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I've been reading these posts for soo long, I feel as though you are all distant relatives now.
This is my first real post, so hello to all. As its been said by others, I have gleaned a great deal of hope and encouragement from everyones story. So, its only fair to tell you mine.
First off, I am officially a non-trad, as I am a ripe 32 years old. I grew up loving science and history. In high school, I was a closet-dork. I would do things like hang out with the biology teacher during lunch and do experiments at home (DNA extractions in my room, crossing pea plants, breeding cichlids); typical high school stuff. I was also a baseball player and when my friends caught wind of the things I liked to do in my freetime....they let me have it. Being immature, I let peer pressure and a desire to be viewed as cool to lead me astray from science.
I graduated from high school with mediocre grades and attended a local college in order to be close to my girlfiend. This is where it all went down hill. Minutes before my first chemistry exam, I started loosing my vision and I had a terrible headache. I missed the exam, was taken to the hospital; conclusion...a bad migraine. I approached the Chem. Prof and explained what happened. He refused to allow me to make up the exam. I just assumed I had no options and figured I had blown my academic career. I stopped going to class and finished the semester with an F in Chem., C in Chem. Lab, D in College Writing, C in Geography, D in College Alg, and to top it off, an A in Honors Forum!! If I knew what I know now, I would have gone to the department head and petitioned until I was given another chance to take that damn test. Oh well, I didnt know my options then; water under the bridge.
I continued to do poorly for the next four years. I was so inconsistent! I would get an A in violin one semester and a D the next. I took a few more science classes....mostly Cs and Ws. Being in a fraternity helped as well....Im kidding, big time here! Eventually, my wonderful parents pulled the plug (rightfully so) and told me that I had wasted enough of their money. I had no idea what I wanted to do with myself. I was 23, with 102 hours under my belt and a 2.1 GPA.
This is where it gets interesting; I decided to work for my Father. After spending a summer digging ditches in the hot/humid/ mosquito infested heat that is Florida, something finally clicked. I had an overwhelming desire to go back to school in order to prove to everyone what I was capable of. I saved up my money, got a job waiting tables and started taking classes again. Despite loving science, I was a little weary to go back down that path considering what happened before. Thus, I decided to give History a shot. While working (sometimes two jobs), I earned 24 As and 4 Bs. I participated in student senate, member of student court, school ambassador, VP History Honor Society and I graduated with honors in history. Upon graduating, I had moved my gpa up to a 2.91. My gpa since returning to school was a 3.8.
I applied to law school and was ready to start in the fall, but I had a nagging feeling that it wasnt right. That nagging feeling was my passion for science.
I decided to pass on law school and go back for a second bachelors in Biology. I really didnt have much of a plan, nor did I get any counseling. I was just ecstatic to be doing science again and I wasnt really sure where it would lead. I took Bio I w/lab, Bio II, Chem I, DIS, and Genetics. I earned an A in each one except Genetics (B). Long story short, one of my Profs was impressed with me and recruited me into his lab to do graduate work. I graduated last Fall with a MS in Biomedical Science with a 3.8 GPA. Keep in mind, I never took Chem II, Pyhsics I, II, Organic I,II, Calculus. I did well enough on the GRE (1130 cold turkey) and anything I needed to learn...I learned along the way.
I have the opportunity to do a PhD. in Neuro at the University of Miami, but I have decided that bench work is not for me. A long time ago, I wanted to be a doctor and for so many years I have avoided what I feel is my destiny. I let immaturity and a fear of failure get in the way; but Im ready to meet it head on now.
So, this is my plan....Im 32!!! My ugpa is a 2.98, my bcpm gpa is 2.9 and my grad gpa is 3.8. Since I have a BA in History, I will do a post-bacc and pick up a Biology or Chemistry degree. While doing this over two years I will be able to pick up 60 or so science credits and it will continue the A trend from when I decided to get serious about school. Based on the math that I have done, If I can make mostly As, I should be able to raise my ugpa to 3.2 and my bcpm to around 3.4-3.5. Ive got some shadowing exp. lined up with a cardiologist and Im going to look for some unique volunteer work. I am planning on retaking many of the prereqs I already took because it has been 5 years since I initially took them and I really want to understand the material before picking up where I left off. I will also be working part-time while taking at least 12 hours a semester to help pay the bills.
So, Ive got two years to continue shinning before I would take the MCAT and apply. I know this is a really long post, but I wanted to give everyone the complete picture. Hopefully, one day, people will be searching for my posts in the quest for reassurance.
I will keep everyone posted; I know Ill be depending on this site to help keep me focused on my goal.
