My situation...and I want honest input

[-premed-]

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Hi.
I started premed really late...just made up my mind that I definitely want to pursue medicine
Here's my situation.
I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life and I was lost...I have been doing really bad for the past three years. This includes one D in my freshmen year, B+,B- in orgo and B grades in general chem and physics. So...my current overall GPA is 3.1 and I think my science GPA is slightly lower. I am a soon-to-be a senior in Cornell University and I really regret that I didn't do any academic work for the past 3 years, wasting those three years. Even worse, since I didn't know my direction, I don't have any real health care experience. But now that I know that I definitely want to study medicine, I am very determined and focused. I will be working my ass off with much self-discipline and If I do that, I think I can bring my GPA up to 3.4ish at the time of graduation. I am very willing to study very hard for MCAT also. I think I can get health care experience from now on during breaks.

But do you guys think it's worth a try given my situation? I am really worried that those past three year very weak performance will hold me back no matter how well I do from now on. I am 100% positive that I will be doing my best from now on...but my past mistakes worry me very much. Do you think that even though I do bring up my GPA to 3.4, I take post-back program after graduation to improve my credentials?
Those B grades in science classe...C+ in microbio, B+, B- in orgo and B range grades in general chem and physics...I really regret them much...since I was lost in my direction, I wasn't motivated at all; I didn't go to class, didn't do homeworks and messed up lab reports. These are the things that brought my grade down even though I did better on the exams. Do you think that I should retake microbio, orgo and general chem?

A little background about myself...
I am 22 years old...I have lived in Korea for 15 years and started 10th grade in US. I think I achieved pretty well in high school in spite of english barrier; 1440 SAT, straight A GPA...etc. But then when i got to college, I was so lost in my life direction and agonized by that...I wasn't simply motivated to do anything. But now that I know I want to study medicine...internal medicine is what interests me...

Do you think it's worth a shot under my circumstance?
If possible, can you recommend specifically what I do now from now on to reach my goal of being a physician?
Do you think I need to take post-bac program?
What MCAT score would I need?
also...retake science classes...?

I would be really thankful if anyone could provide input.

 

[exmike]

you may need to pursue a masters of some sort, such as a MS post bacc or a MPH. I got c/d's in many many classes, applied with a 3.1 and got in many schools. I took four years off after college to boost my experiences and academics, and I did well on the MCAT. You should do something similar. If you have the drive and dedication, you can do it. It wont be easy, but it is certainly possible.

 

[MEG@COOL]

You can somewhat make up for a below average gpa with an above average MCAT. 3.4 from Cornell isnt terrible anyway. With a 3.4 and low 30's MCAT you would be a competitive applicant at many schools.

 

[size_tens]

If you are able to get straight A's your 4th year and also score 35+ on the mcat, then I'd say you would have a good shot of getting into a US MD school (which is what I'm assuming you want). Coming from Cornell will give you an edge over applicants from lesser schools. It's always nice to be able to play the Ivy League card. Your ec's and LOR's will be crucial. Try to get some good clinical experience and strong LOR's from prominent faculty members. Doing all this in one year will be tough but I think it's be possible if you want it enough.

 

[ZOT! ZOT!]

If you are able to get straight A's your 4th year and also score 35+ on the mcat, then I'd say you would have a good shot of getting into a US MD school (which is what I'm assuming you want). Coming from Cornell will give you an edge over applicants from lesser schools. It's always nice to be able to play the Ivy League card. Your ec's and LOR's will be crucial. Try to get some good clinical experience and strong LOR's from prominent faculty members. Doing all this in one year will be tough but I think it's be possible if you want it enough.

35+? What world are you living in!?! A 28 is competitve for many US MD schools!

I would say that MEG@COOL is right. A low 30's will do just fine with a 3.4 GPA, if you can get it up that high by the end of this year. Start volunteering ASAP. It doesn't have to be much, maybe 4 hours a week. I'm SURE you can tack it on to the rest of your schedule and that you don't have to do it only during breaks. You're in better shap than the people on here will have you know. Good Luck!!

