What are my chances...with a few twists

[NewEnglandBeans]

Good morning, everyone. I've been lurking and am now registering to get some honest feedback

I'm thirty years old. After high school I went to paramedic school and worked as a paramedic for a few years, before starting university. I intended at the time to apply to medical school.

I crashed and burned my first go round for a bachelor's degree...a year of three As and about 8 I/Fs. [...edited...]

I have been home full time with my children (three total, since then). Last year, despite the fact that I knew I really wanted to be a doctor, and not a nurse, I decided to complete the pre-requisites for nursing school. I finished the school year with a 4.0, including a semester of Biology, a semester of Microbiology and two semesters of Anatomy and Physiology. I did not get into nursing school (three year waiting list at the moment.)

I contacted my old university. They are more than willing to re-enroll me in my old degree program (Psychology with a Neuroscience focus), and will allow me to apply the "Fresh Start" program to my GPA.

I am confident that I can go on to complete my bachelor's with roughly a 3.6-3.8 average. I believe that I can score competetive marks in the medical pre-requisites. I believe I can do well on the MCATs, and I know I have resolved the issues leading to the original academic problem.

However, I know that AMCAS doesn't care about the fresh start program. No matter how many A's I earn, my GPA is going to be abysmal, right? Furthermore, I've been home raising children for 7 years. I don't have that much to show for being 30, besides three beautiful, loved children, a husband, personal self-improvement, and significant volunteer work with a large organization concerned with public health.

Could I have some honest feedback on my chances here? Am I insane for going back? Am I correct in being concerned that no matter how well I do at this juncture, I am going to be unable to overcome the deficit I created for myself with a 1.55 (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) GPA almost 10 years ago?

I really appreciate any answers, even if they're only to let me down gently

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Catalystik]

-I'm thirty years old.
-After high school I went to paramedic school

-I crashed and burned my first go round for a bachelor's degree...a year of three As and about 8 I/Fs.

-I have been home full time with my children (three total, since then).
-Last year, despite the fact that I knew I really wanted to be a doctor, and not a nurse, I decided to complete the pre-requisites for nursing school. I finished the school year with a 4.0, including a semester of Biology, a semester of Microbiology and two semesters of Anatomy and Physiology. I did not get into nursing school (three year waiting list at the moment.)

-I am confident that I can go on to complete my bachelor's with roughly a 3.6-3.8 average.

No matter how many A's I earn, my GPA is going to be abysmal, right? Furthermore, I've been home raising children for 7 years. I don't have that much to show for being 30, besides three beautiful, loved children, a husband, and personal self-improvement.

Could I have some honest feedback on my chances here? Am I insane for going back? Am I correct in being concerned that no matter how well I do at this juncture, I am going to be unable to overcome the deficit I created for myself with a 1.55 (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) GPA almost 10 years ago?

If you are from Texas, then TMDSAS (the med school application service) does use a "Fresh Start" program.

If you apply to DO med schools through AACOMAS, then they have a grade forgiveness policy if you retake a class (credits earned must be the same or better, but need not be at the same school). Only the most recent grade earned is included in the application GPA.

AMCAS, alas, has no such forgiveness, as you know. But it isn't uncommon, when one is of nontraditional age, for AMCAS schools to give less weight to long-ago grades. So recent very high grades and a strong MCAT score can still get their attention and win you an acceptance.

Did you earn grades in paramedic school? They count too.

What is your overall GPA and number of credit hours earned so far, including all three institutions attended after HS? This might help: AMCAS GPA calculator: http://medschool.ucsf.edu/postbac/pdf/AMCAS%20GPA_Calculator%20Version%204%20Final.xls

 

[NewEnglandBeans]

Thank you for your reply, Catalystic. I did have graded coursework from paramedic school, about 36 credits worth and I believe a 3.5 GPA? What can I say There I times I wish I could travel back in time and smack myself silly. I am not, unfortunately, from Texas. (There's a sentence I never thought I'd type )

I played with the calculator and determined my cumulative GPA thus far is roughly a 2.82. If I maintained a 4.0 through graduation, I'd come away with a 3.4. And I'm not sure maintaining a 4.0 is a realistic goal as the coursework gets more challenging. If I maintained an A- average here on in, it would be a 3.1. For comparison's sake, my target school has an average 3.6 entering GPA.

(If you're wondering, yes, I did remove some sensitive information from the original post. Decided it wasn't relevant Thank you for your consideration in your copy and paste job )

I spoke with the pre-med advisor for my university, who says he is currently seeing about a 50/50 acceptance rate for fresh start applicants and that I "owe it to myself to try".

On the other hand, it's a heck of a gamble to make given a fairly large and uncertain variable.

Does anyone else have feedback?