(Non-Trad) What are my chances?

[bumnaste]

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With help and encouragement from some posters I was able to take the prereq classes at a community college to start my journey to med school. I have a bachelor's in fine art w/ 3.4 gpa which is low, but that was before I decided I wanted to go to med school. I have a 4.0 science gpa so far, I still need to take organic chem. I have over 2 years experience in the Emergency room as a tech, and volunteered at my local first aid for 2 years as an EMT as well. I also am shadowing ortho at my hospital from time to time. I am studying for my MCAT now and shooting for 518. It will be hard since I am studying biochem and behavior sciences part on my own. I am 28 and asian. I am excited about the application process, but also nervous since I am on a different boat than the majority population so I feel everything I do is different than my counterparts. My questions are: What are my chances as of now so I know where I am, How did you study for sections on the MCATs that you didnt take classes for, How do you calculate the total gpa with the undergrad nonsciences and sciences. (ex. do science classes weigh more in gpa)
Lastly, what kind of schools can I apply to? are top tier schools within reach? or don't even think about it?
thanks guys!

 

[Siromas]

Chances - I believe you'll have good chances if you display a strong upward trend, score well on the MCAT, and supplement your path to medicine with diverse experiences in clinical/non-clinical volunteering. Their are plenty of reputable GPA calculator tables floating around- search for them. Use this in conjunction with the AAMC classification table to see whether or not the classes will factor into just your cGPA or both cGPA and sGPA.

Which schools - This is a hard question to answer currently without having an MCAT score and finalized GPA. Also, what is your legal state of residence? State residency also factors into where you should apply in that most state public medical schools favor in-state applicants.

MCAT prep - I'm a non-traditional applicant that chose to prepare for the MCAT without taking a formal sit-down class. There are many 3rd party companies that publish prep books so that you can self-study for the exam. Each company has their own nuances- so search around for reviews and try to find which will work best for your specific learning style. No matter which way you decide to prep, I highly suggest using the official AAMC prep materials at some point during your prep.

Best of luck to you!

 

[bumnaste]

Chances - I believe you'll have good chances if you display a strong upward trend, score well on the MCAT, and supplement your path to medicine with diverse experiences in clinical/non-clinical volunteering. Their are plenty of reputable GPA calculator tables floating around- search for them. Use this in conjunction with the AAMC classification table to see whether or not the classes will factor into just your cGPA or both cGPA and sGPA.

Which schools - This is a hard question to answer currently without having an MCAT score and finalized GPA. Also, what is your legal state of residence? State residency also factors into where you should apply in that most state public medical schools favor in-state applicants.

MCAT prep - I'm a non-traditional applicant that chose to prepare for the MCAT without taking a formal sit-down class. There are many 3rd party companies that publish prep books so that you can self-study for the exam. Each company has their own nuances- so search around for reviews and try to find which will work best for your specific learning style. No matter which way you decide to prep, I highly suggest using the official AAMC prep materials at some point during your prep.

Best of luck to you!

Thanks for your input! I am a US citizen in NJ.
I am using the kaplan books for MCAT handed down from a friend that got into med school just this year with some ek books. I am determined to score atleast a 518.
What was your non trad route? I think its always interesting listening to other non trad stories. Thanks again for your knowledge!