LECOM vs Midwestern? Please help!

[buckeyegirl2922]

Hey guys,
So I need some help in the decision making process. I have applied to 3 post bac programs and got into 2 (still waiting on the 3rd which was the university of toledo). I was accepted to Midwestern’s 1 year MA program, and LECOM’s 1 year post bac. I think I like Midwestern better, but LECOM has a conditional acceptance to med school, where as Midwestern only guarantees an interview.
So, my stats: I’m a 23 year old with a 3.42 GPA (3.16 sGPA) with a 29S on my MCAT. Have hospital research experience (worked at children’s hospital this past year) and lots of shadowing and ECs. I applied to DO/MD schools this year and did not get in.
So I guess my question is, with my stats and a strong performance in the postbac, should I get in somewhere if I don’t have the guaranteed acceptance? I really loved Midwestern and was not a huge fan of the size of LECOM’s campus or the dress code. I also like that you actually get a master’s degree from Midwestern (LECOM is a certificate). However, I want to be a doctor more than anything and want to make sure that happens…So I don’t want to make the wrong decision.
Does anyone have any advice about what I should do with my stats and current options? Any help would be appreciated!!!!

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[Pisiform]

LECOM also offers only the interview not guaranteed acceptance if you have 23/3.0, and most of them with that stats get accepted unless they did not do anything stupid during their postbac that raised lecom's eyebrow like idk DUI ?

 

[thecgrblue]

LECOM is a no-brainer.

1) direct feed to the school (MWU does not and outright say so)
2) tuition is $17k less. YES....$17k less!!!!

That was all I needed.

The degree doesn't matter. Your goal is med school and a Masters of Arts in a science field isn't going to get you a job anywhere if you decide not to.

Is no dress code really worth $17k to you?

 

[buckeyegirl2922]

I'm confused by your reply. What do you mean MWU does not and outright say so? I was told by admissions and in all of my matriculation paperwork, that if I get a 3.0 I will have an interview at their med school...
And I agree the cost is much better at LECOM. It is not the dress code that is keeping me from going. I just liked Midwestern more (the campus, the course layout, the fact that it is a larger campus with more students, and yes, the lack of a dress code). So no, I agree that a dress code is not worth 17k, but really liking where I am going to be for 5 years vs not enjoying it is probably worth the 17k. That's what is creating my delay. Picking the school I like better, or the school that is cheaper and has a near automatic med admission.

 

[thecgrblue]

Sorry for the confusion, I will clarify a bit then.

Here is the response I received from admissions:

Hi thecgrblue [changed obviously].

Yes, the work you do in the MA program will be taken into consideration went you apply to the DO program. We don't have a "guaranteed" interview with being in the MA program. If your GPA meets within the range of being competitive for the DO program you could get an interview. There's no guarantees [bold added].

Thank you,
Mike Pralle

Also, consider 4 years of tuition after the post-bac.

MWU-$52,635
LECOM-$32k-ish (sorry, didn't look it up)

That is $80k different over 4 years! YIKES!!!

I went through the same process deciding between the 2 schools. I live close to AZ now and have extended family there. However, airfare multiple times a year is still less than a $100k difference in tuition over 5 years. You just gotta decide what are the most important aspects of a medical school (and in this discussion post-bac as well) for you.

I am willing to sacrifice location for; decent match history, tuition, and best chance to eventually matriculate somewhere.
I'm not dead set on LECOM after post-bac, if I get in elsewhere I may attend, but it is great to have very clear options.

Best of luck! Just wanted to point out some things to help you see the decision from other angles. I'd suggest going to the open house at LECOM in June. A $400 plane ticket to make a big decision is a drop in the bucket compared to what you're going to be spending.

 

[Dharma]

I'm gonna play devil's advocate here:

How early and how broadly did you apply MD/DO last year? Any interview invites? With those stats it seems as if you should be getting more bites (assuming June 1st submit and applying to every D.O. school and a bunch of lower tiered MD, although they may be a stretch unless you're URM), so I'm thinking you didn't have the apps out as early as possible.

I say give it one more shot at the regular application cycle, that is have your primary sent on opening day, and have everything for your secondaries ready to roll before they even give you the go ahead! Before that, ask yourself why you don't have an acceptance in hand right now. You have better stats than a lot of people who have acceptances already.

Postbac is a bit of a risk... a lot more of a gamble than waiting a year and taking your chances with another cycle. If you don't get that 3.0 you're up $hit's creek without a paddle, and at best with a sail that has holes in it, on your way to get Lost in the Caribbean. And do keep this in mind: A 3.0 in undergrad is a joke; a 3.0 in one of these postbacc programs will take just about everything you have. So are you ready to roll dem dice yet?

Apply early and broadly and give it another go. When it comes time to pick a school, trust your gut. If location is more important to you than tuition, then go with that. All in all it should be the bigger picture, i.e. a combination of all factors that leads you to your final decision.

Happy huntings.

 

[Dharma]

To add to what I wrote above: try posting your story in the low GPA threads and see what some of the big dogs say (Dr. Midlife, Robflanker, etc). They usually have pretty solid advice.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=125347&page=57

 

[buckeyegirl2922]

I'm gonna play devil's advocate here:

How early and how broadly did you apply MD/DO last year? Any interview invites? With those stats it seems as if you should be getting more bites (assuming June 1st submit and applying to every D.O. school and a bunch of lower tiered MD, although they may be a stretch unless you're URM), so I'm thinking you didn't have the apps out as early as possible.

I say give it one more shot at the regular application cycle, that is have your primary sent on opening day, and have everything for your secondaries ready to roll before they even give you the go ahead! Before that, ask yourself why you don't have an acceptance in hand right now. You have better stats than a lot of people who have acceptances already.

Postbac is a bit of a risk... a lot more of a gamble than waiting a year and taking your chances with another cycle. If you don't get that 3.0 you're up $hit's creek without a paddle, and at best with a sail that has holes in it, on your way to get Lost in the Caribbean. And do keep this in mind: A 3.0 in undergrad is a joke; a 3.0 in one of these postbacc programs will take just about everything you have. So are you ready to roll dem dice yet?

Apply early and broadly and give it another go. When it comes time to pick a school, trust your gut. If location is more important to you than tuition, then go with that. All in all it should be the bigger picture, i.e. a combination of all factors that leads you to your final decision.

Happy huntings.

Yeah. I would agree with this approach, but this is what I tried last year. This was my second application cycle. Didnt get apps in on june 1st, but was done in early july. I still didn't get any interviews though. So I think postbac is gonna be what I have to do. I don't want to go another year without enhancing my app. So I htink I am going to do a post bac, but also submit a bumch of apps on June 1st this year. Has anyone done LECOM or Midwestern (IL) MABS? Any input appreciated?

 

[thecgrblue]

Search feature on the top right of the main page will lead you to numerous threads that will contain input from students that were/are current. There are a lot of posts about LECOM and a decent number on MWU.

 

[pancakesyrup]

I'd go with LECOM.