I need help!!!! Help!!! Please

[Hopeatlast]

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Hey everyone,

I am going to graduate from UC Berkeley next year (May 07) and i have a horrible GPA (2.93overall, 2.85 for my sciences according to AMACS) and i took last MCAT exam get 17 and 20 respectively. I know i messed up, and i am in the application process right now. I am STILL doing my secondaries i hope i can get into a med school next year, b/c i did a lot of researches (no publications) and a lot of volunteer works. I also have strong letter of rec from my professors. And here comes my questions first of all do you think that i can make into med school for next year(07). If i can't, do you think i should do a postbac program? If so, which programs are the best to fit my stituation, b/c i heard a lot of them dont' take science major students, and they also refuse to take people who already took the MCAT in past two years. Oh, i major in MCB (molecular cell biology) at berkeley. I SERIOUS NEED HELP right now. Please give me some advises, any advises will do.

Thank you so much.

 

[RaaMD]

First of all, I think you should take a deep breath and try to relax a bit. Please remember that if you want to go to medical school you can make it even though it may not be in the US or be an Allopathic medical school. Your MCAT scores need improvement. I'm surprised that you chose to apply with these scores since they are significantly below what medical schools would be expecting. You have a few choices: you can take a post-bac with undergraduate classes and try to raise your GPA which will take you a considerable amount of time or you can take a SMP that could prove that you could handle the medical school rigors. Even with the SMP or improved undergraduate GPA, the odds are against you. You need to take your MCAT again in order to be competitve. To be blunt with you I think you should save your money and cut your losses now. I apologize if this sounds offensive, but save it for a later and better time when you can present yourself more competitively. Keep on striving though, and keep your dream alive, even though it may not happen as soon as you would like.

Hey everyone,

I am going to graduate from UC Berkeley next year (May 07) and i have a horrible GPA (2.93overall, 2.85 for my sciences according to AMACS) and i took last MCAT exam get 17 and 20 respectively. I know i messed up, and i am in the application process right now. I am STILL doing my secondaries i hope i can get into a med school next year, b/c i did a lot of researches (no publications) and a lot of volunteer works. I also have strong letter of rec from my professors. And here comes my questions first of all do you think that i can make into med school for next year(07). If i can't, do you think i should do a postbac program? If so, which programs are the best to fit my stituation, b/c i heard a lot of them dont' take science major students, and they also refuse to take people who already took the MCAT in past two years. Oh, i major in MCB (molecular cell biology) at berkeley. I SERIOUS NEED HELP right now. Please give me some advises, any advises will do.

Thank you so much.

 

[Hopeatlast]

First of all, i must say thank you for the reply that RaaMD give to me. I am definitely can the MCAT again. And i was wondering which post-bac program fit me the best (do you have a list) I am a Californai resident. Any good program in CA that fit me, because a lot of post-bac program only takes non-science major student. I want to go to a pos-bac program that can rise my GPA. Thank you.

 

[sendwich]

hey there, you should think about doing BU's MAMS. i also had crappy ug gpa (2.77) upon applying while doing a postbac on my own. i think since you're so close to getting to a 3.0, you should try to take as many upper division scienc courses AND MAKE SURE YOU GET A's!!!! B's will not do you any good.

since you're a new grad, i think, more than anything, it will probably help to take a few years off (1 at least) and just experience life. taking some time off will help not just you but your app.

if that's not an option, start taking DIY (do it yourself) post bac courses and do an SMP (BU or Georgetown....but georgetown likes to see their applicants with at least a 27 i hear). you want to go into these programs, wherever you go, with at least a 3.0.

gluck!

 

[relentless11]

First of all, i must say thank you for the reply that RaaMD give to me. I am definitely can the MCAT again. And i was wondering which post-bac program fit me the best (do you have a list) I am a Californai resident. Any good program in CA that fit me, because a lot of post-bac program only takes non-science major student. I want to go to a pos-bac program that can rise my GPA. Thank you.

The good news is your GPA qualifies you to get into the UC post-bacc programs, however your MCAT score would not. For the most part, the GPA requirement is 2.7-2.9, while the MCAT requirement is at least an 8 on each section. Therefore if you want to stay in CA, you may have to go with a post-bacc at a CSU, or as gh said, do a "do it yourself" program. I recommend that you do additional searches since all the UC post-bacc programs were for either science or non-science majors. So you must've skipped them or something. However I must note that UC post-bacc programs are aimed towards disadvantaged students.

