mcat blues can turn around

[cheesypoofs]

okay, i have taken the mcat 7 times, yes 7, i had a liberal arts backround and decided because of a cancer scare(benign tumor) that i wanted to be doctor. Major life change, took the mcat got a 16, only had one biology under my belt, brought it up to a 23 (this would be the 5th and 6th time i took it) and got rejected to schools. got a clinical job that paid about 35K a year not bad with just a bachelors. I learned so much, after the rejection the dean at my local med school said go back and do a master's, i'm now doing that maintaining hight GPA, lots of volunteer work, etc. I checked my mCAT friday and it was straight sevens and a q in writing, I immediately e-mailed the dean whose in the same building and he said to come see him. I thought for sure he was going to say you gave it your best shot. Instead he told me to apply for 2004 and he guaranteed me an interview, yes he promised me, because he had seen all the sacrifices i had made to come this far, it has been 6 years since i made the descision to become a doctor. I have done everything in my control, but the MCAT is not in my control ( i have never tested well on those types of tests but have always done very well in school). So, he told me that i don't have to ever take the mcat again and i am guaranteed an interview with his full support, so now it is up to me. My message is to all you guys, if you really want it you must make sacrifices and make them apparent to your adcom people. I finally feel that someone is going to take a chance on me regardless of the mcat, and this is an allopathic medical in the united states. if i can do it anybody can!

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[Dr. Wall$treet]

wow anyone who takes the mcat 7 times should hvae a slot waiting for them in med school.. hell that is some motivation.. i thought i was tough **** for doign it twice.. goodluck

 

[rpames]

If seven times does not save you a spot in med school, it atleast saves you a spot in heaven because you already did your time in HELL!!!

 

[ESchnapp]

You are my hero. Thank you for your post. I thought I was feeling horrible and hopeless. I just got my scores back from August (1st time). I basically failed in verbal. Cant even post it. If you can do it 7 times then I can surely dust my self off and do it again. Thank you
Good luck future MD

 

[Green912]

Best of luck Cheesy! I think you're the most persistant person I've heard about yet.

 

[Veilside]

cheesy-what medical school are you talking about?

 

[cheesypoofs]

i'm sorry i don't that would be too wise to tell you what state or school. but i am a state resident and gotten to know the dean personally for the past few years. the deans are more accessible than most people realize. good luck

 

[Kovox]

Dude, you are awesome.
Persistance pays off!

I wish you the best of luck and success!

 

[lotanna]

Originally posted by cheesypoofs
i'm sorry i don't that would be too wise to tell you what state or school. but i am a state resident and gotten to know the dean personally for the past few years. the deans are more accessible than most people realize. good luck

I know exactly what u mean, i've taken the mcat 3 times, and have over the years gotten to know the dean because i work at the med schl. My undergrad GPA was low, but because of perseverance(I'm doing a masters now), and through personal contact, the dean says she'll talk to adm commitee about my lower bio and phys score, since my verbal is above average. She has gotten to know me, and can vouch for my character and personality. I remember tellin her I want to be a surgeon, and she said my personality seemed more like a pediatrician cause I'm a people person.
I've been talking and meeting with her for 2.5yrs now, she knows all my struggles, or as she says, my "MCAT saga", the ups and downs of my grades, every new volunteer experience, personal accomplishments.

There's hope, top people in admin are people just like u and me, and are very friendly when u take the time (and effort) to know them. If anything, it tells me I've accomplished a lot when the dean knows me, my name personally, and even went over my AMCAS application, yes everything, personal statement, even experiences and all. This process is hard, but there is a way out!!!

Goodluck, I wish u all the best chessy, pls keep us posted, and I'll do likewise!!!

 

[cheesypoofs]

I am glad to here you are fighting your way through this process, too. I am doing my Master's in neurobiology, how about you? while samoa wrote this is not guarranteed admission just because i have an interview, well, of course its not. the dean specifically gave me a list of about 10 things to do so i will tell you these things to give your more ++++ on you application. because when we apply we won't have the committee saying oh but she/he has a hight mcat. but i think many schools (atleast the one i'm applying too) interview blindly. meaning the committee does not have your stats until after the interview. so here are some things you can do:

1. attend seminars out of your department, that you are not required to go to, you never know if one committee member might remember you attending their departments seminars when you were not required, too

2. attend one grand rounds per week

3. every couple of weeks read an article from JAMA to keep you updated on hot topics in medicine

4. read books, see plays, etc. the dean here told me, more well rounded is better these days and they have asked people what the most recent book they read was and why they read it.

5. get as many people as you can to vouch for you.

So when are you applying?

 

[lotanna]

Originally posted by cheesypoofs
I am glad to here you are fighting your way through this process, too. I am doing my Master's in neurobiology, how about you? while samoa wrote this is not guarranteed admission just because i have an interview, well, of course its not. the dean specifically gave me a list of about 10 things to do so i will tell you these things to give your more ++++ on you application. because when we apply we won't have the committee saying oh but she/he has a hight mcat. but i think many schools (atleast the one i'm applying too) interview blindly. meaning the committee does not have your stats until after the interview. so here are some things you can do:

1. attend seminars out of your department, that you are not required to go to, you never know if one committee member might remember you attending their departments seminars when you were not required, too

2. attend one grand rounds per week

3. every couple of weeks read an article from JAMA to keep you updated on hot topics in medicine

4. read books, see plays, etc. the dean here told me, more well rounded is better these days and they have asked people what the most recent book they read was and why they read it.

5. get as many people as you can to vouch for you.

So when are you applying?

I'm doing a masters in epidemiology, and so we're kinda made to read medical articles for class every week. We have to attend biweekly seminars in our dept which is affiliated with the med schl I worked with a prof as his teaching assistant and he's also on my schl's admissions commitee, and is writing a letter for me. My boss who is also an assistant dean in the med schl is wriing a letter for me as well. I love reading, and writing, won many national poetry contests, I play basketball, love sports. I've many volunteer, clinical and non clinical, currently volunteering at a cancer hospital.
I already sent my AMCAS application a month ago, got GW secondary, waiting for others. Just got my August MCAT, that was my 3rd try, and it wasn't all that, my bio and physical sciences were on the lower side, but verbal was quite good. I applied to 10 including my schl, and they interview without knowing ur mcat and grades as well, its just u and them.

Goodnes sthis process is hard, I hope something comes out as well for u chessypoofs, and i pray likewise for myself. Keep hope alive!!!

 

[Thewonderer]

YOu probably knew this already, but I would suggest applying to many other schools (lower-tier privated schools, DO schools or even St. George's). It is bad to leave all eggs in one basket.

 

[dph201]

Wow!!!! Cheesy you are definately an inspiration. I wish you all the best and I will keep my fingers crossed for you.

Ps- I pm'd you

 

[siempre595]

Go cheesypoofs GO
I've been through some hell with that test also, and getting past it, no matter how much work you have to do, is incredibly rewarding. I don't think I could have done it 7 times; I am inspired by how much you want this.