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lost and confused!! help meeeeeeeee pleasseee
- Thread starter Neha25
- Start date
I think you have an impressive EC list 
very impressive!! totally top noch! And your MCAT score is quite competitive...especially the jump from 26 to 32. I think they do look at the 26, however, the take the 32. I think it's only after taking 3 mcat tests that they start averaging.
However, I don't think you should apply because of your low GPA. I think you might have had a better chance if you had applied a lot earlier because of your EC and MCAT score. But I was advised to only apply this late if you have a high GPA and was waiting to improve your MCAT score. It is, afterall, based on rolling basis...so it's quite cut throat.
I think that you can do either one option.
(1) Continue taking courses at your undergrad institution:
PROS:
- you can improve your undergrad science and cum GPA (masters is grad gpa)...if you stay for one more year, you can change it to at least a 3.4 cum--and that's impressive at an IVY leag school. I think med schools would accept a person who has a 3.5 at a non-ivy leag school to a 3.2 ivy leag school.
- you can continue participating in your impressive research
- obtain amazing letters of rec
- cheep since you have a good financial aid package
CONS:
- i'm sure it must have been difficult enough for you to get a 3.16 at an ivy league.
(2) Get your masters
PROS:
- taking courses alongside medical schools shows schools that you can really make it
- having a high grad gpa is looked upon highly
CONS:
- if you apply, schools would want some current letters of rec ~ and you seem to have better ones at the ivy league.
- expensive
Hopefully that helps.
very impressive!! totally top noch! And your MCAT score is quite competitive...especially the jump from 26 to 32. I think they do look at the 26, however, the take the 32. I think it's only after taking 3 mcat tests that they start averaging. However, I don't think you should apply because of your low GPA. I think you might have had a better chance if you had applied a lot earlier because of your EC and MCAT score. But I was advised to only apply this late if you have a high GPA and was waiting to improve your MCAT score. It is, afterall, based on rolling basis...so it's quite cut throat.
I think that you can do either one option.
(1) Continue taking courses at your undergrad institution:
PROS:
- you can improve your undergrad science and cum GPA (masters is grad gpa)...if you stay for one more year, you can change it to at least a 3.4 cum--and that's impressive at an IVY leag school. I think med schools would accept a person who has a 3.5 at a non-ivy leag school to a 3.2 ivy leag school.
- you can continue participating in your impressive research
- obtain amazing letters of rec
- cheep since you have a good financial aid package
CONS:
- i'm sure it must have been difficult enough for you to get a 3.16 at an ivy league.
(2) Get your masters
PROS:
- taking courses alongside medical schools shows schools that you can really make it
- having a high grad gpa is looked upon highly
CONS:
- if you apply, schools would want some current letters of rec ~ and you seem to have better ones at the ivy league.
- expensive
Hopefully that helps.
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i think you should apply this year, and no there is no special treatment for us (except if you share the same school with your interviewer).. I was in your situation last year, I applied to alot but didnt get in. I dont think it was detrimental to me because now im going to a masters program where I know it will be important to get a good rec letter. But to me I think my previous applications wont hurt me, if anybody asks I can only give positive feedback..." I am determined, more mature, and now know I have to work for what I want" I think you should go for if you feel confident in doing so. If your not, make sure you have something to do this year.
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Have you asked a premed/career advisor at UPenn what to do? There's some good advice available here, but given your tough situation, I'd get input from someone who has a lot of experience navigating through these kinds of decisions, if you haven't already. Good luck!
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yeah im in a similar position, i'd advise just going for the MAMS program. especially if you've already taken a lot of upper division science courses, especially given BU-MAMS' success rate, which is quite high.
i think if you were to show that you could perform really well in medical school courses that it would carry a lot more weight than just taking more grad level classes.
i'm in a similar position, where i didn't do as well in the introductory premed reqs, but i did better my upper level science courses. it is sort of unfair that being at an ivy, that the competition is a lot more intense than most state schools, but i think most adcoms take that into consideration. for example, i know there are some people who get Cs in orgo here and have gotten into medical school. a couple Cs at an ivy shouldn't deter you from applying.
i think if you were to show that you could perform really well in medical school courses that it would carry a lot more weight than just taking more grad level classes.
i'm in a similar position, where i didn't do as well in the introductory premed reqs, but i did better my upper level science courses. it is sort of unfair that being at an ivy, that the competition is a lot more intense than most state schools, but i think most adcoms take that into consideration. for example, i know there are some people who get Cs in orgo here and have gotten into medical school. a couple Cs at an ivy shouldn't deter you from applying.
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Hey Neha,
i answered your post about the HG at tulane in another thread. You went to penn? I went to drexel, and we're both thinking about tulane! Do you want to get into a top-tier medical school or do you just want to get into medical school? If you're just looking at medical school I think that you should definately apply this year. You could send in your semseter and then final transcript to the medical schools during the year.
i answered your post about the HG at tulane in another thread. You went to penn? I went to drexel, and we're both thinking about tulane! Do you want to get into a top-tier medical school or do you just want to get into medical school? If you're just looking at medical school I think that you should definately apply this year. You could send in your semseter and then final transcript to the medical schools during the year.
Neha25 said:ohhh, thats a great analysis, thank u shareesh! i didn't think of that-- am i going to need letters of recc from my MA's program even after only being enrolled for one semester? that's going to be hard to get. i'm having a rough time thinking of science prof's to give me a good LOR as is it, because they dont know me as well as my research PI's. also, is it weird if i have amazing LOR from research PIs and
just ok LOR from science profs in college?
my college was UPenn. it was a tough school, and i would think that med schools would really take that into account if i had all B's, but if i'm carrying around several C's, are they still going to give me a break because it was a good college? i did better in upper level science courses, but those initial grades still hurt.
are you going to the BU MAMS program too djyujin? are ur stats like mine? what do u think of my 5th year or another semester of college ideavs. or in addition to bu's mams? thank u!
