41 MCAT, 2.3 GPA what should I do?? HELP!!!!!

[pyruvate21]

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Hi all,

I'm new here and needed some advice. I have already graduated with a BS in biochemistry and Molecular bio and have a low gpa, 2.3.

Feeling that the only place to redeem myself was the mcat, I studied every moment I could and managed to pull off a 41, I was happy about this.

I've shadowed an ob/gyn for 1 year and have worked in hospitals in guatemala and el salvador doing volunteer work in the clinics and also set up clinics in rural areas. In college, I was an intern at the student health center for 1 year and also did some research in plant bio for about 8 months.

I've also been working as a high school biology, chemistry, and anatomy teacher for the past 2 years.

I'd appreciate any advice on what to do.


Thanks!

 

[JFalc]

Unless you want to spend the next 8 years at a under grad university, you are going to need to do a special masters program. It's going to run you from 30-50k$.

You will probably need to go back to school and get your GPA to a point that gets you into a SMP

http://www2.fiu.edu/~preprofc/GAP_YEAR_PROGRAMS.htm

You can also try...

Retaking all the classes you did poorly in undergrad. All of them....

Then apply to DO schools.

I am not sure if DO schools offer it, but that might get you a scholarship =/

MD schools don't have grade forgiveness.

Good luck... what ever you do, do it quick, MCAT scores may expire by time you apply.

 

[nabeel76]

Sorry to have to say this, but your GPA is just too low to get you into a US MD program. Most schools will look at your MCAT score for a period of about 3years before they consider them expired, so I would say your best bet is to take a full year (including summer) of courses at any 4 year school. Get as many credits as you can manage over that year (30+ credits) and kick ass. Then apply to a SMP program and complete that over the next year. If you do well enough at the SMP, combined with your mcat score you just might have a shot.

Your other alternatives are 1) carribean medical school 2) retake most of the courses you've done bad in and apply DO or 3) take another 4 years of full time undergraduate coursework to raise the GPA a little and show a strong upward trend and then retake the MCAT and then apply.

 

[IvyHopeful20]

If you spend a year retaking every course you got below a C in and turn that into As (say 42 credits including summers), your GPA could be above a >3.0, maybe even a 3.3 (depending on any Fs/Ds, were turning into an A would be huge).

Then you can apply DO or SMP.

 

[IvyHopeful20]

Main thing is to make sure you don't let the MCAT expire.

 

[TriagePreMed]

Apply broadly: http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/applicantmatriculant/table24-mcatgpagridall2007-09.pdf

You might get lucky, but it seems at 2.8 it's when your chances get reasonable. I would do grade replacement for a year or 2 and go DO.

 

[Catalystik]

Were your grades really low freshman year, or for one bad year, or did your GPA stay in the same ballpark throughout undergrad? Depending on the trend, some schools give less weight to the early college years and you might not look as problematic to adcomms.

Also, are there any significant modifying factors to your application that you haven't mentioned?

 

[travoltage]

i started salivating when i read 41...how did you do it?

 

[MisterJon]

i started salivating when i read 41...how did you do it?

By studying and taking the test...

There is not some magic formula. You either have the capability to get a high MCAT score or you don't. I would think you would be aware of that since you have apparently spent three years on this site.

 

[TriagePreMed]

By studying and taking the test...

There is not some magic formula. You either have the capability to get a high MCAT score or you don't. I would think you would be aware of that since you have apparently spent three years on this site.

Talk about being douchey.

 

[travoltage]

By studying and taking the test...

There is not some magic formula. You either have the capability to get a high MCAT score or you don't. I would think you would be aware of that since you have apparently spent three years on this site.

yea, obviously its that simple....

i have studying and did take the test. but wasnt able to score even near that. i was curious to see how he/she studied for the exam, what resources were used, etc. its an honest question, relax.

 

[BestDoctorEver]

yea, obviously its that simple....

i have studying and did take the test. but wasnt able to score even near that. i was curious to see how he/she studied for the exam, what resources were used, etc. its an honest question, relax.

OP is a troll

 

[KickedOut]

OP is a troll

+1

He only has one post, plus he had the exact same post under the title "High MCAT, Low GPA...HELP!", or something to that effect, but wasn't receiving enough attention so put the numbers in the title.

 

[glow worm]

+1

He only has one post, plus he had the exact same post under the title "High MCAT, Low GPA...HELP!", or something to that effect, but wasn't receiving enough attention so put the numbers in the title.

Especially since someone with those stats is like a unicorn - according to the AAMC MCAT/GPA chart, this hasn't happened between the years of 2007-2009...

 

[travoltage]

i was duked!

 

[TriagePreMed]

If I were an adcomm reading this application, I would think the MCAT score was an obvious fluke or the person crammed really hard for a test that is not indicative of the person's long term academic potential.

43 is no fluke, and no amount of cramming can get you that score. Have you ever even seen an MCAT test?

 

[Evergrey]

You either have the capability to get a high MCAT score or you don't.

Not true.

 

[MisterJon]

Not true.

OK, chief. You're the boss.