 

[Pixye1]

you TOTALLY should not give up hope. If this is the dream you wish to pursue, then you'll achieve it even if you have to work harder at it. I agree with other people, you need to rock senior year. Also an above average MCAT to tell the schools that you are competent with the material. It also depends on where you want to go but to be competetive with a 3.4 GPA and a so-so transcript I would say 32 or higher. I would also recommend a masters program or a special masters program if you don't get in this round. I know georgetown has a great one or UPENN I think. THese programs gear you towards going to med school and you take classes with first years. An advisor also writes a letter of rec for you as well I think. Don't get discouraged...the most important thing is that you have the desire to achieve your dream. Goodluck!

 

[dhoonlee]

.

 

[shatter]

Unless you decide to do some post-bacc work, I wouldn't bother applying. Maybe to the lowest tier like Temple, Albany, or Drexel. I go to Cornell also. Which school are you in?

 

[chinkemon]

i'm also a rising senior at cornell... currently applying to schools. i've always wondered if it's true that cornell's known for deflating grades? mean for BioGD281 is always a B-, at least in the spring semesters when Dr. Fox teaches it for instance. also, a 3.1 from the college of engineering is not bad at all! however, a 3.1 from the college of human ecology (or hotel management) is - i would think - way below average for hum ec majors and hotelies.

 

[size_tens]

35+? What world are you living in!?! A 28 is competitve for many US MD schools!

I would say that MEG@COOL is right. A low 30's will do just fine with a 3.4 GPA, if you can get it up that high by the end of this year. Start volunteering ASAP. It doesn't have to be much, maybe 4 hours a week. I'm SURE you can tack it on to the rest of your schedule and that you don't have to do it only during breaks. You're in better shap than the people on here will have you know. Good Luck!!

Well in my world I got a 34 mcat along with a 3.3 gpa and am still sitting in waitlist purgatory. A 28 would be competitive only if coupled with a 3.7+ gpa.

 

[MoosePilot]

Well in my world I got a 34 mcat along with a 3.3 gpa and am still sitting in waitlist purgatory. A 28 would be competitive only if coupled with a 3.7+ gpa.

Did you apply to all the schools people think of as safeties?

 

[ZOT! ZOT!]

Well in my world I got a 34 mcat along with a 3.3 gpa and am still sitting in waitlist purgatory. A 28 would be competitive only if coupled with a 3.7+ gpa.

Once you get the interviews, it's all about personality and being genuine. Did you do mock interviews? Were you prepared for that part of the application process?

 

[-premed-]

I am in Arts and Science.
I was in Engineering first and then transferred to Arts and Science in my sophomore year.

Also, I am a NJ resident.
How competitive would I be at robert wood and new jersey medical if I have 3.4 GPA and low 30 MCAT?

 

[BananaSplit]

I'm just curious to what happened recently that gave you direction? Why did you decide to go into medicine all of a sudden? What sort of experiences have you had that lead you to believe that medicine is right for you?

 

[-premed-]

This didn't happen all of a sudden.
I have been dreaming about being a physician since high school when I volunteered in upstate medical university during summer between my junior year and senior year. But when I got to college, I just had my really down times and I was really messed up. But not I want to straighten myself up and go for career that I wanted to do. But I am just worried that my down times are going to hold me back no matter how hard I work from now on.

 

[BananaSplit]

If your goal is to get into a US accredited medical school, rock the MCATs, write a truly awesome PS (perhaps addressing why you haven't been doing so well for the first three years), get some more recent clinical experience and you'll have a decent shot.

A post-bac is a good idea if you really want to make sure you have a good shot. Or maybe a masters...MPH?

I think schools will be wondering 1) What happened during the first three years and 2) Is that all over? Can this applicant sustain a high level of performance for at least the next four years?

If you can address those two questions to their satisfaction, then you have a good chance.

 

[size_tens]

Once you get the interviews, it's all about personality and being genuine. Did you do mock interviews? Were you prepared for that part of the application process?

I think 2 out of my 3 interviews went quite well. Admissions committee members from both schools where I am waitlisted have indicated that I still have a good chance of gaining admission. It seems that my low gpa was what put me on the waitlist due to the schools' standardized applicant scoring systems. Looking back on the process I probably didn't apply to enough schools. I sent out 17 secondaries but many of them were reach schools for me.