## 2008-2009 Application Season ## Post AACOMAS questions HERE!!!

Discover Your Odds of Getting into Medical School
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Schoolsucks said:
yea all events 👍. Took a clinical research class which required 4 hours a week of working and 4 hours a week in meeting/discussing. I spent 8 hours a week doing some of the most boringest stuff ever, hell no am i cutting my time in half.
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I feel your pain. Is it just me, or do you feel like doubling the number of hours for the REALLY boring stuff? Too bad they don't ask "How many hours did it feel like?" (Answer: a million)
 
Yes, you have to include all grades, but AACOMAS only takes the most recent grades when calculating GPA. But yes, any class you have taken, you must include b/c it will be on your transcripts. For example, when I was in high school, I took an automotive engine class and I needed to include that in my app. No, 2 C's won't hurt you.
 
I was kind of in a similar situation when I was freshman only I was already a chem/bio major. I got a B- in Freshman Chem, C+ in Intro Bio, then got a C+ in Orgo during the first summer session. Not exactly the kind of grades that a future medical student should get in intro classes. Despite those grades I will be starting medical school in the end of July at LECOM-B.

The way I overcame those poor grades in the beginning was to to improve every year there after. I started out at a 3.2 freshman year, then 3.4 soph, 3.6 junior, and finally 3.8 senior year. I also decided to decided to retake Orgo I and got a B+, then got a A- in orgo II. I also got A's in several 300 and 400 level bio and chemistry courses.

Medical schools recognized that I improved every year despite a sort of having a rocky beginning. You may want to consider retaking some of your lower level science courses if you are still early on in your undergrad education. Otherwise I would recommend taking some higher level Bio and Chem courses and doing whatever it takes (i.e. study harder than ever before, visit the prof office hours religiously, get a tutor/study buddy, etc.) and get A couple A's that you could talk about in an interview someday if an interviewer ask you about your poor performance in Freshman science classes.

Hope this helps and Good Luck!! (and obviously take anyones advice on here, including mine, with a grain of salt)
 
I'm really scared.

I just got back my Orgo 2 grade and it was a C. I also had a C for Orgo 1.

Did any body get in a DO school with more than one C. My GPA is a 3.5 and 32 MCAT.

Really want to go to LECOM-Erie or UNECOM.

Thanks guys.
 
I think my daughter got two C's with lower GPA and mcat scores.

I jus finished Orgo 2 with a B- I had all C's in my exams and I was honestly freaking out because I would understand the material, do the homework, and get C's. This was, in part, because my professor took a lot of points off for not understanding my penmanship. (oh, yes, and my prof didn't curve.)

I only got the B because I rocked out the final with a 96.
If you're doing well in everything else, have a good gpa and mcat scores and are a well-balanced individual, you shouldn't abandon hope. I know several physicians that have earned C's in Organic Chem (MD's and DO's.)
 
I got a C in Orgo 1 and so I retook it because I didn't feel I knew the material well enough for the MCAT. You have already taken the MCAT so I guess this doesn't apply.

I too had 3.5ish GPA with a 32 MCAT and I had acceptances. I DID have one other C that I didn't retake (genetics). If all your other science prerequisites are really good, I don't think you'll have a problem. If it were me and I had time before I planned on applying, I might retake one or both of those classes.

I'm no expert though.
 
chudat said:
Thanks,

But did you daughter get into any DO schools?

Also slim, with your 3.5ish and 32 mcat, did you apply to MD or DO schools?
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Only DO.

My cum. GPA was 3.54 but my science was only like 3.3. Also I am 27 with a family so I kind of just felt like I'd fit in more at a DO school.
 
I got C+, C freshman year in Inorgo and C+, C in Orgo just last year. Got 25 on MCAT with a 3.5 gpa/3.2 sgpa. Needless to say, Chem is the bane of my existence.

All that and I got into 5 DO schools. It's not the end of the world.
 
Thanks,

Slim, do you think it's the norm that people with 3.5 and 32 mcat is not accepted to DO schools? I see that alot of people get in with less grades and I'm just really scared, especially seeing that you didn't get in the first time.

Also, do you think which undergrad school you go makes a difference?
 
She got into PCOM and has ranked in the second quintile of her class throughout her time as a student. She is going to graduate on June 1 and will have her residency at A. I. DuPont.
 
ringtail said:
I got C+, C freshman year in Inorgo and C+, C in Orgo just last year. Got 25 on MCAT with a 3.5 gpa/3.2 sgpa. Needless to say, Chem is the bane of my existence.

