I really need advice. any advice will be greatly appreciated.
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post bacc? retake mcat? need advice please
- Thread starter littleme
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How long did you study for the mcat? What resources did you use? if you can pull a 3.6 gpa+ you should be able to get a mid 20s or higher score on the mcat (i'm not saying 30+ because that's very tricky for most people). What were your weaknesses that you noticed?
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Congrats on getting those degrees so quickly, but based off of that it seems like you may have rushed the mcat studying. Similar to the above post, how much time did you spend studying for the mcat, and what resources did you use? That can make all the difference.
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Only you can decide if you have the fire in the belly needed to put together a competitive application and carry through with many more years of preparation before you can enter medical practice. Applying with a downward grade trend is a bad idea, thus completing a postbac with a very-high GPA would be in your best interest, if you want the best possible chance at an MD school. If cost is no object, then go with the program that has the best MCAT prep, advising, LOR provision, opportunities to fill in the missing links among your ECs, like research, nonmedical community service, leadership, teaching, etc., and best statistics for getting folks into med school programs (MD and DO).
I completely agree with u. I did rush the mcat. and I wasn't fully focused on it. I saw a prep program call altius and I am leaning towards that before the smp. It's in utah but I don't mind. I'm ready to move for 2 months...I'm ready to do whatever it takes to get into medical school
Your undergrad gpa is fine, unfortunately your nursing degree is low and shows not only a downward trend, but also would likely raise questions regarding your ability to perform in the much more challenging environment and level of medical school. If it weren't for your downward trend, I would say just completely focusing on retaking the MCAT and scoring 30+ would allow you to get into a MD program. But due to your circumstances, I think a post-bacc may be worth your while, but if you go that route be sure to work your butt off and do extremely well, another poor showing of ability to perform in tougher schooling could knock you out for good.
Also you didn't mention if you were open to pursuing DO options, you may be fine for DO schools even though you have a downward trend, as long as you can score better on the MCAT.
Also you didn't mention if you were open to pursuing DO options, you may be fine for DO schools even though you have a downward trend, as long as you can score better on the MCAT.
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I recommend scheduling a phone appointment with each program. It would be helpful to have a list of questions prepared, like:
1. What kind of MCAT prep is included? What is the timeline for taking the MCAT? On average, how much are students able to improve their score?
2. How long will the program last? How many quarters/semesters?
3. What are the success rates for students matriculating into medical school?
4. How much support is provided to students during the program as well as after, while applying to med school?
5. Would it be possible to contact alumni or current students?
If possible, it's helpful to speak with students who have completed the program or who are currently participating. They will give you the most honest feedback. Speaking with the program staff and/or faculty will give you a better idea of the culture they encourage on their campus and how much support they will provide.
Since the MCAT is especially important for you, choosing the program with the most support in this area will help. Evaluate what you could have done better and what areas you will need more support in for the MCAT. The more self awareness that you can cultivate will help you to choose the program that will give you the support you need. Some programs do provide testing with an educational psychologist, training in test taking strategy, as well as content review. Knowing exactly what you need will make the decision easier. Good luck!
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I'm a UT resident and completed the Altius Test Prep last year. I think it's a great program, provided you really have the motivation to work hard in order to do well. Some of my classmates joined the program thinking Altius alone would get them a great MCAT - it didn't. Out of my group of friends in the program, there was a 37, 36, 34, 31, 29. I ended up with the 31 (11,11,9). I don't know what happened to my BS section, most of my practice tests had been 11-13s.
Altius provides a summer crash course (pretty intense, I'd imagine), a two semester program, or a one semester (in spring). I went with the one semester track and really wish I would have done the two semester track instead.
They have different "options" to choose from as far as private tutoring goes. You can always purchase more if you feel like it. Each week, I had a lesson to review by myself, had one hour with a tutor to go over the lesson, and then two nights of two hour long group sessions. The group sessions are great - you'll do real MCAT Verbal, PS, and BS passages. I enjoyed the group sessions because I really got a feel for the timing of the test and it was great to be able to learn from others.
It's expensive though - $2000
Altius really has a focused approach - they've analyzed the MCAT for many years and I felt very prepared for my test. I've looked through the examkrackers and encountered many equations and concepts I never saw during any of my 8 AAMC practice tests.
Here's the problem though - the 2015 MCAT will change things up quite a bit. Being a new test, Altius won't have much to go on as far as knowing what to narrow down (for the new material). That'll be the challenge for all the test prep companies.
Anyways, sorry for the long response, but I just wanted to chime in regarding Altius. I had a great time and I feel like it really helped me have success during this application cycle.
Altius provides a summer crash course (pretty intense, I'd imagine), a two semester program, or a one semester (in spring). I went with the one semester track and really wish I would have done the two semester track instead.
They have different "options" to choose from as far as private tutoring goes. You can always purchase more if you feel like it. Each week, I had a lesson to review by myself, had one hour with a tutor to go over the lesson, and then two nights of two hour long group sessions. The group sessions are great - you'll do real MCAT Verbal, PS, and BS passages. I enjoyed the group sessions because I really got a feel for the timing of the test and it was great to be able to learn from others.
It's expensive though - $2000
Altius really has a focused approach - they've analyzed the MCAT for many years and I felt very prepared for my test. I've looked through the examkrackers and encountered many equations and concepts I never saw during any of my 8 AAMC practice tests.
Here's the problem though - the 2015 MCAT will change things up quite a bit. Being a new test, Altius won't have much to go on as far as knowing what to narrow down (for the new material). That'll be the challenge for all the test prep companies.
Anyways, sorry for the long response, but I just wanted to chime in regarding Altius. I had a great time and I feel like it really helped me have success during this application cycle.
