Do I have a chance? How can I improve my chances?

[anon747]

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[Mobius1985]

You'll need to figure your overall undergrad GPA, including all classes taken at both schools. I figure it must be close to 3.5, but an exact number would help: http://medschool.ucsf.edu/postbac/pdf/AMCAS%20GPA_Calculator%20Version%204%20Final.xls
Your grad school GPA will not help you for AMCAS (MD) med school applications as it would when applying through AACOMAS (DO med schools).
Once you figure your true, current undergrad GPA, add in all the credit hours you'd need to complete the prerequisites, assuming a GPA of 4.0. Consider adding in a biochem and a genetics class too. This number would represent your likely application GPA.

Once we have these numbers, we can give you a better idea of the MCAT score you'd need to be competitive. The bad GPA years at Yale won't look good, but as a non-traditional applicant, you're redeemed by two-plus years of excellent grades on your record, if the overall GPA is acceptable, and a good explanation.

 

[anon747]

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[Mobius1985]

Personally, I think having your over-all GPA above 3.5 would be hugely helpful. If you apply with an MCAT score of 32+, you should have a good chance of getting in somewhere, if the rest of your application is as expected. Don't worry about the All Other GPA. Specifically, with an MCAT 30-32 chance is 63.2%, with 33-35=73.3%, 36-38=76.1%, and with 39-45=83.7%.

 

[anon747]

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[flip26]

Thanks for the feedback.

Where would be a good place in the forums to get advise on how best to address my bad 2 years on the application? I'm sure there are a lot of ways that it could be framed. At the very least, I'm sure I would need to offer some kind of explanation.

The place to do it is in the PS. It should be brief and to the point without sounding like an excuse - just the facts - and I suppose how you think you have overcome it.

So your bad stretch was jr/sr years? I think that is a real tough one to explain satisfactorily after a stellar first 2 years...these things are usually overcoming a bad freshman year.

 

[nlax30]

Could try searching through some of the essay threads and see how others approached a bad year or two in their personal statements. It can be a little tricky but if done well it shouldn't hurt too much.

You obviously can handle the course work so focus on killing the MCAT and just let the chips fall in regards to how those 2 years are viewed. Something like that is going to depend a lot on the individual school and who happens to be looking at your application. One person may be a little more sympathetic to your situation and overlook those years in favor of what you did before and then achieved after.

So it's going to vary on how it's viewed. You could always call up some schools you may be interested in and get their take on your situation and if they have any specific advice on what else you could do. If you are applying DO then AACOMAS does do grade substitution if you retake any courses with bad grades but I don't think you'd need to do that

Good luck though! Especially with the counseling pysch degree I think you have an interesting past that would be appealing to some schools.

 

[Mobius1985]

As you are a non-traditional applicant, consider reading through that SDN subforum. If you don't find what you need after a search, you could repose your question there for more ideas.

 

[Verbose Vixen]

So I am really worried about my chances of getting into medical school. Some facts about me are as follows: (in bulleted format)

• I am an African-American
• I am a full-time junior undergraduate at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL.
• My overall GPA right now is 2.95 (I have just finished up my 1st quarter out of 3 for this year)
• I am involved in a student group on campus promoting the interests of minority pre-med students as a board member with ambitions to run for president
• I will be preparing to take the MCAT exam this spring 2010
• I have no research experience, but am looking for an internship but without any optimism of getting one due to my low GPA
• I use every break of mine to work and gain money to support myself

Do I have anything to look forward to in terms of medical school admissions? Please give me an honest evaluation and any recommendations you may have. Thanks!

 

[Catalystik]

Hi Verbose Vixen. Posting your information on a nine month old thread probably won't get your question much attention. Why not start your own thread in "What are my chances," then come back and delete this one (except for a period) since double posting is frowned on. You'll get more help that way.