Rejections :(

[imtiaz]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

So far, I've been rejected by:

EVMS
U of Kansas
VCU/MCV

I didn't even get their secondaries.

Should I be worried?

Imtiaz

 

[Riesling]

When did you apply and what are your stats?
Maybe you didn't get secondaries 'cause you applied late?

 

[scully]

Are you a VA state resident? I believe that EVMS is almost exclusively letting in state residents, and VCU takes at least half of its class that way. I think (but I am not positive) that Kansas also takes mostly, if not all residents.

Maybe this could be a factor?

 

[Riesling]

I'm not a VA resident and don't even have good stats, but I got secondaries from EVMS and VCU. It has to be something other than residency requirement...

 

[imtiaz]

Yeah, my stats pretty much suck. 2.6BCPM 3.3AO 2.67CUM, 31MCAT August'00, 21MCAT April'00. More rejections today:

Loyola Stritch.

Imtiaz

 

[imtiaz]

By the way, I did apply late. I got my transmittal notification from AMCAS around Nov. 4th. I started getting secondaries about two weeks ago. Maybe it's a combination of my crappy stats and late application. I just hope I get in somewhere, ANYWHERE. Chicago Med is looking real good right about now. I'm counting on Southern Illinois too. We'll see though, I'll keep you guys posted. Who thinks I'll get in somewhere?

Imtiaz

 

[Riesling]

Sorry to hear about Loyola...but wow, it's quite impressive how you pulled up your MCAT score by massive 10 points! Some admissions people are sure to notice something significant like that.

Don't give up your hopes yet though...I think if the admissions people take a little more time to review your application, they might offer you interviews. If worse comes to worst, I think you will have a better shot at med school next year with your 31 MCAT. Just don't forget to apply early

Best wishes.

 

[Cobragirl]

Imtiaz, I don't think it's an out-of-state thing either...I interviewed at EVMS last week. I did have my application in early, have goods stats, but my MCAT scores were late (I had to retake because they lost them, remember). I still don't know the outcome of my interview...

Good luck with your other schools! I'm sure you'll get in somewhere...I hope I do!

 

[imtiaz]

I think I'm going to have to turn my math minor into a major to pull up my BCPM. But I hope not.

Yeah, I made sure to apply to schools that considered at least 50 out of staters. I used the US News statistics compiled in 1997. So it's probably not an out of state issue. More rejections today:

Northwestern U.

Imtiaz

 

[Wheels2000]

According to my sources, EVMS gives secondaries to only 30% of out-of-state applicants. Same with VCU/MCV. That was a tough draw from the beginning.

On a selfish note, I hope you get in...my stats are right with yours, Imtiaz! I've already gone 0/3 with DO schools. But I'm feeling strangely positive, which I hope is not just wishful thinking.

Continued luck to all...

--Wheels

 

[gabbers22]

Imtiaz--
I was just reading your post...and I had a question for you. I saw in one of your earlier posts that you had increased your MCAT score by ten points! I was just wondering how you did that? I have been struggling with the MCAT, and am looking for any suggestions that might help!
Thanks- gabbers22

 

[cjkalmat]

I just figured out how to put faces into the reply. This is so cool.

 

[imtiaz]

Well, there's two factors that contributed to my higher score. 1) I didn't study enough the first time. I relied solely on TPR to teach me everything and I found out that this wasn't very wise. They could only cover what *they* thought was important and as a result I didn't review much of the important material. 2) I was physically sick during the April exam. I had a pretty bad case of indigestion and I'm surprised I did as well as I did considering I was completely unable to concentrate between the stomach cramps and disgusting tasting burps. In short, it was a combination of those two things that led to an inaccurate asessment on my first MCAT. The second time around, I knew if I didn't do well I would have a greatly reduced chance of admittance so that was enough motivation for me to study more and make sure that I was better prepared. That could've helped me out. I used TPR materials to study over the summer as much as I could. Hope that this helps.

Imtiaz

Originally posted by gabbers22:
Imtiaz--
I was just reading your post...and I had a question for you. I saw in one of your earlier posts that you had increased your MCAT score by ten points! I was just wondering how you did that? I have been struggling with the MCAT, and am looking for any suggestions that might help!
Thanks- gabbers22

 

[EricCSU]

Imtiaz--
I'm sorry to hear about your rejections. I've been following your posts for a while, and it seems like you're a good person. I'm rooting for you, if that means anything. Don't give up!

