Non-traditional student in TX

[voodooMD]

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Hi

I'm a non-traditional student with a BS in Finance from Virginia Tech (GPA 3.1) and 2 Master's from UPenn (GPA 3.8). I worked for an analytics company for a year and then was the director of research for a real estate development company. Last year I quit my job to take science pre-reqs for med school. I plan on taking the MCAT in May. My twin brother made a 31, so I most likely will get somewhere close to that. My question is how competitive will I be at UTSW or Baylor with those academic qualifications? If not either of those, than which TX or VA schools would I be most comp. in?

I also have been an ER scribe since leaving my career, which has provided me with tremendous clinical experience and outstanding LORs. My volunteer experience includes a year of AmeriCorps (I received an Official Tribute from the Gov. of DE for my work) and a Presidential Serivce Award for my volunteer work I did on behalf of an economic development non-profit. I think that my volunteer work seems more sincere than most applicants because I did it well before I even thought about med school.

I feel as if my resume is very well-rounded. However, I'm a bit worried about my undergrad GPA. It took me awhile before I got interested in school again, but when I did I was able to gain acceptance into Ivy League schools for grad school. I'm hoping that my grad school credentials will mitigate any concerns over my undergrad grades. I have all A's so far in my science course, but I'm taking them at a CC. I must say that the quality of education has surprised me, and that I think it'll prepare me well for the MCAT. I mostly worried about the perception of taking them at a CC.

Any advise or insights would be much appreciated. Thanks

 

[Morsetlis]

Your non-science degrees and work would be VERY nice ECs (esp. for leadership, dedication, and all that jazz).

The things you're missing are:

- Strong science core (what's the GPA of the prereq courses you took?)
- High MCAT (>35 is high)
- Science faculty LORs
- Research

Your acceptance into a graduate program has a likelihood proportional to the amount of work you've done in that field. While you have two Master's and amazing work/life experience in Finance/etc, this has no bearing on how well you would do in med school courses.

I can't make any recommendations on what to do, but those are my thoughts.

 

[roaming]

graduate courses are good, however, what kind of graduate programs were you in? were they science-based (biology, chemistry, etc), then it would help. however, if the grad programs were things such as finance or real estate, then it would not 'mitigate' your low undergraduate GPA. what would help is your science courses in community college, and doing well on the BS and PS sections of your MCAT.

im not sure about Baylor and UTSW. i applied this past cycle and received a pre-match offer from UTSW, and will be attending in the fall. in the interview packet they gave us, last year, the person with the lowest GPA in the class had a 3.1. average was i think a 3.8. this would imply that it would be tough to get in with a 3.1 average. also, the average MCAT at UTSW enrolled class was a 34.

i also have a low gpa of 3.3-3.4 with science gpa of 3.1. i don't have any graduate courses. i did fine on my MCAT and have a lot of ECs. i am also not a URM.

i think you have a shot at a lot of the Texas schools, because they are non-trad friendly. UTMB (Galveston), however, i really big on GPA (i asked them about my application) and more lenient on MCAT score.

i would suggest you apply EARLY (as soon as Texas app opens) to ALL Texas schools. Early is VERY important for Texas, as the cycle finishes early and interviews start in July.

if you have more questions, feel free to PM me.

 

[Catalystik]

Your low undergrad GPA is going to be a problem for you. UTSW and Baylor are competitive schools that tend to be very strong in research. Straight As in your prerequisite coursework are helpful and will moderate your uGPA as they will be calculated together. Hopefully, you will do as well in some upper-level science coursework as you have in your grad-level studies. There are at least some schools in Texas that won't discriminate against CC coursework, provided your MCAT score is strong. Without some years of great full-time coursework, you may need to get into a Special Masters Program to have a reasonable shot at MD schools, especially if your MCAT score is a 31. You might also want to explore the idea of applying to DO med schools, where a 31 would be sufficient to moderate the low cGPA. TCOM has a great program that can redeem a low GPA and has stong linkage into their med school that you might want to check out.

 

[J ROD]

I am thinking a little different here....

I think a school in TX will give you a look with around a 33 MCAT.

You have demonstrated strong academic performance since your low undergrad GPA...with two MAs from Ivy school and now all As in your prereqs....

Now, if you could take some upper level bio classes at a univ I would feel better with all As there.....

Keep working on the ECs because they could get you over the top. Shadowing?

Just apply early to Tx when you have a strong science prereq GPA. I would call the schools there and see what they say too....

 

[hector219]

As a returning student, who took pre reqs at a CC, I highly recommend that you take some 4-year classes, only because of your undergrad GPA. Mine was much better, with similar graduate stats as you(though not from an IVY), 4.0 in sciences and a 37 MCAT. You can add extension leadership, clinical and volunteer experience to that. I'm pretty certain my interviews haven't been bad either. That said, most people with my stats would have had pre match offers from UTSW or UTMB, but I didn't.

Considering your relatively low undergrad GPA, they want more evidence of your ability. I would guess with an above average MCAT that you would get in, but you want to make it a sure thing.

Why TX?

 

[DocMcCoy]

I am intrigued by your post as a fellow non-trad in Texas. Most important factor here and I didn't see if it has already been mentioned, but do you have Texas residency? If you do, with your background I do not think the undergrad GPA will hold you back too much. Again, what is your science GPA and how did you do on the pre-reqs? I think a 33-35 could get you an interview at UTSW or Baylor. As for the rest of the schools, it is really difficult to say.

My mcat was low by SDN standards, however, I did get into four texas schools. For me the key was GPA and background and residency. Honestly, I think if you get a 30 mcat you will get in somewhere in Texas.

