A couple of more questions.

[dradams]

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I appreciate all of the advice from the people who responded to my previous posts. I've come up with a couple of other questions that I would love some input on.

Again, here is my background info:

I'm 32 years old (almost 33) and have been a high school AP Biology teacher and an adjunct instructor in Biology at a nearby community college for the past 5 years. I have two undergrad degrees, the first in Business from the University of Florida (not a very good GPA) and the second in Biology from Florida Atlantic University (graduated with Honors). I also have a Masters in Biology from Columbia University.

Overall undergrad GPA 3.0
Science GPA 3.84
Graduate GPA 3.0
Extensive research experience and teaching experience.

As a nontraditional applicant, how should I handle the letters of rec? I have two from professors in undergrad science course from before that I used when applying to grad school and another from grad school that I used to get my teaching jobs. Can I use these for med school apps? Will I need others?

Also, what do people recommend for MCAT prep for someone in my situation? I live in a pretty small city so there are no prep courses available nearby. I've thought of Exam Krackers. I'd like some ideas.

Thanks again.

 

[dradams]

I was also planning on getting one or two current rec letters from docs.

Thanks.

 

[greenie8]

Dr. Adams,
I think it would be awesome if you could get a letter from a colleauge where you teach. Adcoms would like to see how you work within a profession, and you've been in a profession for the past number of years. I guess just make sure it doesn't come across as your buddy writing the letter. Maybe the principal of the school or the superintendent? Good luck.

greenie

 

[Sweet Tea]

Good suggestions about the LOR, but I think your best bet would be to call the admissions office at the med schools you're looking at and just ask them. Often, secondaries come with instructions like "you must have 2 science recommendations, 1 non-science recommendation, and a letter from your babysitter when you were 6 years old 🙄." But they're usually pretty flexible about them if you just explain the situation and ask. I applied to 18 schools and didn't have a single LOR from an undergrad prof, and only one school had a problem with it.

As for test prep outside of a center, see what you can find that will give you the most practice tests. My guess is that you've got a pretty decent grasp of basic chemistry, biology, and physics, but you probably don't have much experience with actual MCAT questions. My experience with the MCAT was that it didn't test your knowledge of basic science as much as it tested your abilities to weed through a long (usually boring) passage and figure out what the important info is and how it should be applied. I took the Kaplan course and supplemented it with Exam Krackers, which worked for me.

Lots of luck! 🙂

 

[Runtita]

LORs: I second the advice about calling the admissions offices to ask what the schools prefer.

MCAT: I used Kaplan's Comprehensive Guide and studied late at night after my kids went to sleep...for about 3 months! All in all, it helped to refresh my sciences and get me back in the groove of test-taking. If I had to do it over again, I'd add in some more physics review.

 

[dradams]

Once again, great advice. Thanks.

P.S. - dr in dradams are my first and middle initials. They don't stand for doctor. Not yet anyway. 😉

 

[docquaker]

dradams,

in regard to your recs, your undergrad ones might be a little outdated...but i agree with the others that you should just call the admissions offices of the schools you're interested in.

for the mcat, i'd recommend taking the actual MCAT's that the AAMC sells. i think it's like forty dollars/test, but it is definitely worth it. get practice exams 3-6 and do them...your score on the real thing will probably be very similar to your score on these practice tests. you can find them at www.aamc.org/mcat.

best of luck to you!