Should I even try??

[FromTheGroundUp]

I'll make my long story very short because I'm terrified of the trolls. Lol

Just graduated undergrad with an irrelevant BA.

Always wanted to become OB. -watched my friend give birth, volunteered in clinic...

Got accepted to post-bac pre- med program for FALL 2012.

No science classes ever.

cGPA ~ 2.5 with very very steep upward trend.

Very determined and ready for this journey.

Hoping post-bac will help with ECs and grades.

Im a URM from the hood. Managed to graduate HS in top third. Thought college was my way out, proved myself wrong. Then climbed out of the hole I put myself in. At this point, I'm literally starting from the ground up to fulfill this desire of becoming a doctor. Excited to start postbac but is it even worth the effort at this point?

Im new around these parts so take it easy please.

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[touchpause13]

First of all sweetie it doesn't matter what the hell your BS/BA is in as long as you have one.

Take the pre-med prereqs (bio I/II gen chem I/II) and see what your grades end up being. You need to evaluate your own talents when it comes to science and there is no way to do that without taking classes so doing post-bacc is the smartest thing you can do right now. If you get good grades keep going, if not you might want to try another field.

If you are able to kill it during your post-bacc you might have a chance at a school like Howard. Also don't discount D.O. schools because they love a non-traditional student.

 

[JustUnder9000]

I'll make my long story very short because I'm terrified of the trolls. Lol

Just graduated undergrad with an irrelevant BA.

Always wanted to become OB. -watched my friend give birth, volunteered in clinic...

Got accepted to post-bac pre- med program for FALL 2012.

No science classes ever.

cGPA ~ 2.5 with very very steep upward trend.

Very determined and ready for this journey.

Hoping post-bac will help with ECs and grades.

Im a URM from the hood. Managed to graduate HS in top third. Thought college was my way out, proved myself wrong. Then climbed out of the hole I put myself in. At this point, I'm literally starting from the ground up to fulfill this desire of becoming a doctor. Excited to start postbac but is it even worth the effort at this point?

Im new around these parts so take it easy please.

Yes it's worth it. Believe me, if you've got a story to tell and if you put in the work, and show the desire, you WILL get in to a school. Of course the post-bac will help. Continue volunteering in a clinical setting, and get in some meaningful/impactful non-clinical experiences.

Put everything you've got in to doing well on the post-bac then get a solid MCAT. The schools will pay attention to the upward trend and the awesome post-bac grades. After that, make sure your story is told in a creative way in your personal statement so you stand out. You can make it if you want to, I've witnessed first hand some extreme feel-good/success stories and I hope to be one them myself.

Serious, never give up. If anyone says you can't make it, they're wrong. It's just a matter of when.

 

[Poisson]

I'll make my long story very short because I'm terrified of the trolls. Lol

Just graduated undergrad with an irrelevant BA.

Always wanted to become OB. -watched my friend give birth, volunteered in clinic...

Got accepted to post-bac pre- med program for FALL 2012.

No science classes ever.

cGPA ~ 2.5 with very very steep upward trend.

Very determined and ready for this journey.

Hoping post-bac will help with ECs and grades.

Im a URM from the hood. Managed to graduate HS in top third. Thought college was my way out, proved myself wrong. Then climbed out of the hole I put myself in. At this point, I'm literally starting from the ground up to fulfill this desire of becoming a doctor. Excited to start postbac but is it even worth the effort at this point?

Im new around these parts so take it easy please.

I'll break this down into two different perspectives as to why I think you may have a shot. First is that you really haven't taken any science classes (maybe 1 or 2?). So depending on what you got in math, or that 1 course or so for the non-majors science class (if you needed 1), you could come out with a stellar science GPA, which will be weighed heavily. Can you do this though? Getting high grades in the weeder courses is not really an easy accomplishment. Some don't really do that hot in the weeder classes, and do better down the line. You are more mature, you should probably do pretty good. Now lets get to the big part. You are a URM. This plays a tremendous advantage to admissions, just look at the data of an african american versus a white or asian person. Its no comparison. You are from the hood you say. This is a socioeconomic disadvantage and you will see a better shot at admittance. Get as high scores as you can, and do your thing. I think you got a shot. You got into the post-bac program. If its one of those really formal ones, with connections, that tries to deny people, you got in, maybe its the URM thing (probably not though). Realistically you have a pretty good shot. However, you need to have a lot of stamina, and there will be many long years ahead. Many qualified individuals give up the journey, and many borderline cases give up. On the flip side, many with way below average, and I'm talking really low, non-URM people flip the script, give the ADCOMS an upward trend, high MCAT, and get in somewhere. Best, Poisson.

