Need Pre-medical Advice Fall of 2019 (kinesiologist)

[pgallos]

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I need some advice and a straight conversation on my future plans:


-I am a 23 year old post undergraduate (kinesiology and health) currently applying to medical School (DO) for the 2019 term.


-My accumulative GPA is a 3.05 with my science GPA also a 3.05.


- I have 3 out of 4 years kinesiology based research experience with Iowa state university kinesiology and health department (worked on two publications)


-I have 100's of hours of community service, volunteer, philanthropy, and leader ship positions within my the Greek system (fraternities and local community)


-100's of clinical hours working as a CNA. Shadowing APN, RN's, LPN's, doctors and administrators.


-I worked one job all through college, in between classes, and worked two jobs my last year in school. Devoting all my weekends to health care.


-Over 100 hours of shadowing a DO-Wound surgeon from my college of choice (he is writing my letter of rec)


-a ton of on campus involvement one being a nationally titled judo athlete (practiced 4 times a week 3 hours a day to achieve this) plus much more I just don't want to toot my horn.


-I have contacted admissions counselors for all my schools I will be applying to for an honest chat. Many were impressed with the amount of things I completed while in college and commended my dedication. They have given me good feedback but I know they don't make decisions on my potential as an applicant


-I have yet to take the MCAT. I am scheduled to do so this august. My last diagnostic after studying for one month was a 486 which I know is a low score but I am on the up rise.


I would like to know what more I can do to better myself as an applicant.


This is a very stressful time as we all know and I just want a little guidance. I am aiming for a minimum of a 500 on the MCAT. A few colleges I am applying to told to get in touch with them personally when I get my MCAT score back to reevaluate what it means to be me. I want a chance I just don’t want someone to decide failure for me. My whole life has lead up to this and being the 1st of my name born in America I all my motivation has been from myself. What advice can anyone give me I would greatly appreciate any guidance?


PS: I hope I did not offend anyone with anything I said above. I am in no way shape or form trying to be rude or condescending. I am genuinely and respectfully seeking help J

 

[dj-Roomba]

EC's are on point but they won't carry you with your GPAs being at 3.05. Your best bet is to kill the MCAT. You would want to score above 508 at least

 

[rg2o3]

You need to kill the MCAT. Aim for 510 or higher.

Edit: Do not take the MCAT until your FLs are around your desired score. Postpone MCAT if needed.

 

[pgallos]

Thank you rg2o3 and dj-roomba for responding. I know my gpa is lower than normal but there is no chance of me taking more undergraduate classes right now. If I was to score 500+ around 508-510 do you think i would have a shot for an interview? Is there anything else I can do to increase my package besides gpa ?

 

[rg2o3]

Yeah definitely! If you score well on the MCAT, your app will look good minus the GPA. You’ll definitely have a chance with that score. I’d say at this point, just put all effort into achieving the solid MCAT score.

 

[pgallos]

Yeah definitely! If you score well on the MCAT, your app will look good minus the GPA. You’ll definitely have a chance with that score. I’d say at this point, just put all effort into achieving the solid MCAT score.

Thank you so much. I have been on a 3 month program and my score has slowly increased from my 1st diagnostic to the 2nd. In another month i will take a third diagnostic and see how much more i have increased my score and go from there

 

[rg2o3]

Thank you so much. I have been on a 3 month program and my score has slowly increased from my 1st diagnostic to the 2nd. In another month i will take a third diagnostic and see how much more i have increased my score and go from there

Good luck! Work hard and you can do it. Took me whar felt like forever to break 500. Then I quickly rose to around my goal. So don’t get discouraged.

 

[pgallos]

I will not forget that. thank you. I am going to purchase some more practice exams and keep on busting them out to see my progress. thanks again

 

[AllBleedingStops]

I will not forget that. thank you. I am going to purchase some more practice exams and keep on busting them out to see my progress. thanks again

Are you taking a course? Using a set of books? How are you studying?

 

[pgallos]

Are you taking a course? Using a set of books? How are you studying?

AllBleedingStops, i am currently using the newest kaplan 2018-2019 seven book review set, mcat flashcards in my spare time, and going through full length practice tests as well as khan academy videos when i see needed.

 

[AllBleedingStops]

Ah, I understand. Well that sounds like plenty of resources. My biggest suggestion is nonspecific but...learn how to take the test. When you go through your practice exams (full length, Kaplan, whatever) go through the answers and learn what went wrong in your approach. Was it a knowledge problem? Easily fixed with a little review. Was is a misunderstanding in how to answer the question? Now that takes a little thinking about how to approach similar questions in the future. Try to do that quickly with your correct answers as well if you have the time.

Maybe all of this was obvious to you but I just thought I would throw it out there as something that helped me (even though I considered myself a pretty good test taker at the time). Also make sure you have the mental (and sort of physical) stamina to make it through a full length test.

 

[rg2o3]

Ah, I understand. Well that sounds like plenty of resources. My biggest suggestion is nonspecific but...learn how to take the test. When you go through your practice exams (full length, Kaplan, whatever) go through the answers and learn what went wrong in your approach. Was it a knowledge problem? Easily fixed with a little review. Was is a misunderstanding in how to answer the question? Now that takes a little thinking about how to approach similar questions in the future. Try to do that quickly with your correct answers as well if you have the time.

Maybe all of this was obvious to you but I just thought I would throw it out there as something that helped me (even though I considered myself a pretty good test taker at the time). Also make sure you have the mental (and sort of physical) stamina to make it through a full length test.

I actually really agree with this a lot. My knowledge base is what got me to the 80th percentile. I think if I could have honed my test taking and critical analysis skills, it would have bumped me up further. Don't underestimate how much of this exam is critical analysis.

 

[pgallos]

Ah, I understand. Well that sounds like plenty of resources. My biggest suggestion is nonspecific but...learn how to take the test. When you go through your practice exams (full length, Kaplan, whatever) go through the answers and learn what went wrong in your approach. Was it a knowledge problem? Easily fixed with a little review. Was is a misunderstanding in how to answer the question? Now that takes a little thinking about how to approach similar questions in the future. Try to do that quickly with your correct answers as well if you have the time.

Maybe all of this was obvious to you but I just thought I would throw it out there as something that helped me (even though I considered myself a pretty good test taker at the time). Also make sure you have the mental (and sort of physical) stamina to make it through a full length test.

i can't agree more this month on my off days I am going to go through the exams because they have explanations of why the other answers are wrong and why the correct answer is in fact correct. i feel the more practice tests full length i take the better and more efficient i am at taking them.

 

[DO2015CA]

Change your avatar. This is an anonymous forum. You don’t want people to know who you are.