I should add I didn't apply to Baylor but I did apply to UTSW and was rejected.

 

[voodooMD]

My grad curriculum included courses in spatial epidemiology and spatial econometrics with additional coursework in urban planning. I did work on a few projects with Penn Med. Currently I have a 4.0 GPA for my sci pre-reqs.

 

[voodooMD]

Your low undergrad GPA is going to be a problem for you. UTSW and Baylor are competitive schools that tend to be very strong in research. Straight As in your prerequisite coursework are helpful and will moderate your uGPA as they will be calculated together. Hopefully, you will do as well in some upper-level science coursework as you have in your grad-level studies. There are at least some schools in Texas that won't discriminate against CC coursework, provided your MCAT score is strong. Without some years of great full-time coursework, you may need to get into a Special Masters Program to have a reasonable shot at MD schools, especially if your MCAT score is a 31. You might also want to explore the idea of applying to DO med schools, where a 31 would be sufficient to moderate the low cGPA. TCOM has a great program that can redeem a low GPA and has stong linkage into their med school that you might want to check out.

I thought graduating from one of the best schools in the world redeemed my low undergrad GPA. My course load was more challenging than any undergrad science course. If I can't get into UTSW or Baylor with that then I'll go to UT-Houston or UTMB. Do you really think that I should go back for another Masters at an inferior school for a shot at a DO program? I work with TCU, UNT and UTA pre-med students. They have no problem getting into DO schools, and they're not half the caliber student I am.

 

[voodooMD]

I am intrigued by your post as a fellow non-trad in Texas. Most important factor here and I didn't see if it has already been mentioned, but do you have Texas residency? If you do, with your background I do not think the undergrad GPA will hold you back too much. Again, what is your science GPA and how did you do on the pre-reqs? I think a 33-35 could get you an interview at UTSW or Baylor. As for the rest of the schools, it is really difficult to say.

My mcat was low by SDN standards, however, I did get into four texas schools. For me the key was GPA and background and residency. Honestly, I think if you get a 30 mcat you will get in somewhere in Texas.

I should add I didn't apply to Baylor but I did apply to UTSW and was rejected.

Thanks for the response. Yes, I was recruited out of grad school to work for an analytics company in Texas 2 1/2 yrs ago, where I helped develop a health care demand model among other things. I have a LT GF, so I don't plan on leaving unless I get into UVa. Currently my sci GPA is a 4.0. Do you think I need above 30 to get into UTMB or UT-Houston?

 

[LRAccord624]

Generally, medical schools greatly emphasize undergrad GPA over graduate GPA. This is why people have said you might want to do an SMP program- it modifies your undergrad GPA (why it's a "special" masters program). SMP programs are geared towards people with low GPA's and high MCAT scores. So it wouldn't be 'just another masters'. It's a year long program where you take classes with medical students to prove you can handle the coursework.

HOWEVER, given your special circumstances:
1. Two masters from UPENN
2. Extensive experience/EC's
3. 4.0 pre-req coursework

I really don't think you need an SMP program for Texas schools (no idea about VA). BUT, until you've actually been to all the schools, don't write some of them off as 'inferior'- NONE of them are inferior, they are all great schools. You should go in open-minded and apply to all schools because at least part of this process is luck/crapshoot. Plus, with a low undergrad GPA, I hate to tell you but you can't afford to be picky. Just being honest 🙂

Ex. of 'crapshoot' (which turned out well): I got interviews at Baylor (no outcome yet) and Dartmouth (acceptance) and will be attending UTH, but I was rejected from UTSW, UTMB, and UT San Antonio pre-interview.

I think you need at least a 32-34 to feel somewhat secure in your chances. Plus, if you have time, upper division science classes.

 

[docelh]

This is not the 1st post I've seen on Texas medical schools.

Why are TX medical schools relatively easy to get into? Are there not enough competitive Texas residents? I must be missing something here.

 

[LRAccord624]

They're relatively easy to get into for residents because they have to accept at least 90% IS (except Baylor of course). However, I think you're seeing a tiny sample size here on SDN. Many of my friends with great stats and ECs have been rejected from every Texas school this cycle.

 

[voodooMD]

Generally, medical schools greatly emphasize undergrad GPA over graduate GPA. This is why people have said you might want to do an SMP program- it modifies your undergrad GPA (why it's a "special" masters program). SMP programs are geared towards people with low GPA's and high MCAT scores. So it wouldn't be 'just another masters'. It's a year long program where you take classes with medical students to prove you can handle the coursework.

HOWEVER, given your special circumstances:
1. Two masters from UPENN
2. Extensive experience/EC's
3. 4.0 pre-req coursework

I really don't think you need an SMP program for Texas schools (no idea about VA). BUT, until you've actually been to all the schools, don't write some of them off as 'inferior'- NONE of them are inferior, they are all great schools. You should go in open-minded and apply to all schools because at least part of this process is luck/crapshoot. Plus, with a low undergrad GPA, I hate to tell you but you can't afford to be picky. Just being honest 🙂

Ex. of 'crapshoot' (which turned out well): I got interviews at Baylor (no outcome yet) and Dartmouth (acceptance) and will be attending UTH, but I was rejected from UTSW, UTMB, and UT San Antonio pre-interview.

I think you need at least a 32-34 to feel somewhat secure in your chances. Plus, if you have time, upper division science classes.

Thanks for your thoughts and candor. To clarify, I was not implying that other TX med schools were inferior. I'd be thrilled to be accepted to any of them. I was referring to the local 4-year universities. The caliber student at these schools don't inspire much confidence in the future of medicine if you know what I mean.

 

[Bobcat 2006]

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