Question Regarding When To Apply To Med School

[deleted1010363]

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My Situation:

I am a 34 year old with an undergraduate degree in business.

After I have completed my DIY Post-Bacc and making straight A's in all prerequisite course work, I will only have a 3.05 cGPA / 3.8sGPA. I wish to matriculate in 2022. This means I would need to apply in 2021 to matriculate in 2022. However, I will still have classes to take in the fall of 2021 and spring of 2022, one of which will include a required course (BioChem). Also, these courses will be the courses that will boost my cGPA up to a 3.05. I plan to take the MCAT in the spring of 2021 (aiming for a 515+). If I apply in 2021, my current cGPA will only be a 2.92. Should I apply in 2021 or wait until 2022 when my cGPA will be higher (to matriculate in 2023)? Will ADCOMS see that I still have courses to take and will boost my cGPA?

 

[imbesrs]

Also, these courses will be the courses that will boost my cGPA up to a 3.05

There is an assumption on your end that you will get x grade that renders your 3.05cGPA. Many schools have a 3.0 cGPA cutoff which I would guess you dont have when you apply, if those final classes need to be x grade to bump it up above that threshold.

Will ADCOMS see that I still have courses to take and will boost my cGPA?

Adcoms would not assume your performance to be x in a certain class, until youve taken the class, and demonstrated x grade in that class, officially.

aiming for a 515+

Also hypothetical as many do aim for these scores and you havent yet done any practice exam indicative of your potential score on the exam. Ultimately, I would personally wait and apply 2022 for 2023 matriculation. It would be a bummer to get secondary screened/auto-rejected by cGPA and waste that money, then become a reapp

Anyone feel free to add/comment who's wiser 😀

 

[deleted1010363]

Thanks

 

[gonnif]

You dont accomplish this path by first determining when you will matriculate, then scheduling your application, then figuring out if you got the grades. You get the grades first, then prep and take the MCAT, then apply

And how the hell do you think you could possibly get 515+ on MCAT without having one of the foundational courses, biochem, completed?

And if you are concerned about your age, rip that thought out of your head. If you want to get accepted to medical then spend the time prepping and forget the rest.

And forget focusing on a single GPA. Lets see your AMCAS GPA Grid and understand your trends

 

[deleted1010363]

And how the hell do you think you could possibly get 515+ on MCAT without having one of the foundational courses, biochem, completed?

First off...thank you for your response as it is great advice and very helpful to me moving forward. To answer your question here: I set goals. Once you know where you want to be (goal), you can then focus on the journey/path to get there. I try to keep in mind the great quote from Henry Ford: “Whether you believe you can or you can’t, you’re right”.

 

[gonnif]

And I always keep Henry Ford as he was a leading and vocal anti-semite as well as an early and active nazi sympathizer. He was personally admired by Hitler who kept a picture of Ford in his office and considered Ford a leader of the fascist movement in America. The newspaper Ford owned, The Dearborn Independent, published nearly 100 anti-semitic articles that were released as bound volume by Ford

Get a different role model

 

[deleted1010363]

And I always keep Henry Ford as he was a leading and vocal anti-semite as well as an early and active nazi sympathizer. He was personally admired by Hitler who kept a picture of Ford in his office and considered Ford a leader of the fascist movement in America. The newspaper Ford owned, The Dearborn Independent, published nearly 100 anti-semitic articles that were released as bound volume by Ford

Get a different role model

All of that may be true and, no doubt, horrible things. But just remember (going back to the actual quote itself): The truth is the truth, no matter who speaks it.

 

[The Deep]

And I always keep Henry Ford as he was a leading and vocal anti-semite as well as an early and active nazi sympathizer. He was personally admired by Hitler who kept a picture of Ford in his office and considered Ford a leader of the fascist movement in America. The newspaper Ford owned, The Dearborn Independent, published nearly 100 anti-semitic articles that were released as bound volume by Ford

Get a different role model

It’s a quote that applies to everybody, Nazi sympathizer or not. We even used one of Hitler’s quotes (sourced from Mein Kampf) in my history class: “If you win, you need not explain... if you lose, you should not be there to explain!” Whether we agree with his ideologies and acts is irrespective of his quote being meaningful to how we study history.

