Question about taking MCAT from a Nontrad

[wazi-woman]

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I'm new here; just found this today. Here's the deal: I'm 24, M.S. degree in Bio, worked out of college for about a year, want to apply for 2007 round. My GPA is above a 3.7. I have clinical research experience for about 6 months. Other research exp for 1 year. I teach college now. I have not taken the MCAT. So here's my questions,
1. Is it reasonable to study all through July to take the MCAT in Aug?
2. Will I make deadlines for the applications to med school if I do take the MCAT in Aug?
3.How the heck am I going to find a doctor to shadow around?
4. Am I a good candidate for med school? 5.How many schools is the norm to apply to?

I found this forum and my self-esteem 😕 has gone down the drain. Please help.

 

[vtucci]

Hey Wazi. Welcome aboard. My comments are below.

"I'm new here; just found this today. Here's the deal: I'm 24, M.S. degree in Bio, worked out of college for about a year, want to apply for 2007 round.
My GPA is above a 3.7. I have clinical research experience for about 6 months. Other research exp for 1 year. I teach college now. I have not taken the MCAT. So here's my questions,"

Girl- you need to relax. You are going to be fine. You have a very competitive GPA (you should further break it down by BCPM- the science courses- you will need to do this on the AMCAS)

1. Is it reasonable to study all through July to take the MCAT in Aug?

Absolutely. You will be fine. I would suggest that you shoot for over 30 but it is not a crisis if you are slightly under it. Try to do well in bio though since you have a grad degree and it would look a little odd if you did not do as well in that area.

2. Will I make deadlines for the applications to med school if I do take the MCAT in Aug?

You can fill out the application as of June 1st and submit it before you take the MCAT. DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES WAIT for your MCAT score to be released to do this.

3.How the heck am I going to find a doctor to shadow around?

Do you have a local hospital? Stop in the ER, department of cardiology or whatever and ask someone if they would mind. Fortune favors the bold. What's the worst that could happen, they tell you no. You do not need to shadow someone- it is just helpful in talking about your experience.

4. Am I a good candidate for med school?

Absolutely-- you do not even need to ask.

5.How many schools is the norm to apply to?

It depends where you live and what kind of schools you want to apply to. The more ivy league (Harvard, Yale, Hopkins) schools you want to apply to, the longer the list needs to be. Generally, it is advisable to apply to 10-15 schools. However, if you live in California, this tends to go up to 15-20. Make sure to apply to your state school(s).

WRITE A KICK ASS PERSONAL STATEMENT!!!!

 

[wazi-woman]

Thanks for the great feedback! But 10 to 15! Geez! I had no idea!

As far as the state school, it's a little bit more complicated. I can't because my husband has to work near or around a native american reservation for a few years. So I have to find schools near reservations, I've found 5 so far. But it's tough.

Anyone know of med schools near a native american reservations?!

 

[relentless11]

I'm new here; just found this today. Here's the deal: I'm 24, M.S. degree in Bio, worked out of college for about a year, want to apply for 2007 round. My GPA is above a 3.7. I have clinical research experience for about 6 months. Other research exp for 1 year. I teach college now. I have not taken the MCAT. So here's my questions,
1. Is it reasonable to study all through July to take the MCAT in Aug?
2. Will I make deadlines for the applications to med school if I do take the MCAT in Aug?
3.How the heck am I going to find a doctor to shadow around?
4. Am I a good candidate for med school? 5.How many schools is the norm to apply to?

I found this forum and my self-esteem 😕 has gone down the drain. Please help.

1. Its not impossible, however for me, I would give myself 2-3 months prep time to take into account reviewing things such as organic chemistry, physics, general chemistry, and practice verbal reasoning. Your MS in bio should make the most of the bio-section pretty easy though. I think the big thing is for you to take a full-length MCAT now to see if YOU can study for 1-1.5 months to take the MCAT and do well. Personally, my ochem and physics are somewhat rusty, and I have found that there is never enough time to practice for verbal😉.

