2015 Nontrad Applicants' Progress Thread

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It is that time of the year again! AMCAS 2015 opened today and we can all start writing essays, entering grades and all other sorts of tediously exciting activities. So, who is applying this year?

After a couple years of watching previous "application progress" threads go by, I'm finally participating in one as an applicant. 🙂 Good luck to everyone.

 

[kraskadva]

Application Submitted:
JUNE 16,2014 11:30:20 PM ET
Submitted to AMCAS - Ready for Review

06-16-2014

Now I just gotta get those letters sent in and wait for the MCAT before I put in the full school list. At least it feels like I have some breathing space now while I wait for AMCAS- time to catch up on sleep and housework 🙂

 

[Inygma]

I'm not sure what the deal is without a committee packet, though I think you are fine with 3 if you are unsure of one.

From what I have gathered, it is understandable for non-trad to not have a committee letter (depending on your level of non-trad I guess). Most non-trad have degrees already and went back to school for pre-reqs. Usually a committee letter is not possible for some, such as myself, who took all the pre-reqs between 3 different schools. Also, having a lot of professor letters isn't seen as important due to having other letters that trad students don't have access to usually (such as work) and also due to the lack of classes taken since going back (or since the professors who know you best you havent seen in 5-10+ years).

I am sure a committee letter still is awesome, just not as expected as it is from kids in college still

 

[Laureatebarrel]

My app was verified yesterday. Big shoutout to @Captain Sisko and @fireflygirl for reading my ps.

 

[Determined38]

Hi everyone!! I am new on studentdoc and my first post ever. I too am a non traditional student, maybe a bit older than most I see here. I will be 42 by fall of 2015. I am married with two daughters. One who just finished freshman year at U of A, and the other a sophomore in high school.
My application has been submitted and verified. I have all my LOR's in as well. I am also applying to D.O. schools. My AMCAS gpa is significantly lower than what DO schools calculated. Does anyone know why this is?
I took the MCAT, May 30. I also was getting very low scores on my practice exams. I studied for months and worked like crazy just on the MCAT. I pretty much devoted the last 6 months to all MCAT and also school, finishing some of the pre-reqs.
I am a minority and second language learner with many stories and life lessons that have shaped me to who I am today. There is nothing more that I want than to become a doctor.
This will sound crazy but I have applied to 70 MD schools and 15 DO schools. My LOR's are by all my science professors as well as a letter from a physician whom I have shadowed on a constant basis for over 3 years now. My physician letter is from an MD who is also a big staff member at a prestigious medical school.

Without sharing my very low stats, anyone have any insight as to how low or possible are my changes of getting into medical school?

Thanks

Good luck to everyone on here. I have read the 13pages of threads and everyone sounds so inspiring!!!

 

[Determined38]

I forgot to add, I did my undergrad at UC Berkeley many many years ago. I was a Social Science student never in the sciences. I also have a masters in education administration. I was a teacher for over 10 years.

 

[Glycereine]

Hi everyone!! I am new on studentdoc and my first post ever. I too am a non traditional student, maybe a bit older than most I see here. I will be 42 by fall of 2015. I am married with two daughters. One who just finished freshman year at U of A, and the other a sophomore in high school.
My application has been submitted and verified. I have all my LOR's in as well. I am also applying to D.O. schools. My AMCAS gpa is significantly lower than what DO schools calculated. Does anyone know why this is?
I took the MCAT, May 30. I also was getting very low scores on my practice exams. I studied for months and worked like crazy just on the MCAT. I pretty much devoted the last 6 months to all MCAT and also school, finishing some of the pre-reqs.
I am a minority and second language learner with many stories and life lessons that have shaped me to who I am today. There is nothing more that I want than to become a doctor.
This will sound crazy but I have applied to 70 MD schools and 15 DO schools. My LOR's are by all my science professors as well as a letter from a physician whom I have shadowed on a constant basis for over 3 years now. My physician letter is from an MD who is also a big staff member at a prestigious medical school.

Without sharing my very low stats, anyone have any insight as to how low or possible are my changes of getting into medical school?

Thanks

Good luck to everyone on here. I have read the 13pages of threads and everyone sounds so inspiring!!!

Without knowing your stats I can't tell you with much accuracy what your chances are.

