Unexpected Non-Trad

[Dr. Bean]

Hey Guys,

So I graduated in the fall of 2015 at 21 with a cGPA of 3.6x and sGPA of 3.4x. Took MCATs in 05/2016 and did ridiculously bad; scored a 487. I wasn't prepared, and with deaths in family, it took a toll on me. I primarily used Kaplan to prepare and it did me of no good. I know I have to retake the exam but I am dreading it! Planning to retake it late 01/2018. Right now, I have completed my podiatry applications. My LORs are almost done. I have letters from two professors, two physicians (one DO, one MD) and two podiatrists. Applied to Kent, NYCPM, Scholl and TUSPM. I am also planning to apply to the post bacc offered at VCOM which seems stable and promising if a 3.6 or above is maintained. Applications open in 11/2017 and I am really looking forward to it.

Podiatry is my back up of course, but I really want to go to medical school. My GPA and LORs are on point for it and I am pretty confident that I will get into the post bacc program. Podiatry seems to offer a good middle ground. But my heart is in internal medicine. However, I am in a dilemma. I am unable to decide because I am afraid I will be crushed in medical like the MCATs crushed me. I understand that the MCAT doesn't define me yet I can't help but fear it as it is one of the defining criteria for school.

Give me some advice you guys please.

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[WGSgrad]

Hey Guys,

So I graduated in the fall of 2015 at 21 with a cGPA of 3.6x and sGPA of 3.4x. Took MCATs in 05/2016 and did ridiculously bad; scored a 487. I wasn't prepared, and with deaths in family, it took a toll on me. I primarily used Kaplan to prepare and it did me of no good. I know I have to retake the exam but I am dreading it! Planning to retake it late 01/2018. Right now, I have completed my podiatry applications. My LORs are almost done. I have letters from two professors, two physicians (one DO, one MD) and two podiatrists. Applied to Kent, NYCPM, Scholl and TUSPM. I am also planning to apply to the post bacc offered at VCOM which seems stable and promising if a 3.6 or above is maintained. Applications open in 11/2017 and I am really looking forward to it.

Podiatry is my back up of course, but I really want to go to medical school. My GPA and LORs are on point for it and I am pretty confident that I will get into the post bacc program. Podiatry seems to offer a good middle ground. But my heart is in internal medicine. However, I am in a dilemma. I am unable to decide because I am afraid I will be crushed in medical like the MCATs crushed me. I understand that the MCAT doesn't define me yet I can't help but fear it as it is one of the defining criteria for school.

Give me some advice you guys please.

If you want folks to respond, you need to ask a more specific question.

You may also get better advice (more responses) in the general premed forum...other than being out of school for two years (which really isn't that long), nothing about your application comes across as particularly non-trad.

Best of luck in your journey.

 

[Skiiiiiing]

A 487 is going to raise serious questions on MD and DO about academic ability whenever and wherever you apply. Its 20 points below a competitive level for DO and 25 below a competitive level for MD.

 

[Goro]

A 487 is going to raise serious questions on MD and DO about academic ability whenever and wherever you apply. Its 20 points below a competitive level for DO and 25 below a competitive level for MD.

It's more than that...OP is DOA at ANY MD or DO school with that MCAT score. So simply put, OP, if you wish to be a doctor, you have to retake the MCAT.

Do NOT retake until you are 100% ready, and do NOT make foolish decisions like taking a career-deciding, high stakes exam when you're not at your best.

 

[Skiiiiiing]

It's more than that...OP is DOA at ANY MD or DO school with that MCAT score. So simply put, OP, if you wish to be a doctor, you have to retake the MCAT.

Do NOT retake until you are 100% ready, and do NOT make foolish decisions like taking a career-deciding, high stakes exam when you're not at your best.

Even if he retakes and scores decently - say 510 - aren't adcoms going to look askance at the fact that a candidate performed that poorly on their first attempt?

 

[Goro]

Even if he retakes and scores decently - say 510 - aren't adcoms going to look askance at the fact that a candidate performed that poorly on their first attempt?

A lot of schools look at the highest or most recent score. the reactions of individual Adcom members can't be discerned. I have an Adcom colleague would would reject OP outright no matter what the 2nd score was, due to a perception of bad choice making. We overrule this Adcom member regularly.


However, there is a difference between the OP, who did something boneheaded, and someone who gets, say, a 499 and then a 501. With the latter, you can see someone who has plateaued. If the OP can score well on the retake, then we see that is the real OP, who is not the avg of the two scores.

TLDR: come from behind stories are taken more seriously than flatliners.

 

[mk04447]

First thing I'd do is stop thinking of yourself as a non-trad.