Awesome thread. Congrats to those who got some interviews (and acceptances already!).
hey, where did you apply because i have a very low mcat too =( ~20....
What is this babble about before Christmas? The quote you took from me was on June 10th...at this point retaking the MCAT may not be the best option 60 days ago I would have argued otherwise.
RVU (a mistake on my part as I'm not from the Rockies)
LECOM-B
Nova
PCOM GA
WCU
LMU
Pikeville
AT Still
Des Moines
I explained my low MCAT in the interview as working 50 hours a week as a lawyer; passed the Bar exam first time; graduate top 15% of my Law School Class; took two science course per semester while working full time (no time to study for the MCAT). In other words, extolled the virtues of an otherwise stellar application. My low MCAT therefore was not fatal and no indicative of my abilities.
Hi everyone so here is my stat:
cGPA 3.25
sGPA 3.03
MCAT: Have not taken yet.
I still have a year and two quarters left of school. My counselor told me to take 3 new biology classes to replace my low (C grades) biology series grades. Granted if I take those three new biology classes, biochem, and pchem and did well my sGPA would be around a 3.18 or something like that. But if I retook the biology series and get As then I can automatically increase my sGPA to 3.25. I've retaken some ochem classes and got 3.6, 3.7, and 4.0 the lab class. So I think if I retake and study hard I will do well. But I don't know if its worth it to take it. Or should I just continue with the new classes and study my butt off for the MCAT and shoot for a 30?
Alright!! our boss got in, yayayayayayayay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow havent been on here in a while.
Congrats to all the underdogs who got into LECOM🙂 thats amazing! Hopefully I will get an interview once all my **** is confirmed
Does anyone think being an underdog and not having my primary app sent in for next week is putting me at huge disadvantage? I have to wait for confirmation after that🙁
Hey guys got an update from Tourocom NY
Complete email stating.
"Please be advised that we received your supplemental application and fee.
After a thorough review of your file you will be notified via email for an invite to interview if your file is complete.
You will also get notified if your file is incomplete and what is missing.
Note: we are not open for interviews yet."
Fun stuff eh Hockey?
Hey Fellow Utahn. I was just accepted to LECOM Erie. While I was interviewing there I met a former BYU student. Apparently they have a nice ward for you churchy types.hey fellow underdogs. i'm a lowly pre-med student from byu. stats are 3.26 cgpa, 3.2 sgpa, 29Q on MCAT last summer. i applied to all DO schools (crazy & expensive, I know). actually got an interview invite last week to Midwestern in AZ. So stoked! But still hoping for more. Has anyone gotten other interview invites to other DO schools?
btw, I'm way new to this SDN thing. but it's been a good experience so far. i'm appreciating everyone's advice/input/positivity.
I'm a biochemistry and environmental health major. I haven't taken the pchem class yet so I don't know if I would like it. Although if I sample it and find that I don't like it I can just not take the biochemistry major since environmental health will do just fine. I'm only taking the new biology course because my counselor said Med school prefer to see you take higher level classes and do well. I tend to do better in biology class when the subject is more narrow it seems. Thats my problem with the general series its too broad. But if I score a 30 on the MCAT do you think I would have a chance?
so hockey, r u set on lecom? r u gonna attend any more interview?
I am debating if I should do some sort of researching or should I just concentrate on clinical hour experience. Cause really I'm not that excited about researching.
Attention! Let's establish criteria to be an underdog.
I like this formula: MCAT/2 + aGPA*10 = Applicant Score
(The "aGPA" here is the average of your cumulative and science GPA)
The average applicant (according to the 2011 CIB: 26.19 MCAT, 3.48 cGPA, 3.38 sGPA) will then have their "applicant score" as 47.4, as per the formula: 26.19/2 + 3.43(3.48 cGPA, 3.38 sGPA) = 47.4
To be an underdog, let's say you have to have a 46 or below as your "Applicant Score"? Someone with a 46 "Applicant Score" could have a:
24 MCAT with a 3.40 aGPA (possibly a 3.45 cGPA, 3.35 sGPA)
26 MCAT with a 3.30 aGPA (possibly a 3.35 cGPA, 3.25 sGPA)
28 MCAT with a 3.20 aGPA
30 MCAT with a 3.10 aGPA
...I like it.
How about that exact method, but using your science GPA (since I have only everyone's science GPA listed on the front page. I think it's a pretty good gauge. It won't be concrete obviously but I will be a good method for people that are curious. Realistically underdogs would probably be at least 1 std below but I think 46 is a good number to work with.
Also, we are growing like crazy! It will look amazing when we have a ton of acceptances later in the year on the front page (WE WILL)
I'm going to update the front page with Dre's method and people can use it to see where they stand if they would like.
RVU (a mistake on my part as I'm not from the Rockies)
LECOM-B
Nova
PCOM GA
WCU
LMU
Pikeville
AT Still
Des Moines
I explained my low MCAT in the interview as working 50 hours a week as a lawyer; passed the Bar exam first time; graduate top 15% of my Law School Class; took two science course per semester while working full time (no time to study for the MCAT). In other words, extolled the virtues of an otherwise stellar application. My low MCAT therefore was not fatal and no indicative of my abilities.
oops sorry to double post. but congrats on your acceptance dude. that's awesome. and i appreciate the churchy heads up haha. good luck at LECOM-E.Hey Fellow Utahn. I was just accepted to LECOM Erie. While I was interviewing there I met a former BYU student. Apparently they have a nice ward for you churchy types.
I know this has been asked elsewhere but i can't find it...
