i swore i would never do this, but i need help

[sdguy2008]

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hi, i got my mcat score back today and im in a real funk. i need and would appreciate any advice about how i should go forward.

i applied 3 years ago with 2.65 cgpa, 2.55 sgpa and 23 mcat, rejected everywhere.

spent the last 3 years rebuilding. took 70 post bacc units (all upper division science courses at same place where i did undergrad), and finished with 3.7 gpa. now i have 2.99 gpa (cum an sci), and no more money, so that's as good as its going to get. took the 4/18 mcat and scored 10v, 10p, 8b (28Q). I am completely devastated. I was averaging 33-35 on all AAMCs, and I walked out of the test thinking I absolutely nailed biology. I scored 4 point lower than all my AAMC bio sections (just on that section alone!).

As far as EC's go, I think they are great. 1 co-author pub (medium impact), one first author pub submission with revisions (top journal). shadowing, underserved community volunteering, etc. I think great LOR's (although i havent read them). I have an interesting life story (i think so anyways) that helps explain my grades to an extent, although im not making excuses.

What are the allo prospects? I signed up for a july test date...im so disappointed in myself, the mcat was so crucial for my application and i failed.

thanks for any help.

 

[Stratego]

I'd say your allo prospects aren't good. Have you considered applying to osteopathic schools?

 

[sdguy2008]

I'd say your allo prospects aren't good. Have you considered applying to osteopathic schools?

maybe. i have some personal reasons for not choosing this route in the past (which i don't really want to get into)...and why should i take a spot in an osteo class when somebody who really wants it could have it? although in my current situation i'm starting to re-evaluate this option.

i already finished the amcas application, everything is ready...i just have to hit submit (that's why this is so crushing for me). i just dont know what to do. SMP? Apply anyway? Osteo?

oh boy...

 

[Stratego]

I thought you needed a GPA >3.0 to get into an SMP. They are very expensive and you ran out of money. If you feel the MCAT score you got is a fluke, you could submit to AMCAS listing only one school, so your transcripts can get certified. Retake the MCAT sooner. Depending on the score, you can add more schools and your entire application will be received the next business day. Meanwhile apply to osteo schools now. After all, a doctor, is a doctor, is a doctor . . . . .

If you retook any classes because of low grades the osteo application service will only include the most recent when figuring your application GPA, so it might be higher than you think for them.

Then there's the Caribbean option. But it's not a great option.

 

[sdguy2008]

I thought you needed a GPA >3.0 to get into an SMP. They are very expensive and you ran out of money. If you feel the MCAT score you got is a fluke, you could submit to AMCAS listing only one school, so your transcripts can get certified. Retake the MCAT sooner. Depending on the score, you can add more schools and your entire application will be received the next business day. Meanwhile apply to osteo schools now. After all, a doctor, is a doctor, is a doctor . . . . .

If you retook any classes because of low grades the osteo application service will only include the most recent when figuring your application GPA, so it might be higher than you think for them.

Then there's the Caribbean option. But it's not a great option.

-i don't think all of them require a 3.0, but i would have to look closer at this. and you're right, i am out of money, and would have to take out loans for an SMP, which stinks.

-you are right about this. i'll be looking closer at this the next few days as well.

-i will not be doing this.

the mcat must've been a fluke, i was just so dumbfounded when i saw that bio score.

thanks for the advice. any other comments??

 

[longhorn09]

Have you ever thought of caribbean MD schools? You should stand a chance with 3.0/28.

 

[sdguy2008]

Have you ever thought of caribbean MD schools? You should stand a chance with 3.0/28.

thanks for the input.

i won't consider the caribbean. my rationale: i knew i screwed up back in the day, and it was important for me to prove to myself (and potentially adcoms) that i am fit for this profession. things have been going well the past 3 years, and with a lot of hard work i feel like i have proved, for the most part, that i am capable of succeeding in med school, and i don't want to be held back in any way by going the FMG route. no offense to anyone who chooses this path, but it's just not for me.

i think what's a little frustrating for me is not knowing if i will be screened out by lots of schools, or if they look at the whole application. i feel like my situation is different than someone straight out of college applying with 3.0/28, but again, i don't know if i can even make it past the screening process at most schools. i think i will have to bite the bullet and take the mcat again to try and get to that ~34 score i was so sure i was going to get this last time.

 

[cpants]

Do you want to be a doctor? If so, I don't know what personal reasons would be good enough to take the DO route out of the picture. You have a real solid chance at becoming a DO, especially with them only considering the retake grades. Time to swallow your pride.

 

[Octagonecology]

Your story sounds almost identical to mine.