All that and I got into 5 DO schools. It's not the end of the world.
Click to expand...

That is good to know. Chem is the bane of my existence as well. I generally get A's in Bio (one B+ in Anatomy 2,) and A's in everything else but math.

Chem, ug, A- in genchem 1 B in 2, B in Orgo 1 and B- in Orgo 2 with A's in the labs.

I am obviously a non-traditional student and I am very impressed with DO schools and I believe Osteopathic training would be the best fit for me.
 
How long did it take everyone's transcripts to show up on AACOMAS? I sent mine in from the registrars office on campus to AACOMAS last Tuesday...is there anything I can do to follow up on it?
 
MichiganEMTInt said:
How long did it take everyone's transcripts to show up on AACOMAS? I sent mine in from the registrars office on campus to AACOMAS last Tuesday...is there anything I can do to follow up on it?
Click to expand...

Mine took about 10 days. If you're sure the transcripts went out, I'd give it another week before being concerned.
 
thanks..btw chocolate, why no msucom? besides the outrageous oos tuition..haha
you should consider it!
 
MichiganEMTInt said:
thanks..btw chocolate, why no msucom? besides the outrageous oos tuition..haha
you should consider it!
Click to expand...

No problem. I could accept the tuition, but they seem very set on Michigan residents. All of the ones I'm not applying to have a geographic bias. Also my wife would like milder winters, if possible. I think MSU would go against this...
 
chudat said:
Thanks,

Slim, do you think it's the norm that people with 3.5 and 32 mcat is not accepted to DO schools? I see that alot of people get in with less grades and I'm just really scared, especially seeing that you didn't get in the first time.

Also, do you think which undergrad school you go makes a difference?
Click to expand...

I got in the first time. I think that you have to be a complete bonehead not to get in to a DO school with a 3.5GPA and a 32MCAT. By bonehead I mean really bad interviewer.

I wouldn't stress too much about it.
 
chudat said:
I'm really scared.

I just got back my Orgo 2 grade and it was a C. I also had a C for Orgo 1.

Did any body get in a DO school with more than one C. My GPA is a 3.5 and 32 MCAT.

Really want to go to LECOM-Erie or UNECOM.

Thanks guys.
Click to expand...

hey man....heres some advice. i am just about to go through the process too, and i know it can be freaky as hell, but you just need to take a deep breath, relax, and realize how good of a candidate you are. be confident that you will succeed. despite your Cs in orgo, your GPA and MCAT are higher than most DO averages. you really do not need to worry.

i feel that views can be kind of skewed on here. especialy with all these people gettin 4.0s and 43s. you dont need that to get into a med school. people get Cs all the time. if the rest of your app is solid, your GPA and MCAT are solid. no one is perfect. the schools will see that. you will be fine.
 
WndSrfr23 said:
I was kind of in a similar situation when I was freshman only I was already a chem/bio major. I got a B- in Freshman Chem, C+ in Intro Bio, then got a C+ in Orgo during the first summer session. Not exactly the kind of grades that a future medical student should get in intro classes. Despite those grades I will be starting medical school in the end of July at LECOM-B.

The way I overcame those poor grades in the beginning was to to improve every year there after. I started out at a 3.2 freshman year, then 3.4 soph, 3.6 junior, and finally 3.8 senior year. I also decided to decided to retake Orgo I and got a B+, then got a A- in orgo II. I also got A's in several 300 and 400 level bio and chemistry courses.

Medical schools recognized that I improved every year despite a sort of having a rocky beginning. You may want to consider retaking some of your lower level science courses if you are still early on in your undergrad education. Otherwise I would recommend taking some higher level Bio and Chem courses and doing whatever it takes (i.e. study harder than ever before, visit the prof office hours religiously, get a tutor/study buddy, etc.) and get A couple A's that you could talk about in an interview someday if an interviewer ask you about your poor performance in Freshman science classes.

Hope this helps and Good Luck!! (and obviously take anyones advice on here, including mine, with a grain of salt)
Click to expand...


Im finishing my bs in human biology in the end of summer. i have a 3.2 sgpa. just wondering about transcript grades. thanks
 
chudat said:
I'm really scared.

I just got back my Orgo 2 grade and it was a C. I also had a C for Orgo 1.

