Nontraditional URM - just finished MCAT - tips / next steps

[pig_md]

I am trying to prepare for my next steps.

I graduated with a degree in Biology back in 2004, and went to work for a health care software company.

Later I earned my MBA from a top business school (UVA-Darden), and now I work in financial services.

My #s are as follows:

BCP GPA: 3.41
Science GPA: 3.46
Non-Science GPA: 3.39
Overall: 3.44

My GPA only includes my original Biology coursework.

In Fall 2016 I completed Biochemistry and earned an A, and I am currently taking a molecular genetics course.

This week I received my MCAT scores:

Chem / Phys: 130
CARS: 131
Bio/ Biochem: 130
Psych /Soc: 127
Overall: 518 (97th percentile)

I am continuing to work full time and I now have "management experience under my belt."

I have put in the hours recently with volunteering and shadowing. Back in my undergraduate days I spent a summer at NIH and was even "published."

I am turning 35 this November and, I am trying to make the best of the entire application process. It's important to me to go to a school that has a reasonable quality of life and possibly opportunities for funding.

Also, I am an African American male and I haven't found many mentors. Any help is greatly appreciated. My wife is also applying, and we hope to attend the same school. Money is also a real issue given, 2 x the loans will be quite the burden.

My wife has a BA in Communications and her numbers are as follows:
GPA from undergrad: 3.83
GPA from past two years of science pre-reqs: 4.0 (also includes biochemistry)

Her MCAT is as follows:
Chem / Phys: 129
CARS: 129
Bio/ Biochem: 130
Psych /Soc: 127
Overall: 515 (94th percentile)

She is turning 28 this year and is also African American (born / raised in Jamaica).

Where should we apply? What should we be aware of? We are also open to any suggestions to explain the value of my life experience and future contribution to the matriculating class?

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[deleted642188]

Good job on the MCAT fr both of y'all

I suggest that for you, aim for top 40s to top 20s

you're wife can aim for anything in the top 30s and above.

I am mixed on the paper, since it ahs been more than a decade ago, it amkes you look liek you're crossing off a to-do list. But if you can discuss your research well and maybe talk about your eagernesss to research in Med School it also works to your advantage. the problem would be do you remember your research enough to discuss semi fluently with someone with expertise in its discipline?

For you keep up with your job and those extracurricular, just show commitment to them.

I would suggest applying to any alma mater with a med school for you, UVa is a definite. I will make a list later

 

[reluctantoptimism]

Don't have much to add but congrats on your great score!

 

[deleted642188]

This is general template opf what I think are in your reach, matches, and back ups based on ranking

reach
Washington university
Pritzker
Cornell/Mt. Sinai
Duke
UCLA/UCSF (if you are feeling lucky)

Matches:
Emory
UVA (definitely as an alumnus, you have a some sort of priority)
USC
Case Western
Georgetown
Rochester
Boston/Tufts
U Miami


Back ups:
Temple/Drexel/Thomas Jefferson
SUNy Buffalo/Downstate
Wake Forest
VCU/EVMS
your public Universities
HBCUs

your wife may have areach for the absolute cream of crop like Hah-vahd, Johns Hopkins, UPenn

 

[Kgizzle]

I am trying to prepare for my next steps.

I graduated with a degree in Biology back in 2004, and went to work for a health care software company.

Later I earned my MBA from a top business school (UVA-Darden), and now I work in financial services.

My #s are as follows:

BCP GPA: 3.41
Science GPA: 3.46
Non-Science GPA: 3.39
Overall: 3.44

My GPA only includes my original Biology coursework.

In Fall 2016 I completed Biochemistry and earned an A, and I am currently taking a molecular genetics course.

This week I received my MCAT scores:

Chem / Phys: 130
CARS: 131
Bio/ Biochem: 130
Psych /Soc: 127
Overall: 518 (97th percentile)

I am continuing to work full time and I now have "management experience under my belt."

I have put in the hours recently with volunteering and shadowing. Back in my undergraduate days I spent a summer at NIH and was even "published."

