- Joined
- Jul 15, 2012
- Messages
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Hi, I've been reading this site for a while, but finally made an account. I just finished undergraduate and am trying to figure out my next move. I finished with a 3.62 cumulative, 3.5 bcpm from a higher-end public school. I'm a California Resident. I've written out a pretty comprehensive (read: LONG) description to "paint the picture." I did some bolding and underlining to help the TL;DR's out there and hopefully curb the 10,000-views-to-1-reply ratio out there.
The circumstances/"trend"
I have a huge upward trend. My freshman year was under a 3.0. There were several factors that played into this poor performance, but I really did try hard. In the end, the biggest problem is that my study methods were ineffective. I had to scrap my entire system of studying and reteach myself how to learn to a style that fit me well (i.e. rotating multiple class study days rather than block studying, buying a tape recorder, etc.) My pre-req gpa was a 3.1 science. During my second two years, I went hog wild with my improved study methods and added on lots of units. I took my last 2 pre-req's and TONS of upper div sciences. My senior year I took 21-23 units per quarter (average is 13-17). Our school runs on the quarter system (Fall + Winter + Spring = 1 "year") with an optional summer term. My last 6 terms (2 of them summer's) I made Dean's List and averaged a 3.75-4.0 each term. Final outcome: 3.62 cum, 3.5 BCPM.
Extracurriculars (pretty good I feel)
- 2.5 years reseach with journal club (1.5 clinical, 1 bench) - no pubs except a review I'm getting published in a student journal
- 2 jobs in college: 1) clerk/aid for low-income apartment tenants - 5 years, 2) college admissions representative to underserved high schools - 2 years (2nd half of college)
- 350 hours hospital volunteering (mixed with approximately 15% of time spent shadowing physicians) at a community hospital
- 100 hours (over 1 year) volunteering blood donation group
- 3 years volunteer summer camp counselor for underserved teens
- 2 years mentor for autistic students
- teaching: tutor 6 years to neighborhood kids (no reference on this one, I was self-employed), TA for course tought by my PI - 1 quarter
- 1 year (at time of application, I just started this) founder and president of local interest group that promotes safer drinking around my college campus. This group is not formally registered with my school (who would be a reference) but is a significant portion of my time. The school did not want us registered because they missed our objective entirely by thinking we "promote binge drinking." Rather, think of us like the dirty needle exchange program. Our stance is that you will likely not get college students to stop drinking, so the next best thing is to make the environment safer for them (i.e. promote awareness of safer ways for them to drink--avoiding heights, being in groups, protecting what's in one's drink, increasing cup count to reduce pathogen spread, etc.) I was inspired to start this group after someone I know died falling off a roof that he climbed onto while drunk.
- leadership: student representative for selection committee hiring new administrator, 6 months departmental coordinator for my hospital volunteering group, founder/president of local interest group (above)
awards: service award from university, service recognition from local assemblyman, "volunteer of the term" from hospital, "most hours volunteered for term" from hospital, college honors, Dean's list last 6 terms of college
MCAT: To be taken January 2012
My questions (thank you for bearing with me this far):
- Is my positive trend "enough" to make my case that I can handle med school?
- Should I do an informal post-bacc?
- Is it worth it for me?
- Will said extra classes change which schools give me looks? (I'd like to go to an urban school, other than that not too picky)
- What's the best thing to do to solidify my odds?
- How high do I need to score on the MCAT?
During my preparation for next year's cycle, I will be continuing EC's and taking the MCAT. I know I'm a borderline candidate, and I'm afraid to have to rely entirely on a great MCAT score (you never know how it'll turn out) for my application. Therefore, I'm also debating whether or not to do an informal post-bacc. If I do an informal post-bacc, it will be entirely upper div sciences. My gpa will jump to about a 3.65 cumulative, 3.59 science AT BEST (I took a LOT of units, especially during my senior year). But I feel that the continued positive trend will help me make my case to adcoms that I "deserve" a spot over someone who performed consistently well for 4 years. Also, after those 2 terms of post-bacc work, my gpa will be pretty much locked at those values with so many classes, and I'll have the peace of mind knowing I put out the best application gpa possible. On the other hand, I'm pretty f***ing burned out from school as you can imagine. But, I've survived this far, and I've fully committed myself to this path, and will do whatever is necessary to get into school. After this "gap year" I plan on doing a 1-year MPH during the app cycle for medical school. It will be completed 1 month prior to when most med schools start, and ties into my career including working with the underserved.