 

[FromTheGroundUp]

OMG!!! You all are awesome!! Thank you so much for replying with such honest answers! My postbac will be at UMiami. I guess its not so formal, in that they have no linkage. None the less, I'll be taking advantage of all the resources I can when the time comes!

As far as my sGPA, i have taken an online anatomy course (lec and lab) and got an A and A-. Im sure there was a BIO 1 somewhere... C maybe.

Im excited to have you all think I have a chance at this. All is not lost afterall!

 

[FromTheGroundUp]

First of all sweetie it doesn't matter what the hell your BS/BA is in as long as you have one.

Take the pre-med prereqs (bio I/II gen chem I/II) and see what your grades end up being. You need to evaluate your own talents when it comes to science and there is no way to do that without taking classes so doing post-bacc is the smartest thing you can do right now. If you get good grades keep going, if not you might want to try another field.

If you are able to kill it during your post-bacc you might have a chance at a school like Howard. Also don't discount D.O. schools because they love a non-traditional student.

For the first semester, so far I have only been scheduled for CHEM 1 and Phys1. Im debating whether I should have them add on BIO1 as well.

I havent discounted DO schools at all. Just trying to get started!

 

[FromTheGroundUp]

Yes it's worth it. Believe me, if you've got a story to tell and if you put in the work, and show the desire, you WILL get in to a school. Of course the post-bac will help. Continue volunteering in a clinical setting, and get in some meaningful/impactful non-clinical experiences.

Put everything you've got in to doing well on the post-bac then get a solid MCAT. The schools will pay attention to the upward trend and the awesome post-bac grades. After that, make sure your story is told in a creative way in your personal statement so you stand out. You can make it if you want to, I've witnessed first hand some extreme feel-good/success stories and I hope to be one them myself.

Serious, never give up. If anyone says you can't make it, they're wrong. It's just a matter of when.

I helped my best friend when she was studying for the MCAT-- I was getting more questions correct than she was and she was the super smart science major! Lol

This is something I always thought was nothing more than a reach dream. But seeing how much Ive changed and matured has caused a total 360.

 

[FromTheGroundUp]

I'll break this down into two different perspectives as to why I think you may have a shot. First is that you really haven't taken any science classes (maybe 1 or 2?). So depending on what you got in math, or that 1 course or so for the non-majors science class (if you needed 1), you could come out with a stellar science GPA, which will be weighed heavily. Can you do this though? Getting high grades in the weeder courses is not really an easy accomplishment. Some don't really do that hot in the weeder classes, and do better down the line. You are more mature, you should probably do pretty good. Now lets get to the big part. You are a URM. This plays a tremendous advantage to admissions, just look at the data of an african american versus a white or asian person. Its no comparison. You are from the hood you say. This is a socioeconomic disadvantage and you will see a better shot at admittance. Get as high scores as you can, and do your thing. I think you got a shot. You got into the post-bac program. If its one of those really formal ones, with connections, that tries to deny people, you got in, maybe its the URM thing (probably not though). Realistically you have a pretty good shot. However, you need to have a lot of stamina, and there will be many long years ahead. Many qualified individuals give up the journey, and many borderline cases give up. On the flip side, many with way below average, and I'm talking really low, non-URM people flip the script, give the ADCOMS an upward trend, high MCAT, and get in somewhere. Best, Poisson.

I did have an online anatomy and lab, BIO1, and algebra. My online anatomy was awesome because I got an A and A-. Bio1 maybe a C and algebra? Im guessing a C as well. Lol in the last 2 years (been in school for 6- i transferred from quarters to semester calendar and for whatever reason, they dont balance out) i have maintained at least 3.0+ GPA. I would think that shows some drastic turnaround since I never got an A in ANY classes before 2010.

While my story isnt too much of the "woe is me" variety, it is definitely a story.
Thank you for your feedback!

 

[adanne1990]

Keep pushing for it! I am a URM but I didn't necessarily come from the hood. I am just trying to work on improving my GPA. I found out what my MCAT score was and it was devastating but I refuse to give up. (I'm way too stubborn lol). I already sent in my primaries and I am waiting to be verified. I think If I can kill the MCAT around early August. I think I still have a shot at this whole thing. I have been reading some people's stories and idk but I think I am still gonna shoot for some schools anyways because I want this so much. I am not going to lie though haha I will start to look into some DO schools as well and some post-bacs to play it safe, but I think I will still take a shot at the dark. Anyone know of some post-bac programs that I can really look into? Thanks!

 

[theseeker4]

I did have an online anatomy and lab, BIO1, and algebra. My online anatomy was awesome because I got an A and A-. Bio1 maybe a C and algebra? Im guessing a C as well. Lol in the last 2 years (been in school for 6- i transferred from quarters to semester calendar and for whatever reason, they dont balance out) i have maintained at least 3.0+ GPA. I would think that shows some drastic turnaround since I never got an A in ANY classes before 2010.

