Re-applying to Med Schools BEFORE starting the post-bacc

[summermeg]

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Hey guys,

I was wondering if any current post-baccers had comments on the following issue, particularly if you're at the BU program (which is where I'm heading):

Basically, I want to do my post-bacc in 1 year and hopefully matriculate into medical school in Fall of 2007. That would mean I reapply this summer, before I even start the post-bacc. Since I applied this year, nothing has really changed concerning my ECs, GPA, etc. How do I (1) express to my potential medical schools that I'm doing a post-bacc and will probably have better #s by interview season, and (2) avoid being tossed into the reject pile at first bat b/c of my #s? Also, do I mention the post-bacc in my personal statement?

I'd really like any advice anybody has to give. Right now, the whole situation just kind of confuses me. Thanks!

 

[scgirl]

I'm in the same boat as summermeg and was wondering about the same things!!!

 

[osin83]

word... im going to reapply this June too... even though I am posbac bound this fall as well.. cant hurt rite?

 

[nicnicinc]

I am gonna take post-bac this fall. Did you guys take the OAT yet? If yes, what is the score?

 

[calliMD]

This is actually a pretty good question and something I haven't actually thought of myself. I know there are a lot of students on SDN that have completed or are in the process of completing the GT SMP. I'd be interested to hear how they handled the situation.. although I believe you can apply before having started the program and then half-way through GT forwards a letter of progress to the medical schools that you reapplied to in order for them to get an idea of how you're progressing.

 

[doctorFred]

This is actually a pretty good question and something I haven't actually thought of myself. I know there are a lot of students on SDN that have completed or are in the process of completing the GT SMP. I'd be interested to hear how they handled the situation.. although I believe you can apply before having started the program and then half-way through GT forwards a letter of progress to the medical schools that you reapplied to in order for them to get an idea of how you're progressing.

this is precisely what happens. in the case of the gtown smp, they encourage you to submit your AMCAS and have all of your secondaries completed prior to the start of classes in august. they will send an initial letter on your behalf explaning your work in the program, and will send an updated later in late fall. if you are close to getting in and simply need a little boost to your application, you may well receive plenty of interview invitations before your fall semester grades are complete. this is the situation i'm in, and i plan on having my amcas filled out and submitted on the first possible day.

 

[relentless11]

I can't speak for the GT program, but if this is just a standard post-bacc, and you have absolutely nothing new to show, then I'd wait another year. Put yourself into the shoes of an adcom member. Person A says on their personal statement that they're going to do a post-bacc, and "plan to get better grades". Person B has already completed a year of post-bacc, holding a GPA of 4.0. Who looks better?

Everything you say that you will do, regardless of how sugar coated it is, is all subjective. Just like extracurriculars on your AMCAS, they have no way to really verify these statements. Adcoms want cold hard quantifiable evidence when talking about grades, not speculation, and future planning. You cannot expect adcoms to wait for updated information during interview season. It not logical, nor is it fair for other applicants. Secondaries and interviews are granted as suitable applicants arise. Not left up in the air for those that claim to be doing a post-bacc program, and state they will try to do well.

Our director of admissions and pre-med advisors have stated that we should reapply as long as we have new things to show. Which includes some kind of EC, GPA improvement, and letters of recommendation. Med school's (most) have a rolling admissions, not a rolling application. It sucks, but I think you really have to just wait another year. I'd be eager to reapply again too, but you really want to maximize on your chances, rather than leave any room for error.

 

[doctorFred]

I can't speak for the GT program, but if this is just a standard post-bacc, and you have absolutely nothing new to show, then I'd wait another year. Put yourself into the shoes of an adcom member. Person A says on their personal statement that they're going to do a post-bacc, and "plan to get better grades". Person B has already completed a year of post-bacc, holding a GPA of 4.0. Who looks better?

to an extent, you're correct. however, as i mentioned above, if an individual was close to getting into medical schools in a previous cycle (say, multiple interviews/waitlists), then simply being accepted into a good post-bac program may be enough to guarantee those same interviews again. now, a school may look at those interviews and say "hey, he/she was great this time, let's give this a thumbs up pending the release of his/her first set of post-bac grades."

 

[relentless11]

to an extent, you're correct. however, as i mentioned above, if an individual was close to getting into medical schools in a previous cycle (say, multiple interviews/waitlists), then simply being accepted into a good post-bac program may be enough to guarantee those same interviews again. now, a school may look at those interviews and say "hey, he/she was great this time, let's give this a thumbs up pending the release of his/her first set of post-bac grades."

Yes I agree with that, but I don't think we've established that the OP was that close to matriculation, nor can we guarantee they will do what you said. You know full well that there are many other factors that come into play, so with an essentially unchanged application, one would be playing a low-yield game to gain admission. For all we know the person could have been denied for other factors including but not limited to EC's or LORs, rather than low GPA.

 

[summermeg]

Hey guys,

Thanks for the advice. I only got interviewed at 1 school out of 13 this year (although I aimed for mostly top 30 schools), so it sounds like perhaps the best thing for me to do would be to wait one year. What do people do during that "lag year"? What are the chances I can find a relevant and interesting job (that is, one related to healthcare) that will pay me, thus enabling me to start paying off my loans? Any suggestions on where to look?

 

[doctorFred]

Hey guys,

Thanks for the advice. I only got interviewed at 1 school out of 13 this year (although I aimed for mostly top 30 schools), so it sounds like perhaps the best thing for me to do would be to wait one year. What do people do during that "lag year"? What are the chances I can find a relevant and interesting job (that is, one related to healthcare) that will pay me, thus enabling me to start paying off my loans? Any suggestions on where to look?

emt work is healthcare-related, and depending on where you live, jobs may be plentiful and pay a decent wage. i currently work for 11.50 an hour, although the hours can be a bit long sometimes.

 

[osin83]

I think the decision to reapply before the postbac classes start should be made on a case by case basis. In my case I sent out my AMCAS the very last day possible. That was late enough so that I only sent it out to my two state schools (who had really late deadlines). I interviewed at both. My first interviewer told me, if I had applied early I would pretty much be a shoe in. I interviewed at my other school yesterday and I feel confident taht an early application would have got me in there also.

I feel as though my application this June will be helpful for me to get into those two schools. I am applying only to the two schools i previously interviewed at. No point in throwing away a thousand dollars on application fees. If it doesnt work, fine. If so, no lag year after postbac.

Another good point is that who knows the caliber and type of students applying this next cycle. Your previous application could possibly look better to some schools this time around. THey could need to you to fill certain quotas, whether they be geographic, ethnic or otherwise.

 

[doctorFred]

you and i are in the same boat, and i think we're both counting on the same two umdnj schools. 😉

 

[Law2Doc]

to an extent, you're correct. however, as i mentioned above, if an individual was close to getting into medical schools in a previous cycle (say, multiple interviews/waitlists), then simply being accepted into a good post-bac program may be enough to guarantee those same interviews again. now, a school may look at those interviews and say "hey, he/she was great this time, let's give this a thumbs up pending the release of his/her first set of post-bac grades."

You'd have to truly be on the cusp, and positive that there was nothing lacking from your app other than perhaps bad timing or bad luck. This approach isn't going to work if you didn't get in previously due to GPA issues, or a lack of recent sciences, etc.