Chances/Suggestions???

[djs5150]

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Alright, here's my background (I want to be as detailed as possible):

I dropped out of high school and got my GED when I was 17. I started going to college at a couple different community colleges in 2005 when I was around 23 and received very mediocre grades. I think my gpa was around a 2.75 around then. Additionally, I received a lot of withdraws due to an anxiety disorder. In the summer of 2008 I got very serious about my education and decided I really wanted to do well. I received nine straight A's which brought my gpa up to a 3.4. I then got into The University of Texas at Austin where I'm majoring in English. Now I'm 26 and I will be graduating in the Spring of 2010 (I'll be 28). However, I have not/will not take any pre medical course work during this time because I am math deficient and UT's pre req's are kind of strict in the science department. Anyway, it would just be shorter to graduate with a BA in English and then do my premed course work. I am taking care of my math deficiency during this time so I'll be ready after I graduate. Additionally, I'm doing pretty well at UT and plan to graduate with an overall gpa around 3.7-3.6 and a UT gpa of 3.8.

Concerns:
1. Old grades.
2. Number of withdraws
3. The fact that I didn't graduate high school

 

[ArkansasRanger]

Alright, here's my background (I want to be as detailed as possible):

I dropped out of high school and got my GED when I was 17. I started going to college at a couple different community colleges when I was around 23 and received very mediocre grades. I think my gpa was around a 2.75 around then. Additionally, I received a lot of withdraws due to an anxiety disorder. In the summer of 2008 I got very serious about my education and decided I really wanted to do well. I received nine straight A's which brought my gpa up to a 3.4. I then got into The University of Texas at Austin where I'm majoring in English. I will be graduating in the Spring of 2010 (I'll be 28). However, I have not/will not take any pre medical course work during this time because I am math deficient and UT's pre req's are kind of strict in the science department. Anyway, it would just be shorter to graduate with a BA in English and then do my premed course work. I am taking care of my math deficiency during this time so I'll be ready after I graduate. Additionally, I'm doing pretty well at UT and plan to graduate with an overall gpa around 3.7-3.6 and a UT gpa of 3.8.

Concerns:
1. Old grades.
2. Number of withdraws
3. The fact that I didn't graduate high school

I'd say you weren't the same person you were at 23 and 17. I think if you do well in science then you'll do fine.

 

[COMBAT MEDIC172]

I don’t think it will matter that you did not graduate high school as long as you are doing well in college. I don’t even know if the schools will know that you did not graduate. Is it on the application? If you get good grades and a handful of meaningful extracurriculars, I would say your chance is as good as any.

 

[djs5150]

What about the withdraws? I have quite a few (like 10 no joke). There are two positives I can think of. First, I've overcame something that was extremely difficult. Secondly, I have a high interest in psychiatry. However, it seems like the withdraws outweigh these positives. Anyone with a lot of withdraws wanna weigh in??

 

[beckhunter116]

What about the withdraws? I have quite a few (like 10 no joke). There are two positives I can think of. First, I've overcame something that was extremely difficult. Secondly, I have a high interest in psychiatry. However, it seems like the withdraws outweigh these positives. Anyone with a lot of withdraws wanna weigh in??

But the withdraws was from when you first started school right? Or are they spread out like one a semester? If nothing else explain them in your personal statement.

 

[djs5150]

But the withdraws was from when you first started school right? Or are they spread out like one a semester? If nothing else explain them in your personal statement.

Two here, four there kind of thing. Should I explain them in my personal statement or in a separate letter?

 

[DrMidlife]

What about the withdraws? I have quite a few (like 10 no joke). There are two positives I can think of. First, I've overcame something that was extremely difficult. Secondly, I have a high interest in psychiatry. However, it seems like the withdraws outweigh these positives. Anyone with a lot of withdraws wanna weigh in??

A high interest in psych is not necessarily an asset. For one thing, a history of a psych disorder is not something you want to advertise - if you can tell a compelling story about yourself without going into it, by all means do. Otherwise, you leave your reviewers wondering what kind of stress would trigger a recurrence. You should be extremely honest about this with yourself and your support structure, and extremely evasive about it with med school admissions committees...unless your story is blessed as "safe." Use other tidbits from your story to make your case that you're interesting and have made it to the other side of whatever you went through.

You should be thinking of your GED story as an asset, not a liability. Assuming your cumulative GPAs and MCAT are strong, this makes you really interesting. Consider your app among several thousand bio majors who were president of some campus club and just want to help people without having ever suffered so much as a broken iPod. (Is that too catty?)

Two here, four there kind of thing. Should I explain them in my personal statement or in a separate letter?

You need to get your prereqs done before you worry about that. But in general, there are ALWAYS places to talk about academic indiscretions, and your personal statement is NEVER the place to do it.

I think I have about 10 W's, and a couple of F's, over 25 years and 5 transcripts. Graduated high school at 16 and needed another 16 years to get a bachelors.

Oh, and take a look in the postbac forum. UT Dallas has a really sweet postbac program where you can get your prereqs done with good support.

Best of luck to you.

 

[djs5150]

A high interest in psych is not necessarily an asset. For one thing, a history of a psych disorder is not something you want to advertise - if you can tell a compelling story about yourself without going into it, by all means do. Otherwise, you leave your reviewers wondering what kind of stress would trigger a recurrence. You should be extremely honest about this with yourself and your support structure, and extremely evasive about it with med school admissions committees...unless your story is blessed as "safe." Use other tidbits from your story to make your case that you're interesting and have made it to the other side of whatever you went through.

You should be thinking of your GED story as an asset, not a liability. Assuming your cumulative GPAs and MCAT are strong, this makes you really interesting. Consider your app among several thousand bio majors who were president of some campus club and just want to help people without having ever suffered so much as a broken iPod. (Is that too catty?)


You need to get your prereqs done before you worry about that. But in general, there are ALWAYS places to talk about academic indiscretions, and your personal statement is NEVER the place to do it.

I think I have about 10 W's, and a couple of F's, over 25 years and 5 transcripts. Graduated high school at 16 and needed another 16 years to get a bachelors.

Oh, and take a look in the postbac forum. UT Dallas has a really sweet postbac program where you can get your prereqs done with good support.

Best of luck to you.

Thanks everyone. Just for the record. I don't view an interest in psychiatry an asset when applying to medical schools, rather, I view it an asset to keep me motivated and on the right track.

 

[just one]

I would not put excuses or explanations for negative behavior in the personal statement. The personal statement should be positive and explain why you are interested in medicine and showcase your story. Almost no candidate is perfect, if they want to ask you about your withdrawls in the interview, just be prepared.

 

[sindadel]

I would say also to make sure how AMCAS will count your withdrawals so you know where you stand. Are they true W's or WF's, which would be counted as a zero.

Best of luck to you!! 🙂