I am turning 35 this November and, I am trying to make the best of the entire application process. It's important to me to go to a school that has a reasonable quality of life and possibly opportunities for funding.

Also, I am an African American male and I haven't found many mentors. Any help is greatly appreciated. My wife is also applying, and we hope to attend the same school. Money is also a real issue given, 2 x the loans will be quite the burden.

My wife has a BA in Communications and her numbers are as follows:
GPA from undergrad: 3.83
GPA from past two years of science pre-reqs: 4.0 (also includes biochemistry)

Her MCAT is as follows:
Chem / Phys: 129
CARS: 129
Bio/ Biochem: 130
Psych /Soc: 127
Overall: 515 (94th percentile)

She is turning 28 this year and is also African American (born / raised in Jamaica).

Where should we apply? What should we be aware of? We are also open to any suggestions to explain the value of my life experience and future contribution to the matriculating class?

Talk about a power couple... I think stats wise you should be fine. As a non-trad, I think that you should focus on making sure that your PS and 2ndaries speak to your commitment and understanding of the journey to becoming a doctor. Shadowing and getting clinical exposure is good and make sure you get enough of that. I personally think, especially as a non-trad, taking the time to write about your motivations in becoming a Dr. is very important. Now as for the quality of life and opportunities for funding while in school that depends. Well funded schools may be able to do more in terms of scholarships and grants. However, I don't think your debt should be a huge concern. Yeah y'all will have 2x the debt but will be making 2x attending salary.

 

[takeurmeds02]

Solid advice from both @elgauchotejano and @Kgizzle

 

[deleted642188]

Solid advice from both @elgauchotejano and @Kgizzle

At this point, I wonder if he'll even read though... he hasn't been on for 4 days....

 

[pig_md]

Thanks for the advice. It's been quite an adventure over the past few years.

I especially appreciate the list broken out by Reach / Match / Backups.

One of the major motivations that I had through this process was giving my wife mentorship. I want to be in leadership after my training. Some things haven't changed. This process at times feels like "the weed out" more than classes and the MCAT. We really need a more straight forward process for first time applicants. Now that I have more resources available to me, you can certainly see why fewer "have nots" are in medicine. Long story short, I want to have more influence in helping healers get to the finish line.

And as you said, shadowing was the biggest eye opener. I took a week off from work to shadow at a hospital. (lucky me) It was very different seeing how the training process works for medstudents --> residents ->> attending and even watching as doctors were teaching.

It's certainly easier with SDN and Reddit, than it was years ago but some problems are still persistent. I feel lucky to have the support structure in place to get through some of these hoops.

Oh and the reminder about "mentioning research without understanding it thoroughly." That was years ago, and I will try to avoid that trap. In my current job I supervise a team of researchers. I'm not so sure "research" is the best place for me long term, but during training, possibly. Never say never, but full time research does not have me. In my dream world: I rather split time between patient care / administration/ teaching. Most of the balance on Patient care, and with the years of experience, I am comfortable in the board room if someone has to go.

Thanks again to everyone. I hope to pay it forward to the next generation if this works out.

 

[deleted642188]

At this point, I wonder if he'll even read though... he hasn't been on for 4 days....

speak of the devil

 

[Chromium Surfer]

Hey there, great job on the MCAT! Here are some links that I think you will find useful.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forums/what-are-my-chances.418/ ( That is the link to the forum subsection where people post there stats and EC's to get advice by SDN on where to apply)

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/a-compilation-of-essential-sdn-wisdom.1177034/ ( This is a link to the post that has a lot of great info about most if not all the things that all premeds should know>

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forums/pre-medical-allopathic-md.10/ ( This is the link to the overall premed forum which is frequented by a lot of the SDN advisors)

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forums/nontraditional-students.110/ ( This is the link to the nontrad forum thread where you can talk with people that have similar backgrounds and maybe get support and advice that is more tailored to you in certain respects.

