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Will get right to it.
Graduated from a florida high school in 2004 with honors. Got a scholarship to a well known technical school in ny. Coming from a very overbearing (foreign) family, I did not do well with the freedom that came with being a few thousand miles. Had serious familial issues - mom's health and dad's work. Anyhow, I failed all classes 2 semesters in a row my sophomore year. After the first I was placed on Academic Probation. After the second semester I was placed on Academic Suspension and was barred from attending the university for a year. I went back home and attended a Community College to get back in good academic standing and started at a local state university. Studied there for the remaining duration of the suspension. Did ok. Went back to NY and suffered a similar fate as before due to my own failing health. F's across the board got me suspended again. The state school took me back where I have spent all my time since. After taking 2 months off, I started at the state school and have done progressively better. I received a bachelors in mathematics in 2009 and a masters in mathematics in aug, 2011. In the summer of 2011, in addition to taking 2 graduate courses, I started taking the pre reqs for the mcat.
The first two semesters I failed were Bio/Orgo/Labs so my science gpa is shot. I haven't done the gpa calculations by hand yet but my cumulative gpa according to the transcript is a 2.6. graduate gpa was 3.5. With grade replacement (DO) my science gpa is 3.85. I still have to add a few more non science classes but that gpa will go down a little (currently 3.1).
In NY, I tutored math for 2 years and worked especially with deaf students (I don't know sign language) but I was the most requested tutor by deaf students. The students were allowed a certain number of hours every week and those that needed help past that, I helped on my own time (was not paid for the extra time). I also helped inner city high school kids with math and science without pay. I started Badminton (racquet sport) clubs at both schools and attended a few tourneys in ny and fl.
In FL, I was a TA for a Basic Algebra undergraduate course for 3 semesters. Once I started graduate school, I taught 1 Calculus class at my university and 7 Basic Algebra courses at 2 local junior colleges. I continued teaching at the junior colleges over the summer and this past year. Prior to grad school I took the GRE (790/800 Math, 610/800 Verbal)
In post bacc I have received an A in Physics 1,2 and labs, Chem 1,2 and labs, Bio 2 and lab. A- in Bio 1 lab. B+ in Bio 1, Orgo 2. B in Orgo 1. C in Orgo 2 lab. No lab for Orgo 1. I am taking the summer off of all responsibilities and studying for the mcat. I have been sending emails and calling local MD's and DO's but have not received any positive replies from anyone regarding shadowing opportunities. I have ~100 volunteer hours from a long time ago but with teaching 8 classes and taking 4 lectures/2 labs didn't leave much time for volunteering recently.
In the fall I am signed up to take Human Morphology, Genetics, Biochemistry, Microbiology with their respective labs and am teaching 4 classes.
Signed up to take the MCAT on Aug 17th.
I am about to turn 26 in a few months in case that matters. I have a lot of loans from NY to pay back and support myself fully so I can't really get around the teaching thing as I need the money to survive.
Any thoughts on if I have any chance getting in this cycle (DO or MD) or will my money be better spent applying the next cycle with a few upper division science courses under my belt? Suggestions on what I should be doing right now would be appreciated. General words of advice?
Thanks!
Graduated from a florida high school in 2004 with honors. Got a scholarship to a well known technical school in ny. Coming from a very overbearing (foreign) family, I did not do well with the freedom that came with being a few thousand miles. Had serious familial issues - mom's health and dad's work. Anyhow, I failed all classes 2 semesters in a row my sophomore year. After the first I was placed on Academic Probation. After the second semester I was placed on Academic Suspension and was barred from attending the university for a year. I went back home and attended a Community College to get back in good academic standing and started at a local state university. Studied there for the remaining duration of the suspension. Did ok. Went back to NY and suffered a similar fate as before due to my own failing health. F's across the board got me suspended again. The state school took me back where I have spent all my time since. After taking 2 months off, I started at the state school and have done progressively better. I received a bachelors in mathematics in 2009 and a masters in mathematics in aug, 2011. In the summer of 2011, in addition to taking 2 graduate courses, I started taking the pre reqs for the mcat.
The first two semesters I failed were Bio/Orgo/Labs so my science gpa is shot. I haven't done the gpa calculations by hand yet but my cumulative gpa according to the transcript is a 2.6. graduate gpa was 3.5. With grade replacement (DO) my science gpa is 3.85. I still have to add a few more non science classes but that gpa will go down a little (currently 3.1).
In NY, I tutored math for 2 years and worked especially with deaf students (I don't know sign language) but I was the most requested tutor by deaf students. The students were allowed a certain number of hours every week and those that needed help past that, I helped on my own time (was not paid for the extra time). I also helped inner city high school kids with math and science without pay. I started Badminton (racquet sport) clubs at both schools and attended a few tourneys in ny and fl.
In FL, I was a TA for a Basic Algebra undergraduate course for 3 semesters. Once I started graduate school, I taught 1 Calculus class at my university and 7 Basic Algebra courses at 2 local junior colleges. I continued teaching at the junior colleges over the summer and this past year. Prior to grad school I took the GRE (790/800 Math, 610/800 Verbal)
In post bacc I have received an A in Physics 1,2 and labs, Chem 1,2 and labs, Bio 2 and lab. A- in Bio 1 lab. B+ in Bio 1, Orgo 2. B in Orgo 1. C in Orgo 2 lab. No lab for Orgo 1. I am taking the summer off of all responsibilities and studying for the mcat. I have been sending emails and calling local MD's and DO's but have not received any positive replies from anyone regarding shadowing opportunities. I have ~100 volunteer hours from a long time ago but with teaching 8 classes and taking 4 lectures/2 labs didn't leave much time for volunteering recently.
In the fall I am signed up to take Human Morphology, Genetics, Biochemistry, Microbiology with their respective labs and am teaching 4 classes.
Signed up to take the MCAT on Aug 17th.
I am about to turn 26 in a few months in case that matters. I have a lot of loans from NY to pay back and support myself fully so I can't really get around the teaching thing as I need the money to survive.
Any thoughts on if I have any chance getting in this cycle (DO or MD) or will my money be better spent applying the next cycle with a few upper division science courses under my belt? Suggestions on what I should be doing right now would be appreciated. General words of advice?
Thanks!
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