Should I apply this go around?

[redwings54]

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So here is the deal. I have searched on SDN, looked at comparisions on mdapplicants and asked Judy from examkrackers and I am still up in the air. I graduated from a top liberal arts school with a chem major and philosophy minor, 3.05GPA, 2.81 science. I have taken the MCAT twice getting a 25 than a 24, went down because I found out my dad had cancer two weeks before the test. I was a RA, TA, chair of a volunteer program teaching kids to read, captained my rugby team and was a member of student assembly. I have two years of chem research with a publication, and completed a postgrad fellowship in holistic medicine in Russia and Scotland. Working on 1st author pubs for it. I have shadowed both DOs and MDs and can get great LORs from both a premed committee and the MD, maybe DO. This summer I am taking classes at my local CC and will continue to take them in the fall as well as adding a class at Harvard Extension. By next summer I should have my GPA up to 3.25 or so for both regular and science. I also work as a clinical lab assistant at a hospital where I do phlebotomy work and lab work. I just started it though.

So here is my plight, if you have read this far. I have wanted to be a doctor my entire life. I have my own reasons for having a lower GPA including trying to figure out who I was and trying to fit into a group, along with some family problems. I want to apply this application period, but fear that I am not a strong enough candidate. I understand what it means to be a doctor and how much work it is. I show an upward trend in my grades and have a newly found dedication to work. I miss it. If I dont apply this cycle, than I lose the 25 MCAT because it will expire. So here's my thinking: apply now to a few of the schools I really want to go to, cause money is an issue. If I dont get in that retake the MCAT next April and apply in 2006. Please give me some advice on this. Sorry this is so long. Thanks a lot to everyone here as you all are great. 🙂

 

[carn311]

So here is the deal. I have searched on SDN, looked at comparisions on mdapplicants and asked Judy from examkrackers and I am still up in the air. I graduated from a top liberal arts school with a chem major and philosophy minor, 3.05GPA, 2.81 science. I have taken the MCAT twice getting a 25 than a 24, went down because I found out my dad had cancer two weeks before the test. I was a RA, TA, chair of a volunteer program teaching kids to read, captained my rugby team and was a member of student assembly. I have two years of chem research with a publication, and completed a postgrad fellowship in holistic medicine in Russia and Scotland. Working on 1st author pubs for it. I have shadowed both DOs and MDs and can get great LORs from both a premed committee and the MD, maybe DO. This summer I am taking classes at my local CC and will continue to take them in the fall as well as adding a class at Harvard Extension. By next summer I should have my GPA up to 3.25 or so for both regular and science. I also work as a clinical lab assistant at a hospital where I do phlebotomy work and lab work. I just started it though.

So here is my plight, if you have read this far. I have wanted to be a doctor my entire life. I have my own reasons for having a lower GPA including trying to figure out who I was and trying to fit into a group, along with some family problems. I want to apply this application period, but fear that I am not a strong enough candidate. I understand what it means to be a doctor and how much work it is. I show an upward trend in my grades and have a newly found dedication to work. I miss it. If I dont apply this cycle, than I lose the 25 MCAT because it will expire. So here's my thinking: apply now to a few of the schools I really want to go to, cause money is an issue. If I dont get in that retake the MCAT next April and apply in 2006. Please give me some advice on this. Sorry this is so long. Thanks a lot to everyone here as you all are great. 🙂

I think you should target your applications to DO schools esspecially with that holistic medicine fellowship. Osteopathic schools really seem to look at the "person" behind the applicant so...as you seem to be a pretty dedicated individual...its just about scoring the interview.

Try some or all of the following:

-Write a killer personal statement. Emphasize those events that have put you at a disadvantage during college and tell how they have made you a more mature applicant.

-Next, make sure you get a good letter of rec. from that DO. Im not exactly sure about this but I think it may not look as good to an osteopathic school if you have one from an MD. (does anyone else know for sure?)

