Apply to Med School this cycle of take a gap year??

[sdelucia]

Hey y'all. I'm trying to decide if I want to take a gap year or apply to med school this cycle. Currently I'm a Junior chemistry major. My GPA isn't stellar, 3.44 and I haven't taken the MCAT yet. I got a B+ in both orgos, B- and A- in bio, B and B+ in chem, C in biochemistry. I had some issues with anxiety and depression which took a bit of a toll on my academics. I thought I was going to get my PhD but then I decided that I still wanted to pursue medical school. I talked to an advisor who told me I should take a gap year to improve my resume and to take care of myself. I don't really love this idea but if its what will get me into medical school I'll do it. Just looking for some guidance.

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[Astra]

1. What is the theoretical max GPA you can have before next application cycle?
2. What is your mcat score?
3. What are your EC's?

 

[cactusman]

1. What is the theoretical max GPA you can have before next application cycle?
2. What is your mcat score?
3. What are your EC's?

They haven't taken the MCAT.

Seems like they'd need to start prep pretty soon to be ready for this cycle, if they haven't already started prepping.

 

[sdelucia]

1. What is the theoretical max GPA you can have before next application cycle?
2. What is your mcat score?
3. What are your EC's?

Theoretically I can pull in up to a 3.7, meaning I would need a 4.33 for my next three semesters. I haven't taken the MCAT yet. As far at ECs, I have shadowed for a doctor for a few years, I'm in the psychology and chemistry honor societies, I did a year of research in a neuroscience lab, I was also in a sorority if that matters, I worked with special needs children in a school setting. I have a few internship opportunities available for this summer most in pharmaceutical science related labs another in a derm lab at a medical school (UAB).

As far as prep goes I have done a small amount of MCAT prep and would plan to take it in August if I apply this cycle. I have contacted faculty about writing letters as well as reached out to the doctor I shadowed for. Other than that I haven't done much prep because I had thought I was going to pursue a PhD for the last few months so I stopped keeping up with the process.

 

[Toutie]

Theoretically I can pull in up to a 3.7, meaning I would need a 4.33 for my next three semesters. I haven't taken the MCAT yet. As far at ECs, I have shadowed for a doctor for a few years, I'm in the psychology and chemistry honor societies, I did a year of research in a neuroscience lab, I was also in a sorority if that matters, I worked with special needs children in a school setting. I have a few internship opportunities available for this summer most in pharmaceutical science related labs another in a derm lab at a medical school (UAB).

You can't get 4.33. GPA for med school is based on a 4.0 max. What is and what will be your GPA counting an A+ only as a 4.0?

Edit: also if you take your MCAT in August, your application will be quite late. You would be best served to take a gap year.

 

[Astra]

Theoretically I can pull in up to a 3.7, meaning I would need a 4.33 for my next three semesters. I haven't taken the MCAT yet. As far at ECs, I have shadowed for a doctor for a few years, I'm in the psychology and chemistry honor societies, I did a year of research in a neuroscience lab, I was also in a sorority if that matters, I worked with special needs children in a school setting. I have a few internship opportunities available for this summer most in pharmaceutical science related labs another in a derm lab at a medical school (UAB).

As far as prep goes I have done a small amount of MCAT prep and would plan to take it in August if I apply this cycle. I have contacted faculty about writing letters as well as reached out to the doctor I shadowed for. Other than that I haven't done much prep because I had thought I was going to pursue a PhD for the last few months so I stopped keeping up with the process.

Yea you're gonna need to apply next year. By now, you should've been prepping for the MCAT if you planned on taking it before the cycle started.


Spend this gap year beefing up your ECs and raising that GPA. Take 2-4 months to study for the MCAT. Pre write your secondaries, get your LoR's early. Your goal should be to submit your application the first day it opens to maximize your chances.

Best of luck

 

[sdelucia]

You can't get 4.33. GPA for med school is based on a 4.0 max. What is and what will be your GPA counting an A+ only as a 4.0?

Edit: also if you take your MCAT in August, your application will be quite late. You would be best served to take a gap year.

If I get only 4.0s it'll be about a 3.5-3.6. It seems like the overall consensus is that I should take a gap year.

