Is anyone else a 5 year undergrad and a transfer??

[firebird69guy]

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I'm wondering if anyone has had problems getting into medical school coming from a junior college.

Quick bio:
I went to a JC for 3 years before transferring to UC Davis (as a junior). My grades were good (3.7 GPA) but I just had to take a lot of prereqs because I came from a private Christian high school that didn't give much opportunity to excel in bio, physics, chem and math. So I basically started at the bottom at a JC... After transferring to UC Davis, I majored in Neurobiology Physiology and Behavior with a 3.67 overall GPA after graduating with lots of research, some clinical experience and 1 publication (second author). My BCMP GPA is approximately 3.6. After a 26R on the April 2004 MCAT (10P 9B 7V), I am retaking April 2005 (didnt apply in 2004).

So with my 5 year plan, taking about 12-16 units per semester/quarter, am I at a disadvantage? I know some people that have in 5 years have graduated with a double major... They've done 2 majors in the time it took me to do 1.

Any feedback will be appreciated.

 

[sistermike]

I wouldn't worry too much about that. I haven't graduated yet, but I will be a 5 year undergrad as well. I am a 5 year because I switched majors during my sophomore year, but I know people who were 5 year undergrads and got into med school just fine. A few schools brought it up and asked why, but they told them the truth that they either switched majors, had to do different core classes at their new transfer school, or whatever the reason may be. As long as you are a solid candidate, I don't think admission committees will care much about the fact that you spent 5 years in undergrad rather than 4.

 

[Steiner]

I took 6 years to graduate with one major. I ended up with 2 minors, but that was not a goal of mine, it just happened from taking a lot of pre-med courses. I got an interview this year, but no acceptances. My years in undergrad never came up. It sounds like your way better of than me. Better GPA, more of a hard science major. I would have applied last year to a state school with your stats. If you pull your MCAT up with a retake, you should be solid at a lot of places.

 

[Drakensoul]

I was a dual-enrollment student at a JC and transferred to the university as a junior as well; the pre-health advisor at UF (actually, two of them) told me that I would be at a DIS-advantage were I to apply on a normal schedule.

They said that it would be beneficial to take another year (making me a 5-year undergrad as well) to show that I wasn't 'rushing through' and that I could maintain my GPA in the face of the 'rigors of a university setting' as opposed to a JC. I decided to get a dual-degree in something to at least try and make the extra time worthwhile, but yeah, you guys are implying that it's actually a detriment? How confusing...