How about MY situation?

[celestria21]

Hi everyone. I really hope any of you can offer some advice...I think my situation is a lil unique as far as Re-Applying goes.
I applied to MD schools in 2002. My april-Aug MCATS were 20/N & 21O. My GPA was a 3.17 @ the time, and although the schools didn't accept me, they said I just needed to raise my MCAT another 2 pts or so to be interviewed. But, i decided to go to a foreign medical school instead of waiting (fearing that i couldn't make up the extra points).
Now I'm in AUC in St. Maarten and have been here for 3 semesters. I had a health problem the 1st semester & had to start over, but am now an anatomy tutor. However, I am not happy with the school/curriculum/administration and have been thinking of re-applying to US-based schools. I incured alot of health problems just trying to get through the school. But, of course, I am weary of the MCAT. I am already in alot of debt just from the loans i had to take out to go to the school. So, as you can see, I'm in a bind.
What would you do if you were me? If i do take the MCAT again, what REALLY helps....i dont want to waste another 1000 on Kaplan and not get anywhere. I thank you for any advice in advance.

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[lunachick]

sorry to hear what you've been through but kudos to you for surviving! I would reccommend taking an ExamKrackers class or using their books/CDs. I was able to raise my score 4 points using the EK material. Good luck!

 

[SpiritiualDuck]

2 points more won't cut it. Your GPA is low too.

A 23 is not going to get you into US medical schools. I think you should finish up where you are at, try to complete some clerkships in the states, and take the USMLE and gain a residency back in the states.

You might want to also consider DO programs, they're sometimes a bit more forgiving of numbers.

 

[Can U Feel It?]

IF your grades are good at AUC you could try to transfer to a US school. It is very difficult, but appearantly it has been done before by some people who have posted here.

 

[SoCalGirl]

You don't have to take Kaplan again. I took Kaplan and didn't find it all that great. I ended up getting study books and took as many tests as I could. I feel this independent study helped me a lot. Just stay focused and disciplined in your MCAT preparation and you can do it. You can probably improve by more than 2 points if you really work hard. I think a better MCAT with a good academic record at AUC should make your app more competitive this time. Good luck!

 

[ldona]

I understand that you may not like the part that you have been through so far, but you are over halfway done with the book portion of the curriculum. Since the 2nd half will be primarily clinical, you don't have to put up with this for too much longer, right? I'm just thinking that trying to stick it out will save you time and money, and just knock 'em dead on the second half and you should be able to get back into the states...

Good luck!

 

[sistahnik]

first of all Spiritiualduck, who are you to say that someone will not get into med school with a 23 or what ever the score is? What about the people who had the top scores and still didn't get in? nobody knows who will and will not get in!!

Next celestria21, you may want to stick and stay where you are because you are defeating yourself by not believing in yourself. I believe that if you tried you could overcome that mcat beast. anyway, you are moving along in the curriculum and to stop and start over again may be a little out the way, I mean it's your decision in the long run. good luck with your decision!!

 

[medic170]

first of all Spiritiualduck, who are you to say that someone will not get into med school with a 23 or what ever the score is? What about the people who had the top scores and still didn't get in? nobody knows who will and will not get in!!

Spiritiualduck is just being realistic. Unless you are a URM, a 3.1 and a 23 MCAT probably won't cut it, probably not even DO.

 

[AlphaKi]

Not going to put false hope, but there's never anything called 'lost hope'. My sister's friend got into an MD-PHD ( albeit after 10 attempts ) with a 22 and a 3.07 GPA. Meaning, ANYTHING is possible. Basically, she busted her butt in research and got good enough research to counterbalance who low scores. And generally, it is tougher to get into MD-PHDs than MD.

Of course, this was the ONLY time I ever heard of such a thing, and it took 5 years ( 10 attempts ) but she eventually got in.

 

[medic170]

Not going to put false hope, but there's never anything called 'lost hope'. My sister's friend got into an MD-PHD ( albeit after 10 attempts ) with a 22 and a 3.07 GPA. Meaning, ANYTHING is possible. Basically, she busted her butt in research and got good enough research to counterbalance who low scores. And generally, it is tougher to get into MD-PHDs than MD.

Of course, this was the ONLY time I ever heard of such a thing, and it took 5 years ( 10 attempts ) but she eventually got in.

That's why I included the word "probably". There was a "chance" that my ticket would be the winner for the mega millions $280 million dollar jackpot, but it was not. However, somebody won. BTW, if I had won, everbody's application fees would have been on me

 

[taylor92107]

You should stick where you are. Don't you think the hassle of retaking the MCAT and reapplying, with NO guarantee you will get in (I think you'd have to raise your MCAT by a lot more than 2 points), will be just as much of a struggle?? Why put yourself through that? Just be happy you are where you are and finish your school instead of holding yourself back another 2-3 years. I'm sure there are a lot of people in med school who aren't completely happy...but they stick with it regardless.

 

[911Med]

Who thinks you need to make sure yoru mentally and physically sound?
In a real, hey, is this depression or what is going on here way. Not in a condenscending tone.
911Med is gonna be a realist here - so pardon my bluntness.
O.K. - your undergrad performance wasn't "med school caliber"
Your MCAT was below the average of 24.
Now, you are at a medical school and earning an MD degree, and are waffling a bit b/c of health problems. But bottom-line is that you are "in" and working your way through - like previous posters said, the text book part is almost over and I think AUC does all their clinicals in the US right?
Here is my worry for you...unless your illness is brought on by island fever or an allergic reaction to coconuts or the Tetse fly, I am not sure you would be able to keep your head above sea level (my use of puns overwhelms me) in a US MD school.
Think about it...let's say you were able to transfer into a school in a MD school in Chicago or Philadelphia. - Logistically you are looking at private schools with those stats (unless your Texas and your pappy is an oil baron) and private schools=lots of debt. (which you mentioned). Additionally, your on a tropical island - be honest, what is your "health" problem and how would seasonal affective disorder and -30 below zero temps affect this? No sun. Wind chill. Rain?
I may be WAY off base here - but work with me.
ALSO, any US MD school is gonna make you retake a lare percentage of those classes.
911Med says, take a semester off and do research in the US if yoru depressed or home sick, or just need to get in the right state of mind and body, but unless you want to leave an MD school and sit next to me in a post-bac/MCAT review - you need to stay where you are.
Now where is my coffee?