Eric

 

[imtiaz]

Hey Eric, thanks man. Honestly, what was I expecting? I mean, my stats suck. I haven't declared intent to graduate yet, I probably won't. One year more won't make too much of a difference in the long run anyway. Lots of people tell me I have an excellent chance at DO schools, but that's not for me. Lots of people also say I have a good shot at allopathic schools, but to me it seems like it's going to be an uphill battle. I look at it this way. At least I'm done with the hardest part, the MCAT. I can deal with bringing up my GPA, that's relatively MUCH easier to do. Then again, it's not time to throw in the towel yet, we'll see what happens. But I'm not too optimistic, I never was from the start. It's still not easy to hear rejections even when you're expecting them. I can only imagine how you guys out there who have great stats must feel when you get rejected. It's got to really suck. Well, biochem is calling me. Thanks for the warm words guys.

Imtiaz

 

[jimmybee]

Hey everyone,
I was just reading this post and I was wondering if more people could say where they were rejected from. I filled out secondaries at 10 schools a long time ago and I have yet to be rejected from one of them so far. The thing is though, I have only heard from two (1 I have interviewed with already, and the second I will interview at next week). Anyways, I figure that I am just barely hanging on at some of the other schools that I applied to and I have been wondering if those schools have sent out rejection letters yet. So basically, by posting what schools you have been rejected by, you have made a negative thing into a positive thing for others like myself.

If there is anyone else out there who was rejected by any other schools, please post it and maybe you can help out someone else.

Good Luck to Everyone
jimmybee

P.S. congrats to the original poster for increasing MCAT by 10.

 

[alshepard]

jimmybee,

Since I am also agonizing over my mailbox, I thought I'd give you what info I have. I sent out 14 secondaries. Interviewed at Albany, Univ of Connecticut, Dartmouth and at Univ of Pittsburgh next month. Rejected at Univ of Vermont and Case Western Reserve. I have heard nothing from the remaining 8 schools. Hope this helps you.

 

[NUT]

First off, pulling up your MCATs 10 points was necessary, but excellent for you at the same time! Way to go! What baffles me is the correlation between you GPA and MCAT success. I understand that you were ill for the test, but how could someone who didn't do well in the classes do well on the test?! That blows my mind! Maybe I'm missing something here!? I have yet to take the test, but I have average stats for most schools and I'm kinda queezy about the test because I fear I'll get like a 20 or something really crappy like that! Were your test results a direct result of your putting in time to really study the content? Anyways, I was just curious how that you did so well! It blew my mind! I don't want to harp on you or start a fight, so please take my comments with a grain of salt. I wish you luck in you quest for medical school admission. Also, let us know how SIU works out for you because that's my numero uno school, being that I'm from S. ILL! Best wishes and good luck. I hope you get in!!!

Peace

NUT

 

[Teufelhunden]

I've applied to 9 schools (8 M.D./1 D.O.) So far, I've received 1 interview (USUHS) and 1 rejection (Case Western). I'm still waiting to hear from the other 7 schools. I'm hoping to get interviews from the Florida schools (I'm a FL resident).

Good luck to everyone!

------------------
"Some people follow their dreams, Others hunt them down and beat them mercilessly into submission. " --- Neil Kendall

 

[imtiaz]

Actually, this is a very interesting question. The answer is pretty simple, I'm a lazy ass. I'll give you an example, in my general chemistry II class, there were about 25 students. All of these students worked so damn hard, did all the homework, etc, helped each other out (ie, cheated off each other), and pretty much all of them had high homework scores. Me, I was playing pool, playing video games, etc. I went into the tests armed solely with my AP chemistry knowledge. I managed to pull C's all the way through. Until I realized, what the hell am I doing? I have the potential to be a straight A student, why am I such a lazy ass? So I changed my whole philosophy around and started pulling up my 2.0 GPA. So in the end, it wasn't that I didn't know these things, it was just in terms of the "busywork" involved (homework, labs, etc) I just wasn't doing it. I know, it's a stupid excuse, but that's what I did. And now I have to live with it. If I don't get in this cycle then I'll have to "pay the piper" for my lazyness and get back on track. Hopefully.

