For those still waiting, I was offered an interview today, and I wanted to give you guys some thorough info because I was browsing these threads just a week ago down on myself thinking I'd have no chance due to how late my app was. Now I'm just waiting to hear back from the Temple ACMS program, and UVM.
Applied ~ may 20th,
Non trad. in the sense that I'm 24, and wasn't planning upon attending medical school as of graduating two years ago, wanted to work in the psych pharma industry. Got there, absolutely hated it and decided it was time for a change.
Only compelling story is that I'm a second gen college student, and the first one to go to school on academic merits and not football (not really that big of a deal IMO, but some schools seemed interested), and I seriously overworked myself in university to come out debt free, which when added to my EC's paints me as extremely involved in both academic, social and work life during college.
Stats:
Grades/Scores.
3.3c 3.0s for GPA, 85th-95th on the new MCAT, 90th% + on GRE, GRE Subject, SAT and ACT. No trend in GPA, up and down throughout college, but All a's in bio prereqs, A's and B's in other prereqs, except one C in Ochem2. Coursework primarily focused in Neuroscience and Biochemistry.
EC's.
Multiple publications in 2 fields, EMT, 2k+ volunteer hours, 100+ shadowing hours, research coordinator in clinical setting psych pharma trials, worked in a low income school, study abroad, TA and tutor for several upper division biology courses, worked quite a bit (40hrs a week of paid work during college), helped plan and run 2 Relay for Lifes, and have a somewhat substantial list of awards and elected positions to my name, mostly in campus leadership and service, but a few in academics as well.
Essays.
Talked about experiences working with extreme poverty patients, and expressed a desire to work in a primarily urban and low income area, or alternatively military medicine.
After seeing all these average GPA's above mine, and thinking it's probably to late for me to just go back to undergrad to boost my GPA .2 or .3, to be competitive, it was a huge wait off my shoulders to hear that I was going to get an interview today. I've seen positives and negative about the Penn program so far, but I just want to wish everyone good luck, especially those of you who had to make hard choices about how to use your time during college, and perhaps suffered for it.
Good luck to everyone.
Applied ~ may 20th,
Non trad. in the sense that I'm 24, and wasn't planning upon attending medical school as of graduating two years ago, wanted to work in the psych pharma industry. Got there, absolutely hated it and decided it was time for a change.
Only compelling story is that I'm a second gen college student, and the first one to go to school on academic merits and not football (not really that big of a deal IMO, but some schools seemed interested), and I seriously overworked myself in university to come out debt free, which when added to my EC's paints me as extremely involved in both academic, social and work life during college.
Stats:
Grades/Scores.
3.3c 3.0s for GPA, 85th-95th on the new MCAT, 90th% + on GRE, GRE Subject, SAT and ACT. No trend in GPA, up and down throughout college, but All a's in bio prereqs, A's and B's in other prereqs, except one C in Ochem2. Coursework primarily focused in Neuroscience and Biochemistry.
EC's.
Multiple publications in 2 fields, EMT, 2k+ volunteer hours, 100+ shadowing hours, research coordinator in clinical setting psych pharma trials, worked in a low income school, study abroad, TA and tutor for several upper division biology courses, worked quite a bit (40hrs a week of paid work during college), helped plan and run 2 Relay for Lifes, and have a somewhat substantial list of awards and elected positions to my name, mostly in campus leadership and service, but a few in academics as well.
Essays.
Talked about experiences working with extreme poverty patients, and expressed a desire to work in a primarily urban and low income area, or alternatively military medicine.
After seeing all these average GPA's above mine, and thinking it's probably to late for me to just go back to undergrad to boost my GPA .2 or .3, to be competitive, it was a huge wait off my shoulders to hear that I was going to get an interview today. I've seen positives and negative about the Penn program so far, but I just want to wish everyone good luck, especially those of you who had to make hard choices about how to use your time during college, and perhaps suffered for it.
Good luck to everyone.