Twll me what you think about me and my chances of getting accepted.please

[GibbsDuhem]

Hi all. I am a chemistry major. about to graduate next year. I had a 3.6 over all for most of my college career until my stepfather got sick with Leukemia. When he came off of Chemo..it turned him from a 50 year old man to a 90 year old man in 8 weeks. He left the state where I am from with my mom for treatment so i only saw him when he went away and came back. I had been making A's and B's till then..but when he came home it was a shock to me. I want expalin it as best I can how much of a shock it was unless someone wants me to email it to them..i want post it otherwise. But that was one thing..the other was him waking up at night at all hours and stumbling around and watching tv..at 3 ,4 in the morning keeping me awake. I did'nt do anything but try to bury my head in the pillows in my bed but it didnt work..so for about 2 months I never got more than 4 or 5 hours sleep if I was lucky, so needles to say my grades suffered turned me froma 3.5 to a 3.2 over one semester..all c's. After that semester things toned down at home a little bit and i got a's and b's for 2 semesters. But the semester he died ..it was hard very hard!..and I studied as hard as I have ever had and still got all c's.. so needless to say my grade point average is at a 3.1 right now..i took the MCAT this fall and got a 24.. I dont plan to apply till 2004. I can see me graduating with a 3.2 or 3.3..and I will take the MCAT again and I dont know how well I will do but saying I do slightly better say a 26 or 28..what do you guys think about my chances of getting into medical school? I want to go to D.O. school because I feel it is meant for someone like me..it is my calling to say..as far as my prerequisites, I have done the research part and still am..I have my 200+ hours of volunteer sevice at a hospital and my time at the community free clinic here locally. If you need more info to base you opinion please ask..I will apreciate those that can truley respond to this question I am asking . Thanks guys Look forward to hearing from you

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[group_theory]

GibbsDuhem

I'm sorry to hear about your father. Remember that your friends and family will always be there for you. You may not need them now (or you may), but they will always be there for you - to offer a shoulder to cry on, to talk to, to get angry at, etc.

The wonderful thing about osteopathic medical schools is that they are willing to look pass the numbers. If you have a true desire to help people and become a physician, and you have proven that you can handle the work load, and have shown that you have learned the basics, then they will give you a chance.

Your gpa is in the normal range for most applicants. Your MCAT is average too. But you have tons of health care experience. But the most important factor will be your emotional maturity. A death in the family isn't easy and you seem to have handled it well. To me, that means a lot more than MCAT scores, or high GPAs, or membership in Alpha Omega Alpha, etc.

MCATs and GPAs are important to adcoms because they want to know that you know the material and can handle the workload. The ECs and essays will show them who you truly are.

In my humble opinion (i'm just a premed myself - Chemistry/Biochemistry dual major), you have a good chance of admission if you play your cards right. Talk to a premed advisor, apply to a good range of schools, continue to be a caring person (whether that be via volunteer, clubs, or helping friends through troublesome times) ... and you will achieve your dream.

Best of Luck

Group_theory
PCOM Class of 2007
"so I reduced my representation to a irreducible representation - now what?"

 

[Doctor Peloncito]

I agree with Group_Theory. I had a 3.2 gpa throughout my undergraduate career. Mostly it was because I was working nearly full time to support my family. The adcoms recognize these kinds of hardships and I would not be surprised in the least if you got multiple acceptances. If there is a school that you really want to go to, I'd look into early admissions. Make sure your application is complete and turned into AACOMAS on the day they start accepting apps. If your workload in the spring is fairly light, I might suggest retaking the MCAT, but if you have tough classes to finish up, I would try to get in with your 24. Make sure you apply early, you will maximize your chances. Get all of your LORs now. Shadow a DO this winter break (if you haven't done so already). Make sure all of your application is ready. And if you don't have a LOR ready, don't wait until you have it to send in your AACOMAS. Get that in early, and you should be fine. a 3.2 and 24 MCAT are average and your life experience, maturity, and ECs appear to be above average. You will get in.

Good luck,

Russell