35 and any chance......???

[lrc]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

I am looking for some honest feedback on my chances of getting into an allopathic school. Here is my situation:

Undergraduate in Exercise Science (medical school was not even considered to be an option)
Overall GPA 3.45
Science 2.5

Freshman Year
Biology B

Sophmore Year
Chemistry I C
Chemistry II C
Physics I B
Physics II D, 2nd time C

Junior Year
Biochemistry A
Calculus I B
Calculus II A

Graduate School in Exercise Science:
GPA 3.7

Post Bac Classes 2000
Organic Chemistry A

Doctor of Public Health in Health Education
3.8 (but health education classes)


After working in the public health field I decided I really wanted to go to medical school and went back to retake some classes to update my record (it had been over 10 years since I originally took these classes):

Chemistry I, II A
Organic II A
Biology I A
Physics II A

At this point my BMCP is 3.2
With a masters in Exercise Science, doctorate in Health Education and work in public health.

In summary, it has been 10 years between undergrad and my postbac classes but I realize they average the grades. I have been scoring 30-32 on my MCAT practice tests and assuming I get a 31 on the MCAT do I have any chance at getting in or will my undergrad GPA prevent me from doing so?????😕

 

[Law2Doc]

I am looking for some honest feedback on my chances of getting into an allopathic school. Here is my situation:

Undergraduate in Exercise Science (medical school was not even considered to be an option)
Overall GPA 3.45
Science 2.5

Freshman Year
Biology B

Sophmore Year
Chemistry I C
Chemistry II C
Physics I B
Physics II D, 2nd time C

Junior Year
Biochemistry A
Calculus I B
Calculus II A

Graduate School in Exercise Science:
GPA 3.7

Post Bac Classes 2000
Organic Chemistry A

Doctor of Public Health in Health Education
3.8 (but health education classes)


After working in the public health field I decided I really wanted to go to medical school and went back to retake some classes to update my record (it had been over 10 years since I originally took these classes):

Chemistry I, II A
Organic II A
Biology I A
Physics II A

At this point my BMCP is 3.2
With a masters in Exercise Science, doctorate in Health Education and work in public health.

In summary, it has been 10 years between undergrad and my postbac classes but I realize they average the grades. I have been scoring 30-32 on my MCAT practice tests and assuming I get a 31 on the MCAT do I have any chance at getting in or will my undergrad GPA prevent me from doing so?????😕

Does your BCPM include the D and exclude the graduate work? I think you are okay numbers-wise but are going to need some decent clinical experience and a good story explaining your path.

 

[DrMidlife]

Short answer: yes, your undergrad GPA is going to hurt you, but yes, you should be able to do allo, depending on where you live.

I'd look into doing three, maybe four things.

1. Look at doing an SMP instead of repeating undergrad courses. If you don't need the coursework for MCAT prep, then there's no benefit in repeating, for allo schools. (DO schools forgive the repeated grade, allos don't.) A traditional SMP puts you through the first year of med school to prove you can handle the first year of med school. If an SMP doesn't make sense to you, then I'd opt for upper div undergrad science for GPA buffing instead of repeating classes.

2. Aim higher with MCAT. This is your only GPA-contrasting data point. If you know you're looking at a 31 now, what would it take to get to a 36? I think it'd be worth it.

3. Think about paying a consultant like Judy Colwell to put your story together. I'm 41, I did NOT get into an allo school, I was convinced I knew what I was doing, and I wish I would have paid for some adult supervision. SDN is great but think of us as a third opinion. (Undergrad premed advisers are a fourth, if any.)

4. If you live in a state that isn't preferable, think about moving to one that is, in time to set up residency. A preferable state is one which has (a) lots of state-supported schools that don't suck, (b) has a strong in-state preference, and (c) isn't California. In-state tuition is a VERY BIG DEAL and worth the effort.

Lastly, know that 20% of the medical students in the US are at DO schools, and 60% of DO grads do allo residencies. Just fyi.

Best of luck to you, and keep us posted.

 

[ITtoMD]

Could you elaborate on what the consultants do, and is there a good source to find them? This is the first I've heard of that, but may be interested (particularly in reviewing personal statements. I have no idea how long or involved they shoud be, but see it as a place to stand out amongst the traditional applicants)

 

[DrMidlife]

Could you elaborate on what the consultants do, and is there a good source to find them? This is the first I've heard of that, but may be interested (particularly in reviewing personal statements. I have no idea how long or involved they shoud be, but see it as a place to stand out amongst the traditional applicants)

I haven't used one, but you can just google Judy Colwell. I know she was an adcom at Stanford, and that she gets a lot of good press on SDN. There are other services, but they look corporate and I don't think that's worth any money at all. Show me the adcom that's going to work with me personally.

You can get a great deal of PS feedback around here for free. Now's a great time to write your (horribly crappy!) first draft. I carried copies of my draft with me everywhere, traded PS's with other nontrads, made my doctor read it, lawyers, teachers, anybody who reads newspaper editorials. The edited first draft of your PS is FANTASTIC collateral to give to a recommender when you go meet about a letter - I got really good feedback on it that way. And if you use a consultant, then you don't have to pay him/her to get you going - you pay to tighten up the sell.

I found a book of med school essays on Amazon that was worthwhile. Maybe see if you can find it used. http://www.amazon.com/Essays-That-W...=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1206065275&sr=1-4

Best of luck to you.

 

[notdeadyet]

I haven't used one, but you can just google Judy Colwell. I know she was an adcom at Stanford, and that she gets a lot of good press on SDN. There are other services, but they look corporate and I don't think that's worth any money at all. Show me the adcom that's going to work with me personally.

Judy Colwell is great and she has a soft spot for older nontrads. She'll look at you and your application and tell you where you need your strengths.

Do an Advanced Search and search for Colwell in PreAllo and NonTrads. I've written about my experiences with her in the past. She pays for herself just in the help selecting which schools to apply to. I give her big points.

 

[lrc]

Great, thanks that is good advice I am going to contact Judy. I live in Massachusetts so the state school could be difficult but any ideas on SMP's in the area that are recommended (e.g., BU)?

As far as clinical experience I have worked in a free clinicfor the health department while in graduate school for 2 years and did some clinical research 7 years ago as a project coordinator in a hospital will that help?

 

[gman33]

Are you sure you are calculating your BPCM right? That seems like a big jump with only a few classes.

Don't rule out DO schools. I'd apply to some of these at the same time. If your first choice is allo and you get in great, but there's no reason to waste an application cycle.

 

[notdeadyet]

As far as clinical experience I have worked in a free clinicfor the health department while in graduate school for 2 years and did some clinical research 7 years ago as a project coordinator in a hospital will that help?

Get some recent clinical experience, hopefully something ongoing. In addition, make sure you do some kind of volunteering or shadowing that gives you close interaction with a physician.