I applied DO and am starting in the Fall. If you really, really, really wanna be a doc you might have to be a little flexible. U.S. MD might not be in the cards. Lots of folks go foreign or such and have long fantastic wonderful careers in medicine.

Either way, best of luck to you...

 

[sdguy2008]

Do you want to be a doctor? If so, I don't know what personal reasons would be good enough to take the DO route out of the picture. You have a real solid chance at becoming a DO, especially with them only considering the retake grades. Time to swallow your pride.

i PMed you.

 

[sdguy2008]

Your story sounds almost identical to mine.

I applied DO and am starting in the Fall. If you really, really, really wanna be a doc you might have to be a little flexible. U.S. MD might not be in the cards. Lots of folks go foreign or such and have long fantastic wonderful careers in medicine.

Either way, best of luck to you...

thanks octagon. i am really going to look closely at DO and will most likely apply. just out of curiosity, what were the general responses to your application from both MD and DO schools? did you get the feeling that they were looking at your whole application, or was it just a big numbers game before the rest of your app became relevant?

to everyone so far: you guys are great for responding, thanks again.

 

[Octagonecology]

thanks octagon. i am really going to look closely at DO and will most likely apply. just out of curiosity, what were the general responses to your application from both MD and DO schools? did you get the feeling that they were looking at your whole application, or was it just a big numbers game before the rest of your app became relevant?

to everyone so far: you guys are great for responding, thanks again.

Absolutely good question. I felt that they looked at other parts of my application. I did a lot of DO shadowing and had 3 DO LOR's. I also had about 8 years of clinical experience. The grade replacement policy also helped my GPA immensely.

In the interview, they barely discussed grades/numbers. They basically wanted to know about me, why DO, what I knew about DO, etc...the difference in philosophy of DO schools is no joke...they really assess based on the whole person, not just grades. My stats were below avg. GPA 3.5 MCAT 25. The other girl in the interview had a 3.8 and a 31 in her interview but had a terrible personality and knew/cared nothing about osteopathic medicine and was very arrogant. I emailed her a few weeks later and she said she was not accepted....just food for thought.

 

[gatoradedrinker]

while your cum GPAs aren't impressive, three years of 3.7 quality work is certainly noteworthy.

if you are confident in yourself that your score will increase by 5 points (33'ish), then you should without a doubt retake. whether a 33+ and a 2.99 will get you into an allo program is still questionable, but if you can sell yourself well and explain your story in an appealing way, you may have a chance.

if however you don't feel like taking that dreaded beast again, stick with the 28Q and apply/matriculate DO.

do some soul searching.

there's no guarantee that an allo school will show you love, but considering that osteo schools value non-trad experiences, your current stats provide you with a more than solid shot at an osteo acceptance.

 

[dragonfly99]

I think you're likely looking at DO or foreign schools (? Caribbean) whichever you prefer.

You think the 28 MCAT was a fluke, but you improved from 23 to 28, which is a good improvement. Just be careful that your score doesn't go down when/if you retake. You can certainly try, but even with a low 30's MCAT I don't think you have such a great shot at US MD schools.

This may come down to your ego vs. becoming a physician. You could go to school next year in a DO school or the Caribbean, very likely. If you don't want to do that then need to consider other occupations...

 

[sdguy2008]

I think you're likely looking at DO or foreign schools (? Caribbean) whichever you prefer.

You think the 28 MCAT was a fluke, but you improved from 23 to 28, which is a good improvement. Just be careful that your score doesn't go down when/if you retake. You can certainly try, but even with a low 30's MCAT I don't think you have such a great shot at US MD schools.

This may come down to your ego vs. becoming a physician. You could go to school next year in a DO school or the Caribbean, very likely. If you don't want to do that then need to consider other occupations...

-i won't be going to the caribbean.

-it's not about ego.

-not gonna happen.

But since yesterday, i guess the dust has settled from the mcat shock and i am starting to think/plan my future more rationally. I'm reading up a lot on the DO option and will apply. Still thinking about retaking the mcat. thanks for the comments.

 

[ACGator09]

if i were you i'd go the DO route. you mentioned something about proving yourself... but the thing is that you cant "prove" yourself in one step. take smaller steps. years ago you didnt have much of a shot at any US schools, but now you do. so take that step, and do well in school. next step, if you're still so enamored with the MD route, take and kill step 1 so you can compete for a MD residency spot. after that, prepare thoroughly for your residency apps and match into a top-notch residency. and before long you'll have proven yourself.

if there's a will, there's a way, but it will be longer and more difficult. good luck buddy.