What I can tell you is that you are doing alot of the things you need to do to overcome lower stats, such as clinical experience (do you have any volunteering in addition to the shadowing?), real life experience, etc.

If you've had a steady job or even just one that has given you good experiences, you may want to get an LOR from your supervisor/boss/employer to help suppliment.

I will say that applying to more schools increases your chances of getting into one, and applying DO as well as MD also increases your chances.

From everything I've read more schools are being more accepting of the non-trad route than in the past, and many will even somewhat "forgive" your undergrad GPA if significant time has elapsed and you have post-bacc work completed with a higher GPA. If it makes you feel better to share your stats, I'll go ahead and share mine. I had a 3.0 undergrad GPA, but a 3.7 post-bacc GPA.

Now keep in mind I'm not accepted yet either, but I feel my chances are good. I did well but not exceptional on the MCAT (33), but I'm also applying to only 1 school due to life circumstances and my relative happiness with my current job.

So you are in better shape with regards to your applications but I can't tell you the rest unfortunately.

if your personal statement and experiences are written well and show the picture that you have been improving yourself and gearing toward becoming a doctor, and your MCAT scores are around the average for schools you applied to, a lower GPA can be overcome.

Best of luck and welcome to the forum!

 

[Determined38]

I did do a clinical internship which is recorded at 280 hours. I rotated through 6 different departments in the hospital. Most of my own work experience and teaching has always been in under served communities.

My undergrad GPA is a 2.9 and my science shows the same on AMCAS but on the DO schools is shows as 3.5. My graduate GPA is a 3.6.
The trend in my grades is more of withdrawing from classes after last drop dates, which looks like AMCAS has counted as F. All my science classes have been mostly Bs and few As. With 2 repeats where I got a D and retook for a B. Therefore how do I present my GPA better than what AMCAS has it on my secondaries?
My MCAT I'm positive will be in the low 20's. That's what all my practice tests were.

 

[Glycereine]

I think you are in good shape for clinical, shadowing, and experiences. your GPA is not that far off from mine for undergrad and you show significant improvement for post-bacc/grad work.

I think you are in good shape pending your MCAT scores and if the schools you applied to have an average around your MCAT range or only a little higher you can make up for it with life experience.

 

[juliuspepperwood]

It's going to be really tough to get 70 secondaries back in any sort of quick turnaround, how many of those schools are state schools with minimal OOS matriculation?

 

[arainyday]

I did do a clinical internship which is recorded at 280 hours. I rotated through 6 different departments in the hospital. Most of my own work experience and teaching has always been in under served communities.

My undergrad GPA is a 2.9 and my science shows the same on AMCAS but on the DO schools is shows as 3.5. My graduate GPA is a 3.6.
The trend in my grades is more of withdrawing from classes after last drop dates, which looks like AMCAS has counted as F. All my science classes have been mostly Bs and few As. With 2 repeats where I got a D and retook for a B. Therefore how do I present my GPA better than what AMCAS has it on my secondaries?
My MCAT I'm positive will be in the low 20's. That's what all my practice tests were.

AACOMAS does grade replacement, which is why your GPA is probably higher, and AMCAS doesn't. If you retake a previous class that you got a poor grade in and do better, AACOMAS ignores the first grade in your GPA calculation, and just looks at the newer grade. It made my DO application stronger than my MD for sure. For a lot of nontrads I know DO schools are just more accommodating when it comes to that stuff, and you end up not having to explain why you got a bad grade in calculus 11 years ago.

When it comes to how you present yourself, that's really up to you. If you have significantly better coursework when you got on the path to medical school, I would focus on positive grade trends, maturity, dedication, etc. Most of my bad grades came from a rough patch in undergrad when a family member had significant health issues. I didn't dwell on it in my application, because all of my recent coursework is strong, but if questioned I have some explanation for why I was distracted way back when. I have so many credit hours it's certainly not worth taking more classes to improve my GPA at this point, so I'm just focusing on the classes that I've taken in the last few years, and staying positive.

 

[Glycereine]

AACOMAS does grade replacement, which is why your GPA is probably higher, and AMCAS doesn't. If you retake a previous class that you got a poor grade in and do better, AACOMAS ignores the first grade in your GPA calculation, and just looks at the newer grade. It made my DO application stronger than my MD for sure. For a lot of nontrads I know DO schools are just more accommodating when it comes to that stuff, and you end up not having to explain why you got a bad grade in calculus 11 years ago.

