Honest Advice

[MedorBust23]

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I just graduated from college about 3 months ago. My uGPA was a 2.5 and my sGPA is around the same, and my MCAT is a 20. I know beyond awful. I live in Texas and I'm also a urm. My goal/dream would be to stay in Texas because of how cheap cost of living and the schools are here. Right now, I just finished taking my MCAT prep class, so I've been studying to retake my MCAT for April. I've been looking into SMPs, formal postbac vs. informal postbac, and things I can do to make my application stronger. I have a lot of non-medical related volunteering, I worked as a lab assistant in a culture room for the past two years of my undergrad time. Any advice would be appreciated, brutal honesty welcomed.

 

[dreee]

Besides the obvious subpar MCAT score, I would take a formal postbac to strengthen your GPA. Even if you did really well on your MCAT retake, you need to show med schools you can handle their curriculum by having a stronger course/science GPA . I would also strengthen your EC's. You don't want med schools to have any doubts about your passion of medicine. Try working as an ER scribe, a CNA, EMT, anything to really boost your medical experience.

Also, make sure you take the MCAT when you are ready. Take your time in preparing for the MCAT. Why are you taking it in April? I would try it again after your postbac classes. I understand you just finished your MCAT prep class, but PLEASE do not take the MCAT unless you KNOW you can significantly improve. Even if you increase your score a little, that could further hurt your chances. Adcoms do not want to see a small improvement on your second attempt, they 'd want to see a very solid score. An amazing MCAT score retake, plus a greatly improved GPA score will make adcoms feel confident in giving you an acceptance.

Btw, I am also URM. Do not use that as a safety net. I'm not saying you are, but try to be the best applicant you can possibly be resume-wise, all social factors aside.

 

[ConfusedChemist]

So what makes you sure that you are able to fix your academics? Realistically, you have a very low GPA and extremely low MCAT score. It doesn't show anywhere that you are going to*magically* start getting As in a post-bacc, etc. What is your plan? What is different?
A 20 doesn't show just lack of knowledge, it shows lack of critical thinking and test taking skills. How have you fixed this?

 

[VagabondKing]

I'd say your best bet is the SMP and a better MCAT score at this point. Your GPA/MCAT worries me a bit because medical school is much harder than undergrad and you haven't demonstrated the ability to succeed at the undergrad level yet. IF you do well in the SMP/MCAT you might have a shot, but keep in mind SMP's aren't a magic bullet. They are also considerably harder than undergrad and you really do need to do well in them.

 

[MedorBust23]

Thanks for all the advice and I understand that I do have a lot to prove and change. I've already started by taking the mcat more seriously and studying more than I did for the past one. I understand that if I get into a postbac/smp, my study habits will have to change and I'm ready to make those changes. I had my fun in undergrad, but I'm ready to take my future seriously.

 

[Goro]

Your fastest path to being a doctor will be to retake all F/D//C science coursework and apply to DO schools.

If you're boning for the MD, then do the above, then go for a SMP ort DIY postbac, ace it, and then ace MCAT. There are MD schools that reward reinvention.

You now need to get clinical volunteering and shadowing in as well.

I just graduated from college about 3 months ago. My uGPA was a 2.5 and my sGPA is around the same, and my MCAT is a 20. I know beyond awful. I live in Texas and I'm also a urm. My goal/dream would be to stay in Texas because of how cheap cost of living and the schools are here. Right now, I just finished taking my MCAT prep class, so I've been studying to retake my MCAT for April. I've been looking into SMPs, formal postbac vs. informal postbac, and things I can do to make my application stronger. I have a lot of non-medical related volunteering, I worked as a lab assistant in a culture room for the past two years of my undergrad time. Any advice would be appreciated, brutal honesty welcomed.