About how long does it take to get the primary app verified by AACOMAS? I submitted 7/27...
I'm going to be 100% honest, I had started with a list of schools (20) that I was going to apply to in May. I took 2 days and sat down with the CIB and read all the old class threads and cut that down to 13. I didn't know all that much about LECOM, despite reading a ton, and had it ranked at 9 out of 13(I ranked them in order of interest, i'm a loser I know). I visited them for an open house and it jumped up to 4. After my interview, it became my number 1 without question. Everybody has there reasons for liking / disliking schools. I can give my pro's and con's to anyone interested from an applicant P.O.V but the bottom line is, the pros outweighed the cons, big time, for me. When I tell people, i'm proud to say that i'm going to go to LECOM. It's crazy how much your opinion can change from visiting schools. Keep an open mind to all schools everybody!
End of september?! thats ridiculous...i don't even think AMCAS takes that long if it is still submitted in July.
Go underdogs
Last Year:
AMCAS Submitted: 7/27 Verified/Released: 8/26
AACOMAS Submitted: 7/28 Verified: 9/17 Released: 9/28
You have been giving some good advice, i've added you to the supporters. Good luck with med school this year, let us know how brutal it is.
I think that your MCAT score will be a critical aspect of your application, so I would definitely make sure you are well prepared. I personally would say to retake classes over taking new classes IF the new classes are not helping you toward your degree. For example, are these 3 biology classes for your degree or just to raise your GPA. If its just to raise your GPA, I would definitely retake instead. Are you a chem major? Why pchem? I've heard it's a pretty difficult course for people who aren't chem majors.
It seems this year verification is faster after reading the verification thread.
uhh yeah...
submitted: 7/27
verified: 8/4
8 days. dodged a bullet on that one. bad luck last year i guess.
Wow you are amazing. I shouldn't have, but taken a summer research job on top of my regular job so it was pretty hard trying to study and work two jobs, my fault. But since my ec's aren't as awesome as yours, haha, retaking in september =P
I'm interested to hear your pros/cons since you've recently been through the whole process. I've read a lot about LECOM-E, but haven't had the chance to visit. Fill me in brah
uhh yeah...
submitted: 7/27
verified: 8/4
8 days. dodged a bullet on that one. bad luck last year i guess.
Curriculum- They offer extremely diverse methods of learning. LDP (lecture based), PBL (House style), ISP (throw you to the wolves), PCSP (primary care in 3 years), and now an accelerated track for PA's.
When were your transcripts in? I'm going to bet that your last transcript was received well before 7/27. AACOMAS has begun pre-verification now with those who have their transcripts in. Judging by the 1 week turnaround on your application I'd guess that they probably had started before then and your's likely isn't going to be the norm.
Verification this year is definitely faster than last year though, which was atrocious.
Fitness Center - ~50 mil. state of the art building. They give us free membership. Nicest gym I have ever been to in my life. By no means a large pro for the decision process, but still nice to have nonetheless. I could go on but i'm sure you get the point. (3 pools, bball court, track,etc)
What do you mean by pre-verification?
Very informative, thanks HockeyDr 🙂
Seriously this gym has a hot tub as big as a swimming pool. I mean I don't really enjoy hot tubs but I thought that was awesome.😱
😱![]()
DO WANT!
<SNIP>
Erie will be getting my deposit. It's a matter of someone else blowing them out of the water in order to get me to walk away from it.
When considering the town, just remember that you're not going to have free time when you're in medical school. The free time that you do have, won't really be free. So when looking at "Oh God, there's nothing to do in Erie!", think about the actual value of the time you'll have in Erie -- it's going to be spent studying, preparing and learning. I feel it's more important to coalesce well with the program and facilities of the institution than the surrounding town.
I agree with you on the free time aspect but things change when you have a wife and kid like the both of us. There has to be at least some stuff for my family to do while I am gone studying all week. I don't want my wife to go crazy 🙂.
That said, Erie is Much better than where we lived when I was enlisted. I think it will be great.
Here is another fun fact about Erie. There is casino in town. Maybe everyone knew that? I was a bit surprised when I saw it
Oh I agree they need stuff to do. I don't think it will be too terrible. The wife (well, almost-wife. In 16 days she's a wife) grew up in the middle-of-nowhere in Maine so it won't be that bad for her.
And yes, there's a casino. How else are we supposed to pay for school?!?!? 😉
My experience is in areas where is snows alot, they know how to deal with it, and its usually not too much of a problem.
When were your transcripts in? I'm going to bet that your last transcript was received well before 7/27. AACOMAS has begun pre-verification now with those who have their transcripts in. Judging by the 1 week turnaround on your application I'd guess that they probably had started before then and your's likely isn't going to be the norm.
Verification this year is definitely faster than last year though, which was atrocious.
👍 Sounds like the school came off as very well liked. I'm actually hoping for an interview for Erie despite the travel costs just because it seems to have so many options and seems like a very favored school. Not to mention the super cheap tuition doesn't hurt! We'll see what happens, these non-refundable deposits are going to be the death of me, especially since my Bradenton interview is a month before any other interview
Do yourself a favor and fly into Cleveland (like 80 minutes from Erie), my plane ticket coming from Idaho was ~200 dollars less than it would have been to fly into Erie.
Just joining the underdog club, although my gpa is pretty good.
MCAT: 25M - 8P, 9V, 8B
sGPA: 3.85
cGPA: 3.87
So far, just one interview at LECOM Bradenton. Been under review at Erie for over a month now. Not sure what's going on with that.
(edit: i'll hold off for now, looks like that would eliminate quite a few people)