[deleted for privacy], should I do a postbac?

[endroller78]

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General Information:
[deleted for privacy]

My Main Questions:
-After reading Goro's reinvention page, should I do a postbac? I believe I can benefit a lot from a formal postbac, and this something I'm willing to do.
-Aside from increasing my clinical hours and maintaining a high MCAT score, what else I could potentially work on in my gap year?

My Stats:

[deleted other stats for privacy]

I know I do not have an official MCAT score yet, but I am grateful for insights in regards to what I have right now, so I can determine whether I should apply to a postbac.

Thanks a ton.

 

[Goro]

Gunning for MD? Then yes, you need a postbac or SMP.

 

[deleted1139416]

I’ve noticed a trend of several DO schools becoming MCAT whorres. So if you really can get a 508 then you’d be in the upper end of DO applicants and it would somewhat offset your GPA. It also depends on how your senior year goes. But keep in mind that if you study for the MCAT during your senior year and end up doing poorly in your classes then you’ll just end up digging yourself into a bigger hole…

 

[endroller78]

I’ve noticed a trend of several DO schools becoming MCAT whorres. So if you really can get a 508 then you’d be in the upper end of DO applicants and it would somewhat offset your GPA. It also depends on how your senior year goes. But keep in mind that if you study for the MCAT during your senior year and end up doing poorly in your classes then you’ll just end up digging yourself into a bigger hole…

Appreciate the replies thus far! I'll be mainly be studying for the MCAT this summer and winter break in preparation for Jan/Feb 2023.
[deleted for privacy]

Gunning for MD? Then yes, you need a postbac or SMP.

[deleted for privacy]

For now, I will focus on my MCAT this summer and prioritize raising my gpa in my senior year. I'm going taking a hiatus on some of my extracurriculars in preparation too. Thank you!

 

[deleted1139416]

Appreciate the replies thus far! I'll be mainly be studying for the MCAT this summer and winter break in preparation for Jan/Feb 2023. I plan to put my studying on hold for Autumn term for my gpa, so I also have been wondering if I should just take the MCAT in September. That decision is ultimately on me though.


I need to make clear of things in regards to my timeline, so if I were to finish my MCAT in early 2023 and start my postbac (I'm looking at a 1-year formal postbac) in late 2023, I would be using May 2024 and onwards to work on my application for the 2024 cycle?

For now, I will focus on my MCAT this summer and prioritize raising my gpa in my senior year. I'm going taking a hiatus on some of my extracurriculars in preparation too. Thank you!

Your timeline and decision to when to take the MCAT is completely on you. Oddly enough, I feel like DO schools are more strict on not taking expiring MCAT scores compared to MD schools (PCOM wouldn’t let me apply because I took the MCAT one week before their cutoff, and I had a 517!).

 

[alwaysrunning]

Why are your grades stagnant and why do you think they will be better in a postbac?

 

[GoSpursGo]

Moving to WAMC

 

[endroller78]

Why are your grades stagnant and why do you think they will be better in a postbac?

Looking at my main prereqs (quarter system):

[deleted for privacy]


Also, haha how did the post above get here in the first place?

Anyways, I hope this is helpful information too.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Are these appropriately-calculated AMCAS GPA's, or the GPA's you're reading off your schools' transcripts? I say that because AMCAS does not practice grade forgiveness, so you have to count all A-F grades. It's also more useful to have year-by-year overall/science GPA's rather than term-by-term.

 

[deleted1139416]

Are these appropriately-calculated AMCAS GPA's, or the GPA's you're reading off your schools' transcripts? I say that because AMCAS does not practice grade forgiveness, so you have to count all A-F grades. It's also more useful to have year-by-year overall/science GPA's rather than term-by-term.

The DO side no longer does grade forgiveness either.

 

[endroller78]

Are these appropriately-calculated AMCAS GPA's, or the GPA's you're reading off your schools' transcripts? I say that because AMCAS does not practice grade forgiveness, so you have to count all A-F grades. It's also more useful to have year-by-year overall/science GPA's rather than term-by-term.

This is reading off my school's transcript. Lemme go do some number-crunching and get back to this (I actually didn't know about this! My bad!)

 

[endroller78]

Are these appropriately-calculated AMCAS GPA's, or the GPA's you're reading off your schools' transcripts? I say that because AMCAS does not practice grade forgiveness, so you have to count all A-F grades. It's also more useful to have year-by-year overall/science GPA's rather than term-by-term.

[deleted for privacy]

 

[chilly_md]

I used a AMCAS/AACOMAS calculator tool to get these numbers (freshman, sophomore, junior):
Also, I don't exactly remember what I got for my "failed" course because there is just no credit on my transcript, so I put in a C (unless there is a rule about that which I do not know?)
Overall: 3.31>3.25>3.30
Science (AMCAS, AACOMAS is similar): 3.01>2.93>2.96
Dang, my science is way worse than I thought.

A C grade is considered passing. You will have to report the actual letter grade for both attempts on AMCAS and AACOMAS, so it would be best to find out if you got a D or an F instead.

 

[endroller78]

[deleted for privacy]

If I were to do a DIY postbac, would I have to do it at a four year institution or is community college ok?

Also, is financial aid given for these kinds of routes?

 

[chilly_md]

It would be ideal to do it at a four year institution as you would need to take a variety of upper division science courses (the suggestions of which are on Goro’s guide). The public state universities are usually the most affordable options for this. You may need to mark that you are seeking a 2nd degree in order to enroll and receive federal loans. Some students work first and use savings to pay for classes as well.

 

[endroller78]

Thank you for all of the advice! I am very grateful for all the responses!
I will update on my journey in the later months 🙂

 

[LeaveNoTrace]

Yeah. IF you can get another 5+ points on your MCAT, a retake might help you, too.

Make sure you're taking official AAMC practice tests under conditions as close to Test Day as you can get!

 

[endroller78]

Hello! I have an update. I am applying 2025! I'm looking to build a school list.

.

 

[Faha]

Where is your state of residence ?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Need your state of residence again.

From what you describe, your academics put you in a better position as an applicant. I need a better breakdown of experience hours, but you should be good for programs that reward reinventing applicants.

 

[endroller78]

[deleted for privacy]