Help improve my app - not what are my chances

[jlittlej]

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Members don't see this ad.

Yep.

 

[Spartacus]

It sounds to me like you're in pretty good shape. Just make sure you do well in all of the pre-reqs, don't try to do too much while you're taking these classes because the grades in these are important and they will all be covered on the MCAT. You have a lot of interesting activities, so focus on doing well and getting some health care exposure and I think you will do fine.

Best of Luck!

 

[rpost3]

Here are my stats:

High school:
National Merit Scholar
1500 SAT
Summer at Stanford: 3.7 GPA

College:
First two years - Honors college at top 25 state university
1.9 GPA, a few Ws
I was expecting a lot from college and found it hugely disappointing in terms of teaching quality and learning environment. Had significant family and friend deaths. No ambition whatsoever. Fairly active on campus.

Final two years- second-tier liberal arts school
B.A., journalism with a 3.7 for the last two years, two Ws
Active on campus and elsewhere but no medical experience.

I don't know what my cumulative GPA will be. I took a lot more units in the last two years so hopefully that will help.

Since graduation-
I've been working at two startup magazines and teaching English in Beirut. I had a teaching stint at a children's cancer hospital and came to the realization that I wanted to be a doctor. I'll be studying Arabic in Yemen and working at a magazine in Cairo (and volunteering at a hospital) before returning home early in 2005. So I have a fairly interesting post-college story and speak basic Arabic, which might look interesting to an admissions committee. I've also had some articles published in respected U.S. papers and magazines.

I used to teach for the Princeton Review and am confident I'll do well on the MCAT.

Any advice on how to improve my chances is welcome. I'm returning to Texas in early 2005 with the intention getting EMT-certified, starting my prereqs and gaining medical experience.

I've been considering joining the Peace Corps and trying to get spot in a health-related field. The two premed advisors I've spoken to have acted like this would greatly improve my shot. However, I'm 24, which means 27 starting med school and 31 starting a residency. The Peace Corps would add another two years to my timeline - I eventually want to have kids.

Thanks for any reply.

you can probably get into a post bacc program to take the core prereq's, but don't blame your first 2 years on external sources like deaths, bad teachers, and a poor learning environment in your personal statement. everyone deals with those things as an undergrad, and it'll look like you're making excuses and avoiding accountability to adcoms. i delt with several concussions from athletics that led to post-concussion syndrom, the death of a family member during finals week, and going 21 years with adhd without being diagnosed. but i didn't focus on that stuff in my personal statement. i gave the adhd thing a small blurb, then went into why i wanted to be a doctor. show accountability for past short commings in your personal statement, admitt to a lack of motivation, maturity, etc, and explain how you've brown up and are more focused. it'll help. good luck.

 

[Trismegistus4]

Holy cow. Your record blows mine out of the water. If people like you are worried about their chances, I can't imagine what it's going to be like for me.

Seriously. Spending 2 years in the Peace Corps just to boost one's med school application? If that's what it takes to become a doctor these days, I might as well give up now.

 

[pushkin]

Hey, how did you get the job and volunteering gig in Cairo? That sounds awesome! I'm taking Arabic 1 in the fall too, just out of personal interest. I have relatives in Egypt and I visited there once. I'm envious of your plans!

Do they need more people on this magazine, by any chance...?

By the way, just do well in your pre-reqs and I bet you'll be fine.