Please help. Need some advice about what to do next.

[706521]

Sorry, this is my first post. It's slightly long, but I really need to vent this out, and would greatly appreciate some advice from all of you. Thanks in advance!

I started college in 2010 at a top public university. Decided early that I wanted a gap year, so I didn't bother studying for my MCAT summer of 2013 (after my junior year). However, to make sure I could apply the following year, I pushed back some classes my winter of 2014 to an additional semester in fall of '14 so I could study for MCAT last winter and spring.

However, mentally things came to a boiling point and I went through a dark phase during that time (depression, suicidal thoughts, cut myself off from family and friends), and I never ended up taking it last summer. I 'recovered' and decided then to push back applying to this year.

Took classes last fall, but still had one course left before I got my degree. I wanted to finish this past winter semester of '15, alongside studying for the new MCAT. However, I had a lot of family stuff/drama that happened last six months (had to leave the country for a month, came back to see home damaged by a fire, had to help my parents with situation, etc), and the final class I had left wasn't offered in the summer term. So I am finishing up in fall of '15, basically 1.5 years after I was supposed to graduate alongside rest of my class. Plus, I am nowhere near ready for the MCAT.

I am registered for a late August MCAT. I could theoretically submit my application to MD and DO (yes, I am applying for both) this week to a few schools to get the verification process underway while I wait for my scores. Since I already paid money to take it, should I go ahead and just take it? I have a lot of familial pressure for me to apply this year, since I'm already 2 years behind my peers, and if I wait another, that would be 3 years just to end up in the same position. Personally, I don't mind starting at age 25, but I don't want that feeling of disappointment hanging over my head. Plus, I don't know what to do for an entire year and a half waiting till 2017 (an MPH is 2 years :/).

I have a mediocre resume -
cGPA: 3.64 (but going to to drop to 3.59-3.6 because my final course is a non-sci course that I absolutely suck at).
sGPA: 3.55-3.6 (depending on whether some classes are considered science, it could be 3.6 exactly, but otherwise slightly less, upward trend at least).
ECs: 50 hours of shadowing. 300 hours of medical volunteering with RC. 4.5 years (thousands of hours) of research in 2 different labs (2 paper co-authorships, 4 abstract/poster first authorships, 3 abstract/poster co-authorships). 2 years in a small sports club on campus (1 year as president). 5 years in a campus magazine (senior editor last two years).

It's not impressive. Basically, don't know what to do. YOLO the exam and apply to DO and newer MDs now? Take it, see what I get, and if not good, study and take it next year spring OR otherwise apply really late if it turns out decent? Take it for experience but just void score? Give up altogether due to mediocre resume and taking too long? Please help!

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[Lawpy]

Sorry to hear about your tragedies OP. It's unfortunate, and I hope you are much better now. Take as much time as you need to gather your composure, utilize all resources possible to deal with your depression (counseling may help) etc.

As far as your application goes, your ECs are great, simply because premeds don't have extensive research like yours, as well as doing all other stuff like sports and campus magazine editor. Your GPA and sGPA are average/slightly below average but they aren't alarming.

There is no reason for you to rush and apply now when you are fine with medical school anyways. Take your time, relax, live stress-free and take the MCAT whenever you feel ready. Ideally, you should aim for the highest score possible, as you should always do your best, so it's meaningless to tank your application with a potential mediocre score.

Family pressure is always there, but I insist you to ignore it since it is your life you are dealing with. Better to apply cleanly and optimally in the first try, since reapplication is essentially a bad thing. Additionally, August MCAT is late for this application cycle, since you will not receive your scores until late September/early October. Your application will be late for MD, but okay for DO.

 

[WedgeDawg]

Never "YOLO" the MCAT. Take it when you are ready.

 

[Lannister]

If you're nowhere near ready to take the MCAT, don't take it. Besides, a late August MCAT would mean that your application probably won't be complete until late September/early October, which is quite late and would put you at a disadvantage, especially since your GPA is, as you said, mediocre. I would take another gap year. Don't worry about what your family thinks, sometimes you need to do what's best for you.

 

[gobigorgohome22]

Have you been taking practice tests for MCAT? How are you scoring? If you're scoring where you want to be, than take the test. If you're not where you need to be than dont take it "just to take it".

 

[706521]

Sorry to hear about your tragedies OP. It's unfortunate, and I hope you are much better now. Take as much time as you need to gather your composure, utilize all resources possible to deal with your depression (counseling may help) etc. As far as your application goes, your ECs are great, simply because premeds don't have extensive research like yours, as well as doing all other stuff like sports and campus magazine editor. Your GPA and sGPA are average/slightly below average but they aren't alarming. There is no reason for you to rush and apply now when you are fine with medical school anyways. Take your time, relax, live stress-free and take the MCAT whenever you feel ready. Ideally, you should aim for the highest score possible, as you should always do your best, so it's meaningless to tank your application with a potential mediocre score. Family pressure is always there, but I insist you to ignore it since it is your life you are dealing with. Better to apply cleanly and optimally in the first try, since reapplication is essentially a bad thing. Additionally, August MCAT is late for this application cycle, since you will not receive your scores until late September/early October. Your application will be late for MD, but okay for DO.

Thanks for the support. Means a lot. I do want to push it back, but my family doesn't want me to have "wasted" 3 years getting to the same point as rest of my peers (and it's not like I would be going to a fantastic school either).

Have you been taking practice tests for MCAT? How are you scoring? If you're scoring where you want to be, than take the test. If you're not where you need to be than dont take it "just to take it".

I took a mini Kaplan diagnostic, and got a 500 (124 chem/phy, 127 cars, 124 bio/bchem, 125 psych/soc). This is with next to zero studying.

 

[Pusheen]

your EC's are fine