need some advice

[chweasel]

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i like turtles.

 

[theWUbear]

of the worst minority (asian)

 

[hiyaman]

so... i really want to go to an MD school, and i have applied this past cycle with no success (no interviews, a bunch of rejections, a couple holds, applied early june too) i applied to 30 schools, pretty much no love ahha

to start off, i am a california resident and of the worst minority (asian)

my stats are 3.2cum/3.2sci, 36S balanced, graduated back in 09

i was vice president of my fraternity, i had a regents scholarship all 4 years, i have volunteered a little over 1.5 years with about 300 hrs, also have a leadership position in this volunteer organization, i played rugby in college and still do at a d1 level, i have about 60-70 hours of shadowing an opthamalogist, another 8 in the or shadowing an anesthesiologist, also i currently work as a clinical research assistant, this job doesnt have publication opportunity though, i pretty much just count cells and compile excel sheets to identify confounding variables. also, i applied to the big brother program and was accepted.

anyways, i know i have alot to improve on, namely my gpa, and i could always use more of everything else. however, i made this thread for a couple reasons. first of all, i wouldn't mind anyone's advice, constructive or not, ill take it.

however, i am kinda in a slump right now. my parents really dont support what im trying to do, and for good reason, i messed around for my entire undergrad, what reason do they have to trust that i know what im doing right now. i mean they support me, but they have some serious doubts about me trying to get into med school. i guess what im trying to say is, ive been trying really hard for a little over a year now, and im just seeing no light. i dont even know if i should keep going for it. i really want to, and i want to go back to undergrad and try to bump up my gpa to a 3.4-3.5. my parents want me to go to grad school though, should i just do that? i know that grad school wont help my undergrad gpa, but at least i can get a job with a grad school degree. If i just keep trying to get into med school, and i never get in, what will i do then? itll be like i wasted 6 years of my life for nothing. that bio bachelors is pretty much worthless in today's world.

i know this entire post is totally incoherent, but i just feel so lost right now. i feel like ive been spinning my wheels for nothing. yeah i know that gpa is definitely not helping me get any interviews, but man, i just dont know what to do anymore. it's like it's me against the world.

thanks for reading in advance. it was nice to get this off my chest after my dad eviscerated me

If you are applying to DO schools you could take advantage of their grade replacement thing.

Do you have someone you can talk to about your feelings? You seem to be full of anxiety and pressure (i'm the same way). Talking it out with someone will probably ease you.

You're mcat score is really nice. You know you have what it takes for med school based on the mcat. You just have to improve on that gpa.

 

[WeAreNotRobots]

Problems:
1. GPA
2. Cookie cutter, nothing remarkable, so...
3. School selection

You were early, mcat is great, your clinical is good, leadership is good. Where did you apply? This could be the problem...

 

[CecilJacobson]

I never realized how lucky I was to have overly-invested, incredibly optimistic, never-say-never parents. It seems that most of my Asian-American friends have to deal with parents who aren't supportive, and never feel "good enough."

You're not out to live your life for them. It took me until the end of high school, but I realized that I needed to stop letting my parents' approval dictate my life choices.

You have an incredible MCAT score, that should help you. Metriculate at all costs while those scores still count (next three years at most schools).

Meet with any admissions directors that will sit down with you. Ask them what to do to improve, and then do it.

Get involved in AMSA or another nation-wide/worldwide medical student organization and demonstrate and culture your passion.

OPEN UP. Go have one too many beers with a premed/med student friend and work on expressing your desire to practice medicine. Many (can I say Asian?) premeds have trouble expressing their reason for medicine. I was told by one school that my fate was sealed by one poor interview.

You can't consider a post-bac. They just cost too much for you to cover on your own. With a 3.2/3.2 just work on maturing, gaining life experiences, reading, and opening up. Try and identify a mentor in your life; do everything possible to grow that relationship.

Keep your head up. Did you really waste college? I imagine you had a great time. Pick up a bartending job in this interim. Work on connecting with people. Travel. Volunteer.


OR

"Get A's next time! Go study bioengineering like _______'s son. You're no good!"

Forget that noise. Be happy.

If you want a pick-me-up with some insight, check out aphorisms by Brian Andreas. Just google image Story People.

Good luck. PM me if you want a re-applicant story.

-C.J.

 

[chweasel]

i still like turtles.

 

[LEUNIT]

you remember watching the intro to american psycho? well that describes me to a t.

 

[wlee43]

Off to the Caribbean 👍

 

[theWUbear]

it's hip to be square