REU / UNC MED summer program or MCAT prep?

[jpcatcher]

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Hi guys,

I just recently won a kaplan MCAT prep course from my school, and am signed up to take the course from January - May. I've also filled out applications for two summer programs. One REU at my home institution with a professor who I'm currently already doing undergrad research with, and the summer MED program at UNC (NC resident), chapel hills my main school of choice I hope to get into as well. At the MED program you do a condensed version of M1 and they rank you against your peers, which is good for me to have a chance to show that I can handle med school given that I have a lower GPA, 3.45 cum 3.5 science.

I could at this point switch the Kaplan course to the summer, and skimp on the summer programs or keep with the current plan. Would it be worth it to switch the Kaplan course to the summer time to ensure it doesn't affect my GPA? ( Not taking MCAT till April 2017, prepping way in advance.) Are these summer programs going to be that beneficial to me to potentially risk my GPA this semester? Thanks.

 

[ofthesaints]

Good lord. Push the MCAT prep even further down the line. You're not gonna remember much at all from that course a year later when you take the MCAT.

 

[Ismet]

Can't you push the Kaplan course to next fall? There's no need to do it right now.

I took a Kaplan course (night classes) along with a full courseload and if you have good time management, it's fine.

 

[jpcatcher]

That's reassuring, I'm also scribing 25 hours a week which makes time a little more constrained.

I should clear some things up, the MCAT course I won came under the condition that I register for a course by Dec 31st. So I had to sign up for one either this spring or summer. It's a kaplan course, so I can repeat it with their higher score guarantee if I "don't feel ready" to take the MCAT after the course. Basically the plan of attack is to take it this spring, repeat it this fall (giving myself access to kaplans online stuff for a year), then self study from Jan 2017 - test day.

I just wanted to kinda clear up if it sounds doable with a full course load + part time scribing / get an idea of which program should be more useful to increasing my chances of admission if I go that route. An REU with a professor I currently work with or a summer program at UNC.

 

[raiderette]

Don't wait long after the prep class to take the test. You will forget things and waste resources as part of the class.

 

[Ismet]

That's reassuring, I'm also scribing 25 hours a week which makes time a little more constrained.

I should clear some things up, the MCAT course I won came under the condition that I register for a course by Dec 31st. So I had to sign up for one either this spring or summer. It's a kaplan course, so I can repeat it with their higher score guarantee if I "don't feel ready" to take the MCAT after the course. Basically the plan of attack is to take it this spring, repeat it this fall (giving myself access to kaplans online stuff for a year), then self study from Jan 2017 - test day.

I just wanted to kinda clear up if it sounds doable with a full course load + part time scribing / get an idea of which program should be more useful to increasing my chances of admission if I go that route. An REU with a professor I currently work with or a summer program at UNC.

Just be sure you meet all the fine print of their higher score guarantee. Granted I took the course like 5 years ago but I remember there was quite a bit of online stuff to do. Not terribly time consuming, just make sure you know ahead of time what is expected of you so that you can use the guarantee.

I don't know much about either program but I think either would be beneficial. With the REU, how long is the program? Will you get to contribute meaningfully to a project? Opportunity for poster presentation at the end? The MED program also sounds like it could be a good choice, especially if you get to network with med school faculty and administration. However there could be a risk with that if you don't do as well as you hope.

 

[warrior209]

As people have mentioned above, don't take the course now if you're taking the exam next year. Spend your summer researching, take the course and prepare hard around 3-4 months before your exam date. Starting to prep now for MCAT is difficult because you'll forget everything you prepared for now if you take the exam a year from now.

 

[osujic1]

Hi guys,

I just recently won a kaplan MCAT prep course from my school, and am signed up to take the course from January - May. I've also filled out applications for two summer programs. One REU at my home institution with a professor who I'm currently already doing undergrad research with, and the summer MED program at UNC (NC resident), chapel hills my main school of choice I hope to get into as well. At the MED program you do a condensed version of M1 and they rank you against your peers, which is good for me to have a chance to show that I can handle med school given that I have a lower GPA, 3.45 cum 3.5 science.

I could at this point switch the Kaplan course to the summer, and skimp on the summer programs or keep with the current plan. Would it be worth it to switch the Kaplan course to the summer time to ensure it doesn't affect my GPA? ( Not taking MCAT till April 2017, prepping way in advance.) Are these summer programs going to be that beneficial to me to potentially risk my GPA this semester? Thanks.

Have you heard back from the MED program? I also applied but havent heard anything and Im pretty sure they were suppose to get back to everyone by now..

 

[Sailor Senshi Dermystify]

I also applied to UNC MED Program, and I have yet to hear back from them.

 

[Easonred57]

My coworker also applied and he has not heard back either. Patience, UNC takes a while to do things.

 

[Sailor Senshi Dermystify]

I got accepted to the UNC MED program today 🙂

 

[swat-doc]

Waitlisted :/
Some one drop please and request for me to replace kindly appreciated lol

 

[Sailor Senshi Dermystify]

Waitlisted :/
Some one drop please and request for me to replace kindly appreciated lol

I may need to defer my acceptance to next year since I won a fellowship that intervenes with the program.

Where are you in your career and did you take the MCAT yet?

 

[swat-doc]

I graduated BA Chem in December 2015, retook my MCAT in April 2016, I had taken in Jan 2015 and got 24 so hopefully on May 3 when I get score it will be a significant improvement. Latino URM, from Texas. I emailed UNC they told me that there deadline for notifying people on waitlist is May 13 so there is still hope that I may be accepted (this was my major goal for this summer) @dermocrat88 congrats on the alternative option, the luxury of good options

 

[Sailor Senshi Dermystify]

I graduated BA Chem in December 2015, retook my MCAT in April 2016, I had taken in Jan 2015 and got 24 so hopefully on May 3 when I get score it will be a significant improvement. Latino URM, from Texas. I emailed UNC they told me that there deadline for notifying people on waitlist is May 13 so there is still hope that I may be accepted (this was my major goal for this summer) @dermocrat88 congrats on the alternative option, the luxury of good options

Hopefully, you get in 😉. I deferred my acceptance for UNC MED until next year. I am leaving the country June 12th for my fellowship. Thanks for the congratulations.