D and Cs, 35R MCAT

[thupham]

Hi all,
So I know these "what if" threads can become inane, but I really need to know about my case. And no, I am not trying to boost my self-esteem. I just really need to know:
I am attending summer sessions at UC Irvine and I took a bio class for which I got a D. Granted, I could have dropped it even while taking the final. But I usually do well on finals and I figured while taking it that it would be okay, that maybe the curve would help me.
WRONG.
I am probably the first @#$# to get a D in a summer class. I feel like a dumb b#$ch, and on the top of it I have 4 Cs with no retakes. I regret being a biosci major.
I have straight As in every english class I ever took in my undergrad
But I love to read and write. And I love math and physics. During freshman orientation I had this sh*thole counselor who convinced my mom that only bio majors go to med school, and even though I wanted to major and chem/math or double major with english, i had to settle for bio.
I took the mcats last august and got 14 verbal, 13 physical, and 8 biosi with R for the writing sample.
What are medical schools going to think?? If I can't hack a bio class, how the @#$@ am I going to do in med school?

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[R.P. McMurphy]

Hi all,
So I know these "what if" threads can become inane, but I really need to know about my case. And no, I am not trying to boost my self-esteem. I just really need to know:
I am attending summer sessions at UC Irvine and I took a bio class for which I got a D. Granted, I could have dropped it even while taking the final. But I usually do well on finals and I figured while taking it that it would be okay, that maybe the curve would help me.
WRONG.
I am probably the first @#$# to get a D in a summer class. I feel like a dumb b#$ch, and on the top of it I have 4 Cs with no retakes. I regret being a biosci major.
I have straight As in every english class I ever took in my undergrad
But I love to read and write. And I love math and physics. During freshman orientation I had this sh*thole counselor who convinced my mom that only bio majors go to med school, and even though I wanted to major and chem/math or double major with english, i had to settle for bio.
I took the mcats last august and got 14 verbal, 13 physical, and 8 biosi with R for the writing sample.
What are medical schools going to think?? If I can't hack a bio class, how the @#$@ am I going to do in med school?

First if all, If you can get a 14 in verbal, you are pretty damn smart.

Having a very high MCAT and crappy grades is probably better than having a really low MCAT and good grades.

I would seriously recommend explaining your situation in your application, or trying to raise your gpa a little bit if you think it's too low. There is no way someone with a 14 verbal and 13 PS can rule out medical school just yet.

 

[Xypathos]

Hi all,
So I know these "what if" threads can become inane, but I really need to know about my case. And no, I am not trying to boost my self-esteem. I just really need to know:
I am attending summer sessions at UC Irvine and I took a bio class for which I got a D. Granted, I could have dropped it even while taking the final. But I usually do well on finals and I figured while taking it that it would be okay, that maybe the curve would help me.
WRONG.
I am probably the first @#$# to get a D in a summer class. I feel like a dumb b#$ch, and on the top of it I have 4 Cs with no retakes. I regret being a biosci major.
I have straight As in every english class I ever took in my undergrad
But I love to read and write. And I love math and physics. During freshman orientation I had this sh*thole counselor who convinced my mom that only bio majors go to med school, and even though I wanted to major and chem/math or double major with english, i had to settle for bio.
I took the mcats last august and got 14 verbal, 13 physical, and 8 biosi with R for the writing sample.
What are medical schools going to think?? If I can't hack a bio class, how the @#$@ am I going to do in med school?

Save your soul and go major in what you love. Don't let your mom live your life, she doesn't have to answer for your choices and crushed dreams 20 years from now or even tomorrow. Follow your heart and things will find a way to work into place.

 

[LizzyM]

Obviously, biology is not your strong suit. The D and Cs and the 8 in biology (with much better scores in the other areas) just points out that your gifts are in other areas. Obviously, you were misinformed by a college counselor Are you really well suited for medicine? It does require a considerable amount of biological science. I don't know how to advise you --- you are going to have a serious up-hill climb. Have you considered other careers that combine the physical sciences and writing? Why medicine?

Hi all,
So I know these "what if" threads can become inane, but I really need to know about my case. And no, I am not trying to boost my self-esteem. I just really need to know:
I am attending summer sessions at UC Irvine and I took a bio class for which I got a D. Granted, I could have dropped it even while taking the final. But I usually do well on finals and I figured while taking it that it would be okay, that maybe the curve would help me.
WRONG.
I am probably the first @#$# to get a D in a summer class. I feel like a dumb b#$ch, and on the top of it I have 4 Cs with no retakes. I regret being a biosci major.
I have straight As in every english class I ever took in my undergrad
But I love to read and write. And I love math and physics. During freshman orientation I had this sh*thole counselor who convinced my mom that only bio majors go to med school, and even though I wanted to major and chem/math or double major with english, i had to settle for bio.
I took the mcats last august and got 14 verbal, 13 physical, and 8 biosi with R for the writing sample.
What are medical schools going to think?? If I can't hack a bio class, how the @#$@ am I going to do in med school?