When it comes to how you present yourself, that's really up to you. If you have significantly better coursework when you got on the path to medical school, I would focus on positive grade trends, maturity, dedication, etc. Most of my bad grades came from a rough patch in undergrad when a family member had significant health issues. I didn't dwell on it in my application, because all of my recent coursework is strong, but if questioned I have some explanation for why I was distracted way back when. I have so many credit hours it's certainly not worth taking more classes to improve my GPA at this point, so I'm just focusing on the classes that I've taken in the last few years, and staying positive.

My issue was similar but a personal injury and subsequent hospital stays and being pretty heavily drugged during my undergrad.

I am not bringing it up other than that it made me interested in medicine, but if asked it explains my grades.

 

[Determined38]

It's going to be really tough to get 70 secondaries back in any sort of quick turnaround, how many of those schools are state schools with minimal OOS matriculation?

I'm from California and have applied to just about every California school. I do not work and my family is aware that when secondaries come out, if I receive any, that is all I will be doing. I am aware that I will be eating, sleeping, and breathing secondaries. Many of the schools also screen prior to sending secondaries so that might cut me in half.
Just trying to give it my all!!

 

[Determined38]

I noticed some discussion on here of some of you having a good idea as to what some of the secondaries are! I would love to be included if you were to share that information.

 

[Notepad]

Hi everyone!

I'm a non-trad applying this cycle, too. Just wanted to wish everyone good luck!

Taking the MCAT next month

 

[familyaerospace]

I noticed some discussion on here of some of you having a good idea as to what some of the secondaries are! I would love to be included if you were to share that information.

Most secondaries from years past are on SDN.

 

[juliuspepperwood]

I'm from California and have applied to just about every California school. I do not work and my family is aware that when secondaries come out, if I receive any, that is all I will be doing. I am aware that I will be eating, sleeping, and breathing secondaries. Many of the schools also screen prior to sending secondaries so that might cut me in half.
Just trying to give it my all!!

Sorry, I meant which state schools are you applying to as an OOS applicant. Some schools (U of Washington, Texas schools, NJ schools, etc.) accept very few OOS applicants so it may not be worth your time to apply there, especially when you will have so many secondaries to fill out.

 

[Glycereine]

Hi everyone!

I'm a non-trad applying this cycle, too. Just wanted to wish everyone good luck!

Taking the MCAT next month

good luck on the MCAT and with your application!

Are you submitting before the MCAT?

 

[Notepad]

good luck on the MCAT and with your application!

Are you submitting before the MCAT?

Thanks! I'm just about done w/ content review. I'm starting to get a bit burnt out from all of the reading, but I've just started doing a bunch of practice problems which has been a nice change of scenery (haha). I'm going to take AAMC 3 sometime next week to see where I stand...

And yeah, I think I'm going to submit it in the next two weeks. My MCAT isn't until the end of July, so I figure it'll be best to be verified by the time my scores come out.

Have you submitted your app & taken the MCAT?

 

[juliuspepperwood]

Thanks! I'm just about done w/ content review. I'm starting to get a bit burnt out from all of the reading, but I've just started doing a bunch of practice problems which has been a nice change of scenery (haha). I'm going to take AAMC 3 sometime next week to see where I stand...

And yeah, I think I'm going to submit it in the next two weeks. My MCAT isn't until the end of July, so I figure it'll be best to be verified by the time my scores come out.

Have you submitted your app & taken the MCAT?

Last year submitting June 20 took until July 27 to be verified

 

[familyaerospace]

Last year submitting June 20 took until July 27 to be verified

Are you sure? According to my AMCAS (I submited late last year because I didn't know I was applying again.)

JUNE 29,2013 02:15:06 AM ET
AMCAS Processing is Complete

07-08-2013

Application has been made available to the designated medical schools.

 

[Notepad]

Last year submitting June 20 took until July 27 to be verified

Thanks for the heads up. Fortunately (well, unfortunately), my MCAT scores won't come out until August so I should hopefully be verified by then.

