Getting worried

[conviction]

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Hey all, this is my first post... Let me give you some background
I am currently 22, I just graduated from a big state school with a business degree.

As of now I am working full time (50 hours), taking 8 credits at community college (2 different ones, fit my schedule better), shadowing a doctor (DO), and volunteering at a hospital.

I am set to take orgo 2 next semester at a different community college... once again, my schedule makes this tough and I am also planning to study for the MCATs and continue to shadow the DO and volunteer at the hospital.

My GPA was around a 3.68, and science GPA is a 3.55 or so. I took about half of my prereqs at a community college.

Ive taken a practice MCAT after studying for a while and gotten a 32. I want to keep at it and see if I can swing a 34-36. I plan to take the test sometime in 2010.

I have 2 options right now. I can take genetics at my previous 4-year university over the winter (3 weeks short course) or spend the winter studying for my MCATS and just take some bio class online at the community college along with Orgo 2 next semester. One is clearly the cheaper option, and cost is a huge factor to me. Would taking genetics at this 4year be worth sacrificing $1000, and a daily work day of about 12-14 hours? for 4 weeks in the winter?

Another question is, with my stats, and with the sad fact that most of my prereqs are at a community college, with no real upper level bio/science classes at all... what are my chances of getting in anywhere when I apply in June of 2010?

I hope this post is cohesive. I kind of just rambled on, please let me know if I can clarify anything and hopefully i can feel better about my situation.

 

[riverjib]

It sounds like you're on track. I returned to school much later than you, and most of my pre-requisites are from a community college. There is undoubtedly some stigma attached to that, but Cornell, Columbia, and UPenn were all willing to count my pre-med classes as their own. That says something, right?

Really, the CC stigma isn't what it used to be. I chose my CC because it cost half what my current state school costs, and my CC general and organic chem professor is a Georgetown professor who is tough, and is sure to mention in his recommendation letters that he gives the same exams to his Georgetown students as his CC students. Fewer of us do well...and that's what matters. Med schools are aware of this. This isn't purely palliative; if I wasn't convinced of this, I'd simply spend more money than I can afford to complete the same courses I already completed in Columbia's post-bacc program. If I don't get in and I'm encouraged to repeat these classes, I will. But many non-trad CC students I know well are at respectable NY med schools now.

 

[conviction]

That definitely helps me alot. Its good to hear success stories from people who simply cant afford to go to a big state school. Plus my state school is 1hour (2 hours in traffic) from where i live... it'd be almost impossible to do classes there on a regular basis without it affecting my job (and i need my job).

 

[ceng2doc]

That definitely helps me alot. Its good to hear success stories from people who simply cant afford to go to a big state school. Plus my state school is 1hour (2 hours in traffic) from where i live... it'd be almost impossible to do classes there on a regular basis without it affecting my job (and i need my job).

OP,
When you check any of those universities' web sites that riverjib mentioned, you can clearly see that they recommend to take the courses only from universities or colleges, but not from community colleges. I don't know "why", but it should mean something for an applicant.

 

[J ROD]

I would check with schools that you are really interested in.

 

[thecleaner]

Hey all, this is my first post... Let me give you some background
I am currently 22, I just graduated from a big state school with a business degree.

As of now I am working full time (50 hours), taking 8 credits at community college (2 different ones, fit my schedule better), shadowing a doctor (DO), and volunteering at a hospital.

I am set to take orgo 2 next semester at a different community college... once again, my schedule makes this tough and I am also planning to study for the MCATs and continue to shadow the DO and volunteer at the hospital.

My GPA was around a 3.68, and science GPA is a 3.55 or so. I took about half of my prereqs at a community college.

Ive taken a practice MCAT after studying for a while and gotten a 32. I want to keep at it and see if I can swing a 34-36. I plan to take the test sometime in 2010.

I have 2 options right now. I can take genetics at my previous 4-year university over the winter (3 weeks short course) or spend the winter studying for my MCATS and just take some bio class online at the community college along with Orgo 2 next semester. One is clearly the cheaper option, and cost is a huge factor to me. Would taking genetics at this 4year be worth sacrificing $1000, and a daily work day of about 12-14 hours? for 4 weeks in the winter?

Another question is, with my stats, and with the sad fact that most of my prereqs are at a community college, with no real upper level bio/science classes at all... what are my chances of getting in anywhere when I apply in June of 2010?

I hope this post is cohesive. I kind of just rambled on, please let me know if I can clarify anything and hopefully i can feel better about my situation.

no one cares where you took your classes. just make sure you get A's.

 

[sindadel]

Take your classes where you need to take them. Best of luck to you!

 

[conviction]

should I even bother taking genetics at the state school over the 3 week winter term?

And as for getting A's, i have been doing that so far. Hopefully I can keep with it.

Thanks guys

 

[thecleaner]

should I even bother taking genetics at the state school over the 3 week winter term?

And as for getting A's, i have been doing that so far. Hopefully I can keep with it.

Thanks guys

nah, i wouldnt take it. why risk your gpa over a class you dont need. just do the bare minimum. again, the important thing is to get A's.

 

[conviction]

Do yall think I should be looking into DO/Caribbean? DO would be fine, I am not sure if I'd want to do carribean though.

 

[njbmd]

Make offshore your last resort under any circumstances. Cut back on coursework if you can't get "A"s period. If you are working 55 hours, that doesn't leave much time to master pre-med coursework.

Also, it's not MCATs but one MCAT (Medical College Admissions Test), meaning, don't plan on taking this test more than once. Since you are a non-science major, you need to "hit a big one" right off. Also, don't let practice exam scores lull you into believing that you have everything under control. If you scores are in the low 30s, then aim for the high 30s.

Other than the above, keep working towards your goal and cut back if your grades are not working out. You can't afford uGPA "damage-control" or offshore will be you only option. Good luck!

 

[da Vincis World]

Do yall think I should be looking into DO/Caribbean? DO would be fine, I am not sure if I'd want to do carribean though.

So long as you keep your grades up and do well on the MCAT you should be competitive for both MD and DO schools. I wouldn't bother with the genetics class.

BTW, I had a great GPA and a good MCAT score and the fact that half of my prereqs were from a community college wasn't mentioned at my interview. However, prior to applying I was told that it would look much better if those classes were taken at a university....who knows.

 

[icalz]

OP,
When you check any of those universities' web sites that riverjib mentioned, you can clearly see that they recommend to take the courses only from universities or colleges, but not from community colleges. I don't know "why", but it should mean something for an applicant.

This is the impression I was under also.

 

[icalz]

So long as you keep your grades up and do well on the MCAT you should be competitive for both MD and DO schools. I wouldn't bother with the genetics class.

BTW, I had a great GPA and a good MCAT score and the fact that half of my prereqs were from a community college wasn't mentioned at my interview. However, prior to applying I was told that it would look much better if those classes were taken at a university....who knows.

I think the admissions committee will have reviewed your transcript and discussed/debated it prior to inviting you for an interview. So I think that if you get interview invites you're golden.