can you guys leave urm issue alone and help please...

[loverboy]

Hi guys, can you guys go back to my previous topic about "low mcat scores and gpa" and help please cause somebody like me is counting on you guys.. Plese. I don't want to be selfish but it's about time.

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[BlackPuma]

well loverboy let me say this, it's good news and bad news....yes I have seen people with 3.4 get into Yale, and 27 on Mcat get accepted to Columbia, and yes they were white, not minority...

but my greater point is, you shouldn't put yourself in the lower end of the spectrum....going through the process, there is a percentage of probablity invovled....yes, a 4.0 and 40 on MCAT might not get in, but they have a 30% probability of getting in!?

my point is, up to a certain point, if you raise your scores, then you increase "your probability of getting in" to medical school....if you are fully aware that your scores do not reflect the best of your ability, then you should have given it some time, worked on them and applied.....but I guess it is too late for that...howevever, the answer to your question is that pple of very low stats have gotten in, but the probability of those people who I even mentioned was around 2 to 3%...they applied to around 50 to 60 schools, and it was a case "of whoever takes me in".....

a person with a 3.4 and 25 on MCAT, could have a 2% of getting in

3.5 and 29 could have 25%
3.7 and 32 could have 50%
3.8 and 34 could have 60%
4.0 and 38 could have 20%

it is really a probability curve, as you can see not a lot of few people can boast 70% or 90% interview or acceptance rate it is because it is unheard of....the reason I mentioned a person with a perfect GPA, and high mcat have a lower chance than the 3.8 and 34 is that

1) most schools look at the high scores, and the average and lower end of schools reject you off the bat because they know you won't go to their school
2) most of the time, but NOT ALL The time, high 4.0 and mcat score people have very little to no outside life and activity....

I have actually seen a lot of 4.0 pple get rejected!!!

it's the people who are squat in the middle that have the highest chance....I am not trying to demean you, my point overall was that you have a chance of increasing your probablity, and if you feel that you scores are low and not the best of your ability, then your betting on luck to help you through....I hope you applied to a good number of schools....I am sure you can become a good physician if you persevere enough....

ok having said this, I am going to probably have 100000000 pple come and post and disagree with my non-scientific, and non-mathemical postures....sigh, lots of pple have too much free time

 

[UCLA2000]

Here is your WAKE UP CALL. If you keep going at the rate you're going you WILL NOT get accepted to any med school. Yeah you can tell me you have a 2% chance and justify it if you want...Bullsh*t. Just accept that as it is now you won't get in. OK now once you've accepted that, realize that it's within your power to change your situation.

Here's what you need to do. Get straight A's between now and the time you graduate. (NO I'm NOT kidding.) If you really want to be a doctor you'll do what you have to do. I don't wanna hear any crap about "it's too hard....or i'm not smart enough." I had around a 3.3 gpa and got straight A's my last 2 years at UCLA. Not because I'm smart...but because I sat down and studied ungodly hours, and didn't give up. So sit your butt down with your books and do what you gotta do. If you've already graduated then I would consider a post-bac program. There are alot of great ones out there that have over a 90% acceptance rate to med school.

You may also have to re-take the mcat if you did poorly. I studied 8-10 hours per day 5-6 days a week for four months. Yeah it's hell..but after 2-3 weeks you get used to it. Four months is not a bad investment for the career of your dreams.

Also: You need to find a way to set yourself apart from the world. What makes you special? Face it: EVERYONE has volunteer work, most have research. It doesn't make you stand out. Go do medicine in some foreign country.....go to culinary school....go get your pilot's license...go do something really unique. Something that makes people say WOW!

Here's the bottom line: There are more than enough qualified med school applicants. Frankly grades and MCAT scores are like cake..volunteer work and extra curricular activities are like icing. Sometimes it's ok to have cake without icing...but nobody eats icing without cake.

When you apply, I would avoid applying to the top programs (it's a waste of time and money). Apply to ALL of the third teir schools, and ALL of the second teir schools. Also apply to the out of country programs. Yeah it's not glamorous..but who gives a crap. In a few years you'll be an MD and that's all that matters.

You can do it if you put your mind to it. The only one that can make you fail is you.
Good luck.

 

[loverboy]

Dear, watchamacalit and ucla2000 thanx alot for your reply, you guys are great. I've completed all my units for psychobio BS at UC Davis and since my gpa is around 3.0 I'm going back to get BA in Biology, that will hpefully boost my gpa. and you are right, nobody wants to hear stupid excuses about bieng not smart if you can put your time like you said 8-10 hrs per day. I'm sure I can get in 2nd tier school for sure. thanx alot guys.

 

[UCLA2000]

It would be MUCH smarter of you to look into various post bac programs. Unfortunately some of them require you to have already applied and been denied from a certain number of med schools. Do your research because a post bac will give you a much better chance of being accepted. Also, rather than waste your time getting a BS when you already have a BA, why not get an MA?