 

[juliuspepperwood]

Are you sure? According to my AMCAS (I submited late last year because I didn't know I was applying again.)

JUNE 29,2013 02:15:06 AM ET
AMCAS Processing is Complete

07-08-2013

Application has been made available to the designated medical schools.

It was just how long they took for me, maybe they forgot about mine for a while haha

 

[familyaerospace]

It was just how long they took for me, maybe they forgot about mine for a while haha

Were any of your transcripts late? That might explain it.

I think the last of my transcripts came in July 1 or 2 last year. One of my transcripts always... ALWAYS takes it's sweet time. First one ordered, last to arrive even when you pay a few bucks to speed it up.

I'll be happy if I am verified by July 1 with a submit deadline of June 11, ready for review June 17 (again due to slow as hell transcript from my graduate school).

 

[juliuspepperwood]

Were any of your transcripts late? That might explain it.

I think the last of my transcripts came in July 1 or 2 last year. One of my transcripts always... ALWAYS takes it's sweet time. First one ordered, last to arrive even when you pay a few bucks to speed it up.

I'll be happy if I am verified by July 1 with a submit deadline of June 11, ready for review June 17 (again due to slow as hell transcript from my graduate school).

My transcripts got in June 13th, were marked received/ready for review the 20th. Probably just a fluke. Got verified the 4th this year though so I'm much happier this time around.

 

[milski]

From last year's verification thread:
06/23 -> 07/23 (this is the first reported verification of a submission on that date)
06/29 -> 08/09
06/13 -> 07/10

If you submitted on 06/29 and got verified on 07/08, you were really, really lucky.

 

[Zelda840]

I noticed some discussion on here of some of you having a good idea as to what some of the secondaries are! I would love to be included if you were to share that information.

When looking under pre-med forums, you want to click on the link for school specific discussions. You want the old ones from <2014. There is a thread for each school that contains what the prompts were from their secondary. Most do not change from year to year.

 

[familyaerospace]

From last year's verification thread:
06/23 -> 07/23 (this is the first reported verification of a submission on that date)
06/29 -> 08/09
06/13 -> 07/10

If you submitted on 06/29 and got verified on 07/08, you were really, really lucky.

I don't know what to tell you. I've attached a screenshot that I took just now showing what happened.

I did remove my name and aamc number but that was it.

 

[milski]

I don't know what to tell you. I've attached a screenshot that I took just now showing what happened.

I did remove my name and aamc number but that was it.

I am not saying that it did not happen to you, I am just saying that you got through it a lot quicker than other people. Which is good, of course. For what it's worth, my data is SDN sourced, so it's far from perfect.

 

[familyaerospace]

I am not saying that it did not happen to you, I am just saying that you got through it a lot quicker than other people. Which is good, of course. For what it's worth, my data is SDN sourced, so it's far from perfect.

Yes it's possible they didn't get ready for review for a while due to transcripts. 🙂

I am hoping for a July 1st verification date although it does not matter since one of my schools will send me a secondary immediately.

 

[Glycereine]

Ugh I feel so helpless now waiting...

Super nervous and I don't think that's going to get better in the near future haha

 

[juliuspepperwood]

Ugh I feel so helpless now waiting...

Super nervous and I don't think that's going to get better in the near future haha

Yea, I was pretty stressed for months on months last cycle. Just try to accept that you have no control and that its a crapshoot. Once I got to that point I felt better.

 

[SPionic]

AMCAS mangled my coursework from my weird liberal arts college, and came up with weird numbers for my GPA. Time to figure out all of the changes (there were like 15 or 20) and request a change...

 

[Inygma]

AMCAS mangled my coursework from my weird liberal arts college, and came up with weird numbers for my GPA. Time to figure out all of the changes (there were like 15 or 20) and request a change...

Ouch, best of luck.

No idea what was done different between AMCAS/AACOMAS, but AMCAS gave me >3.9 science, and AACOMAS game me >3.8 science gpa. I'll take what I can get AMCAS!

 

[MedicalMomma81]

I'm having a hard time cutting the cord and submitting this thing! I keep changing stuff...

 

[Inygma]

I'm having a hard time cutting the cord and submitting this thing! I keep changing stuff...