Imtiaz

Originally posted by NUT:
First off, pulling up your MCATs 10 points was necessary, but excellent for you at the same time! Way to go! What baffles me is the correlation between you GPA and MCAT success. I understand that you were ill for the test, but how could someone who didn't do well in the classes do well on the test?! That blows my mind! Maybe I'm missing something here!? I have yet to take the test, but I have average stats for most schools and I'm kinda queezy about the test because I fear I'll get like a 20 or something really crappy like that! Were your test results a direct result of your putting in time to really study the content? Anyways, I was just curious how that you did so well! It blew my mind! I don't want to harp on you or start a fight, so please take my comments with a grain of salt. I wish you luck in you quest for medical school admission. Also, let us know how SIU works out for you because that's my numero uno school, being that I'm from S. ILL! Best wishes and good luck. I hope you get in!!!

Peace

NUT

 

[Riesling]

I have one interview with Albany and one rejection from Pitts so far, and I am wondering if schools still do offer interviews in December. I mean there are many people out there who not only had interviews but already gotten accepted. What are my chances of getting an interview if I haven't heard anything by now? My secondaries have been complete for at least a month or two. I'm really afraid I'm just in line for stings of rejections

Has anyone gotten interviews around this time last year?

 

[caffeinegirl]

Riesling:
Yes, you can still get interviews! I was worried like you, and I just got an interview for UCSF today. Plus, NYU just started interviewing, but I've heard that their slots are filled until January. Just hang in there, you still have a chance at interviews, since most schools interview well into February-March

 

[imtiaz]

Do you think that a person with my stats is going to get interviews? Some people say yeah, some people tell me no. I have no idea.

 

[caffeinegirl]

Hi Imtiaz
I'm not familiar with the schools that you applied to , so I'm not sure. However, your MCAT score is great, and that should increase your chances. Plus, since you received your transmittal notification from AMCAS this month, it'll be a while until you hear about interviews (I had my TN in in June! and I'm just hearing about interviews now). So, it really depends
But I really do wish you the best of luck! You really seem to be a great person

 

[abbeydesert]

OK, here is the reality check: as you know, your GPA is very low for medical school. While your August MCAT score is fine (congrats!), I honestly think the only way you have a chance at an interview is if there is a compelling well-articulated REASON for your low GPA. Did you have a bad semester due to family circumstances or something? Did you maybe fail out when you first started college but excel in later semesters? Many med schools may overlook a low GPA if your later work shows substantial improvement; however, you should probably address this briefly in your personal statement (I suspect that EVMS and the other schools screened you out based on GPA alone.) Meanwhile, you have got to get that GPA way up and show that you are capable of excelling in science. Are you enrolled in school now? If so, do everything you can to ace those classes. Even if you don't get in this year, if you work very hard and get those grades up, just like you got your MCAT scores up, this will work in your favor. You may want to consider a formal post-bac program to show that you can do med school caliber work. If medicine is what you really want, don't let past failures stop you. The fact that you got your MCAT scores up 10 points shows that you're bright and highly motivated. However, you should be aware that you may still have quite a way to go before a med school is willing to give you a chance. Focus on the future and on what you can do to improve. Good luck!

 

[NUT]

Let us not forget about one important element. If you are granted an interview, you've already been cleared for academic success. Think about it...they look at your GPA and MCATs when granting interviews. Once you get an interview, the academic part is behind you. All that's left is the interview, personal statement, EXCELLENT letters of rec., etc. I think the EXCELLENT letters of rec. are a MUST HAVE!!! I once met a guy with a 2.9 GPA and an MCAT like yours (31) who was accepted to two U.S. school as well as a handful of DO and caribbean schools. He had OUTSTANDING letters of rec, so keep the faith! So, the moral of my sotry is shoot for the interviews first, then impress them with "YOU"! Much peace much love!

