Decent numbers...but slightly checkered past

[ziggypop]

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I am currently in the application cycle to enter medical school in August. I am a slightly non-traditional candidate, being that I took 7 years to complete my undergrad and am just finishing up my MS in Neuroscience. I did a post-bacc in 2008-09, getting a 3.8 GPA. My undergrad GPA was 3.6 overall and 3.3 in the sciences (hence, the reason why I did the post-bacc). I took the MCAT a total of 3 times: 1st time in 2005, 28Q; 2nd time in 2008, 26Q; and 3rd time in 2009, 34Q (3 times a charm, apparently). I also have ample volunteer/clinical/shadowing experience. If I stopped here, that doesn't look too terrible. However, I had a few rough patches. Institutional Action: I was kicked out of an extremely strict private school in the middle of my Jr. year for accumulation of minor conduct violations (2003). This has not seemed to be a very big deal to most medical schools. Then, in early 2006, I dropped out of school due to some very upsetting personal events and drank myself to the point of a DUI, 3 driving on suspended license convictions, and a petit larceny conviction (all within a 3 month period). Since then, aside from my personal recovery, I have really thrown myself into volunteering for substance abuse recovery groups. I have remained free of any misdemeanors for 4 years now, as I am well beyond that "crazy" stage of my life. In summary, this amounts to quite a few red flags to balance out the good points, although to me they are in the distant past. I have been rejected from all the out-of-state schools to which I have applied. I have done 2 in-state interviews, which both went very well by most standards, and have been sent to waitlist purgatory. My question to you all is this: for schools that like me enough to give me an interview, am I too good to reject and too risky to accept? Your input and any personal experiences you can relate to this would be greatly appreciated. My apologies for the novella.


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Don't be a fool, stay in school. Write that down.

 

[mediterranean]

Don't worry. Just wait it out. Your EC's are nice but maybe the misdemeanors explain why oos rejections. There could also be the mentality that you had to take the MCAT a few times before acing it vs someone who got it the first time.

 

[J ROD]

Simply would you take you or the other guy/gal.....

it's not personal....it just is what it is.

I think you will have a hard time getting in unless you can get someone on the inside to be your advocate....

 

[Catalystik]

I would read through or Search these two forums, and if you don't find what you need, consider posting your question in one of them where you can get feedback from adcomms on how they would view your application.

Mentor Forum: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=410718
Confidential Consult: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=421278

 

[Yips]

Don't worry. Just wait it out. Your EC's are nice but maybe the misdemeanors explain why oos rejections. There could also be the mentality that you had to take the MCAT a few times before acing it vs someone who got it the first time.

OP did not elaborate much on his/her EC's.

 

[flip26]

If a school interviewed you, they at least wanted to give you a fair shake.

In that case, it looks to me like the interview was your opportunity to remove all doubt - did you do this? How much of the interview was about your past problems? Did it even come up?

 

[ziggypop]

To clarify a few things:

-My EC's include volunteering to help with a phase III clinical trial (the investigator I helped is on the adcom at a school where I interviewed); ED scribe for over 1 year (amounts to 1000+ hrs of shadowing and familiarity with healthcare delivery systems); volunteering at a local substance abuse recovery program for approx. 2 yrs; other misc. shadowing, employment, and community volunteering.

-I have a few advocates at the school where I am currently finishing my M.S., and I have good rec. letters (also one from adcom dude I mentioned above). I have done everything I can to get to know admissions office staff, including the associate dean (without being pesky).

-Both interviews lasted for 1+ hrs and spent almost half the time talking about recovery from alcohol (the dui was the only issue brought up from the past in both interviews). However, the conversations went well, and I don't think I could have done any better with demonstrating how I learned from my mistakes and how I have changed. All interviewers seemed to react very positively, and I honestly don't think the interviews could have gone any better. This is why I'm feeling a little hung out to dry now. Anyways, it's good to get a fresh perspective on things from people that don't know me.

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Don't be a fool, stay in school. Write that down.

 

[J ROD]

Not all mistakes can be overcome.....

what is your instate btw?

 

[ziggypop]

Va

 

[J ROD]

Va

not the best and not the worst......

I guess time will tell....