W's + slight downward in BCPM

[RelicLTD]

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Alright- Time to face the music. I would value anyone's frank opinion on this, especially Cat's and lizzy's, as I see they are lurking.


When I first went to college I was just another high school graduate. I had no idea what I wanted to do. I just chose the college that gave me a scholarship, and went cause it was what was socially expected. As school went on, my motivation just fell through. I've never been able to push through on totally external motivation. Sure grades are important, but I didn't have a goal, or a vision of what I wanted. I ended up withdrawing from the University after talking with the counselor. He called it a "false-start" which I think is a pretty apt description.

I moved home, and thinking I would do better there, I signed up at the local state-school. A few weeks into the semester I could feel it happening again, all the motivation was just sapped. I realized nothing had changed, that I hadn't changed, and I withdrew again. I went out to try some different jobs, and resolved not to go back to school until I knew it was what I wanted, not what my parents wanted.

All in all thats 11 W's at the front of my transcript. It sounds horrendous.

After a year of working at different jobs, and trying to explore a few careers (family would have me talk to friends in diff. professions) I decided to go back to college. I started at my local school (which became a University), and went a year before transferring to a larger, more prestigious school (nothing amazing like a top 20).

Freshman: BCPM 4.0 AO 3.94
Sophomore: BCPM 3.88 AO 4.0
Junior: BCPM 3.4 AO ==

Overall: BCPM 3.74 AO 3.96


Freshman to sophomore not too big a deal
junior looks bad.

Organic I - A-
Chem II - B
Biol Core - B
Biol Lab - B
Physics II - A


I only have one semester as a junior (doing other this summer)- I took a week off to go do an operation smile trip. I tried to arrange as best I could, but somethings (like biology labs) I just couldn't work around. I was trying to study for the Mcat, and keep on going with other EC's. It was undoubtedly my toughest semester, and I learned a lot about REALLY budgeting my time.


So, what do you all think? Do I still have a chance with those W's (BLEEHH) and that semester?


My MCAT:
35P
11V
11PS
13BS

 

[Catalystik]

So, what are you asking? Do you want to know if you'll ever have a chance? Or do you want to know if you have a chance right now?

If the latter, do you have the required number of credit hours-some say a minimum of 90 semester hours equivalent? Did you decide on the proportion of clinical vs shadowing your past patient experience gave you? Have you started the summer clinical experience you (I think) had planned? What is your timeframe for applying exactly (when are summer semester grades out, and how many creidt hours will you have then)? Are the LORs in order?

A string of Ws isn't necessarily a death knell, except perhaps at the most selective schools. It's helpful that you had the good sense to take time away from school to get your head together, so there is a clear demarcation in time between the old under-performing you and the new highly-motivated you.

That said, applying with a downward trend can hurt your chances

 

[RelicLTD]

I was wondering if I had a chance now... I have my LOR's in order, started the ER volunteering (Cliche I know) just last week.

I have 88 Credit hours right now 74 GPA hours + 6 CLEP + 6 AP + 2 Pass/Fail. After summer I will have 105.

 

[Catalystik]

Yes, you have a chance now, which will be improved if your summer term reverses the recent downward trend.

Opinions vary on what constitutes a "late" application. By early August, it will take at least a month to get your transcripts verified. While you're waiting, you can get started on your Secondary essays from prompts you'll find here on SDN, so your turn-around time will be shorter once you're formally invited to submit them. Even if you're complete sometime in September, your MCAT score will get you some attention, though maybe not as much as if you'd applied earlier in the season. You're likely to get attention from schools less selective than you might have wanted, but I'd imagine you were probably prepared for that already due to the "W" situation.

Of course, you'll continue pertinent activities through the season, as we discussed before.