GED to med school?

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sephora89

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How frequently have you seen this? Do you know anyone who had this particular kind of story?

It seems like the odds are really against those who received a GED.

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I dropped out and got my GED equivalent. No one cares what you did before college.
 
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I don't think it is common. It's certainly possible, but many students that never finish high school face obstacles in life that make things really difficult--and I mean significant challenges, like no parents, poverty, etc.
 
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Never heard of this. Seems impressive though.
 
I can see the scenario in which say a teen age star finished his/her GED, starts working until (s)he is past his/her prime in the show biz and then go to college and apply to med schools.
 
I just always felt getting a GED would always raise some eyebrows. There's always a reason one gets a GED instead of going to a regular HS and graduating from there. And at the time it's always not usually positive.

It's good to see that it's more common than I thought.
 
I did it.

As to raising eyebrows, it certainly did, and proved I could independently overcome a great number of obstacles.

The biggest downside to the GED was that it substantially limited my college choices.
 
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From what i've gathered the 'GED' isn't as easy to get as it once used to be. So in essence if you can attain it you're not some dummy that every thinks you are.
 
I would think a GED followed up with a good sGPA and MCAT would raise eyebrows in a positive way. Med schools love redemption stories.
 
I would think a GED followed up with a good sGPA and MCAT would raise eyebrows in a positive way. Med schools love redemption stories.
That's what I did. Had a couple Ws on my early transcript because I'd never completed a lab science course in high school, and the farthest I ever made it in math was a D in high school algebra. Then I got nothing but As and A-s for the remainder of my education (aside from one B- in micro that haunts me to this day, and a couple B+s in my respiratory courses) once I taught myself how to study properly and focus my time.
 
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That's what I did. Had a couple Ws on my early transcript because I'd never completed a lab science course in high school, and the farthest I ever made it in math was a D in high school algebra. Then I got nothing but As and A-s for the remainder of my education (aside from one B- in micro that haunts me to this day, and a couple B+s in my respiratory courses) once I taught myself how to study properly and focus my time.

are you in med school now?
 
DO or MD?
DO, never applied MD because it was too late in the cycle when I got my MCAT back. Had a 3.8 cGPA/sGPA, strong LoRs and ECs, balanced 35 MCAT, but couldn't justify waiting an extra year when my interests are psychiatry and general internal medicine.
 
DO, never applied MD because it was too late in the cycle when I got my MCAT back. Had a 3.8 cGPA/sGPA, strong LoRs and ECs, balanced 35 MCAT, but couldn't justify waiting an extra year when my interests are psychiatry and general internal medicine.

Why are you trying to justify going DO? I never said there was anything wrong with DO. Your interests are in Psych and IM so you'll be just fine I assume. Good luck with your goals and hopefully you'll match in to your preference.
 
Why are you trying to justify going DO? I never said there was anything wrong with DO. Your interests are in Psych and IM so you'll be just fine I assume. Good luck with your goals and hopefully you'll match in to your preference.
I'm not trying to justify, it's just always an inevitable follow-up question, so I was laying it out there beforehand. I've discussed the whole issue enough times that conversations have become predictable. "DO or MD?" "Why?" "Any regrets?"
 
How frequently have you seen this? Do you know anyone who had this particular kind of story?

It seems like the odds are really against those who received a GED.
They are, but only in the sense that you have some catching up to do. My home state's GED test is a joke, and one can self-study assuming they came close to passing 9th grade. I'll assume it's pretty similar to other states as well.

If you're thinking about going to college, the problem is that you'll probably need some remedial English/math/chem/physics coursework as a pre-med, and you'll be dropped into college level biology, history, psych etc. without the foundation high school would provide.

This will take extra time for graduation but it is manageable - just use the resources schools provide for you, put the time in, and work efficiently. :) That said, don't let me scare you at all. Nobody cares about your GED when you're a college student, and you should absolutely attend. :) Take it light at first - like 8-12 credits.
 
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They are, but only in the sense that you have some catching up to do. My home state's GED test is a joke, and one can self-study assuming they came close to passing 9th grade. I'll assume it's pretty similar to other states as well.

If you're thinking about going to college, the problem is that you'll probably need some remedial English/math/chem/physics coursework as a pre-med, and you'll be dropped into college level biology, history, psych etc. without the foundation high school would provide. This will take extra time for graduation but it is manageable.

That said, don't let me scare you at all. Nobody cares about your GED when you're a college student, and you should absolutely attend. :) Take it light at first - like 8-12 credits.
I didn't even study for mine and scored in the 99th percentile. They're not all that difficult.
 
I didn't even study for mine and scored in the 99th percentile. They're not all that difficult.
Yup.

Scored in the 99th percentile for math at least. And I still ended up having to take high school algebra in college. lol.
 
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