1 year after....

[Jatt]

So about 1 year ago I left the world of professional baseball to pursue a career in medicine. Since that time I have completed ~27 credits of upper level biology, chemistry(Organic II), and biochemistry courses with a total GPA for those courses of roughly a 3.8.
I left school in 2002 after being drafted as a junior with a cumulative of 3.0 and a science of 2.7, needless to say not exactly competitive. I finished most of my prerequisites as a part of my major before I left school the first time and since returning have finished the rest, so my opportunities for raising my GPA have run out.
My major questions are 1) Does anyone have any stories of a good MCAT score of say 35+ overcoming a low GPA 2) Can anyone speak to whether or not recent success in more difficult courses is weighed anymore heavily. My primary concern here is getting my foot in the door, I have very strong LOR's and I am very confident in my ability to convey my aptitude for medical school if given an interview. I have read a lot of doom and gloom in response to low GPA's and I just have to think that they can be overcome by a candidate that is qualified.
Other high points on my perspective application would be a competitive research fellowship for Merck that I will be a part of this summer, extensive shadowing, and I am a mentor for Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Anyways I know that no one here is an AdCom but just looking for some insights from individuals who have been or are going through the process, I have bet the farm on this and want to be prepared for what may lie ahead
Thanks in advanced for any insight

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[pattyk]

I also had a low gpa, 2.7, from my first time in college. The second time I did much better with a 3.89.

The schools will look at the gap and they get it....you went to school, didn't do well, came back and were more focused. One interviewer even asked if had a favorite drinking establishment my first time around! HAHAHAHAHAAA

BTW,my MCAT is only 27 and I have had two interviews-waitlist at one (my state school) and under consideration at the other. If my scores were higher, I pretty sure I would have been accepted already. If I do not get in this cycle, the MCAT is where I'll focus my attention.


Study hard for the MCAT and best of luck!!

 

[Jatt]

pattyk, thanks for the encouraging story. Anything I have ever done I have taken the approach that I will do everything in my power to keep the decision out of other peoples hands. Since returning I have done just that, but I feel haunted by a past in which medicine was not even on my radar as a career choice. At the end of the day stories like yours pattyk are just what I am looking for, just hearing one person say the Adcoms "get it" means a lot to me, thanks!
My kaplan course starts monday, guess I can kiss my summer goodbye

 

[pattyk]

IMHO, Kaplan is good for sciences but the Exam Krackers verbal reasoning is better. It's a small book and only costs about $30ish-but don't bother w/ the 101 passages. They have a totally different approach and my friends who did Kaplan didn't do as well as I did on verbal (11).

 

[Jatt]

thanks for the tip pattyk, I will put it on my list for the next time I go to Borders, did you take the paper or computer based MCAT?

 

[pattyk]

paper. now it is all computerized which is better. If you go to the MCAT website, they have a free online test you take. it is the same format as the real test....

 

[njbmd]

Anyways I know that no one here is an AdCom but just looking for some insights from individuals who have been or are going through the process, I have bet the farm on this and want to be prepared for what may lie ahead
Thanks in advanced for any insight

I am a member of two Admissions committees at two allopathic medical schools. In addition, we have a Mentor Forum (look at the top of the Forums Column) where you can post your questions directly to mentors who are members of admissions committees. Check out this URL http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=388838

thanks for the tip pattyk, I will put it on my list for the next time I go to Borders, did you take the paper or computer based MCAT?

The current MCAT is totally computer based. There is a Student Doctor Network Podcast (done my me) that outlines the new changes in the test, the testing conditions and the format. Check it out here http://img.studentdoctor.net/podcasts/20060913sdn.mp3 The podcast is about 15 minutes long and includes information on the computerized text as well as getting your Financial Aid done too. You can also consult the MCAT website at the following URL for more informationhttp://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/.

 

[Jatt]

Thanks for the help guys, I have posted in the mentors forum and recived some great feed back, SDN has been a great resource all the way through the process, thanks again!

 

[Flopotomist]

I am a member of two Admissions committees at two allopathic medical schools. .

How do you get on TWO different schools' committees?

 

[njbmd]

How do you get on TWO different schools' committees?

They both asked and I accepted.