Seeking insight from SDN network members

[ven2083]

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Dear SDN community,

I wanted to share my story and seek some insight that will hopefully shed light on some things. I am a senior majoring in bio nearing his 30s. I decided to go to college around my mid-20s as my last work field, automotive repair, was not fulfilling my career desires. I always loved science and how things worked in nature, but I also wanted to make a difference in the community. That is why I declared to be pre-med when I started college. However I was not eligible for financial aid (not for criminal reasons), so I had to work 30 hours while I attended a state college part time (9-12 credit hours/semester). It was the same story when I got to a university.

At my university, I would meet with my pre-health advisors to discuss how my pre-med path was going. They would mention that my part-time status would affect my competitiveness when I would apply. I always respond that this is how it had to be if I wanted to go to college, as I had to pay my way through school. So this is what brings me to this forum. I wanted SDN's insight on my situation. Do the med school factor in that you had to work and go to school part time when they judge your application? Also, seeking advice from anyone who has had the same path as me.

Some info:
My overall GPA is a 3.5 (I had an issue with analytical chemistry and an advisor's feedback on keeping the class even though I was not doing well, I petitioned about but got denied), I have been assisting in the same research lab since 2010, I have volunteered since I began my studies at nursing homes, hospitals, etc., I have not taken my MCAT and plan to in the Spring 2013. I plan to matriculate in Fall 2014.

Thank you

 

[cabinbuilder]

A lot of us had to work to put ourselves through college. You will have to show that you can handle a full academic load to be considered since medical school's first semester is 35 credits and it's not like you can just drop a class if it gets too overwhelming. Many of us have overcome that uphill battle but just taking one course at a time because you are working isn't going to work in your favor. When I did the push to gain acceptance, I took pure science year, 15 credits a semester and worked full time to prove I could do well and handle a full life in conjunction with studying. Good luck.

 

[ven2083]

cabinbuilder,

Thanks for the reply. I wanted to ask you more about your year that you took 15 credits/semester. Was that your senior year? What did your other years consist of? In your med school interview, did they ask you anything about working, etc?

Earlier this year I felt that I needed to push harder in school so I took Genetics, Behavioral Neuroscience, Med Terminology, and Research credits to total 14 credits (all A's). This summer I am taking Microbio, Animal Physiology, and research again to total 13 credits (A's so far, waiting on phys to be over next week). For the fall I plan to write a thesis to comply with the graduating with honors requirement, and taking other science classes totaling around 10-12 credits. All this while still working.

 

[jsp132]

whats the difference between a non trad 15 credits/ semester and working ft and a traditional student that is only taking 15 credits / semester not working and maybe volunteering
with similar stats when they apply

 

[Courtjester8]

I can't see how working while taking your classes could be deemed as anything other than impressive regardless of full time or part time status so long as your work schedule is demanding. From my experience, I know that premed advisers at schools sometimes have no clue what they're talking about.

cj8

 

[cabinbuilder]

]cabinbuilder,

Thanks for the reply. I wanted to ask you more about your year that you took 15 credits/semester. Was that your senior year?No, it was my post-bacc year I did 3 years after I graduated since my GPA was in the toilet. All the classes were repeats with the exception of Organic Lab

What did your other years consist of?Took me 7 years to complete my bachelor's since a lot of it was part time and I worked two jobs most of college and was married.

In your med school interview, did they ask you anything about working, etc?Not really, there was a comment made that I should definitely know what I am getting into because I worked in the hospital for 7 years. My med school interview was more focused on whether I was recovered from all my surgeries and would I be well enough to survive the rigors of med school. I focused on being a patient in my personal statement to express that I knew both sides of the patient/doctor relationship.

 

[DrMidlife]

This part:

However I was not eligible for financial aid (not for criminal reasons), so I had to work 30 hours while I attended a state college part time (9-12 credit hours/semester). It was the same story when I got to a university.

...needs to be considered.

If you are talking about ineligibility for federal student loans, that's a huge big deal. You can't pay for med school without getting federal student loans. If this is a greencard issue, that needs to be dealt with before you apply to med school.

If you are talking about ineligibility for free money (scholarships, grants etc), and you stayed away from loans, this would be a good time to reconsider. If you can get loans to cover your last year of undergrad, so that you can go full time or more, that would be a reasonable thing to do.

Meanwhile, please make sure to take the MCAT as early in the spring as is reasonable for a maximal score. Taking the MCAT during the summer takes away the advantage of an early app. Premed advisers still think you can take the MCAT in August and that's pure bunk.

Best of luck to you.

 

[Courtjester8]

Meanwhile, please make sure to take the MCAT as early in the spring as is reasonable for a maximal score. Taking the MCAT during the summer takes away the advantage of an early app. Premed advisers still think you can take the MCAT in August and that's pure bunk.

Best of luck to you.

👍 This is so true. I would even go as far as to say ignore your school's premed adviser as much as possible and get all your application advice directly from phone calls with adcoms when their office is slow. I had a number of adcom members talk to me for well over an hour about a plan of action for getting into med school. Most of these people love to be in a position to help students piece together a strong app instead of judging applications. Look at LizzyM for example. She's on here all the time posting and helping people out.

-cj8

 

[LizzyM]

You will have an opportunity to list on your application how you paid for college (what percentage from loans, scholarships, need based grants, parents, personal funds, etc). You will also have the opportunity to list your employment in terms of a time frame and hours per week (e.g. May 2003 to present, 40 hrs./wk) and make a description of it. This inclues anything after you finished HS, not just what you did while in college and includes full time or part time work even if it is not related to medicine.

Adcoms will take into consideration that you worked to put yourself through school and that you are a non-traditional student. They will also be concerned with your ability to get through the academic rigors of medical school and how you intend to pay for med school (loans? savings?) given the impossibility of earning any significant chunk of change while attending medical school.

 

[ven2083]

Thanks to everyone for their reply 👍