I wish you luck

THE NUT

 

[imtiaz]

Well, my freshman year is STRAIGHT Cs. Sophomore year has a couple Bs, one A and the rest Cs. Junior year was pretty much straight Bs. This year I'm getting STRAIGHT As. Keep in mind the courses got HARDER, not easier. Just to give you some examples of what I've done:

Gen chem I - C
Gen chem II - C
Physical Chem - B
Physical Chem II - B
Physical Chem III - A (probably)
Quantum Mechanics I - A
Quantum Mechanics II - A

Org chem I - C
Org chem II - C
Adv. Org chem I - A

Calculus I - C
Calculus II - C
Calculus III - A
Adv. Calculus I - A
Differential Equations - A
Linear Algebra - A

I haven't taken much Biology, just the prereqs while I was in high school, I got Bs.

Biochem I - A
Biochem II - haven't taken it yet, but probably will be an A

I'm sure once they get a look at my transcript they'll come around. I hope so anyway.

Imtiaz

 

[NUT]

From the looks of it, you've made up for all mistakes of your early, general courses like Chem I and Org I. Getting A's in advanced Org chem and quantum mechanics will count for something to the adcoms, despite the past shortfalls. It's obvious that you have A's in very hard courses and C's in the easy ones. This should count for something as long as you can explain in good terms the reasons for your early lapses!

 

[imtiaz]

Thing is though, I've only recently "woken up" and so my GPA isn't past the 3.0 mark YET. It WILL get there, and surpass that mark, but why waste time? I could be an M2 instead of mucking around in a post-bac program. This is where I sort of have to assess what I've done and bite the bullet. I hope I don't have to, but it definitely is a possibility that I will have to do this. If I don't get in though, I'm not going to graduate. I'll just add on a major (I have a minor in Math so I'll turn it into a 2nd major). It'll only take a year to finish, and I'm confident that I can pull As. But I do hope that I get in this cycle, it would save a lot of time. I already have about 7-11 yrs of residency and to extend the time in training, even though I'm currently 21 yrs old, just seems like a waste of time to me. I don't have a good excuse for why I screwed up, I just was a stupid 17 yr old college freshman. I've already mentioned this on this board, but my mother died of a heart attack when I was making the transition from high school to college, and that had a pretty big effect on me. Other people have mentioned that this is probably not a very good excuse to use, so I'm reluctant to mention it. What do you guys think?

Imtiaz

 

[NUT]

I'm sorry to hear about your loss, but that maybe for a lack of a better word your "excuse" for your poor performance. I know the feeling. Having a close family member die while being in one of the biggest transitions that you'll ever have to make, can be a daunting task to undertake. You have options, though. You could enter a post-bacc program. You could take a few more classes or retake the ones you did poorly in. I think, if you improved your GPA to around 3.1 or 3.2, combining that with your 31 MCAT, you'd have a much brighter future with overall success to medical shool. I also wouldn't limit your options. If you want to be a doctor more than anything in this world, you'll do nearly anything to get it. There are always Osteopathic and caribbean schools (SGU), which have had many years of success, placing students into fine residency programs. Also, for a little inspiration, I recommend that you sit back and take time to watch the movie "Rudy"! It's the most inspiring movie I've ever seen! Every time I watch it, I feel motivated to keep pushing towards my goal. In other words, find something that strikes your passion and inspires you to do great things!

Good Luck

NUT

 

[kmmath]

Imtiaz,

The death of your mother is definately something that I would put in an essay next go-round if you don't get interviewed/accepted this time. Lets fact it...adcoms are human beings and the death of your mother was a traumatic experience that you needed time to heal from. I don't see why you shouldn't mention this and how it affected you and eventually pushed you in the direction of medicine, etc.......

I am sorry to hear about your loss...

Kris

 

[MSepo]

To add my $0.02: I'm not sure I agree with that bit about including the death of your mother as a motivating factor or whatever you want to say about your loss. For one thing, I'll bet that a lot of essays contain something like that so that it probably doesn't affect the admissions committees too much; I mean these people are doctors, after all, and see that sort of thing first hand virtually every day. Also, I remember that in one of those crazy "100 Essays That Will Get You In" - or whatever the heck it was called - books I read before writing my essay that one of the Deans at a school said he didn't care for that sort of essay because it made him feel "manipulated." Of course, if you're a good writer, I'm sure it's possible to pull that sort of thing off w/o making the reader feel manipulated.

