So I have been toying around with the idea of posting here for quite some time. I have let my fear of hearing discouraging remarks from people who may know less than I do about the process dissuade me until now. I have seen that there seem to be some genuinely helpful people on here who seem to know what they're talking about.
In 1998 and 2000 I signed up for 6 community college classes (total of both times), never attended and never withdrew (those are 6 F's on my record). From 1999-2002, I sporadically enrolled at a school and got all A's and B+'s except for one more F in 1999 (my cGPA at that school was 3.0). In 2008 I decided to go back to school and returned to the same school where I got the 6 F's. Within my time there this final time, I decided I wanted to become a doctor and transferred to a 4 year university for all of my prereq's (except English).
Since Fall 2008 I have completed over 100 credits (108 by the end of this summer) without a single grade lower than an "A-". My GPA is north of 3.9 in that time, although it might drop a bit if I get a B+ in Biochem, in which I am currently enrolled.
I got a 32R on the MCAT while finishing a year of 18 credits per semester, which saw the birth of my son, all while supporting our family (that's my way of excusing myself for not doing any better =) ). I have been an EMT for over a year and employed at an ambulance company for 9 months. I have also been a research assistant for almost one year. I won first place at my university's undergraduate research symposium. In addition, I founded 2 halfway houses for alcoholics and drug addicts in recovery in 2006 which I still help run. In the years between dropping out of highschool when I was 16 (didn't think I wanted anything to do with higher education) and my return to school in 2008, I worked on Wall Street at Smith Barney & UBS (worked my way up from 'mailroom' at SB), and eventually cofounded the halfway houses which led me to wanting to do something a bit more 'noble' with my life. I am currently 32 years old.
All that being said, I am PETRIFIED that I'm going to be glazed over by admissions committees because of an unrepresentative GPA. It is low because of some EXTREMELY stupid mistakes I made over a decade ago. Had I known I was going to end up doing all of this, and the dedication which it would entail, I probably would not have returned to the same school I enrolled at years ago. So be it, it was time to face the demons. In actuality though, it's been over a decade and 105 credits since I received a grade lower than an A-.
I want to become an exceptional physician. Other than my family's health, that's really ALL I want. Does anyone know of an even remotely similar situation that may have ended well? Does anyone know how the different GPAs are anlyzed from different years EXACTLY?
Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.
In 1998 and 2000 I signed up for 6 community college classes (total of both times), never attended and never withdrew (those are 6 F's on my record). From 1999-2002, I sporadically enrolled at a school and got all A's and B+'s except for one more F in 1999 (my cGPA at that school was 3.0). In 2008 I decided to go back to school and returned to the same school where I got the 6 F's. Within my time there this final time, I decided I wanted to become a doctor and transferred to a 4 year university for all of my prereq's (except English).
Since Fall 2008 I have completed over 100 credits (108 by the end of this summer) without a single grade lower than an "A-". My GPA is north of 3.9 in that time, although it might drop a bit if I get a B+ in Biochem, in which I am currently enrolled.
I got a 32R on the MCAT while finishing a year of 18 credits per semester, which saw the birth of my son, all while supporting our family (that's my way of excusing myself for not doing any better =) ). I have been an EMT for over a year and employed at an ambulance company for 9 months. I have also been a research assistant for almost one year. I won first place at my university's undergraduate research symposium. In addition, I founded 2 halfway houses for alcoholics and drug addicts in recovery in 2006 which I still help run. In the years between dropping out of highschool when I was 16 (didn't think I wanted anything to do with higher education) and my return to school in 2008, I worked on Wall Street at Smith Barney & UBS (worked my way up from 'mailroom' at SB), and eventually cofounded the halfway houses which led me to wanting to do something a bit more 'noble' with my life. I am currently 32 years old.
All that being said, I am PETRIFIED that I'm going to be glazed over by admissions committees because of an unrepresentative GPA. It is low because of some EXTREMELY stupid mistakes I made over a decade ago. Had I known I was going to end up doing all of this, and the dedication which it would entail, I probably would not have returned to the same school I enrolled at years ago. So be it, it was time to face the demons. In actuality though, it's been over a decade and 105 credits since I received a grade lower than an A-.
I want to become an exceptional physician. Other than my family's health, that's really ALL I want. Does anyone know of an even remotely similar situation that may have ended well? Does anyone know how the different GPAs are anlyzed from different years EXACTLY?
Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.
Last edited:
