9/13 queasyness

[bigred1471]

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Okay I'm freaking out here...I've taken the MCAT and got a 29L and 28Q on the two times I took it last year. I have a 3.9 GPA and ~3.8 Science GPA. I got an interview last year but flubbed it because I said some things that they didn't want to hear. ANYWAYS...I have been working two jobs up til a week ago when I quit because I realized, too late, that I needed more time to study. I am afraid that I will do poorly and ruin my chances of getting in this year.

So far I have improved my application by working at two hospitals: one in the OR and one in a sleep lab. I volunteer at two other hospitals, both in the ER. I guess my question is should I bail on the test if I know I am not going to do well or is that going to look bad on my application?

 

[sarahl86]

First and foremost, breathe. It sounds like you have A LOT going on and don't have enough time to relax. Its definitely a stressful process to go through, but you'll lose your nerve if you don't have time to yourself.

When are you signed up to take it again? Because I had this same crisis when I went to retake the MCAT this year and after graduating really didn't have the motivation to hit the books like I did last year...but after this time around I realized the best thing I could do to prepare myself for the MCAT was do problems - pure and simple. If you consistently do poorly on one subject, study that. But don't try to re-teach yourself information because even with several months to study, its just too much. So work problems in your spare time until the MCAT.

Besides, depending on where you apply and with a solid GPA like yours, your MCAT scores aren't bad. At all. Adcoms are looking to see if you learned anything about yourself in this past year, and for more experience but spending every waking minute in a hospital won't give you the self-realization they're hoping you have. Just keep that in mind.

So try and do problems and if its only getting worse, then consider putting it on hold for next year. You don't want to shoot yourself in the foot but at the same time, don't freak out and think its the end of the world if you need more time.

 

[2tall]

Why do you believe you only got 1 interview last year (did you apply late, etc.)?

After that inteview season was over, did you meet with or speak to any of the deans of admission for insight into possible deficiencies in your application?

 

[bigred1471]

I take the MCAT tomorrow morning. I've been doing practice problems and have done well. I still work at the sleep lab and volunteer but the OR job was dropped because I couldn't function due to me being too tired afterward. I did meet with an admin and she said that everything was fine except to get as much experience as possible. She also said it wouldn't hurt to retake the MCAT, which is one reason I'm taking it tomorrow. My resume and transcript are pretty strong. I just don't feel like I can improve my score by that much, if at all.

Oh yeah, when you apply don't finalize your application the day before the due date and also keep on your professors about sending the letters in. I didn't and miraculously got an interview in November.

I feel better now after venting. I'll post how I did later. Thanks for the replies.

 

[213965]

I hope your test went well.

 

[bigred1471]

I thought the MCAT was unusually easy this time around. I asked a couple of other students there and they agreed. Hopefully this doesn't affect me much.

 

[dragonfly99]

bigred
I recommend you cut down on your hospital work/volunteering to one or two places, but really make a substantial commitment to that one or two places. I don't understand why the multiple institutions. Just pick one or two where you think you can have a good experience and learn something and contribute something, and perhaps make a connection with a doc or medical administrator there. You're all over the place, and I don't see how anyone can keep that many balls in the air and do it well...
it will just make your application look like you're trying to fill it up with stuff.

And I agree, you need to take deep breath! Good luck. I mean that seriously. It sounds like you have a decent shot at getting in, based on your numbers.

 

[dwein2007]

Do not sweat your MCAT scores. Your MCAT score and GPA are both competitive with most schools. I've known people to get into UCSF and UDub with GPA and MCAT less than yours. What made them competitive was the other aspects in their life. It wasn't the amount of volunteer or work experience they did, it was the length and relevance of it. I'll give you a specific example.

My friend had a 3.6 CUM with a 3.4 Science GPA. Her MCAT score was 28P, taken once. She was active in her school clubs ( PPSO, AMSA, ESO) and was a TA for her Microbiology teacher. Her freshman and sophmore grade ave. was 2.5 but when she graduated she made the Dean's Honor Roll with a cum gpa of her junior/senior year of 3.8. She volunteered at a local hospital for 2 years and served as a teenage crisis counselor for 5 years. She was a people person and had sparkling recommendations from 2 teachers and a doctor (It happened to be the Chief of Staff, which helps). I personally read her primary and supp. application essays and they were truly works of art, everything was cohesive and to-the-point. She applied early and was accepted at UCSF last year, not to mention had interviews at 100% of the colleges she submitted supplementals too.

So the moral of the story? Don't make yourself nuts with grades. If you keep taking the MCATs, chances are you will stick with the same score and the same score 3 times will not help you any. Show the medical school what type of doctor you will be by taking the extra effort improve things other than grades or MCATs. And be sure to mention that in your essays when appropriate. I've shadowed MD/DOs and grades/MCATs have very little to do of what kind of doctor you will become, just how well you do in the 1st 2 years of med school. One primary doc (who quit) had a 38 MCAT and 4.0 GPA and had more patient complaints that any other doctor in the area.

Good luck!

 

[bigred1471]

well here's the deal. I was active in HS and college. I was a varsity athlete for four years juggling a couple of clubs and a fraternity while maintaining the GPA that I had. I consider myself a people person and don't see any problem there. The main issue that I had last year was what I said in my interview.

I admit I was ignorant and should not have applied last year due to my lack of experience. Since the interview I have worked two jobs and volunteered at two hospitals because it was recommended to me by the vice president of admissions that experience was the best possible thing that I could get. After volunteering in an ER every week for six months and not seeing or doing anything new, I started volunteering at another hospital to see the differences. Since the beginning of September I have dropped one of my jobs because I needed the time to study and get applications done. I kept the job that I thought mattered most in that I get one-on-one patient interaction and I am paid to study the medicine.

Unfortunately I wish I had better contacts with physicians but after asking them if I could shadow they reply that they are too busy or my scheduling does not allow me to. My job is flexible but I still have to work to pay the bills. I do have shadowing experience at a residency for family practice, a radiation oncologist, and a dentist. So I think that the admissions lady was just saying to improve my awareness and knowledge of what goes on in medicine.

The experiences that I have gained are too numerous to count. But the main point is that I got a better understanding of the medical field. I now realize why hospitals and doctors charge what they do and where that money goes. I know how and why a hospital is organized the way it is. Etc Etc Etc. Most importantly the past year has shown me that being a physician is who I am. Whether or not I get in this year is not going to make a difference. Even if it takes me 3 or 4 more years, I will bust my butt to get into medical school and be the best physician that I can be.

*Sorry if this sounds like ranting but I've been stressed out with a lot going on in my family, work and all.

 

[bigred1471]

OMG I'm so nervous waiting for the scores...I'll let you guys and gals know how it went. On a positive note, I got an interview offer this morning 🙂

 

[bigred1471]

i got a 32M which is what I was going for (anything over a 30) since I was working two night jobs at the time. SWEET!

 

[StPlayrXtreme]

Congrats!