 

[njcaldwell]

Lizzy makes a good point. Why medicine? Are you sure this is what you want to do, and why? It is obvious you are HELLA smart. Law school? Or what else stimulates you. On your law school app you can put down OTHER test scores, like the MCAT and show how you raped it.

 

[thupham]

First if all, If you can get a 14 in verbal, you are pretty damn smart.

Having a very high MCAT and crappy grades is probably better than having a really low MCAT and good grades.

I would seriously recommend explaining your situation in your application, or trying to raise your gpa a little bit if you think it's too low. There is no way someone with a 14 verbal and 13 PS can rule out medical school just yet.

Thanks for the encouragement. I am going to graduate in Fall 2006. My highest grade was in molecular biology and it was a B plus. Summer Session C just started and it's not too late to add classes and start attending. Session C ends in mid September, do you think I should take some biochem classes (the only strong subject of mine that involves some bio), and try to get B plus and above even though these are not retakes?

Is a B plus in bio subjects considered a good grade? I have mostly As and many A pluses in Calc/Physics/Chem.

 

[thupham]

Lizzy makes a good point. Why medicine? Are you sure this is what you want to do, and why? It is obvious you are HELLA smart. Law school? Or what else stimulates you. On your law school app you can put down OTHER test scores, like the MCAT and show how you raped it.

When I was younger I thought about law school but the death of my sister and really neverending negative changes in my late teens made me change my mind. I shadow an MD and volunteer at the med center and I love working with people. I love public speaking, which I developed in debate/mock trial in high school, but my passion now is for medicine.

I think I'm one of those people who should've majored in English but done pre-reqs. Then I would've had the Apluses I have in Chem/Calc/Phys and only 2 Cs for Bio b/c the other Cs I got were in upper division non-prereqs.

Here are my ECs:
Writer for college newspaper (2 years)
Genomics Research (no clinical research tho) (1 year)
Editor in Chief for Pre-Health Magazine (2 years)
Director of Community Service Organization (2 years)
Founder of my chapter of Food-not-bombs
Med center volunteer (1 year)
College Honors (3 years)
Physics Tutor (4 years)
English AP tutor (6 years)


I mean I'm not super-interesting. I don';t have clinical research. The only foreign countries I have been to are Vietnam, India, and Trinidad and those were just on trips with family/friends. I haven't gone on any missions I speak 6 languages, my first language is English, does that help me?.

 

[etf]

Having a very high MCAT and crappy grades is probably better than having a really low MCAT and good grades.

i disagree. all it takes to improve your mcat score is 8 hours on a saturday in the future. it takes a lot more time, energy, money etc. to try to salvage a low gpa.

 

[R.P. McMurphy]

Thanks for the encouragement. I am going to graduate in Fall 2006. My highest grade was in molecular biology and it was a B plus. Summer Session C just started and it's not too late to add classes and start attending. Session C ends in mid September, do you think I should take some biochem classes (the only strong subject of mine that involves some bio), and try to get B plus and above even though these are not retakes?

Is a B plus in bio subjects considered a good grade? I have mostly As and many A pluses in Calc/Physics/Chem.

Getting a B+ in something is absolutely fine. Since biology seems like your weakness, I would take another biochem class, really dedicate yourself to it, and hopefully get a B+ or A/A- to show schools that you do understand biology.

Your situation is not hopeless by any means; most people would kill to have that verbal score. I just think you need to somehow show or prove to adcoms that you can master biology and will be ok in medical school.

 

[R.P. McMurphy]

i disagree. all it takes to improve your mcat score is 8 hours on a saturday in the future. it takes a lot more time, energy, money etc. to try to salvage a low gpa.

First of all, tell that to most people and they would laugh at you

Second, MCAT has been found to be a better indication than GPA of Step 1 score success.

 

[njcaldwell]

Yah, I would take some science classes and devote your self to them. You dont even need to necassarly raise up your science GPA, just get enough science classes under your belt with high stats that you can show the adcoms you know your stuff. if medicine if really your passion, then you will get there. You have the smarts for it.

 

[thupham]

Getting a B+ in something is absolutely fine. Since biology seems like your weakness, I would take another biochem class, really dedicate yourself to it, and hopefully get a B+ or A/A- to show schools that you do understand biology.

