What would you do?

[Deeper1]

Hi all-

I need some advice from you non-trad students who went into podiatry. Here's my question: how many of you put off applying to podiatry school for a year (or more if that's the case) and, if you did, are you glad you did it or do you wish you would have applied sooner?

So, here's what's up. I have been planning on applying late in the upcoming Fall '10 cycle for some time. Here are the classes I have left:

Organic Chem. I
Organic Chem. II
Physics II

I was slated to take Organic I and Physics II this fall and finish up with Organic II in the spring while planning on taking the MCAT either in middle to late December or at the very beginning of the new year ('11). However, today I just found out that my Physics II class has been nixed when I went to look up when tuition was due. So, really that's not the big deal since I could take it in the spring, but I've been mulling over how well I would be prepared to apply in the coming cycle and if I was pushing it too far.

Now my original plan called for me to apply in December so that I could have all but one pre-req done and, once I took the MCAT, I could submit the score (because they'll no longer offer interviews without a score on file). I would actually start the application process in August when it opens, but would not be able to formally submit it in January until I took the MCAT.

I've had some concerns for a while that perhaps I should wait until Fall '11 to apply for Summer '12 entrance. I don't want to wait to long to apply, but I want to be prepared for the MCAT if that makes any sense.

So, if you have comments/opinions/questions on the matter, I am happy to hear them.

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[Googlymello]

ok.. exactly why do you want to wait.. because you dont have your prereqs done? they offer conditional acceptances if you havent finished it all, as long as you pass the class.

if you are worried about not being prepared for pod school.. think of it this way.. if you graduate in spring of 2011.. and are not going to be starting pod school until the spring of 2012, you are most likely going to forget a lot of the information you learned anyway because you will not have been in school for over a year...or the information will become foggy and hard to remember.

i would say just go ahead and apply. i wish i would have applied a year ago instead of this fall... i could have started this fall, but instead i am having to wait another enitre year to start pod school.. bleh.

 

[ldsrmdude]

I would agree with Googlymello. I was faced with a smiliar situation, and had to decide whether to "rush" things and get finished or wait a year. I am very glad that I chose not to wait. It did mean that I had to take extra classes my last 2 or 3 semesters, and I graduated just 2 weeks before we (my wife, daughter, and I) moved to Arizona, but I felt it was right for me. Not only did it mean one less year of undergraduate debt, and one more year of podiatry earning potential, but in my case, I will graduate in 2012, one year before Western graduates it's first class. That means less competition for residency spots, and with the struggles podiatry is having with residency spots, I would try to compete against as few as possible. Who knows, when the residency situation improves, I can only imagine that several of the schools are going to increase their enrollment. Especially as a non-traditional, I would say try to get in as soon as possible, IMHO.

 

[Deeper1]

Thanks Googlymello and idsrmdude.

Part of it has to do with MCAT preparedness. I've always been told you should be taking at least Organic II and Physics II when you go to take the MCAT which makes sense as you need the pre-reqs to take the test and the more you've completed the better off you'll be.

I also have to consider extra time spent outside of school to study for the MCAT. I guess I'd feel rushed to prepare in such a short amount of time and that wouldn't be an issue with a regular class test; however, with one of these monolithic gatekeeper tests I'd like to not just get a score to get in, but really do as well as I can which may be the difference in me getting in.

The biggest fear I have is that the MCAT won't go well the first time around. From there, I'd have to set up to retake it and by then I'd be stuck applying in Fall '11 anyway. I mean I'm not planning on going in and doing badly, but even the best of us have days when we don't do well. I know that sounds ludicrous worrying about what hasn't yet come to pass, but contingency plans have to be made.

Secondly, I have to consider finances. Did any of you have any significant debt when you went into pod school? Probably so. I'm guessing you have to take out extra loans to go ahead and pay it off before you go to pod school. I mean I'm not $20,000 in debt or anything exorbitant, but I still have my car note and some debt from grad school.

I don't know. I just get the feeling that I'm rushing through things without knowing if I'm in the best place possible in regards to my application. Perhaps I am just worrying too much, but after making some dreadful choices as an undergrad I just want to be certain I'll succeed the first time around.

 

[Royal Rooters]

Deeper1 -

I like the advice that Googly and ldsrmdude have provided you. As a non-trad student myself, I will be starting pod school next week and will be 5 years removed from undergrad. While 5 years is not an incredulous amount of time, it is enough to realize that theoretically I could be in the first year of residency rather than beginning my podiatry education. With hindsight being 20/20, however, I can tell you that I very much wish I had started sooner.

I'd say take a practice MCAT and see where you stand then start studying for the real MCAT so that you can apply for this upcoming cycle. If you're able to get acceptances and start your education sooner, then by all means that is the way to go. The worst they can do is say no, but remember - you can always reapply. And as far as student loan debt goes, I've accepted the fact that I'm going to be indebted to the US government for quite some time. My wife and I have a fair amount of student loan debt and pod school will only add to it, but we figure that in the long run the education will pay off.

Good luck!

 

[Googlymello]

keep in mind that you have up until next june to apply for entrance in fall of 2011.. so you could potentially take the mcat like a billion times before then and also have your classes done.

 

[catchburns]

I think you should just apply and then take a wild shot at the MCAT. I'm not being sarcastic either.

Seriously, if your GPA is good and you are relatively smart, even without O. Chem, you should be able to manage a 21 on the MCAT. I didn't have Physics before I took mine and I did fine. I know that the scoring is all based on curves and crazy magical algorithms written by fairies and unicorns, but in the simplest terms a 21 isn't even passing. Of course it'd be great if you could blow the thing away and get a 35 or something, but a 21 would get you into pod school if you have a decent GPA. And besides, if you do terrible, just retake later and pod schools will view your next score as an upward trend. You have nothing to lose. Now, if you are applying to MD or DO schools, I'd give you different advice because they often prefer applicants who haven't taken the MCAT multiple times... but with pod school that doesn't seem to be the case.

Anyways, that's what I'd do but take it for what its worth.

 

[Googlymello]

agreed.. i barely even studied for the mcat and i did pretty good

 

[Sig Savant]

agreed.. i barely even studied for the mcat and i did pretty good

was verbal your downfall?

 

[Googlymello]

no.. i got in the double digits on that.. i just don't care about checking what i write before i post if that is what you are referring to