Lilyjunior
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- Joined
- Jul 8, 2020
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Hi everyone,
I am a 2nd year PhD student in mech/aerospace engineering planning to apply to med school in the next application cycle. For this reason, I am thinking of leaving with a masters degree after the fall semester (that is, it means I will have spent 2 and half years in graduate school). I have already been awarded the Master of Arts degree in June (the MA in our school is awarded to anyone in the PhD program who passed the qualifying exam). And the primary reason I am staying next semester is because I need to take the biochemistry requirement to apply. Our school also awards the Master of Science degree for those who haven't been awarded the MA and write a thesis. Given that I have done enough research to write a masters of science thesis, I feel like it might be better if I push to ask to get the MS and see if our department can make an exception.
First question is how much difference would it make to get an MS as opposed to leaving with the MA in my situation?
Second question: I am technically allowed to stay next semester bc i am still in the phd program. If they don't allow me to do the MS, I am terminating my phd enrollment next semester. And my transcript will show an extra semester after the MA was awarded. And I am worried it might perhaps raise a question on commitment and not finishing what I started. How much worried should I be about this??
Undergrad major: Mechanical engineering/Aerospace eng minor from T30
sGPA: 3.87, cGPA: 3.88
grad GPA: 3.87 from an Ivy (again in Mech and aerospace eng)
Haven't taken the MCAT yet
Plenty of shadowing experiences, around 2 years of research experience, a reasonable amount of non clinical volunteering, not so many clincial experiences yet. I am thinking of starting a clinical job in January.
Last question, will an MCAT score of 518 be good enough to apply to T10 schools?
Thank you in advance!!!
@Goro
I am a 2nd year PhD student in mech/aerospace engineering planning to apply to med school in the next application cycle. For this reason, I am thinking of leaving with a masters degree after the fall semester (that is, it means I will have spent 2 and half years in graduate school). I have already been awarded the Master of Arts degree in June (the MA in our school is awarded to anyone in the PhD program who passed the qualifying exam). And the primary reason I am staying next semester is because I need to take the biochemistry requirement to apply. Our school also awards the Master of Science degree for those who haven't been awarded the MA and write a thesis. Given that I have done enough research to write a masters of science thesis, I feel like it might be better if I push to ask to get the MS and see if our department can make an exception.
First question is how much difference would it make to get an MS as opposed to leaving with the MA in my situation?
Second question: I am technically allowed to stay next semester bc i am still in the phd program. If they don't allow me to do the MS, I am terminating my phd enrollment next semester. And my transcript will show an extra semester after the MA was awarded. And I am worried it might perhaps raise a question on commitment and not finishing what I started. How much worried should I be about this??
Undergrad major: Mechanical engineering/Aerospace eng minor from T30
sGPA: 3.87, cGPA: 3.88
grad GPA: 3.87 from an Ivy (again in Mech and aerospace eng)
Haven't taken the MCAT yet
Plenty of shadowing experiences, around 2 years of research experience, a reasonable amount of non clinical volunteering, not so many clincial experiences yet. I am thinking of starting a clinical job in January.
Last question, will an MCAT score of 518 be good enough to apply to T10 schools?
Thank you in advance!!!
@Goro