 

[imtiaz]

I think everyone is getting the wrong idea. The death of my mother isn't what motivated me to go into medicine. It had nothing to do with my reasons for wanting to becomme a physician. It DID however, affect my academic performance. All of a sudden I was responsible for some of the duties that she used to do. This may not sound like a big deal, but just driving 45 minutes after school in traffic to pick up my little sister from school cut a big chunk out of my study time. Of course there were other duties that also interfered, but that's just one I'm saying as an example. About my motivation, that came from an entirely different person. And I've already mentioned it in my AMCAS essay. So the question is, what do people think I should say when I'm asked about why my grades suck my first two years in college? Is saying that my mother died and I had additional responsiblities a viable "excuse" or not?

Imtiaz

 

[Smile]

I don't think it is an "excuse" at all, by any means. That was a tragic unexpected circumstance that not only changed your life but forced many changes on you in your day-to-day dealings. In my opinion it should be stated because it's not like you're trying to rouse some sympathy rather you are being honest in explaining your below-than-expected academic performance. Hopefully the people reading your essays will be human enough to recognize your hardship and not see it as an "excuse."

 

[abbeydesert]

I completely agree with Smile's post. You had a major life hardship that adversely affected your performance in school and you should definitely mention that in your application. (Don't harp on it- just a couple of sentences explaining what happened and how you've recovered.) Your actions reflect tremendous maturity and a level of responsibility atypical for most people your age. The fact that you recovered from that unfortunate start and are now excelling in very difficult classes only helps your case. Good job! Keep up the GREAT work in school, get plenty of clinical experience, great recs, and I think you will eventually get in.
Just don't let what anyone else says get you down- getting rejection letters is very very tough and it can make you feel utterly worthless. (Tell me about it...I applied in two previous admissions cycles and know the sting of rejection very well...but have finally been accepted at two schools so far for 2001!) Keep working hard and don't give up...you sound like a great person and I wish you the best of luck!

 

[imtiaz]

That's what some people tell me. Mention it. Then other people say, did you have a job? No, I had no job. I wasn't being paid to do any of this stuff. Now that I know everything thats involved in making a household run smoothly, I think all housewives should be paid. But I doubt that's going to happen anytime soon. That's beside the point. I have no tax returns saying I was working through those times. And that seems to be the only acceptable excuse for poor academic performance. This is why I was originally reluctant to use this reason to explain my low performance. I don't know what else I could say, besides in addition to my mother dying I was young and dumb (I was 17 at the time, 1996). Maybe that's why it had such a strong effect. I have no idea, all I know is I'm back in business now. Sooner or later I'll be around the 3.5+ mark. If no luck this year, I'll apply again next year.

Imtiaz

 

[jcollings]

imtiaz,

Awesome improvement on the MCAT!!! Ten points is huge, especially with a standard deviation of what...6 or so?? Congrats. I don't think adcomms will be able to overlook the improvement. It should give them an idea of what you're capable of. 31 is 31 is 31, no matter what your GPA. Good Luck!

 

[Buckminster]

To the poster who said that GPA's and MCAT's do not matter after the interview: That is definitely wrong. Your GPA and MCAT score will again be in front of all the members of the committee after your interview. The only difference is that by that time, they will have your interview report as well as your grades, scores, recs, and activities. But please don't be mislead into thinking that your numbers are not looked at after your interview.

I can't count the number of 3.8/36 students with mediocre interviews that got into school. And I also can't count the number of 3.3/28 students with great interviews who was placed on hold or rejected. Remember, your interview is with only one member of the committee. But your grades/scores/ECs are seen by the entire committee.

 

[lilycat]

Imtiaz -- If you do get interviews, you will definitely get asked about those two years, so it's good to be honest with yourself and to start formulating a response now. Like previous posters, I wouldn't look at your loss as an "excuse" but obviously it had a big impact on your life, and forced you to deal with some very serious issues/concerns early on. Bring that up. And in terms of maybe being less mature and motivated when you started college, I think it would be wise to focus on how you then realized you needed to make a change. That you were eventually mature enough to face some of your shortcomings, and actively tried to fix them should count for a lot with at least some AdComms out there.