Did any body get in a DO school with more than one C. My GPA is a 3.5 and 32 MCAT.

Really want to go to LECOM-Erie or UNECOM.

Thanks guys.
Click to expand...

i'm going to LECOM-E next year and I had much worse than 2 C's in orgo. With your stats apply early, interview well and you'll be fine
 
Yeah, I had more than just 2 C's, including one on gen chem 2 and one in orgo 1 and the lab, so you'll be fine. Chemistry is the bain of my existance also, but you got thru it, and with a 3.5 you'll be fine.
 
Bacchus said:
Doesn't it seem a bit unethical to not disclose an MCAT repeat? I understand where this is all coming from but I need the greatest chance.
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You don't have to disclose that you are planning on taking it again unless you want the schools to hold your application for the second score. I believe that once you release scores to AACOMAS or AMCAS they will automatically release subsequent scores (I may be wrong on this one, but I'm sure someone will verify). So, I don't think that you can withhold any scores after you have taken it.
 
prionsRbad said:
Your post bac GPA is shown separately, but doing a post-bac does NOT start your GPA over. You will still have an overall GPA, which includes your undergrad work and your post-bac work.
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haha, wow, thanks for clearing that up! I wouldn't want to pass on false information!

ps, i'm LMU-DCOM 2012 too 🙂
 
guyline said:
Let's see, my GPA is 3.56 overall with 3.42 science. I shadowed a primary care physician for 8 months. I've been a medical interpreter for 3 years (this is a part of my application that I'm particularly proud of) and was exposed to many fields of medicine - cardiology, ob/gyn, pediatric, general surgery, etc. I am given the opportunity to interact with patients and doctors directly and see first hand how physicians diagnosed and treat patients with this job. I have assisted patients who are just coming for their regular check-ups to patients who are dying of cancer, and even those who came in to ask for a dose of Viagra. So in terms of clinical experience, I believe I am strong in this regard and my genetic professor, who is also my advisor, told me to make sure to flesh this part of myself out on the personal statement. I have also volunteered plenty in community service (helped organize an fundraising event that raised over $20,000 for ophanages, and among others). I had a small research experience where I assisted a graduate student on his project (don't know if this counts).

The reason I ask is what if I am offered an interview and get matriculated before having to retake the MCAT. And like I said, I am a little fearful.
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When you state you on your aacomas app that you are retaking the mcat, the schools put you on hold. they dont really grant you interviews and stuff. If you did get an interview with your old mcat, and were rejected, it is highly unlikely that they will overturn the decission. however if you are waitlisted, a new mcat score could make a giant difference. In the end, fill your app right now. Take the mcat in august if you feel like you can do better. You will be complete in September. Most likely interview in November or December. Plenty of seats will be open by then.

No one is going to get your app and reject you in a month. If you state you will retake the mcat, most likely they wont reject you until they get the new score. Unless, you gpa is below cut off or you are taking the mcat past there supplemental deadline (jan mcat).

A 24 should get you one or two acceptances, but if you want to get many choices i would retake. August mcat is fairly common, and not that bad. Retake if you are sure you can do better
 
Thanks alot guys,

It's just that I'm really worried because sometimes you see people with not so good grades get accepted to DO schools and people with decent GPA and mcat get rejected.

My dream school is LECOM-E and I hope when the time comes, they'll accept me.
 
I dont think youll have any problem at all getting into LECOM-E.
 
you should be fine, if your science gpa is still not bad. just make sure it is over some of the cutoffs. One school that comes to mind is DMU, which seems to look heavily on science gpa. You have a nice mcat and should off set it, you have a great shot at erie
 
chudat said:
Thanks alot guys,

It's just that I'm really worried because sometimes you see people with not so good grades get accepted to DO schools and people with decent GPA and mcat get rejected.

My dream school is LECOM-E and I hope when the time comes, they'll accept me.
Click to expand...

all that tells you is that DO programs care about more than GPA and MCAT. if the rest of your application is solid, what do you have to worry about?
 
jackson08 said:
haha, wow, thanks for clearing that up! I wouldn't want to pass on false information!

ps, i'm LMU-DCOM 2012 too 🙂
Click to expand...

