Improving my application

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Hi,

I am reapplying next year (2010), but I was hoping to get advice on how to improve my file. I graduated in May 2008 with a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering (overall GPA 3.21, BCPM 2.88 🙁 ) and then in May 2009 with an M.S. in Biomedical Engineering (overall GPA 3.45). I've taken the MCAT twice (25P and then 30Q). I've volunteered in two hospitals but that was 2 years ago. I've also worked in two research labs, one for 1 year, and the other for 3 years. I am thinking of taking the MCAT again because I know I can do better. I was also thinking of doing a post-bac program because my low BCPM is due to my first two years which is when I took all my classes that are classified as BCPM, and since then my gpa has been increasing. The only problem is that I currently have a full time job as a research assistant at Genentech and I would rather not have to quit to find another job after the post-bac is done. Any suggestions?
 
FutureDoc2015 said:
Hi,

I am reapplying next year (2010), but I was hoping to get advice on how to improve my file. I graduated in May 2008 with a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering (overall GPA 3.21, BCPM 2.88 🙁 ) and then in May 2009 with an M.S. in Biomedical Engineering (overall GPA 3.45). I've taken the MCAT twice (25P and then 30Q).
Click to expand...

Ok, you need to do a couple of things to be successful for the next time you apply and you may want to hold off on applying until the 2011cycle. First, that BCMP is a killer. You pretty much have to retake classes and take a few upper-level bio classes. This can be done at night so you don't have to quit your job. You need current volunteering...so get back to the hospital or a clinic. What about any other volunteering, mentoring, tutoring, habitat for humanity, humane society...they like to see you help your community beyond getting clinical experience.

Have you shadowed anyone? Are you applying both MD and DO? Look into DO.

The 2nd MCAT score is good. Don't over estimate yourself and take it a 3rd time. Your score could go down and then you're really screwed. Especially b/c you need to focus on that gpa and that will take time. Good luck!
 
Hi beckhunter 116,

Thanks for the reply. How do you take classes without being in a degree granting program? Also, does it matter where I take it (community college vs university). I want to shadow a doc but I don't know how to find one so any advice would be great. Thanks
 
Well, you can usually take courses as a "non-degree seeking" student at most universities. At least here in California you can. The downside is that you basically have to wait until the last minute to see if you are able to get into the course, students have precedence. Or, the other alternative is community college. I have heard over and over that community college is looked down on in the application cycle ( although I hope not b/c I have had to take a number of science courses at CC myself), so if possible go with the university courses.
 
You won't be ready to apply this next cycle. You need a string of solid high performance in upper-level science classes to prove to adcomms you'll survive in a med school environment, and i don't think one semester's worth will be sufficiently convincing. A formal postbac would be fine, but doing it informally is OK too. You might do well to formally get accepted as a candidate for a second bachelors degree at a university so you'll have priority in signing up for classes. You will not be expected to complete the second bachelors, as you already have one. Even if you take classes at a CC, there is a med school somewhere that will look positively on a string of As.
 
Hello, from your next door neighbor who is also a pre-med reapplicant who does not qualify for admission to:

1. Cornell (by way of PhiDE foundation)
2. UCLA (by way of I'm in LA bitch)
3. Yale (Law and Policy do go together)
4. Emory ($450 for a 2 bedroom 2 bath house with a living room and a golden retriever to go along with it)
5. U Penn (Wharton Ph.D. fully funded to go along with it)
6. U Pitt ( Brand new** Health Services Systems Policy Program )
7. U Maryland (Go Terps)

I hint, Ranger Airborne qualified school on its way with a standard deviation granted Ph.D. age requirement ...


John Y. Kim, MPH
USC MSW Candidate '12
 
original poster,
your GPA is quite low and I think will get your application thrown out before it gets reviewed. I know it sucks b/c I'm sure engineering school was hard, but you need to prove to the admissions commmittees that you can do the academic work that med school requires.

I am on the fence about whether you should retake the MCAT. I think I'd hold off for now because even if you got mid 30's I don't think you're getting in (at least not to an MD school) with that GPA. Furthermore, the initial 25 suggests that you could go down, not up, if you retake the MCAT. 30 isn't that bad and many people get in with a 30...but not with a 3.3 GPA and no recent volunteer work.

You need to:
a) take more biology classes and ace them, and
b) get current clinical volunteer work, such as in a hospital and/or clinic. Forget the humane society because feeding puppies isn't going to get you in med school and you won't have time with working at Genentech and volunteering and taking classes.

I think your choices are between quitting your job and going "all in" with a formal postbac program or staying in your current job and taking classes at night. The problem I see is that it seems like it will take forever to actually raise your GPA very much if you are just taking classes here and there at night. Part of your decision might depend on whether you already have many student loans from undergrad. I guess if you told me you had none, I'd be more inclined to tell you to find some postbac program or one of those master's degrees with linkage to a medical school (like Georgetown used to have, etc.) and just go at it 100%. I think if you are in California then getting in to any state school would be very hard with your GPA...they have too many strong applicants.