While my story isnt too much of the "woe is me" variety, it is definitely a story.
Thank you for your feedback!

Yes, you have a chance, as people have said already. What you need to do, though, is get the A's. This is easier said than done. It might be impossible to do if you are taking a full course load your first semester. If you run into trouble with this, drop. Don't press on and hope to turn it around, don't settle for straight B's. Drop, regroup, and start over, taking one class. When you get an A in one class one semester, try two classes. If you get an A in both of them, add more in, slowly. This is a marathon, not a sprint, and trying to be ready to apply a year earlier could push you three years back.

It is possible, though it will be a long road to be competitive, and your number one priority will be proving to yourself you can get A's. Consistent A's are what it will take, and if you can pull that off, you have a great shot at med school.

 

[FromTheGroundUp]

I recieved my official schedule from my postbac advisor today. He added Bio1. Looks like I'll have a full schedule come August. 3 sciences, volunteering, shadowing, and working. I better start taking my vitamins now.

 

[FromTheGroundUp]

Keep pushing for it! I am a URM but I didn't necessarily come from the hood. I am just trying to work on improving my GPA. I found out what my MCAT score was and it was devastating but I refuse to give up. (I'm way too stubborn lol). I already sent in my primaries and I am waiting to be verified. I think If I can kill the MCAT around early August. I think I still have a shot at this whole thing. I have been reading some people's stories and idk but I think I am still gonna shoot for some schools anyways because I want this so much. I am not going to lie though haha I will start to look into some DO schools as well and some post-bacs to play it safe, but I think IY will still take a shot at the dark. Anyone know of some post-bac programs that I can really look into? Thanks!

Honestly, besides my "studying" and practice tests I took with my friend (shes now MS1... Or would it be MS2 since the academic year is over???) I am absolutely terrified of the MCAT. I know they are to add a psych component sometime soon(which I know I can ace- former psyc major), but its all that other stuff that bothers me. I've read the horror stories of students taking the exam and not knowing what they are looking at because their instructors never covered the topic in class. Can you say NERVOUS! Lol

Congrats and good luck on your journey! Im not too sure of any other postbaccs besides those meant for career changers and those of us with no sciences. But I heard awesome recommendations for Harvard Extention and Columbia Nutrition.

Thanks for your feedback!

 

[FromTheGroundUp]

Yes, you have a chance, as people have said already. What you need to do, though, is get the A's. This is easier said than done. It might be impossible to do if you are taking a full course load your first semester. If you run into trouble with this, drop. Don't press on and hope to turn it around, don't settle for straight B's. Drop, regroup, and start over, taking one class. When you get an A in one class one semester, try two classes. If you get an A in both of them, add more in, slowly. This is a marathon, not a sprint, and trying to be ready to apply a year earlier could push you three years back.

It is possible, though it will be a long road to be competitive, and your number one priority will be proving to yourself you can get A's. Consistent A's are what it will take, and if you can pull that off, you have a great shot at med school.

Thank you for thE encouraging words! I know this will be a long process and I feel so ready for it!!!

 

[adanne1990]

Yeah I was looking into the Harvard Extension School lol but I am not exactly sure when they start accepting applications. Oh and no problem! I love trying to help out people if I can

Honestly, besides my "studying" and practice tests I took with my friend (shes now MS1... Or would it be MS2 since the academic year is over???) I am absolutely terrified of the MCAT. I know they are to add a psych component sometime soon(which I know I can ace- former psyc major), but its all that other stuff that bothers me. I've read the horror stories of students taking the exam and not knowing what they are looking at because their instructors never covered the topic in class. Can you say NERVOUS! Lol

Congrats and good luck on your journey! Im not too sure of any other postbaccs besides those meant for career changers and those of us with no sciences. But I heard awesome recommendations for Harvard Extention and Columbia Nutrition.

Thanks for your feedback!

 

[Camy99]

I helped my best friend when she was studying for the MCAT-- I was getting more questions correct than she was and she was the super smart science major! Lol

This is something I always thought was nothing more than a reach dream. But seeing how much Ive changed and matured has caused a total 360.

Sigh, I hate to be that person but *180 not 360...

That being said, keep on keepin' on

 

[FromTheGroundUp]

Sigh, I hate to be that person but *180 not 360...

That being said, keep on keepin' on

Hahahahaha! It's soooo funny that you corrected me because i actually corrected my friend on this a few days ago! "if you did a '360' you would be back in the same place and going in the same direction." Lol.

Thanks for the encouragement!!!