Sweet! Are you on Facebook? PM me with your "real" name. Woo Hoo LMU DCOM 2012! 😀
 
I had C's in the following, Chem 2, Orgo 1 & 2, Physics 1, 2, Biology 2. I got into LECOM-B and you have better stats than me so I'm sure you can get into LECOM_E assuming you don't have some type of major personality flaw 🙄
 
Thanks lot for all the responses,

Another fear that I have has to do with race and gender.

I am a male Asian-american student and I feel sometimes that works against me. I feel that osteopathic schools accept more females than males and being Asian does help either.

Furthermore, my EC's are not that great. I have no research and my volunteer experiences are minimal.

Do you guys feel that applying early helps?
 
The advisors at my school told us that in the beginning of an admissions cycle, because none of the spots are filled yet, they can offer interviews to a larger number of students, but as the cycle progresses and acceptances are sent out, they can only interview the very best applicants.
Also, I am guessing that orgo was taken at the same time as bio; if you take biochem and do well, that can reflect well on the material learned from orgo and show improvement on the subject matter.
 
chudat said:
Thanks lot for all the responses,

Another fear that I have has to do with race and gender.

I am a male Asian-american student and I feel sometimes that works against me. I feel that osteopathic schools accept more females than males and being Asian does help either.

Furthermore, my EC's are not that great. I have no research and my volunteer experiences are minimal.

Do you guys feel that applying early helps?
Click to expand...
Apply early and you will be fine. I was accepted with a 3.6 SGPA and a 26 MCAT(messed up the Verbal) Anyway, the one thing that is a must is shadowing a D.O. and getting volunteer experience, clinical or not, it is essential in showing your altruistic attitude. LECOM Erie accepts a good portion of early applicants that are qualified and so far it looks like you are qualified. Just make your application interesting and you will do fine. Oh and I got a C+ in Orgo 1, so don't sweat it, a lot of people despise the Chemistry.
 
I have a question about the letter section in the application. My school uses Virtual Eva. Do I simply ignore that section on the application then? Please advice. Thanks ahead.
 
dude you're fine. I got a C+ in Orgo 1 and a D in Orgo 2 and have 2 acceptances so far and 2 waitlists. Granted I retook orgo 2 and got a b+, but it is very doable. Wouldnt worry. Take Biochem and crush it, or retake orgo 1 or 2....good luck
 
ringtail said:
I got C+, C freshman year in Inorgo and C+, C in Orgo just last year. Got 25 on MCAT with a 3.5 gpa/3.2 sgpa. Needless to say, Chem is the bane of my existence.

All that and I got into 5 DO schools. It's not the end of the world.
Click to expand...

Congrats! I'd really be interested in knowing which DO schools you got accepted to. I'm going to be applying and my stats are somewhat similar to yours.
 
MikeMD said:
dude you're fine. I got a C+ in Orgo 1 and a D in Orgo 2 and have 2 acceptances so far and 2 waitlists. Granted I retook orgo 2 and got a b+, but it is very doable. Wouldnt worry. Take Biochem and crush it, or retake orgo 1 or 2....good luck
Click to expand...

Congrats! Where were your acceptances?
 
bigyihoroi said:
I have a question about the letter section in the application. My school uses Virtual Eva. Do I simply ignore that section on the application then? Please advice. Thanks ahead.
Click to expand...

good question!!! my schools uses virtual eval too. i've ignored the interfolio section on the appliation as of now...but i'd leave to hear someones answer.
 
chudat said:
Thanks lot for all the responses,

Another fear that I have has to do with race and gender.

I am a male Asian-american student and I feel sometimes that works against me. I feel that osteopathic schools accept more females than males and being Asian does help either.

Furthermore, my EC's are not that great. I have no research and my volunteer experiences are minimal.

Do you guys feel that applying early helps?
Click to expand...

The osteopathic schools that I am familiar with actually have a higher male than female population. As far as being Asian..... I don't know. I doubt that would be a disadvantage. I hope it wouldn't be, anyway.
 
Hi everyone i was wondering if any upperclassmen could help me out with some questions i have. but first here is my backround

1.I am a sophmore at a major university in ohio this fall
2. I ended this year with a 2.7gpa, and was extremely dissapointed
3. The university i attend is very big on all healthcare medicine,pharmacy,nursing etc etc
4. i have worked in a community pharmacy for 3 years and a hospital pharmacy for 1 year.



