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Ok so this is my first post on SDN and it is very long one. Sorry, I just couldn't shorten it any more.
I graduated last december with bachelors in MCB and even though I applied for the last year's cycle, I didn't take it seriously enough and missed the secondary deadline for all of the schools I had applied to. I know it sounds really bad but it was mostly because my poor MCAT scores had discouraged me. I took MCAT twice last year and my scores were...
22M (9PS, 4VR, 9BS) for June 13
26O (10PS 6VR 10BS) for July 10
And I just took my third MCAT yesterday.. it was hard but I think I should get at least 30+.
Ok so here are my other stats.
Overall GPA: 3.75
sGPA: 3.5 (With three advanced medical courses including physiology and neuroanatomy offered directly through Medical school for graduate students and seniors)
My ECs:
-Volunteered in six different departments in two hospitals over the course of three years
-Was Undergraduate Research Associate for my senior year for very advanced neuropsych lab where I ran fMRI protocols for subjects
-Was a peer advisor through advising office
-was on Undergraduate student committee for MCB
-Researched effects of medical ethics course on students' perceptions of contemporary health issues and presented results at Undergraduate research symposium
-Did an honors project where I did a literature review on psychology of suicide bombers
-Lots of dean's list and other similar awards
-A lot of non-clinical volunteer experience
-Vice-President of Chemistry/Pre-professional Club for my sophomore year
So that's about it. And since graduation, I haven't been doing anything medically relevant. Do you think that'd look bad on med schools?
Also here are the schools I applied to this year:
University of Illinois at Chicago
Rush Medical
Loyola
Northwestern
U of chicago
Southern Illinois
Rosalind Franklin
Saint Louis University
Drexel
Tufts
Boston University
New York Medical College
Do you think I should add more schools?.. if so which ones?
With all these stats, what are my chances at the schools above as a IL resident?
Also I have great LORs from two research advisors, One from advanced physiology prof, one from organic chem prof, and one from student volunteer coordinator from one of the hospitals I volunteered at.
So again, what are my chances? And share any other advice that you might have for me.
I also come from very poor family and was approved for FAP (fee assistance program), do you think med schools look at that as a factor?
Also since I already took many classes that several SMP programs offer, I did not consider that as an option for my gap year. Do you think it'd look bad if I just do random min-wage jobs during the gap year?
Sorry for asking these many questions but I'd really appreciate any advice you got for me. Just be honest!
I also believe I wrote really strong personal statement but I am not sure anymore after I submitted it. If you want to read it and give me some opinion on it, PM me and I'll send it to you.
Thanks!
I graduated last december with bachelors in MCB and even though I applied for the last year's cycle, I didn't take it seriously enough and missed the secondary deadline for all of the schools I had applied to. I know it sounds really bad but it was mostly because my poor MCAT scores had discouraged me. I took MCAT twice last year and my scores were...
22M (9PS, 4VR, 9BS) for June 13
26O (10PS 6VR 10BS) for July 10
And I just took my third MCAT yesterday.. it was hard but I think I should get at least 30+.
Ok so here are my other stats.
Overall GPA: 3.75
sGPA: 3.5 (With three advanced medical courses including physiology and neuroanatomy offered directly through Medical school for graduate students and seniors)
My ECs:
-Volunteered in six different departments in two hospitals over the course of three years
-Was Undergraduate Research Associate for my senior year for very advanced neuropsych lab where I ran fMRI protocols for subjects
-Was a peer advisor through advising office
-was on Undergraduate student committee for MCB
-Researched effects of medical ethics course on students' perceptions of contemporary health issues and presented results at Undergraduate research symposium
-Did an honors project where I did a literature review on psychology of suicide bombers
-Lots of dean's list and other similar awards
-A lot of non-clinical volunteer experience
-Vice-President of Chemistry/Pre-professional Club for my sophomore year
So that's about it. And since graduation, I haven't been doing anything medically relevant. Do you think that'd look bad on med schools?
Also here are the schools I applied to this year:
University of Illinois at Chicago
Rush Medical
Loyola
Northwestern
U of chicago
Southern Illinois
Rosalind Franklin
Saint Louis University
Drexel
Tufts
Boston University
New York Medical College
Do you think I should add more schools?.. if so which ones?
With all these stats, what are my chances at the schools above as a IL resident?
Also I have great LORs from two research advisors, One from advanced physiology prof, one from organic chem prof, and one from student volunteer coordinator from one of the hospitals I volunteered at.
So again, what are my chances? And share any other advice that you might have for me.
I also come from very poor family and was approved for FAP (fee assistance program), do you think med schools look at that as a factor?
Also since I already took many classes that several SMP programs offer, I did not consider that as an option for my gap year. Do you think it'd look bad if I just do random min-wage jobs during the gap year?
Sorry for asking these many questions but I'd really appreciate any advice you got for me. Just be honest!
I also believe I wrote really strong personal statement but I am not sure anymore after I submitted it. If you want to read it and give me some opinion on it, PM me and I'll send it to you.
Thanks!