Worth it to change plans as a reinventor to apply in the fall?

[premedBF]

I've posted before on behalf of my wife who is currently doing a post-bacc as a reinventor. I just noticed a possible path for her to start med school a year earlier than we had planned.

She started her PB last summer, and has retaken Ds in Ochem 1 and 2 and another upper division science class, earning As in all her classes. She is taking another 3 upper division science classes this semester, and 3 more this summer.

The plan past that Is to take another 2 classes in the fall (including a Physiology class she got a D in during undergrad), and then take the MCAT next spring before applying in summer 2024.

However, if she earns all As thru the summer (and takes 1 additional credit hour to boost her AMCAS sGPA to 3.0), she could start studying for the MCAT in the summer, take it in August or September and then apply. Her AACOMAS sGPA would be 2.9 something. We would probably make this a small application cycle, maybe only applying to in state schools (GA) and a few others.

The disadvantages I see: She doesn't make up for the D in Physiology and she has less time to gain volunteering and research experience. She would also be studying for the MCAT at the same time as a class for a few months (though we expect the summer courses to be a bit easier). And she would be applying somewhat late in the cycle.

Advantages: Cuts a whole year off her timeline if she gets in, which, as we get further into our twenties, and we look at the length of med school and residency and how it might align with family planning, feels like a bigger deal to us. Of course it also adds a year of attending salary. She could also possibly apply again next year if this cycle didn't work out.

Just looking to get feedback on whether it seems tenable to try to push the timeline up like this.

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[chilly_md]

However, if she earns all As thru the summer (and takes 1 additional credit hour to boost her AMCAS sGPA to 3.0), she could start studying for the MCAT in the summer, take it in August or September and then apply. Her AACOMAS sGPA would be 2.9 something. We would probably make this a small application cycle, maybe only applying to in state schools (GA) and a few others.

Being below 3.0 will cause issues with cut-offs, especially if the plan is to only apply to a few schools (I assume PCOM GA and South GA).

Reinvention usually requires around 30 credits, but most of these should be in new upper-division sciences. Retakes are expected to result in an A.

 

[premedBF]

Being below 3.0 will cause issues with cut-offs, especially if the plan is to only apply to a few schools (I assume PCOM GA and South GA).

Reinvention usually requires around 30 credits, but most of these should be in new upper-division sciences. Retakes are expected to result in an A.

Yes, I was worried about the sub 3.0 GPA for DO. That was really the reason we were looking to wait until next year to apply to start with. However, if she did apply in the fall, we would also apply to Mercer, MCG, maybe Morehouse, and maybe any OOS schools that could be friendly towards her. I also wondered if trying to network with those DO schools might get her past the screen.

I think by the end of this summer she should have 24 new upper division science credit hours complete, plus 4 that would be focused around research, and 6 for the 2 Ochem retakes for 34 total in her PB up to that point.

 

[Med Ed]

Applying late with a borderline GPA is a recipe for being a reapplicant. Spoiler alert, being a reapplicant really sucks.

I know non-traditional applicants can feel the clock is ticking, but your best odds of success will come from sticking with your original plan.

Apply smart. Apply once.

 

[chilly_md]

Yes, I was worried about the sub 3.0 GPA for DO. That was really the reason we were looking to wait until next year to apply to start with. However, if she did apply in the fall, we would also apply to Mercer, MCG, maybe Morehouse, and maybe any OOS schools that could be friendly towards her. I also wondered if trying to network with those DO schools might get her past the screen.

I think by the end of this summer she should have 24 new upper division science credit hours complete, plus 4 that would be focused around research, and 6 for the 2 Ochem retakes for 34 total in her PB up to that point.

Wait till next year and get another few courses in upper division sciences. The MCAT is also important and she would have more time to prepare properly by waiting a year. Mercer and MCG would be very unlikely with a sub 3.0 GPA, and Morehouse is a mission specific HBCU.

Applying early at the start of the 2024-2025 cycle would give her the best chance at matriculating.