Here are my questions and concerns

1. While i am very dissapointed in myself for my first year of college, i must say i wasent a straight 4.0 student, but my friends are and 90% of them are all on academic prohbation soooo honestly i must not be that bad.
2. i am actualy still a pre-pharmacy major and still considering being a pharmacist but have always had a strong passion to go an extra 2 years and become a doctor
3. With my gpa i plan to retake the science courses i didnt do as well in, the university i attend offers 12 credits of grade deletion and also for the pharmacy program will take the higher of the 2 attemps of each science course for your application for pharmacy school.
4. Can i still do medicine? and how bad will retaking classes hurt my application?
5. i am only interested in osteopathic medicine, due to shadowing allotpathic and osteopathic and find the approach to osteopathic medicine to be more along the lines of my ethical and moral beliefs

- any help you could offer would be appreciated, thanks
-Kyle
 
I wouldn't sweat it. Lots of freshman do not make the grades they desired. In my opinion your chances are still great. I suggest you reassess your study habits and methods over the summer and in the fall retake any classes you made a C or lower in. As long as you do not retake classes on a consitent basis most schools will view your efforts positively.
 
I got a D in Orgo 1.. retook, got a C.. and also got a C in Orgo 2.. my final gpa was 3.07.. you can check my MDapps.. I still got in.

ETA. I was offered 4 interviews.. went to LECOM E and LECOM B and was accepted to both.
 
For the AAMCOS application, should engineering courses be listed as "other science"?

I certainly hope so because I've done my best in engineering classes, plus they're most definitely science classes. I want them to factor into my science GPA.
 
I added my courses into the course section but it doesnt seem to be in order. As an example, if i took BIO 000 in the spring of 05, should I put it in as BIO 000 Spring 05? I think last year we put it in as BIO 000 Spring 04 because it was part of the 04-05 academic year. I'm so confused...
 
thethethe said:
I added my courses into the course section but it doesnt seem to be in order. As an example, if i took BIO 000 in the spring of 05, should I put it in as BIO 000 Spring 05? I think last year we put it in as BIO 000 Spring 04 because it was part of the 04-05 academic year. I'm so confused...
Click to expand...

After discussion from last year's group on this thread, I put Spring 04 for a class taken in Spring of the year 2005. Everything was in order after that. If they don't like it, they can change it! 😎
 
Kyleorz87 said:
Hi everyone i was wondering if any upperclassmen could help me out with some questions i have. but first here is my backround

1.I am a sophmore at a major university in ohio this fall
2. I ended this year with a 2.7gpa, and was extremely dissapointed
3. The university i attend is very big on all healthcare medicine,pharmacy,nursing etc etc
4. i have worked in a community pharmacy for 3 years and a hospital pharmacy for 1 year.



Here are my questions and concerns

1. While i am very dissapointed in myself for my first year of college, i must say i wasent a straight 4.0 student, but my friends are and 90% of them are all on academic prohbation soooo honestly i must not be that bad.
2. i am actualy still a pre-pharmacy major and still considering being a pharmacist but have always had a strong passion to go an extra 2 years and become a doctor
3. With my gpa i plan to retake the science courses i didnt do as well in, the university i attend offers 12 credits of grade deletion and also for the pharmacy program will take the higher of the 2 attemps of each science course for your application for pharmacy school.
4. Can i still do medicine? and how bad will retaking classes hurt my application?
5. i am only interested in osteopathic medicine, due to shadowing allotpathic and osteopathic and find the approach to osteopathic medicine to be more along the lines of my ethical and moral beliefs

- any help you could offer would be appreciated, thanks
-Kyle
Click to expand...

You are still ok. Like you said, retake anything that you got a C or below in. Regardless of your university retake policy, you are allowed by AACOMAS to retake as many classes as you need to with only the most recent grade counting towards your GPA calculation. However, every attempt and every grade must be reported and can be seen by the adcoms, so don't abuse this.

Like ouzoo said, really refocus your studying next year, and maybe get a smarter group of friends, lol! Really, alot of freshman classes are weed outs. It stinks, but you are really expected to put more energy into those than some upper level classes, so just suck it up and work your butt off to get A's. One realization that I didn't really come by in my first year or two is that this is really my life plans that I was messing up by not really applying myself as much as I should have. If you are not ready to work your butt off for your future then take a year or two off! (BTW, I'm not lecturing you in particular, I'm just suggesting in general that time off is good for anyone that is not ready)
 
if they have to change it, how much longer does it take for the application to be verified? thanks!!
 
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