Okay guys/gals....5 different schools before graduating. How bad?

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lornadoom

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I'd like some honest feedback. thanks.
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It doesn't matter much. What gpa you earned at these schools matters way more
 
lornadoom said:
Okay guys/gals....5 different schools before graduating. How bad?
I'd like some honest feedback. thanks.
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I recall a post in the nontraditional forum that reported they had 17 different transcripts to send in. More important than the number of colleges attended would be the reason given if asked at an interview. Cost, family move, distance from home, responsibilities toward parents, flunked out, disciplinary action with suspension, lost scholarship, victim of a crime, not a good fit for campus, return to complete education after a hiatus, military obligations, etc, are all reasons cited.
 
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Catalystik said:
I recall a post in the nontraditional forum that reported they had 17 different transcripts to send in. More important than the number of colleges attended would be the reason given if asked at an interview. Cost, family move, distance from home, responsibilities toward parents, flunked out, disciplinary action with suspension, lost scholarship, victim of a crime, not a good fit for campus, return to complete education after a hiatus, military obligations, etc, are all reasons cited.
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And I thought I had a lot at 11 transcripts!
 
11 transcripts?!? 17?!?!?! God what a pain in the ass that would be sending all of those transcripts every time you transfer to a new school and then have to transfer them all to your med school app.
 
mariposas905 said:
All three of mine charge $15 :arghh: I can only imagine how it is for 11 or 17 transcripts
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Several people in my class ended up having to pay $1000+ to get in all their official transcripts sent in, since some of their schools made them pay well over $100 for their transcript + shipping (extra to get the official seal on it!), and you usually end up having to send in everything twice too (first to AMCAS for verification, then again directly to the school before matriculation).
 
skk_ said:
Several people in my class ended up having to pay $1000+ to get in all their official transcripts sent in, since some of their schools made them pay well over $100 for their transcript + shipping (extra to get the official seal on it!), and you usually end up having to send in everything twice too (first to AMCAS for verification, then again directly to the school before matriculation).
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$100 per transcript?! Which school would ever do this? :eek: That's just terrible.
 
DT III said:
11 transcripts?!? 17?!?!?! God what a pain in the ass that would be sending all of those transcripts every time you transfer to a new school and then have to transfer them all to your med school app.
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And one of them is actually unavailable because the school closed, so I need a notarized request sent to the state so they can send confirmation that the school is closed with no records. That’s super fun.

Catalystik said:
Not to mention that some schools charge a fee for sending one.
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Yep. Submitting all my transcripts to amcas was great. Can’t wait to do it all again when I matriculate.
 
Matthew9Thirtyfive said:
And I thought I had a lot at 11 transcripts!
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That is crazy man. I can't even imagine sending a request for 11 transcripts.

There's always got to be a couple that you probably have to re-send for because to have all schools successfully, and in a timely manner, send all 11 transcripts would seem unlikely.

Did you have a couple schools that just had a hard time sending it correctly to AMCAS? Did you use the AMCAS matching transcript form for each transcript?
 
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Goro said:
It's a pre-med delusion that med schools want you to go to school for four straight years at the same UG school.
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Would you say the vast majority of applicants only have 1 transcript?
 
Robin-jay said:
That is crazy man. I can't even imagine sending a request for 11 transcripts.

There's always got to be a couple that you probably have to re-send for because to have all schools successfully, and in a timely manner, send all 11 transcripts would seem unlikely.

Did you have a couple schools that just had a hard time sending it correctly to AMCAS? Did you use the AMCAS matching transcript form for each transcript?
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I wasn’t able to use the form for one of the transcripts, but it got there fine. The only one I had a problem with ironically was processed and sent through NSCH. I had to have that one sent twice (and paid for it twice, but it was only $5). Surprisingly, they all got there. One transcript took 3 weeks, but they all made it before May 31.
 
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Well this is comforting. lol thanks everyone for their feedback.