You may want to explore the DO schools...I believe Western U. may be in California. I've worked with some interns who went to school there and was favorably impressed.
 
I would go DO my man. It's not worth it killing yourself to get into med school. You already earned two difficult degrees. Apply to the most likely Allo schools, but plan on DO.

dragonfly99 said:
original poster,
your GPA is quite low and I think will get your application thrown out before it gets reviewed. I know it sucks b/c I'm sure engineering school was hard, but you need to prove to the admissions commmittees that you can do the academic work that med school requires.

I am on the fence about whether you should retake the MCAT. I think I'd hold off for now because even if you got mid 30's I don't think you're getting in (at least not to an MD school) with that GPA. Furthermore, the initial 25 suggests that you could go down, not up, if you retake the MCAT. 30 isn't that bad and many people get in with a 30...but not with a 3.3 GPA and no recent volunteer work.

You need to:
a) take more biology classes and ace them, and
b) get current clinical volunteer work, such as in a hospital and/or clinic. Forget the humane society because feeding puppies isn't going to get you in med school and you won't have time with working at Genentech and volunteering and taking classes.

I think your choices are between quitting your job and going "all in" with a formal postbac program or staying in your current job and taking classes at night. The problem I see is that it seems like it will take forever to actually raise your GPA very much if you are just taking classes here and there at night. Part of your decision might depend on whether you already have many student loans from undergrad. I guess if you told me you had none, I'd be more inclined to tell you to find some postbac program or one of those master's degrees with linkage to a medical school (like Georgetown used to have, etc.) and just go at it 100%. I think if you are in California then getting in to any state school would be very hard with your GPA...they have too many strong applicants.

You may want to explore the DO schools...I believe Western U. may be in California. I've worked with some interns who went to school there and was favorably impressed.
Click to expand...
 
FutureDoc2015 said:
Hi,

I am reapplying next year (2010), but I was hoping to get advice on how to improve my file. I graduated in May 2008 with a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering (overall GPA 3.21, BCPM 2.88 🙁 ) and then in May 2009 with an M.S. in Biomedical Engineering (overall GPA 3.45). I've taken the MCAT twice (25P and then 30Q). I've volunteered in two hospitals but that was 2 years ago. I've also worked in two research labs, one for 1 year, and the other for 3 years. I am thinking of taking the MCAT again because I know I can do better. I was also thinking of doing a post-bac program because my low BCPM is due to my first two years which is when I took all my classes that are classified as BCPM, and since then my gpa has been increasing. The only problem is that I currently have a full time job as a research assistant at Genentech and I would rather not have to quit to find another job after the post-bac is done. Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

I too have a degree in biomedical engineering and have VERY SIMILAR undergraduate GPA as well. In fact, you are almost a carbon copy of me.

Your best bet is to dedicate all your time to the MCAT and score over a 35+ otherwise your best bets are to go DO/Caribbean or even Dentistry.

In my opinion, if my MCAT is not above a 35 (i scored 32 the first time but it wasn't enough to compensate for my 3.35ish gpa), then I'll just take the DAT and go to dental school or go to the Caribbean. I really don't want to be an internist or a family practitioner and a lot of the caribbean doctors just get those. DOs get better residencies but they have the stigma over the letters.

It's about tradeoffs really.

P.S.
It's complete BULLS**** that they DISCRIMINATE against those who took harder classes than the non-hard science intense folks. A B in QUANTUM MECHANICS is going to be a lot harder than Anatomy and Physiology. Jesus.

To be rejected to a sociology major that took arguably much easier classes shows me that the admission system is deeply flawed.

Also, going to a school that is easier over one that is harder is not taken into account (I know a kid who took classes at community college for two years, got easy As, then transferred out to a different easy 4 year school, got a 30 on the MCAT and got into an MD school).

Ridiculous.
 
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Mister T said:
P.S.
It's complete BULLS**** that they DISCRIMINATE against those who took harder classes than the non-hard science intense folks. A B in QUANTUM MECHANICS is going to be a lot harder than Anatomy and Physiology. Jesus.

To be rejected to a sociology major that took arguably much easier classes shows me that the admission system is deeply flawed.

Also, going to a school that is easier over one that is harder is not taken into account (I know a kid who took classes at community college for two years, got easy As, then transferred out to a different easy 4 year school, got a 30 on the MCAT and got into an MD school).

Ridiculous.
Click to expand...

So um, if youve taken such hard courses and claim to be such an intelligent student, whats wrong with your MCAT again? Which school do you go to have such a condescending attidue towards transfers? lol
 
OP - Just taking more ug classes won't help that much, because you already have a lot of science credits. It would be hard to move the gpa.

Either apply to mainly DO schools or do a SMP.
The MCAT isn't your main problem; it's the gpa, especially the science part.

:luck:
 
If you have the funds you can just pay to any university extension and take any classes you want-but there is the drama of signing up at the last minute for a class which is full. Don't take classes in CC-s, it's discouraged, they are too easy. I am in the same situation like you, I have asked the schools directly, this is their advice. However I did just that, but I didn't take enough classes and it looks like I am going to go for another round after masters😎.
Retake the MCAT.
 
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