 

[Rachapkis]

Setting goals and working to achieve them is admirable. Acting as if you have achieved your goals before doing so can sound arrogant and naive. Many have set the goal of a high MCAT and many have failed. What's more, others will judge you solely by your accomplishments, not by the goals you have set. Make sure that you have the necessary accomplishments under your belt before you apply.

 

[deleted1010363]

Setting goals and working to achieve them is admirable. Acting as if you have achieved your goals before doing so can sound arrogant and naive. Many have set the goal of a high MCAT and many have failed. What's more, others will judge you solely by your accomplishments, not by the goals you have set. Make sure that you have the necessary accomplishments under your belt before you apply.

Please point out the specific areas in my question to where I "acted as if". I said I "wish" to matriculate in a certain time and I said I am "aiming" for a 515+. Not once did I say that I already had it in the bag. Please re-read the question and answer accordingly. Thanks

 

[Rachapkis]

Please point out the specific areas in my question to where I "acted as if". I said I "wish" to matriculate in a certain time and I said I am "aiming" for a 515+. Not once did I say that I already had it in the bag. Please re-read the question and answer accordingly. Thanks

You explicitly state that these are the classes that "will" boost your GPA. You explicitly ask whether adcoms will see that you "will" boost your GPA. And you post an unfounded "aim" of 515 before even having taken biochemistry. N=1, but your post did not leave me with a positive impression.

 

[deleted1010363]

You explicitly state that these are the classes that "will" boost your GPA. You explicitly ask whether adcoms will see that you "will" boost your GPA. And you post an unfounded "aim" of 515 before even having taken biochemistry. N=1, but your post did not leave me with a positive impression.

Yes are making judgment on me and assuming I may or may not make a certain grade or score that I aim for. Answering a question subjectively never gets to the root of the answer. For example: when you were a child and told your parents that you wanted to become an astronaut when you get older, did they respond: "Are you crazy? You don't even know what internal combustion is, and thermal dynamics of heat and even how to fly an ariel vehicle...I think you should focus on passing your 2nd grade exams before you start setting goals to be an astronaut, kiddo"?

I doubt that anyone's parents would do that. I do appreciate your reply but what I hope you take from this is that assuming something subjectively about another person will never help you, or the other person understand the question being asked/answered.

 

[Rachapkis]

Yes are making judgment on me and assuming I may or may not make a certain grade or score that I aim for. Answering a question subjectively never gets to the root of the answer. For example: when you were a child and told your parents that you wanted to become an astronaut when you get older, did they respond: "Are you crazy? You don't even know what internal combustion is, and thermal dynamics of heat and even how to fly an ariel vehicle...I think you should focus on passing your 2nd grade exams before you start setting goals to be an astronaut, kiddo"?

I doubt that anyone's parents would do that. I do appreciate your reply but what I hope you take from this is that assuming something subjectively about another person will never help you, or the other person understand the question being asked/answered.

When you speak in a public forum, you will be judged by what you say (as will we all). I am not assuming anything; to the contrary, I am advising you that presuming success, especially without an adequate predicate, frequently does not come off well. For your sake, I hope that you understand that adcoms and others with whom you interact will not judge you as charitably as your parents. (Many of the replies you have received on this thread should disabuse you of that notion). Of course, if you feel that I am wrong, you are free to continue on your present course of behavior and reap whatever comes your way as a result.

 

[deleted1010363]

When you speak in a public forum, you will be judged by what you say (as will we all). I am not assuming anything; to the contrary, I am advising you that presuming success, especially without an adequate predicate, frequently does not come off well. For your sake, I hope that you understand that adcoms and others with whom you interact will not judge you as charitably as your parents. (Many of the replies you have received on this thread should disabuse you of that notion). Of course, if you feel that I am wrong, you are free to continue on your present course of behavior and reap whatever comes your way as a result.

Quite the contrary. Once the other person in a debate decides to start throwing out ad hominem's, I end the debate as I then realize that the other person cannot be reasoned with. debate officially over. Thank you for your commentary.