 

[NUT]

To the poster responding to the use of GPAs after interviews. I'm going to have to disagree with you. I've spoken with numerous "now med students" who've given me the so-called "enlightenment" about this whole process. It may depend upon which school you apply to, but overall there is some consistency to my claim. You may have a point there because it may vary from school to school how they choose to select their students. The students I know claim once you get an interview, your GPA/MCAT scrutinizing days are over. You've already been clearly by adcoms with respect to numbers. THat's how they do it. If you have the numbers, they decide whether or not to grant you an interview. At the interview, they MAY bring up questions about your academic record, but in the end...it's all the same. Once you get an interview, numbers have little effect on your outcome. Then again, this rule of thumb is NOT applicable for every school! You maybe thinking of a school that I'm not. Who really knows and who really cares! The bottom line here is to do the best you can, move along, and hope for the best!

Good luck and best wishes to you.

 

[Doc Oc]

To add a real life example to the mix: I had an interview that was a disaster. I was actually in a bad mood, and I thought that most of my answers were pretty lame, and my reasons for wanting to attend that school (it was one of my last choices) were totally lame. I think I may have even said something along the lines of "the chairs in the lecture halls are cool". I mean, it was that bad. I thought there was no way I would get into that school, but I did. I can't stress how stupid and immature I looked in the interview, I was so embarrassed afterwards and couldn't wait to get out of there. Anyway, my GPA and MCATs were way above their average, and I have come to the conclusion that they are the main reason for my acceptance. It definitely wasn't the interview. I can see someone reading this and thinking that if I got in them my interview couldn't have been all that bad, but that statement just doesn't apply in this case. I have had five interviews, and know the difference between me on a good day vs a bad day. So I have to say I agree with the poster who said that they still matter. I mean, what if all the interviews were great? What if the adcoms are such excellent judges of character that all the applicants interviewed seemed like good people? They would have to weed people out again somehow, and numbers just might be the fairest way in their eyes. I'm sure there are exceptions, schools where your numbers really don't matter after the interview, but even then I doubt they disappear completely.

 

[guy104]

numbers count, at least at most schools, i think. i realize every school is different, but most schools just have a cut-off for who they give interviews to. you can't tell me that the two to three people that talked to you during an interview are going to be your ONLY word in a committee decision session. yes, the other members will have your info to look at, and they will take the interviewers' words to help them with their decision as well. i interviewed last year and was told by the associate dean of admissions at a school that my interviews were just about as good as they could want. all comments said i would be a good doctor, that i liked people obviously, and that i appeared mature. but i had a 24 mcat and a 3.26 bcpm. he said if the mcat was pulled up just 4 points, still a point below their average, i would most likely get in. so, that committee definitely looked at my scores. this year i interviwed with a much higher mcat and the attitude was much different. i was told by just about everybody i spoke with that i had a good shot at getting in, but that was all they were allowed to tell me. the year before it was more like, "well, you never know." but i don't think imtiaz should be too discouraged. as lond as you aren't trying to get into cali schools, you will get accepted. you showed on the mcat that you had ironed out the problems you had in subjects that you might not have done well in in college. as long as you continue to excell in classes, i think you show that you won't relapse into poor academic performance. as far as your mother goes, and how her death affected you, it is highly relevant. don't let any of these people who think they know everything lead you away from what you would think a regular human would think. a regular person is obviously going to see a correlation between tragedy and your performance in school. you aren't trying to make excuses, but many times explantations are seeked by interviewers, and your tragedy is part of the reason you didn't do well in school. good luck, and remember that these people are humans.

 

[imtiaz]

Well, SIU gave me the steel toe today. I'm starting to get pretty discouraged. :/

Imtiaz

 

[simseema17]

Hang in there imitiaz...

I'm kinda in the same boat as you, and if you know yourself well, you know you want it bad enough...you will get there...eventually, however long it takes. Don't throw in the towel just yet...

Good luck to both of us

 

[qbkatran]

imtiaz

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. I hope you have some good news by now. I have followed your post for couple months and I think you will become a very good doctor later. I am not a student, instead, I am a Mom of a daughter who is very much interested in getting in to medschool like you. Fortunately for me, I survived my stroke and recover well but only after I already imposed
a lot of responsibility of my daughter which affects her GPA for that year. Please post if you get any good news.