-GET CLINICAL EXPERIENCE. Even if you apply this cycle. Ive heard that Osteopathic schools love to see that you have WORKED in direct patient care. This can even be on a volunteer basis. If you live in an area with a EMS agency that has a volunteer component then join up immediatly. They will pay for your EMT-B certification and provide you with tons of medical experience. Its a great opportunity because often you will be making relevant decisions for the patient autonomously. RNs dont even get to make the calls that an EMT or a paramedic can.

Hope I was of some help...

God Bless

 

[OSUdoc08]

So here is the deal. I have searched on SDN, looked at comparisions on mdapplicants and asked Judy from examkrackers and I am still up in the air. I graduated from a top liberal arts school with a chem major and philosophy minor, 3.05GPA, 2.81 science. I have taken the MCAT twice getting a 25 than a 24, went down because I found out my dad had cancer two weeks before the test. I was a RA, TA, chair of a volunteer program teaching kids to read, captained my rugby team and was a member of student assembly. I have two years of chem research with a publication, and completed a postgrad fellowship in holistic medicine in Russia and Scotland. Working on 1st author pubs for it. I have shadowed both DOs and MDs and can get great LORs from both a premed committee and the MD, maybe DO. This summer I am taking classes at my local CC and will continue to take them in the fall as well as adding a class at Harvard Extension. By next summer I should have my GPA up to 3.25 or so for both regular and science. I also work as a clinical lab assistant at a hospital where I do phlebotomy work and lab work. I just started it though.

So here is my plight, if you have read this far. I have wanted to be a doctor my entire life. I have my own reasons for having a lower GPA including trying to figure out who I was and trying to fit into a group, along with some family problems. I want to apply this application period, but fear that I am not a strong enough candidate. I understand what it means to be a doctor and how much work it is. I show an upward trend in my grades and have a newly found dedication to work. I miss it. If I dont apply this cycle, than I lose the 25 MCAT because it will expire. So here's my thinking: apply now to a few of the schools I really want to go to, cause money is an issue. If I dont get in that retake the MCAT next April and apply in 2006. Please give me some advice on this. Sorry this is so long. Thanks a lot to everyone here as you all are great. 🙂

Apply this summer, but you need to retake the MCAT in April or August, so it can count for your application. (A higher MCAT will offset your GPA.)

 

[JonnyG]

You might as well apply so that if you do not get in anywhere you can find out and improve where you are lacking. Classes taken after college really do not help raise the GPA much because of the amount of classes you have already taken (know from experience) You would be better served retaking a science class for a better grade. Especially if you did bad in one of the BCPM classes. I did that and recieved comments about the improvement in interviews. Try to improve the MCAT if you can.

 

[medic170]

So here is the deal. I have searched on SDN, looked at comparisions on mdapplicants and asked Judy from examkrackers and I am still up in the air. I graduated from a top liberal arts school with a chem major and philosophy minor, 3.05GPA, 2.81 science. I have taken the MCAT twice getting a 25 than a 24, went down because I found out my dad had cancer two weeks before the test. I was a RA, TA, chair of a volunteer program teaching kids to read, captained my rugby team and was a member of student assembly. I have two years of chem research with a publication, and completed a postgrad fellowship in holistic medicine in Russia and Scotland. Working on 1st author pubs for it. I have shadowed both DOs and MDs and can get great LORs from both a premed committee and the MD, maybe DO. This summer I am taking classes at my local CC and will continue to take them in the fall as well as adding a class at Harvard Extension. By next summer I should have my GPA up to 3.25 or so for both regular and science. I also work as a clinical lab assistant at a hospital where I do phlebotomy work and lab work. I just started it though.

So here is my plight, if you have read this far. I have wanted to be a doctor my entire life. I have my own reasons for having a lower GPA including trying to figure out who I was and trying to fit into a group, along with some family problems. I want to apply this application period, but fear that I am not a strong enough candidate. I understand what it means to be a doctor and how much work it is. I show an upward trend in my grades and have a newly found dedication to work. I miss it. If I dont apply this cycle, than I lose the 25 MCAT because it will expire. So here's my thinking: apply now to a few of the schools I really want to go to, cause money is an issue. If I dont get in that retake the MCAT next April and apply in 2006. Please give me some advice on this. Sorry this is so long. Thanks a lot to everyone here as you all are great. 🙂

It is VERY late to be applying this cycle. Many of the school's deadlines have passed, and with below average stats, I would have to say you really have very little chance at anyu schools applying in mid March, and you said $$ is an issue. You would be much better off applying in the 2006 cycle. Apply early, get that primary done by the end of June 2006!!! Retake the MCAT if you have to, but applying this cycle would be a waste of money IMO.

