Seeking advice on how to be more competitive (And my story)

Hi all, I just joined up yesterday. I did not want to make a "what are my chances" thread, but the more I've been reading around here, the more questions I seem to have. So any advice would be greatly appreciated. If you want to skip my boring life story, questions are at the bottom, ha.

I'm about to be 26 in August, so for my med school journey, I'll be part of the non-traditional pre-med crowd. I received my first undergraduate degree in 2006. A Bachelor's of Science in Information Technology. As with many non-trad's, my first undergraduate GPA was awful - 2.81 on a 4.0 scale. I was [cliche]young and unfocused[/cliche]. I've always been smart though. I was in gifted programs throughout school and did well in high school. Did joint-enrollment my high school senior year. I just never went to class in college. I had a high GPA in my IT major classes, but I just didn't care much to show up for the core classes. Dropped a lot (W's), F's, took a semester off and moved to Miami to work before coming back and finishing my degree somewhat strong (A's and B's).

Still, overall is a 2.81. I did not take any of the pre-med requirements since they weren't required for me. All I had that is now relevant was Calculus I, which I received a C in.

I'm starting back next month with my med pre-reqs. I'm signed up for Chem I, Chem II, and English I this summer. In Fall I'm signed up for Organic I, Physics I, Bio I, and Calculus I. And before you say that's too much, I'm treating this as a full-time job, and I have had class loads heavier than this before and got Dean's List back when I actually went to class. I'm leaving my cushy full-time and well-paying job as a Software Developer to go back and to this. So for me, failure is not an option. I will be in class or the library studying for classes and the MCAT every day from 8-6, just like a full-time job. I'm very smart and my husband is pre-pharm and has already had all of these classes, so I am not worried about getting A's in the least.

I have a year to study for the MCAT, and again, failure is not an option so I'll be studying for it and mastering the sections as I make it through each class (i.e., during and after finishing Chem, master all the chem practice questions I have). I bought all the Kaplan stuff a month ago, and some practice exams. I'll get ExamKrackers in a few months. And hopefully have time for a class before the MCAT.

Obviously my 2.81 first undergrad GPA will hurt me. After 40 hours of the pre-med reqs, I can get it up to a 3.0 or 3.1 for my overall. My science GPA should really be at least a 3.8 if not 4.0. My MCAT goal is at least a 33.

So here are my questions...

1. When you submit your applications, the schools will see the 3.0-3.1 overall GPA. Do they consider the classes you're signed up for during the next Fall and Spring you're waiting for decisions? These would obviously boost your overall (and science) GPA. So would they ever say "you're accepted as long as you get A's in the Fall and Spring before you start our med school? Are the stats you see for class profiles the average GPA at the time of application, or at the time of undergrad graduation?

2. Can you apply without having completed all of the pre-reqs? I won't complete Biochemistry until the end of the Summer semester (July) 2010 and some schools I'm looking at require or highly recommend it. Can I still apply in June?

3. Fortunately, my family lives in a close-knit neighborhood full of doctors (Yes, I'll be moving back in with my parents to save money ) So I'll have resources for shadowing and Letters of Recommendation. Our closest family friend in the neighborhood is a Podiatrist. Will shadowing with him at his practice during the summer break be sufficient experience for shadowing? I also plan to volunteer at the hospital and/or clinic to get more experience from now until med school. Other docs in the neighborhood include a cardiologist, pediatrician, anesthesiologist, and oncologist (what I really want to do!). So hopefully I can work with them as well.

4. What kind of extracurricular activities are best? But would activities like inter mural sports matter? Should these still be medical or science related?

5. I've worked for the last year as a software developer for a major player in health care information systems, where we develop EMR systems, practice management, imaging systems, etc. Is this worth mentioning at all? I would hope it might count for a little knowing what office staff and nurses go through on a daily basis (appointments, billing, filing, insurance, HIPAA etc.). It's definitely not clinical, but it seems like it might be beneficial knowing the ins-and-outs of what your staff is responsible for.

6. And I guess since we're in that forum...What are my chances? I'm open to MD, DO, and Carribbean. This is going to happen for me. I already have a list of 19 MD schools and 5 DO's. Carribbean schools on my list are Ross and AUC. I went through and wrote down all their requirements and class profiles and deadlines.

I know it was a long read, thanks for getting through it and any advice you can give.

Thanks for the responses.

I'm going to work hard to get my overall above a 3.0. From reading around the forum, it sounds like a computer system may weed out applicants below 3.0 at some schools and they never get a human eye looking at their application. If this is correct, then breaking that 3.0 threshold will be very important. I'd feel much more comfortable knowing at least one person will see my application.

Sounds like an easy question, but I've read so much lately I want to be sure...Is your overall GPA for med school considered to be what your GPA is printed on your transcript, or what AMCAS says it is? Or is that how AMCAS gets your GPA? Seems like I've read about appealing GPA with AMCAS or AMCAS adding other classes to your science GPA, etc. Just want to be sure I know what I have now and what I need to do.

If it comes down to it, I don't mind taking an extra year of classes to boost the overall up even more before applying again.

And so EC's need to be science/medical related? Not sports or clubs or hobbies or anything of that nature?

Stratego said:

AMCAS takes all the post-high school transcripts you submit and refigures your application GPA for the med schools. If your school forgave or substituted a grade, or gave a 'fresh start,' AMCAS unerases it and includes it.

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I see. Thanks. I think I remember a section in the AMCAS handbook where you can calculate how they see your GPA. I'll try that later tonight.

Do you know of another easier/more automated way to simulate your AMCAS GPA? Maybe along the lines of that med school acceptance chance spreadsheet that's a sticky in the forum?

Thanks for the link to the spreadsheet.

I'm so bummed now though. According to AMCAS, my GPA is much, much lower than my university thinks it is. Why did I have to be such a loser back then

So it looks like my cumulative undergrad GPA will be considered a 2.38, Cumulative BCPM a 1.7, and all-other a 2.55.

Am I completely screwed now for med school?

If I take 48 hours and get all A's between now and applying in June of next year, I can get it up to 2.74 overall, 2.97 BCPM, 2.61 all-other. Obviously, not where it needs to be. Post-bacc would all be 4.0 of course.

So what are my options? I don't even think a DO school would accept that. Even with a stellar MCAT, I don't know about MD or DO.

I think waiting one more year and taking ~48 more hours won't even get my overall over a 3.0.

Any suggestions? Should I become a drunk and continue on with my current career?

Well, that should make it a bit better. Following what I did on the AMCAS sheet for the DO sheet,

It looks like right now my overall undergrad GPA would be considered a 2.78, and BCP a 3.25.

After my 48 hours getting all A's between now and applying in June of next year, I can get it up to 3.1 overall, 3.86 BCP.

Not optimal, but I definitely think I'll have a shot, especially with a good MCAT.

So maybe I should just apply for a few of the easier MD programs and more of the DO programs. And I'm still researching Caribbean schools.

Thanks for the link Mobius

drizzt3117 said:

I'd probably also apply to the big 4 unless you are really opposed to the Carib.

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Big 4? Ross, SGU, ...?

And also I didn't mean to discount any med schools as being easy or will let just anybody in I just meant "easier for me to get in to." i.e., in-state schools and schools on the spreadsheet that show High Chance or Hopeful or Go For It