Apply this summer or wait an extra year?

[jaemarie]

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I need some advice deciding if I should apply to medical school this year or wait until the following summer.

I graduated undergrad with a degree in Psychology in 2007, took a couple years off of school, then went back for a Post Bacc program which I finished this past December. My undergrad GPA is around a 3.2, my Post Bacc GPA is a 3.87. I took the MCAT in September and scored a 29Q. I want to stay in my home state of California, so I definitely need to take it again. I'm scheduled to take the test in May, but I just started working as well and haven't been able to give myself enough time to study, and am worried that I won't be able to bring my score up as high as I would like to.

An option I've been considering is to delay applying for another year so I can give myself an extra few months to study if I need it, but I'm afraid to take more time off. I'm currently 26, turning 27 in the fall, so if I do delay a year, I would be 29 when I start medical school. So I'm definitely feeling that "age" pressure. 🙁 But I'm also afraid of taking time off and not utilizing it in a way to make it worth it.

Any advice?

 

[lkthlttr]

I need some advice deciding if I should apply to medical school this year or wait until the following summer.

I graduated undergrad with a degree in Psychology in 2007, took a couple years off of school, then went back for a Post Bacc program which I finished this past December. My undergrad GPA is around a 3.2, my Post Bacc GPA is a 3.87. I took the MCAT in September and scored a 29Q. I want to stay in my home state of California, so I definitely need to take it again. I'm scheduled to take the test in May, but I just started working as well and haven't been able to give myself enough time to study, and am worried that I won't be able to bring my score up as high as I would like to.

An option I've been considering is to delay applying for another year so I can give myself an extra few months to study if I need it, but I'm afraid to take more time off. I'm currently 26, turning 27 in the fall, so if I do delay a year, I would be 29 when I start medical school. So I'm definitely feeling that "age" pressure. 🙁 But I'm also afraid of taking time off and not utilizing it in a way to make it worth it.

Any advice?

Think about it this way. If you rush to take the MCAT a 2nd time before you're ready and end up scoring a 26 or 27 that could end up really derailing your chances and would cost you even more time and money. Don't take the MCAT again until you're ready. In the meantime you can volunteer, do research, shadow physicians and make your application as strong as it can be to give yourself the best opportunity possible.

 

[beckhunter116]

Not to rain on your parade, but CA is very hard to get an acceptance, so no matter when you take the MCAT you may want to seriously consider applying broadly! Best advice for the MCAT is not to do it rushed, make sure you are consistently scoring on practice tests, then do the retake. Good luck!

 

[TriagePreMed]

3.2/3.8 won't get you into any California school unless you are URM or score a 40 on the MCAT. With your current stats, DO in CA is wide open to you.

 

[thlaxer]

In addition to what others have said, what is your cGPA and sGPA?

 

[MT Headed]

...and what would be your cGPA and sGPA if you did grade replacement like DO schools do?

 

[pkwraith]

What's your workload and hours like?

I had a May MCAT with about a 50 hour workweek at the time. I jammed a month of heavy studying, following a month of light studying. It's certainly doable, requires a lot of focus, lack of free time/social time. If you have all your ducks in a row, that's certainly what I would do (and what I did) instead of waiting one year.

If you don't have your ducks in a row (clinical, volunteering, etc), eh, might as well wait the year in that case, complete everything you need to, and have the extra time for MCAT.

And of course, reinforcing the DO application route.