old applicatns(late 20's)...successful?

[applicant]

I just want to know chances of getting into medical schools for old applicants such as late 20's.
Are they considerably slimmer than the traditional applicants(early 20's)?
And are old applicants successful in gaining admission to good medical schools such as Ivy League?

Let's just say, for example, that someone graduated with engineering degree that had little with premed/predental science courses and worked for company for a few years. Then, he decides to become a doctor and heads to post-bach program for two years to take required science courses.
Is this person going to have a good chance in getting into good medical schools? How does his chance compare to the traditional chance(someone else takes science classes in college and applies between his junior and senior year)?

Any personal experiences or any inputs would be appreciated.

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[Jeff698]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by applicant:
•I just want to know chances of getting into medical schools for old applicants such as late 20's. •••••Although my initial inclination is to smirk at your definitino of 'old applicants', I do understand your question. Fortunately, I have a reassuring answer. They are as good as the rest of your application.

I seriously doubt that the adcoms will consider someone in their late 20's to be old. They will likely want to know what you've done with yourself since graduating from college but that'll be about it.

There are lots of much older applicants than you who are already in school. I'm one of the relatively younger 'old' students at 34.

Good luck!

Take care,
Jeff
MS-I, UTMB

 

[Starflyr]

Hey Jeff

Depends on the school a bit, I would imagine, but there are plenty that arent mostly 22 year olds.

Heck, sometimes UTMB even accepts geriatric cases like Jeff :wink: <img border="0" alt="[Wowie]" title="" src="graemlins/wowie.gif" />

Star

 

[goldie]

I'm 31, former history major and musician, and have been able, with the help of a post-bacc program, to land admission at several schools. From the interviews I've been on, I sense that schools actually like "mature" students. So don't be deterred.

Good luck!

 

[Mutterkuchen]

I, too, am an older applicant for 2003 admission. My feeling is that I am much more mature than most of the 20-22 year olds that I am encountering in my volunteering and Princeton Review class. If I can convey that maturity in my application and interviews it should play to my advantage. It's all about marketing yourself.

 

[Future_Doc]

As previously stated - your age probably won't be a major determining factor. Your best shot is a strong application. Now, it may be true that schools prefer to have a more diverse class. So, if your application stacks up equally to another applicant's your age will probably be to your advantage. Please don't misinterpret what I am saying - schools do not have a certain number of "older" applicants they need to accept. But with age comes maturity a nd life experiences which add to the diversity of the class.

 

[ghostcow]

I'm another one to old ones. BA in history and anthropology, then BS in Bio + premed classes. I didn't have too much problem even though my BA grades weren't that great (BS ones were) so you shouldn't have problems if you do well. I think we have 2-3 ex-engineers in our class and many others in the 27-32 yo range. It is a loong road but only the first 2 years (traditional schools) are like undergrad. Best of luck.
Peace.

 

[8744]

I, too, have to laugh at the definition of "old." I'm 38 and am a first year medical student. I'm not the oldest guy in the class, either.

 

[barcher]

Man, I can't believe I haven't noticed this post before. In your description of "old applicant" you have completely described me. I'm 28, graduated from Ga Tech in '95 in mechanical engineering and worked as an engineer for 5 years before deciding to pursue medicine. I interviewed at Emory, S. Alabama and UAB and got accepted at all of them. I will be attending UAB in the summer as an MS-1. In the summer of 2000, I quit my job and went to UA to pick up freshman biology and organic chem (I had no biology courses at Tech). While in school, I didn't work, but did some volunteering and shadowing and studied my butt off for the MCAT (which I took in April, &#8216;01). So, It's definitely doable. I didn't feel at all discriminated against at my advanced age of 28 . Go for it.