I would strongly recommend checking all of these links out but especially posting in the what are my chances thread to get more of a gauge on your competitiveness. (1st link)Also making a post similar to this in the overall premed thread( 3rd link) would be very helpful because you would get more traffic and eyes to provide insight.

Finally @gonnif is the resident expert on nontrads in SDN and is someone with a wealth of knowledge that could help you out.

Best of luck!

 

[DrCommonSense]

I am trying to prepare for my next steps.

I graduated with a degree in Biology back in 2004, and went to work for a health care software company.

Later I earned my MBA from a top business school (UVA-Darden), and now I work in financial services.

My #s are as follows:

BCP GPA: 3.41
Science GPA: 3.46
Non-Science GPA: 3.39
Overall: 3.44

My GPA only includes my original Biology coursework.

In Fall 2016 I completed Biochemistry and earned an A, and I am currently taking a molecular genetics course.

This week I received my MCAT scores:

Chem / Phys: 130
CARS: 131
Bio/ Biochem: 130
Psych /Soc: 127
Overall: 518 (97th percentile)

I am continuing to work full time and I now have "management experience under my belt."

I have put in the hours recently with volunteering and shadowing. Back in my undergraduate days I spent a summer at NIH and was even "published."

I am turning 35 this November and, I am trying to make the best of the entire application process. It's important to me to go to a school that has a reasonable quality of life and possibly opportunities for funding.

Also, I am an African American male and I haven't found many mentors. Any help is greatly appreciated. My wife is also applying, and we hope to attend the same school. Money is also a real issue given, 2 x the loans will be quite the burden.

My wife has a BA in Communications and her numbers are as follows:
GPA from undergrad: 3.83
GPA from past two years of science pre-reqs: 4.0 (also includes biochemistry)

Her MCAT is as follows:
Chem / Phys: 129
CARS: 129
Bio/ Biochem: 130
Psych /Soc: 127
Overall: 515 (94th percentile)

She is turning 28 this year and is also African American (born / raised in Jamaica).

Where should we apply? What should we be aware of? We are also open to any suggestions to explain the value of my life experience and future contribution to the matriculating class?

You should be able to get into ANY medical school in the country including Harvard, John Hopkins, Columbia, etc.

 

[FrenchyM.D/D.O]

Power couple mahn!!!

 

[cardozo001]

I am trying to prepare for my next steps.

I graduated with a degree in Biology back in 2004, and went to work for a health care software company.

Later I earned my MBA from a top business school (UVA-Darden), and now I work in financial services.

My #s are as follows:

BCP GPA: 3.41
Science GPA: 3.46
Non-Science GPA: 3.39
Overall: 3.44

My GPA only includes my original Biology coursework.

In Fall 2016 I completed Biochemistry and earned an A, and I am currently taking a molecular genetics course.

This week I received my MCAT scores:

Chem / Phys: 130
CARS: 131
Bio/ Biochem: 130
Psych /Soc: 127
Overall: 518 (97th percentile)

I am continuing to work full time and I now have "management experience under my belt."

I have put in the hours recently with volunteering and shadowing. Back in my undergraduate days I spent a summer at NIH and was even "published."

I am turning 35 this November and, I am trying to make the best of the entire application process. It's important to me to go to a school that has a reasonable quality of life and possibly opportunities for funding.

Also, I am an African American male and I haven't found many mentors. Any help is greatly appreciated. My wife is also applying, and we hope to attend the same school. Money is also a real issue given, 2 x the loans will be quite the burden.

My wife has a BA in Communications and her numbers are as follows:
GPA from undergrad: 3.83
GPA from past two years of science pre-reqs: 4.0 (also includes biochemistry)

Her MCAT is as follows:
Chem / Phys: 129
CARS: 129
Bio/ Biochem: 130
Psych /Soc: 127
Overall: 515 (94th percentile)

She is turning 28 this year and is also African American (born / raised in Jamaica).

Where should we apply? What should we be aware of? We are also open to any suggestions to explain the value of my life experience and future contribution to the matriculating class?

Can you please tell what materials did you use to study for the MCAT?