Your situation is not hopeless by any means; most people would kill to have that verbal score. I just think you need to somehow show or prove to adcoms that you can master biology and will be ok in medical school.

Thanks! I've read on other threads on these boards that submitting early is better, but since I'm going to take these classes to boost my AMCAS gpa and show at least some mastery of bio, I'll probably have to withold sending AMCAS till at least late September. Have submitted AMCAS yet?

 

[yudalicious]

I would take the MCAT again and rock on the Biosci section. Your other section scores are spectacular and indicate that you don't lack the mental capacity to do well on the biosci section, spend some time studying biosci and take the MCAT again.

 

[thupham]

I would take the MCAT again and rock on the Biosci section. Your other section scores are spectacular and indicate that you don't lack the mental capacity to do well on the biosci section, spend some time studying biosci and take the MCAT again.

Thanks=). I was wondering, though, how adcoms really look at retakes? How do they look at someone who got, say a 21J and increased their score dramatically versus me who might increase her bioscore?

 

[defrunner]

Thanks=). I was wondering, though, how adcoms really look at retakes? How do they look at someone who got, say a 21J and increased their score dramatically versus me who might increase her bioscore?

Congrats on the 14 in verbal; I got the same myself in that section. It's obvious that you would be able to read and reason along with the best of them in med school, but you should demonstrate somehow that you can handle the biological components of med school. If your overall GPA and BCPM GPA is pretty good, then I doubt that the C's and D will kill you, but it is a red flag you should address before you submit your application.

Also, you should know that your overall score is at an elite level. Normally, from what I know about the MCAT, I'd advise against re-taking it if you got a 35 because of the very real risk that you go down in verbal and/or physical. However, you do seem proficient enough in those areas that you might be able to stay at those levels while simultaneously bringing up your biological section score (which is obviously a good thing). I've heard that med schools do not look that kindly on MCAT scores going down after a re-take. It's a risk, but if you think you can do it, then by all means, go for it.

If you get good grades in bio this year and if you retake the MCAT and do well on the bio section, then I foresee that you will be a great applicant. Apply broadly and good luck!

By the way, don't worry about the 'increase' in MCAT score as compared with others.

 

[45408]

i disagree. all it takes to improve your mcat score is 8 hours on a saturday in the future. it takes a lot more time, energy, money etc. to try to salvage a low gpa.

Okay, so why doesn't everyone have a great MCAT?

 

[Ari Gold]

Okay, so why doesn't everyone have a great MCAT?

I agree. If you tried your hardest the first time your not going to make any crazy changes. It's pretty repeatable.

 

[goodoldalky]

I would take the MCAT again and rock on the Biosci section. Your other section scores are spectacular and indicate that you don't lack the mental capacity to do well on the biosci section, spend some time studying biosci and take the MCAT again.

Bad idea. You got a 35. That's nutso high. Even if you got a 10 on BS the next time around you would be lucky to hit 35 again. That's really rare. All you have to do is continue to do well in your science classes, emphasize your strengths. If they ask you what happened on the BS section of the MCAT, just be honest with them and tell them you had a rough section, and that's the end of it.

 

[Kuba]

OP, have you considered a DO degree? If you retake the courses on the AACOMAS application only the most recent grade for that course gets factored in. It will be the quickest way to "erase" those grades and raise the science gpa.

 

[thupham]

OP, have you considered a DO degree? If you retake the courses on the AACOMAS application only the most recent grade for that course gets factored in. It will be the quickest way to "erase" those grades and raise the science gpa.

Thanks for the suggestions, I am thinking of applying to both osteopathic and allopathic schools. Do MD schools know if you've applied to DO schools and vice-versa?

 

[seadizzle]

You can use the MCAT to make up for not spectacular grades.

Or you can use spectacular grades to make up for an okay MCAT.

While your composite on the MCAT was very good, you have not done either of those things above. Your grades and MCAT both reflect a weakness in biological sciences. You need to show the adcoms that you can handle the massive amounts of biological stuff you will be doing in med school. I suggest you examine why you are having a hard time with biology.

Since you are clearly very smart, could it be that you are not spending enough time studying? Math, physics, genchem you can get away with much less studying because the tests are calculation and concept based. Biology requires fact memorization, there is not getting around it. Personally, I need to study much less for a math or physics test than for a biology test - I'm lucky the concepts and computation comes easily for me. For memorization though, I'm in the same boat as everyone else, and maybe even need to study longer...

And there will be a lot of memorization in med school. Just something to think about.