 

[redwings54]

By this app cycle, I mean this summer for matriculation in fall of 2006. I think I am going to take the MCAT this August, but fear that taking it three times would be bad especially if I have the 25 already. By the end of the summer, my GPA should be up to 3.15 with a 3.07science. With my experiences, does anyone think I would be a competitive candidate for this app cycle even with the 25 MCAT? Thanks.

 

[kaikai128]

By this app cycle, I mean this summer for matriculation in fall of 2006. I think I am going to take the MCAT this August, but fear that taking it three times would be bad especially if I have the 25 already. By the end of the summer, my GPA should be up to 3.15 with a 3.07science. With my experiences, does anyone think I would be a competitive candidate for this app cycle even with the 25 MCAT? Thanks.

I think that if you were to apply broadly, that you may have a chance to matriculate this next cycle.

I think that you do need to take the MCAT again, but rather than get a 25, in order to compensate for you lower GPA you need to show improvement on the MCAT. With your decrease in MCAT score between take 1 and take 2, I think you do have something to prove. Regardless, if you do retake--you have to make sure you DO improve at least several points..another mediocre score (24 or lower) wouldn't look good. If you have not taken a prep course in the past for your prep--you may want to look into that...I know Kaplan guarentees an improvement in score or your money back.

 

[jkhamlin]

So here is the deal. I have searched on SDN, looked at comparisions on mdapplicants and asked Judy from examkrackers and I am still up in the air. I graduated from a top liberal arts school with a chem major and philosophy minor, 3.05GPA, 2.81 science. I have taken the MCAT twice getting a 25 than a 24, went down because I found out my dad had cancer two weeks before the test. I was a RA, TA, chair of a volunteer program teaching kids to read, captained my rugby team and was a member of student assembly. I have two years of chem research with a publication, and completed a postgrad fellowship in holistic medicine in Russia and Scotland. Working on 1st author pubs for it. I have shadowed both DOs and MDs and can get great LORs from both a premed committee and the MD, maybe DO. This summer I am taking classes at my local CC and will continue to take them in the fall as well as adding a class at Harvard Extension. By next summer I should have my GPA up to 3.25 or so for both regular and science. I also work as a clinical lab assistant at a hospital where I do phlebotomy work and lab work. I just started it though.

So here is my plight, if you have read this far. I have wanted to be a doctor my entire life. I have my own reasons for having a lower GPA including trying to figure out who I was and trying to fit into a group, along with some family problems. I want to apply this application period, but fear that I am not a strong enough candidate. I understand what it means to be a doctor and how much work it is. I show an upward trend in my grades and have a newly found dedication to work. I miss it. If I dont apply this cycle, than I lose the 25 MCAT because it will expire. So here's my thinking: apply now to a few of the schools I really want to go to, cause money is an issue. If I dont get in that retake the MCAT next April and apply in 2006. Please give me some advice on this. Sorry this is so long. Thanks a lot to everyone here as you all are great. 🙂

You need to lose the 25 MCAT. Retake it and get a higher score. With your GPA you need a higher MCAT. That is about all the adcomms care about.

 

[paintsites]

I think you can prove yourself with the MCAT. Take the MCAT and get that 30+ score and it WILL show the admissions committee that you know your stuff... even if your BCPM GPA is a bit lower than you may want.... get in the 80+ percentile on the MCAT and I doubt academics would be a concern.

I'd say study hard for the MCAT... get some clinical experience and apply! Its a long process but you have a shot. I'd also say that DO schools would suit your GPA best.

Best of luck!