2. Well my ex-gf took the August MCAT, and she got into med school (MCAT = 28). However most schools are on a rolling admissions so when AMCAS allows you to submit sometime in June, the schools start processing your application when your application is complete. Therefore you can get secondaries late June to August. Some schools may offer interviews around October to November, and I believe early decision programs offer admissions around that time too. Now for you, if you take the August MCAT, then your scores won't be sent to AMCAS until 60 days later. So essentially your application will be complete when the others are getting secondaries if not interviews. I must emphasize though, people do get in if they took the August MCAT, but in this game you want everything that is under your control to be on your side.

3. Phone book, telephone, call.

4. Well regardless of your GPA, MCAT, and everything else, I can't say. You're GPA is certainly better than my undergrad GPA🙂. So in that sense you are in good condition to apply. But you will find that this ordeal comes with NO guarantees. I can say that all your experiences and current stats are GREAT. They can only be looked at in a positive manner. But beyond that I can't say.

5. Up to you. I know there are those that like the "shotgun" approach. So I've seen numbers from 15 and all the way up to 50. But on average, these people apply to 20. There are some who pick which schools they like to go to based on presteige or overall happiness. I'm more for this method since I work well when I am happy with my environment. But that is up to you.

 

[MJB]

wazi, depending on what you mean by "close"...I can think of KU, Creighton, KCUMB, OU, OSU, etc...off the top of my head.

 

[r0b0tafflicti0n]

2. Well my ex-gf took the August MCAT, and she got into med school (MCAT = 28). However most schools are on a rolling admissions so when AMCAS allows you to submit sometime in June, the schools start processing your application when your application is complete. Therefore you can get secondaries late June to August. Some schools may offer interviews around October to November, and I believe early decision programs offer admissions around that time too. Now for you, if you take the August MCAT, then your scores won't be sent to AMCAS until 60 days later. So essentially your application will be complete when the others are getting secondaries if not interviews. I must emphasize though, people do get in if they took the August MCAT, but in this game you want everything that is under your control to be on your side.

SO, considering this, would you think that it would be better for me to take the MCAT in April while I am still taking OChem2, or wait until August when I've already completed the course? I suppose I'd only have a month or so left of the course, but then again I would probably have less time to study, too.

 

[relentless11]

SO, considering this, would you think that it would be better for me to take the MCAT in April while I am still taking OChem2, or wait until August when I've already completed the course? I suppose I'd only have a month or so left of the course, but then again I would probably have less time to study, too.

Oh here is where you luck out🙂. Next year MCAT is computer based (CB). Although not 100%, according to a recent email from our pre-med advisor, the CB MCAT is offered 2x in Jan, 3x in Apr, 4x May, 2x Jun(same day), 3x in Jul and so on. The best thing about the CB version is it gets graded in 30 days rather than 60. So in theory, if you take the May MCAT, you would have scores back around June, and that would be perfect timing for your AMCAS app too.

Ultimately it is up to you, and how well you know yourself in this kind of situation. The MCAT isn't too bad, but its not walk in the park either. I would recommend a conservative approach since I do not know how you are as a test taker😉.

 

[r0b0tafflicti0n]

Oh here is where you luck out🙂. Next year MCAT is computer based (CB). Although not 100%, according to a recent email from our pre-med advisor, the CB MCAT is offered 2x in Jan, 3x in Apr, 4x May, 2x Jun(same day), 3x in Jul and so on. The best thing about the CB version is it gets graded in 30 days rather than 60. So in theory, if you take the May MCAT, you would have scores back around June, and that would be perfect timing for your AMCAS app too.

Ultimately it is up to you, and how well you know yourself in this kind of situation. The MCAT isn't too bad, but its not walk in the park either. I would recommend a conservative approach since I do not know how you are as a test taker😉.

This is very good news. I'd really like to be done with the classes and have more time to study because my stats are pretty much AVERAGE for all the schools I'd want to apply to, so I need to do as well as possible (well, I guess everyone needs to do as well as possible on the MCAT, but you know what I'm saying).

 

[chrisjohn]

1) Ahh, probably not, give yourself three months. Unless you have a photographic memory and some people do. Definitely doable in two months with Kaplan review books.

2) Yes

3) Same way you would get a consult, look one up.

4) Hell, I don't know! You didn't tell us anything about yourself.

5) 10-15