Help: Finding the Right Post Bacc Program

[jordansnfootbal]

Hello,
I am in a dilemma. I received two interview invites for this cycle, but I have found out for sure that I will not be getting into medical school and I want to find a few post bacc programs to apply to. I live in California so I am most likely going to apply to all the schools here including the consortium. I also want to apply out of state too. Here are my stats:
cGPA: 3.6 (rounded down)
sGPA: 3.5 (rounded down)
MCAT: 26 (2nd try)
Lots community service and leadership experience
2+ years of research
Medical Brigades
etc.
I'm just not sure what post bacc is the right one to apply for someone in my situation and with my stats. I was also thinking about just taking a kaplan course and retrying the mcat again, while doing research so I'm not idle with my time.

Any help is appreciated, thanks.

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[DrMidlife]

don't get into a postbac that distracts you from doing the thing you REALLY aren't going to like but that you HAVE to make your #1 priority because it is ABSOLUTELY why you didn't get accepted...and that's getting a strong score on the MCAT.

There are lots of options for taking more classes to boost your GPA a bit, aside from a structured program. Look at taking a few more classes through something like BerkeleyX. Moving cross country and spending $50k on an SMP, when you have a 3.6, isn't smart.

There's an MCAT forum with recommendations & study strategies.

There's a reapplicant forum with the same stuff.

Whatever you do, whether you take 1 or 2 or more years to get ready, have everything done and tidy and locked down and submitted in June.

If all this sounds too hard, then go DO. But your low MCAT will hurt you for DO as well.

Best of luck to you.

 

[jordansnfootbal]

Okay sounds good thanks for the insight! I mean if I got interviews for MD I think imma go with that lol

 

[jordansnfootbal]

don't get into a postbac that distracts you from doing the thing you REALLY aren't going to like but that you HAVE to make your #1 priority because it is ABSOLUTELY why you didn't get accepted...and that's getting a strong score on the MCAT.

There are lots of options for taking more classes to boost your GPA a bit, aside from a structured program. Look at taking a few more classes through something like BerkeleyX. Moving cross country and spending $50k on an SMP, when you have a 3.6, isn't smart.

There's an MCAT forum with recommendations & study strategies.

There's a reapplicant forum with the same stuff.

Whatever you do, whether you take 1 or 2 or more years to get ready, have everything done and tidy and locked down and submitted in June.

If all this sounds too hard, then go DO. But your low MCAT will hurt you for DO as well.

Best of luck to you.

So I think I might take a kaplan course and apply for a medical scribe job or for research and apply to postbaccs just so I have options. Do you think this is the right step? I also am concerned about being idle this spring semester. I have stopped doing volunteering and am just focusing on graduating from college and working. Do you think that would be a problem with medical schools? I might go backpacking in Europe during the summer and pick up where I left off with research/scribe if I get a position.

 

[deleted248403]

So I think I might take a kaplan course and apply for a medical scribe job or for research and apply to postbaccs just so I have options. Do you think this is the right step? I also am concerned about being idle this spring semester. I have stopped doing volunteering and am just focusing on graduating from college and working. Do you think that would be a problem with medical schools? I might go backpacking in Europe during the summer and pick up where I left off with research/scribe if I get a position.

Being idle while have no bearing on anything.

Stopping volunteering was a mistake. Consistency counts for med school apps.

Also, let me get this straight - you didnt get in this cycle, you plan on retaking the MCAT, and then you are gonna go back packing in Europe right when you should be cranking out med school apps and responding to all secondaries within like a week of getting them? But you are going to go on vacation? This seems like a really poorly thought out plan. Save the backpacking for the summer before you START medical school - at that point, you are already accepted and no one cares what you do

 

[jordansnfootbal]

Being idle while have no bearing on anything.

Stopping volunteering was a mistake. Consistency counts for med school apps.

Also, let me get this straight - you didnt get in this cycle, you plan on retaking the MCAT, and then you are gonna go back packing in Europe right when you should be cranking out med school apps and responding to all secondaries within like a week of getting them? But you are going to go on vacation? This seems like a really poorly thought out plan. Save the backpacking for the summer before you START medical school - at that point, you are already accepted and no one cares what you do

Im not reapplying this year I'm reapplying next year. Right after I graduate (In May 2015), I will go backpacking for 3 weeks possibly (depending on if I get accepted for a research or scribe postion/postbacc). I will apply for a Kaplan course toward the end of the year and take the MCAT so by the time I get my score back I will be ready to apply in May/June 2016. All the things you were saying is def not what I said in my previous comments. I am not going to be in the same area after May, so I told the volunteer coordinator to give the position to someone else. I feel I can always do more volunteering at the new area I will be living. I have been volunteering at the hospital for 4 years already.
So Backpacking (maybe) June 2015--> research/scribe 2015--> MCAT Jan 2016?--->Apply May/June 2016?

Is that still a bad plan?

 

[deleted248403]

Im not reapplying this year I'm reapplying next year. Right after I graduate (In May 2015), I will go backpacking for 3 weeks possibly (depending on if I get accepted for a research or scribe postion/postbacc). I will apply for a Kaplan course toward the end of the year and take the MCAT so by the time I get my score back I will be ready to apply in May/June 2016. All the things you were saying is def not what I said in my previous comments. I am not going to be in the same area after May, so I told the volunteer coordinator to give the position to someone else. I feel I can always do more volunteering at the new area I will be living. I have been volunteering at the hospital for 4 years already.
So Backpacking (maybe) June 2015--> research/scribe 2015--> MCAT Jan 2016?--->Apply May/June 2016?

Is that still a bad plan?

Your time line was a little vague and not connected prior to you clarifying it.

That plan sounds reasonable if you keep working/volunteering etc

 

[jordansnfootbal]

Your time line was a little vague and not connected prior to you clarifying it.

That plan sounds reasonable if you keep working/volunteering etc

Yeah sorry about that. Yeah I'm probably going to spend the year juggling the research, my refereeing (on the weekends), and volunteering occassionally so I keep things consistent. Then toward the end of the year or beginning of next year I will focus primarily on the mcat