I would do your best to get it in ASAP. Submitting late can be a death sentence, especially for us non-trads. Obviously you don't want blatant errors in your application, but don't delay too long!

 

[MedicalMomma81]

I would do your best to get it in ASAP. Submitting late can be a death sentence, especially for us non-trads. Obviously you don't want blatant errors in your application, but don't delay too long!

I'm trying. I've set tonight as the absolute deadline. I wasn't to worried about getting it in on the 3rd, since my MCAT score wont be in until Beginning of August, but now I just want if off my plate so I can focus on other things.

Did you all feel extra stressed on the day you submitted?

 

[Inygma]

I'm trying. I've set tonight as the absolute deadline. I wasn't to worried about getting it in on the 3rd, since my MCAT score wont be in until Beginning of August, but now I just want if off my plate so I can focus on other things.

Did you all feel extra stressed on the day you submitted?

Oh ya... No matter how many times you look at it, it never feels perfect. Also, the nervousness that somewhere hidden is a typo and all schools will just trash your app lol.

 

[familyaerospace]

I'm trying. I've set tonight as the absolute deadline. I wasn't to worried about getting it in on the 3rd, since my MCAT score wont be in until Beginning of August, but now I just want if off my plate so I can focus on other things.

Did you all feel extra stressed on the day you submitted?

No I felt relieved that it was out of my hands.

 

[chiberian husky]

Did you all feel extra stressed on the day you submitted?

Last year I found 2 typos after I submitted: one was a genuine typo and the other was just a weird spacing issue but I was still ii & accepted to many schools. A little proof that ADCOMs don't throw your app in the trash if you have a few minor typos on an otherwise solid app.

 

[threesparrows]

Hey, just wanted to introduce myself and say good luck to my nontrad comrades!
I'm a first-time applicant, started doing post-bacc pre-reqs in 2011 and psyched to be finally applying. I just took the MCAT yesterday, hopefully will get a competitive score. Am still working on PS (last-dash to MCAT really threw off my writing focus) and planning to submit by end of June. AMCAS has all my transcripts, I chose to send them in May without my Spring final grades (only 1 class) since they just came out and I didn't want late transcripts to hold things up.

Looking forward to going on this maddening journey with you all this year!

 

[Glycereine]

Hey, just wanted to introduce myself and say good luck to my nontrad comrades!
I'm a first-time applicant, started doing post-bacc pre-reqs in 2011 and psyched to be finally applying. I just took the MCAT yesterday, hopefully will get a competitive score. Am still working on PS (last-dash to MCAT really threw off my writing focus) and planning to submit by end of June. AMCAS has all my transcripts, I chose to send them in May without my Spring final grades (only 1 class) since they just came out and I didn't want late transcripts to hold things up.

Looking forward to going on this maddening journey with you all this year!

good luck to you as well and welcome to the forum!

 

[ConsultantMD]

Just added two schools to my list... this experience is agonizing. You want to cast a wide net, but at the same time, you don't want to overdo it!

 

[kjw1024]

Just added two schools to my list... this experience is agonizing. You want to cast a wide net, but at the same time, you don't want to overdo it!

Same here! Haven't added any yet, but I'm seriously considering it. It is most definitely agonizing..

 

[juliuspepperwood]

Just tryin to finish the secondaries for schools I already have at the moment, then I'll get on adding more

 

[Inygma]

I wish I could add more schools, location lock is very stressful for this process!

 

[kjw1024]

Quick question-- do you guys think that schools will begin releasing secondaries on Friday, the 27th, after receiving our applications? Or do you think that they'll need a turn around day to process information and they'll start releasing them the following Monday?

 

[ConsultantMD]

Quick question-- do you guys think that schools will begin releasing secondaries on Friday, the 27th, after receiving our applications? Or do you think that they'll need a turn around day to process information and they'll start releasing them the following Monday?

I'm assuming that they would not undertake that on Friday, end of week, but who knows!

 

[juliuspepperwood]

Last year cornell sent out secondaries the day amcas released applications (the 28th) with most schools starting on July 1st or later. I'm sure a couple others did too, I just don't have the info in front of me.

 

[kjw1024]

Thanks for responding ConsultantMD and juliuspepperwood! I can't believe that AMCAS' first application release date is approaching so quickly-- still have a number of secondaries to work on 🤔...