Finding classes to take to boost your GPA is easy, aslong as you have time and money. I went the UCD Extension route so I could stay at UCD. However it is critical that you figure out: (1) how to maintain a 3.5-4.0 GPA in all of your coursework from here on out, and (2) getting an MCAT score above 30. However I must warn that statistically speaking, those that take the MCAT more than once usually do not improve their score by much. You need to realistically determine what can you do, and then go from there. Therefore, before you jump into the post-bacc scene, REALLY think about what happened, because an MCAT score of 20 given your GPA is quite surprising given your academic background. Sounds like you had close to a B- average, so you should've acheived an average composite score of 24-26 (generally speaking).

Anyway, in conclusion: (1) figure out how to do well in class and on the MCAT...its easier said than done, believe me, I had to spend time figuring that out too, (2) take a full-time courseload of upper division science classes to boost your GPA, (3) retake the MCAT and get a score of 30 or higher. Yes, 30 or higher...because given the average score for matriculants is 28-30, and for those Californians who get into a UC, on average they have a 33! Its certainly an uphill battle, but certainly not impossible aslong as you find the best way to excel in your classes. The ways to improve ones stats are always plentiful, but actually doing well in school and on the MCAT is a whole different ball game. Good luck!

 

[Hopeatlast]

Thank you so so much for the replies that gh and relentless gave to me. It helps alot. But i was wondering if i am going to take DIY post-bac, which California state university is the best one to do it. My home close to San Jose State University, have anyone heard anything about post-bac in SJSU. I got C's in all my Ochem classes, do you think i should retake my OChem, or it's not allow(b/c I passed the classes) And does anyone know the successful rate of DIY post-bac compare to a formal post-bac Program

Can someone tell me more about BU's MAMS and SMP in BU and Gerogetown, plase?

I heard there is a linkage program, do you think my stat can qualify for those program?

Thank you so much for helping me.

 

[relentless11]

Thank you so so much for the replies that gh and relentless gave to me. It helps alot. But i was wondering if i am going to take DIY post-bac, which California state university is the best one to do it. My home close to San Jose State University, have anyone heard anything about post-bac in SJSU. I got C's in all my Ochem classes, do you think i should retake my OChem, or it's not allow(b/c I passed the classes) And does anyone know the successful rate of DIY post-bac compare to a formal post-bac Program

Can someone tell me more about BU's MAMS and SMP in BU and Gerogetown, plase?

I heard there is a linkage program, do you think my stat can qualify for those program?

Thank you so much for helping me.

SJSU is a perfectly fine institution. I think they even have a post-bacc program. It should be on the AAMC website. As for retaking OChem, if you intend to just apply to allopathic schools, then I would lean away from retaking it. If you want to go to ostepathic schools too, then retaking it would be fine.

As for DIY post-bacc vs. formal ones, if really depends on how motivated you are as a student rather than what program you go to assuming the post-bacc programs that we're talking about don't have linkage. Obviously those that link you to a med school will be better...haha. But if you maintain a 4.0 GPA in upper division coursework at SJSU vs. 4.0 course work at UCSF's post-bacc program.....then there's no difference. For one thing, UCSF's post-bacc program, albeit having the UCSF name, is actually done at SF State..haha. Same goes with doing post-bacc via UCD Extension, vs. UCD's formal post-bacc program. You may ultimately hear that formal programs have a "higher success rate" because they publish their results, while DIY post-bacc's don't really publish their results...

 

[hopesofmedicine]

look into lecom's post bac. it's great! good luck!

 

[greenivy]

If/when you retake the MCAT you might want to consider taking advantage of a preparatory program like Kaplan. That can make a significant difference. Good luck!

 

[daeojkim]

I would recommend on improving on your MCAT score more than anything else. Even if you get 4.0 during next year or two, it will not matter if you continue to score in the low 20's in MCAT. Since MCAT will be 3rd time, it would be wise to score above 30. All of your previous scores will be reported in your application and the last thing the ADCOM would want to see is 3 MCAT scores in the 20's and 10's.

Study MCAT for the next 6 months like hell using MCAT course materials (Kaplan, Priceton review, etc). If you can't crack 28 to 30 in your next MCAT, you don't have much of a chance in allopathic schools. Do as many problems as you can get your hands on and read explanation in solutions. Try not to do problems that do not have explanation to the answers at the beginning.

If you can get about 28 or above in next MCAT, and very high GPA in about a year or more worth of full time course work, then you may have a shot at osteopathic schools.

Your research and volunteer work are secondary to GPA and MCAT score so at this point they will not help much in your application.