Maybe I can get some advice on another question that is somewhat related. Three of those schools that I attended, I failed...yes with an F...Biochemistry. Although in my defense, the 2nd F was due to displacement from an abusive relationship. Left the state, so I had to leave the school. If I had withdrawn from the classes, I would have had to refund my financial aid which was nil at that point.

Obviously this doesn't look good. I've taken a year off since graduating getting my crap together. My goal is to retake the 3rd F at the same school to show I'm not as sucky with Biochem as it looks.

From those who are a bit more experienced, how would this be perceived to an adcom? Biochemistry taken x4?
 
lornadoom said:
Well this is comforting. lol thanks everyone for their feedback.

Maybe I can get some advice on another question that is somewhat related. Three of those schools that I attended, I failed...yes with an F...Biochemistry. Although in my defense, the 2nd F was due to displacement from an abusive relationship. Left the state, so I had to leave the school. If I had withdrawn from the classes, I would have had to refund my financial aid which was nil at that point.

Obviously this doesn't look good. I've taken a year off since graduating getting my crap together. My goal is to retake the 3rd F at the same school to show I'm not as sucky with Biochem as it looks.

From those who are a bit more experienced, how would this be perceived to an adcom? Biochemistry taken x4?
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In my non-ADCOM opinion:

Until you have solid semesters with near 4.0 GPAs, you should be looking at this more realistically. You are pretty much dead on arrival for MD schools unless your have 520+ MCAT and several semesters of 4.0 semesters, and even then, its a long shot.

As far as DO schools go, you still have to:

1.) Get good enough grades to get accepted to an SMP
2.) Do well in the SMP
3.) Do exceptionally well in the MCAT

lornadoom said:
Although in my defense, the 2nd F was due to displacement from an abusive relationship. Left the state, so I had to leave the school.
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That's not a sufficient defense.
 
lornadoom said:
Well this is comforting. lol thanks everyone for their feedback.

Maybe I can get some advice on another question that is somewhat related. Three of those schools that I attended, I failed...yes with an F...Biochemistry. Although in my defense, the 2nd F was due to displacement from an abusive relationship. Left the state, so I had to leave the school. If I had withdrawn from the classes, I would have had to refund my financial aid which was nil at that point.

Obviously this doesn't look good. I've taken a year off since graduating getting my crap together. My goal is to retake the 3rd F at the same school to show I'm not as sucky with Biochem as it looks.

From those who are a bit more experienced, how would this be perceived to an adcom? Biochemistry taken x4?
Click to expand...
Not good. It makes one immediately wonder why you couldn't improve after seeing the material, especially after multiple tries.
Very sorry to hear of the relationship troubles, but why did you not withdraw? Can you get a retroactive W now? What are your GPAs?
 
Goro said:
Not good. It makes one immediately wonder why you couldn't improve after seeing the material, especially after multiple tries.
Very sorry to hear of the relationship troubles, but why did you not withdraw? Can you get a retroactive W now? What are your GPAs?
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I didn't withdraw because I would have had to give the financial aid refund back to the school and I had used it up by then. I believe I am outside the window to obtain a retroactive withdrawal for this school, but I suppose I could explain my circumstances and still ask.

I am not sure of my GPA for all five schools cumulatively because each GPA started from scratch once I transferred with my credits. Same thing with the sGPA. Minus the biochemistry and analytical which was the other course I was enrolled in when I left the state, my grades are somewhat okay. As in Gen Chem I/II, Organic Chem I/II, C in Physics I, B+ in Physics II, B in Bio I/II.

I have not taken any upper level sciences aside from the ones previously mentioned which is my goal in the next 1-2 years. I had the chance to read your Reinvention post, Goro, and this is essentially what I am trying to accomplish. Just not sure where I stand with regards to my GPA.

Any recommendations for obtaining the accurate cGPA/sGPA for multiple schools or can I submit the transcripts to AMCAS/AACOMAS and find out that way?
 
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