Feeling super lost - it's been years since my last application.

[binko]

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I was already sort of a nontraditional applicant when I applied the first time, since I had graduated college with a humanities degree two years previous and was taking additional classes to buff up on science. I only applied to one school, and I got waitlisted. That was 2009. Then I didn't apply the next year because in the interim I got divorced and had to move to another city to find work, didn't have any money, and basically my life just went off the rails. I want to apply again, and I'm fine with having to take the MCAT again and everything, but when I think about trying to get LoRs I just want to give up. The LoRs I got the first time were from people I had only known a short time because I was taking their class, and I'm not sure that all of them would remember me or even still be there. When I was at a university there was an advisory office and everything, now I am not connected to anything like that. Has anyone else dealt with this? What did you do?

 

[Hippogriff]

What have you been doing for the past 6 years? Any research, work, volunteering, etc? You can use and should get LORs from non-academic sources who can attest to you post-college. If you haven't taken any classes since 6 years ago, I would recommend taking a few science classes and doing well enough to get LORs from them. If you did poorly in some classes, retake them (bonus: replacement for DO schools) or take some advanced science classes. This will also help you prepare for the new MCAT and show adcoms that you can still handle science courses.

 

[TheRealDoc]

Go to the university you received your degree from and visit their pre-med advising office. Explain your situation and see if they can offer any assistance, I'm sure they're familiar with these types of scenarios. If all else fails, individually e-mail the teachers you received the old letters from (even some new professors in courses you've previously done well in) and explain to them your situation. They won't be amazing letters, but they'll fulfill the requirement.

 

[Goro]

Read this book.
Amazon product ASIN 1607140624
Shill alert: Dr Hartwig is an old pal of mine.

I was already sort of a nontraditional applicant when I applied the first time, since I had graduated college with a humanities degree two years previous and was taking additional classes to buff up on science. I only applied to one school, and I got waitlisted. That was 2009. Then I didn't apply the next year because in the interim I got divorced and had to move to another city to find work, didn't have any money, and basically my life just went off the rails. I want to apply again, and I'm fine with having to take the MCAT again and everything, but when I think about trying to get LoRs I just want to give up. The LoRs I got the first time were from people I had only known a short time because I was taking their class, and I'm not sure that all of them would remember me or even still be there. When I was at a university there was an advisory office and everything, now I am not connected to anything like that. Has anyone else dealt with this? What did you do?

 

[Grace184]

Goro I knew you were going to do a shameless plug. So predictable....

 

[first_time_poster]

another nontrad just like you. Attending my first year in Chicago Medical School in the fall. Don't give up! LOR is a problem. I recommend taking another semester of science classes and get those professors to write you LORs. You need something recent to add to your application.