If you've read this far, tell me what to do!!!
The circumstances/"trend"
I have a huge upward trend. My freshman year was under a 3.0. There were several factors that played into this poor performance, but I really did try hard. In the end, the biggest problem is that my study methods were ineffective. I had to scrap my entire system of studying and reteach myself how to learn to a style that fit me well (i.e. rotating multiple class study days rather than block studying, buying a tape recorder, etc.) My pre-req gpa was a 3.1 science. During my second two years, I went hog wild with my improved study methods and added on lots of units. I took my last 2 pre-req's and TONS of upper div sciences. My senior year I took 21-23 units per quarter (average is 13-17). Our school runs on the quarter system (Fall + Winter + Spring = 1 "year") with an optional summer term. My last 6 terms (2 of them summer's) I made Dean's List and averaged a 3.75-4.0 each term. Final outcome: 3.62 cum, 3.5 BCPM.
Extracurriculars (pretty good I feel)
- 2.5 years reseach with journal club (1.5 clinical, 1 bench) - no pubs except a review I'm getting published in a student journal
- 2 jobs in college: 1) clerk/aid for low-income apartment tenants - 5 years, 2) college admissions representative to underserved high schools - 2 years (2nd half of college)
- 350 hours hospital volunteering (mixed with approximately 15% of time spent shadowing physicians) at a community hospital
- 100 hours (over 1 year) volunteering blood donation group
- 3 years volunteer summer camp counselor for underserved teens
- 2 years mentor for autistic students
- teaching: tutor 6 years to neighborhood kids (no reference on this one, I was self-employed), TA for course tought by my PI - 1 quarter
- 1 year (at time of application, I just started this) founder and president of local interest group that promotes safer drinking around my college campus. This group is not formally registered with my school (who would be a reference) but is a significant portion of my time. The school did not want us registered because they missed our objective entirely by thinking we "promote binge drinking." Rather, think of us like the dirty needle exchange program. Our stance is that you will likely not get college students to stop drinking, so the next best thing is to make the environment safer for them (i.e. promote awareness of safer ways for them to drink--avoiding heights, being in groups, protecting what's in one's drink, increasing cup count to reduce pathogen spread, etc.) I was inspired to start this group after someone I know died falling off a roof that he climbed onto while drunk.
- leadership: student representative for selection committee hiring new administrator, 6 months departmental coordinator for my hospital volunteering group, founder/president of local interest group (above)
awards: service award from university, service recognition from local assemblyman, "volunteer of the term" from hospital, "most hours volunteered for term" from hospital, college honors, Dean's list last 6 terms of college
MCAT: To be taken January 2012
My questions (thank you for bearing with me this far):
- Is my positive trend "enough" to make my case that I can handle med school?
- Should I do an informal post-bacc?
- Is it worth it for me?
- Will said extra classes change which schools give me looks? (I'd like to go to an urban school, other than that not too picky)
- What's the best thing to do to solidify my odds?
- How high do I need to score on the MCAT?
During my preparation for next year's cycle, I will be continuing EC's and taking the MCAT. I know I'm a borderline candidate, and I'm afraid to have to rely entirely on a great MCAT score (you never know how it'll turn out) for my application. Therefore, I'm also debating whether or not to do an informal post-bacc. If I do an informal post-bacc, it will be entirely upper div sciences. My gpa will jump to about a 3.65 cumulative, 3.59 science AT BEST (I took a LOT of units, especially during my senior year). But I feel that the continued positive trend will help me make my case to adcoms that I "deserve" a spot over someone who performed consistently well for 4 years. Also, after those 2 terms of post-bacc work, my gpa will be pretty much locked at those values with so many classes, and I'll have the peace of mind knowing I put out the best application gpa possible. On the other hand, I'm pretty f***ing burned out from school as you can imagine. But, I've survived this far, and I've fully committed myself to this path, and will do whatever is necessary to get into school. After this "gap year" I plan on doing a 1-year MPH during the app cycle for medical school. It will be completed 1 month prior to when most med schools start, and ties into my career including working with the underserved.
If you've read this far, tell me what to do!!!