Cheers,
~Lucky Buck
This is my first real post, so hello to all. As its been said by others, I have gleaned a great deal of hope and encouragement from everyones story. So, its only fair to tell you mine.
First off, I am officially a non-trad, as I am a ripe 32 years old. I grew up loving science and history. In high school, I was a closet-dork. I would do things like hang out with the biology teacher during lunch and do experiments at home (DNA extractions in my room, crossing pea plants, breeding cichlids); typical high school stuff. I was also a baseball player and when my friends caught wind of the things I liked to do in my freetime....they let me have it. Being immature, I let peer pressure and a desire to be viewed as cool to lead me astray from science.
I graduated from high school with mediocre grades and attended a local college in order to be close to my girlfiend. This is where it all went down hill. Minutes before my first chemistry exam, I started loosing my vision and I had a terrible headache. I missed the exam, was taken to the hospital; conclusion...a bad migraine. I approached the Chem. Prof and explained what happened. He refused to allow me to make up the exam. I just assumed I had no options and figured I had blown my academic career. I stopped going to class and finished the semester with an F in Chem., C in Chem. Lab, D in College Writing, C in Geography, D in College Alg, and to top it off, an A in Honors Forum!! If I knew what I know now, I would have gone to the department head and petitioned until I was given another chance to take that damn test. Oh well, I didnt know my options then; water under the bridge.
I continued to do poorly for the next four years. I was so inconsistent! I would get an A in violin one semester and a D the next. I took a few more science classes....mostly Cs and Ws. Being in a fraternity helped as well....Im kidding, big time here! Eventually, my wonderful parents pulled the plug (rightfully so) and told me that I had wasted enough of their money. I had no idea what I wanted to do with myself. I was 23, with 102 hours under my belt and a 2.1 GPA.
This is where it gets interesting; I decided to work for my Father. After spending a summer digging ditches in the hot/humid/ mosquito infested heat that is Florida, something finally clicked. I had an overwhelming desire to go back to school in order to prove to everyone what I was capable of. I saved up my money, got a job waiting tables and started taking classes again. Despite loving science, I was a little weary to go back down that path considering what happened before. Thus, I decided to give History a shot. While working (sometimes two jobs), I earned 24 As and 4 Bs. I participated in student senate, member of student court, school ambassador, VP History Honor Society and I graduated with honors in history. Upon graduating, I had moved my gpa up to a 2.91. My gpa since returning to school was a 3.8.
I applied to law school and was ready to start in the fall, but I had a nagging feeling that it wasnt right. That nagging feeling was my passion for science.
I decided to pass on law school and go back for a second bachelors in Biology. I really didnt have much of a plan, nor did I get any counseling. I was just ecstatic to be doing science again and I wasnt really sure where it would lead. I took Bio I w/lab, Bio II, Chem I, DIS, and Genetics. I earned an A in each one except Genetics (B). Long story short, one of my Profs was impressed with me and recruited me into his lab to do graduate work. I graduated last Fall with a MS in Biomedical Science with a 3.8 GPA. Keep in mind, I never took Chem II, Pyhsics I, II, Organic I,II, Calculus. I did well enough on the GRE (1130 cold turkey) and anything I needed to learn...I learned along the way.
I have the opportunity to do a PhD. in Neuro at the University of Miami, but I have decided that bench work is not for me. A long time ago, I wanted to be a doctor and for so many years I have avoided what I feel is my destiny. I let immaturity and a fear of failure get in the way; but Im ready to meet it head on now.
So, this is my plan....Im 32!!! My ugpa is a 2.98, my bcpm gpa is 2.9 and my grad gpa is 3.8. Since I have a BA in History, I will do a post-bacc and pick up a Biology or Chemistry degree. While doing this over two years I will be able to pick up 60 or so science credits and it will continue the A trend from when I decided to get serious about school. Based on the math that I have done, If I can make mostly As, I should be able to raise my ugpa to 3.2 and my bcpm to around 3.4-3.5. Ive got some shadowing exp. lined up with a cardiologist and Im going to look for some unique volunteer work. I am planning on retaking many of the prereqs I already took because it has been 5 years since I initially took them and I really want to understand the material before picking up where I left off. I will also be working part-time while taking at least 12 hours a semester to help pay the bills.
So, Ive got two years to continue shinning before I would take the MCAT and apply. I know this is a really long post, but I wanted to give everyone the complete picture. Hopefully, one day, people will be searching for my posts in the quest for reassurance.
I will keep everyone posted; I know Ill be depending on this site to help keep me focused on my goal.
Cheers,
~Lucky Buck
