How to make my app stronger?

[Desperate]

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As some of you know I'm going back to school to get my second BS, since there isn't a postbacc or smp out there that will take me lol. Anyway I just wanted to ask you all what would strengthen my application, besides good grades obviously. I graduated with a 2.8, but that's behind me now. I'm putting in an application at TTU's Medical Center to volunteer for the summer and fall. I'm also planning on looking up a DO to shadow in my area. Other than that I will be fairly strapped going to classes and working as much as I can to pay for things like rent and food lol. Next year I was hoping to do some research in biology, which I have heard looks good. Oh and finally I plan on acing MCAT, one can hope for a 45 can't they?🙂 Yall have any other ideas on how to strengthen my future medical school application? For those who don't know I have 12 w's on my academic record and a few botched retakes as a result of immaturity. I've dug myself a pretty deep hole haven't I? I hope I can climb out of it. Completion time for all of this is about 2-2.5 years. Oh and how many hours of volunteering do all of you have? Thanks!

 

[Goro]

Personal growth is a good thing. Here are some other things we look for:
ability to show you can handle medical school
Interest in osteopathy
Interest in medicine
Altruism
Intellectual curiousity
Good LORs
Good MCAT performance (a <23 is a kiss of death for our AdCom)
Knowing what you're getting into
Maturity
Lack of the gunner mentality
Good coping skills
Good support group is optional, but a good thing to have.

As some of you know I'm going back to school to get my second BS, since there isn't a postbacc or smp out there that will take me lol. Anyway I just wanted to ask you all what would strengthen my application, besides good grades obviously. I graduated with a 2.8, but that's behind me now. I'm putting in an application at TTU's Medical Center to volunteer for the summer and fall. I'm also planning on looking up a DO to shadow in my area. Other than that I will be fairly strapped going to classes and working as much as I can to pay for things like rent and food lol. Next year I was hoping to do some research in biology, which I have heard looks good. Oh and finally I plan on acing MCAT, one can hope for a 45 can't they?🙂 Yall have any other ideas on how to strengthen my future medical school application? For those who don't know I have 12 w's on my academic record and a few botched retakes as a result of immaturity. I've dug myself a pretty deep hole haven't I? I hope I can climb out of it. Completion time for all of this is about 2-2.5 years. Oh and how many hours of volunteering do all of you have? Thanks!

 

[slammer922]

You may have already stumbled upon this....

http://www.hsc.unt.edu/education/tcom/admissions/Reapplicants.cfm

I found it helpful in organizing my app even tho I wasn't a reapp. I think its fairly solid.

 

[Prncssbuttercup]

Volunteering with underserved populations is good, clinical hours are better than research, and just get as many as you can for volunteer hours, as well as shadowing. Maybe get an EMT cert and get an ER job? Or get a CNA lic and get a hosp floor job...

 

[dbizzy]

On a side note, you actually don't have to finish a second bachelors degree if you don't absolutely have to.

Since you've already been accepted into the undergrad program, you can do an informal postbacc by taking classes that you feel you need to take/retake. That way, you won't feel like you've got your hands tied behind your back when you want to retake Micro and Soc101, but can't because you're schedule is already bogged down with a bunch of GE courses that will do nothing for ya.

My advisors actually recommended this path as opposed to getting a second BS/BA.

 

[Darwinism]

Or, you can spend your time studying for the MCAT and get a really good score to make up for the gpa. I've seen it done before.

 

[Kevin Baker]

How are you on standardized tests and have you taken the pre-req classes already? If you have, have you taken a practice MCAT? I'd hate for you to go through all this if that is going to be a limiting factor.

As for volunteering, its more about the experience than the hours. I refuse to go through all the red tape involved in volunteering at a hospital (seriously... since when did unpaid volunteer positions have GPA and class requirements, require multiple interviews, a 3 month application process, require you to pay for a background check, require six month contracts, etc.) but I found a really cool position working at a rehabilitation center. I got great clinical exposure and had no assigned scut work, so I recommend that route. I think I had 70 hours. Doing non clinical volunteer work looks great as well.