting at the library help-desk, where between checking out books and answering questions you can study. An even VERY part time nursing job though? No way.

Call up admissions staff at the pod schools and ask their opinion about different post-grad classes or programs you could take. See what they think is a good option for 'proving' yourself. Im sure whatever they reccomend is going to be very science orientated though.....so be prepared to turn a new leaf and study exceptionally hard.

 

[spo01]

Screw pod school and nursing school and school in general right now. You need to take a year off to think long and hard about what you want to do with your life. Why is your gpa that bad? Are your study habits magically going to change at the graduate school level? From research to dentistry to nursing to podiatry, you really have no clue what your doing. And there's nothing wrong with that this is a very common problem, atleast you know you want to be involved in the health field. But take the year off to work at the hospital and get experience to different fields, bring in some cash, and soul search...this is a huge decision that should not be taken lightly or as a back up to a back up to a back up.

 

[Stephybunion]

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[dtrack22]

Your stats are low, but mine are barely better and I've been accepted in a few schools with interviews to go. Be a GO-GETTER!

Encouragement is nice and all but "getting in" and actually succeeding are two totally different things. There is a reason pod schools have such high attrition rates compared to other medical professional programs...and part of it has to do with attitudes like this.

The three previous posters are all students who have seen classmates struggle and drop out, a $20k mistake (or higher if you wait till you don't pass part I to drop out). I think it would be in the OP's best interest to make sure that he/she a) actually wants to be a podiatrist b) can handle medical school curriculum. Looking at the stats and experiences listed, I don't think the OP knows the answer to either

 

[spo01]

Seriously, don't take the year off!!!

Embrace your youth and use it wisely. Taking a year off is just going to confuse you more. Your stats are low, but mine are barely better and I've been accepted in a few schools with interviews to go. Be a GO-GETTER!

Yes, you have messed up, but think about how wonderful life will be when you "get it together." Perhaps your current environment hasn't helped you progress, but see a counselor, learn time-management, do something, but go to school.

Yes, it's tough, but it's time to grow up. The economy isn't getting any better and in four years you can be a doctor. Even then, it takes time to pay off loans, but if you get your mind in the game, you'll gather some connections, find your niche as a pod, and be successful. I'm not there yet, but I know that sitting at home or flipping burgers or even wasting time in a post bac program, and worrying isn't all that progressive.


Best of luck!!! You can do it!!!

You've got to be kidding me. The OP is as confused as hell and here you are offering more optimistic advice than Richard Simmons on amphetamines.
Kudos on the sunshine attitude but be realistic. Getting into pod school is relatively easy so don't get all excited just yet. The truth is MANY people fail out while another handful don't want to be there in the first place and thought it was a shortcut to being a doctor...my point is you need to know what you're getting yourself into and do not take this decision lightly (whether it be DPM, MD, DO, DDS, etc). From just one post there is no way you could tell that this OP is passionate or even interested in podiatry or if they are intellectually capable of surviving podiatric medical school. In a span of one post we have gone from researcher to dentist to nurse to podiatrist. They are confused and shouldn't suddenly become a "GO-GETTER" so blindly. And you said it, the environment isn't getting any better so be SMART with your decisions.

 

[Shireiqiang]

I have a good friend who took a year off, started working for an insurance company and found that he was really good at it. He made six figures last year and the whole medical idea is now just a past thought. He realized he just needed time to decide why he was doing what he was doing. By taking time off he realized that he wasn't great at school, but he still had the ability to make money doing something else. This wouldn't work for everyone, but it worked for him. I know this could be just another exception, but it might be worth it to take a break.

 

[Stephybunion]

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[Stephybunion]

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[Elizzle]

Stephybunion, where have you been accepted/ asked to interview?

 

[Paulywog]

When I first read this post I first thought it would be crazy to wait a year and go right into Podiatry school. But after thinking about it and experiences my friends have been through, I don't know what advice to give. Starting a year sooner could give you a Podiatrist salary a year sooner. But nobody here knows you well enough to help you here. I had a friend take three years after his bachelors degree to figure out what he wants to do with his life and he finally knows. Easier to pick your profession without going a few years into a program with $100,000 in debt then to decide before you go. Definitely call the admissions people for the schools you are interested in and talk to them. Do some job shadowing and dont do a nursing degree unless you want to be a nurse. Seems weird to me that you would do that to get into a professional school. You will not be able to work while going to POD school, especially according to your past performances in your college GPA and DAT score. The best way to improve your chances is to do some kind of post-bac science program. Good Luck!