 

[imtiaz]

Sorry I haven't posted to let you guys know what's been up in a while. I've been busy with research. Anyway, I haven't gotten any interviews yet, but I've went in and spoken with a few admissions directors and explained to them my situation. The response seems to be very good, both guys that I talked to said that a situation like mine would definitely be looked at more closely, and that they were glad I had stopped by and let them know about it. (Well, not together, they both thought I was really interested in their respective schools.) So I'm just crossing my fingers here waiting. Also, they both said that if I got my masters or upped my gpa to a 3.2 or so, that I'd basically be guaranteed admission, well not guaranteed, but very strongly considered. Anyway, let's see what happens. Thanks for all the support.

Imtiaz

 

[Kahkeetsee]

Imtiaz..you have me worried about my pending application process next year. I don't know what your stats mean (OA,etc) but my current GPA is 3.4. When I transfer in the Fall for my final year at UTD, they will only calculate their courses, so it should be higher. Problem is, my first college GPA from my first time in college is 1.98 (from 10 years ago) I haven't done the MCAT yet but this all sounds SO competitive...I wonder if I even have a chance. Does anyone have suggestions or comments?

 

[Kahkeetsee]

Oh, and let me add, I'm not as close as most of you guys, my Chem I was a B, Biology I C, Bio II B, PreCal is a B..most of my classes after the Chem will be easier..but....there is also the WEIGHT issue. My doctor, who is in a residency program thru Baylor had the facculty advisor come in and talk to me, very nice lady, said she was my size when she applied and if she could help in any way, to let her know

. I am physically active but I'm afraid the weight will be a big negative impression on the interviews. And i'll say right off its not just a little extra weight either.

 

[imtiaz]

I don't know how far along you are in the process, but I'll explain how to interpret stats. First, the AMCAS application used to apply to medical school divides your gpa into two gpas. The BCPM (Biology,Physics,Math,Chemistry) and AO (All other courses). That's what I mean when I say my BCPM is etc and my AO is etc. The MCAT is probably the most important factor, if you're not familiar with how it's graded and you're going to apply next year, I'd suggest you learn and learn quick. There are three sections, with a writing sample portion. Biology/Organic Chemistry, Physics/General Chemistry, and Verbal reasoning. Each section is scaled from 1 to 15. The writing sample is scaled from J to T, but I wouldn't worry about that too much. A 3.4 is a great GPA, right where you want to be. If you can get a good MCAT to go with it, I'd say you have a great chance. I don't understand what you mean about weight though. Do you mean that you're currently overweight? I doubt that admissions comittee people take factors such as that into consideration, they are required to treat everyone equally. In fact, it may even be something that sets you apart from the rest of the applicant pool. I once shadowed a doctor who was rather overweight. She was one of the warmest people I've ever met. I learned a lot from her. So don't worry about your physical appearance, that's not what they're looking at.

Good luck!

Imtiaz

Originally posted by Kahkeetsee:
Imtiaz..you have me worried about my pending application process next year. I don't know what your stats mean (OA,etc) but my current GPA is 3.4. When I transfer in the Fall for my final year at UTD, they will only calculate their courses, so it should be higher. Problem is, my first college GPA from my first time in college is 1.98 (from 10 years ago) I haven't done the MCAT yet but this all sounds SO competitive...I wonder if I even have a chance. Does anyone have suggestions or comments?

 

[Anna K]

I hope my story will give you hope. I, too, received some nasty grades in important classes: C's in organic chem (both semesters), C- in biochem and genetics. I went to my pre med counselor mid way through my junior year with a gpa below 3.0 (I didn't have the guts to calculate it). He told me that If I applied during my senior year there was no chance of me getting in. I was really depressed after that, as you may imagine. However, I wasn't about to let my dream of becoming a doctor go down the drain because of some bad grades. I worked really hard and pulled in some good grades in additional science classes second semester and during my senior year, including a graduate class at my university, and got my gpa to a 3.2. I took the MCAT and got a 29 which was lower than I had hoped. So this year I applied to a lot of schools to better my chances (26 schools). I have received 10 rejections thus far but a few days ago I got my first acceptance! I was thrilled and relieved and perhaps, lucky. I am lucky to have graduated from a really good school, which I am sure helped, but your MCAT is better than mine.
I hope that this story offers you encouragement not to give up. The road may be a little more uphill for us but it still points to med school!