 

[cactusman]

If I get only 4.0s it'll be about a 3.5-3.6. It seems like the overall consensus is that I should take a gap year.

Does the 3.44 you mentioned earlier include 4.33 in some classes?

 

[Lucca]

Given that you do not currently have an MCAT score, unless you have already been prepping for the past several months to take it some time soon, you will not be able to apply this cycle with your best foot forward. Do your very best to get that GPA up to 3.5/3.6. That is good enough to be competitive with a strong MCAT score. The second step is using the gap year to really prepare for the MCAT and get a strong score(512+, ideally) as well as fixing any EC deficits your app might have (esp clinical experience).

 

[sdelucia]

Does the 3.44 you mentioned earlier include 4.33 in some classes?

Yes, my second semester freshman year my GPA was a 4.0. I have a number of A+ in core classes and in almost everyone of my minor (psychology) classes.

 

[cactusman]

Yes, my second semester freshman year my GPA was a 4.0. I have a number of A+ in core classes and in almost everyone of my minor (psychology) classes.

In that case your GPA is currently lower than 3.44 for med school purposes. All of the 4.33s = 4.00 for AMCAS GPA.

If you have a system where, for example, A- is 3.67, I believe that would become 3.70 on AMCAS.

 

[sdelucia]

I am rather confused at this point. My regular chemistry department advisor says a gap year is not a good idea where the pre-health advisor I saw yesterday highly recommended it and it seems that mostly everyone here agrees. I don't want to make a bad decision.

 

[cactusman]

I am rather confused at this point. My regular chemistry department advisor says a gap year is not a good idea where the pre-health advisor I saw yesterday highly recommended it and it seems that mostly everyone here agrees. I don't want to make a bad decision.

The average age of a med school matriculant is 24 or 25. A gap year will not put you at a disadvantage and it will help you if you use it correctly.

 

[sdelucia]

The average age of a med school matriculant is 24 or 25. A gap year will not put you at a disadvantage and it will help you if you use it correctly.

Thank you for all your help. I definitely will make the most out of it, if I decide to take a gap year.

I was also wondering how my application will be late if I take the MCAT in August? I thought the application deadline wasn't under later this year.

 

[Ayahuasca]

Taking the MCAT in August is pretty late into the cycle. It could be better to take a gap year.
I was also on the PhD route and then decided on medical school, I found a gap year to be very useful.

 

[tarheelpenner]

You definitely do not want to take the MCAT in august and apply the same year. Scores take a month to come out, that leaves you in September. September is VERY LATE. I cannot stress this enough. I submitted late June, and this was late. Technically deadlines are later, but in reality schools have given out many of the interview invites by the time they would be reviewing your application. It would be okay if you had a 4.0 and 528 MCAT, but you don't. If you take the MCAT in August and apply this cycle, it will most likely be a mistake. Not trying to be rude, but I don't want you to waste time, money, effort, and the mental battle that is the application cycle, only to be disappointed.

 

[sdelucia]

You definitely do not want to take the MCAT in august and apply the same year. Scores take a month to come out, that leaves you in September. September is VERY LATE. I cannot stress this enough. I submitted late June, and this was late. Technically deadlines are later, but in reality schools have given out many of the interview invites by the time they would be reviewing your application. It would be okay if you had a 4.0 and 528 MCAT, but you don't. If you take the MCAT in August and apply this cycle, it will most likely be a mistake. Not trying to be rude, but I don't want you to waste time, money, effort, and the mental battle that is the application cycle, only to be disappointed.

I appreciate this, I want the honest truth even if its rough. I think if I want to successfully go to medical school, I need to take a gap year.

 

[tarheelpenner]

I appreciate this, I want the honest truth even if its rough. I think if I want to successfully go to medical school, I need to take a gap year.

That being said, if you take a gap year, focus on your MCAT, and use your year wisely to get more experience, I am confident that you will get in somewhere

 

[Toutie]

I appreciate this, I want the honest truth even if its rough. I think if I want to successfully go to medical school, I need to take a gap year.

You need to take all the time necessary to put together your best possible application and submit it as early in the process as possible. Don't rush things.