Brief Profile:
A little about me... well I started undergrad thinking I was going to major in Biochemistry, finish my degree in 4 years, and then go be a med student. Only one of those things happened. I'm currently applying to med schools after achieving a truly dismal cGPA (and sGPA), and am hoping against hope that a school will say yes. Maybe someone out there will see this and learn from my mistakes!
Undergraduate Area of study: Biological/Life Sciences
Total MCAT SCORE: 498
MCAT Section Scores:
B/B 123,
C/P 122,
CARS 129
Overall GPA: 2.00
Science GPA: 2.00
Summary of Application Experience
Update 4-4-16 As I expected, I got rejected from all the schools that I applied to. I was hopeful, but it was a moonshot. Next step is to become a boss at whatever Master's I decide to to do, I'm still waiting to hear back from 5 or so, and then reapply next year with more volunteering hours, better activity descriptions, new LORs, and graduate GPA to complement my postbacc one.
Stats: MCAT listed is from my highest scoring attempt on the old MCAT. Most recent (2015) MCAT score was well above average. If I get in, I will update. Science and Overall GPA are also not 2.0 but are not higher than 3.0
Post Bacc: As a somewhat nontraditional applicant (in that I graduated several years ago and am now retaking undergrad classes), I wanted to add this section too. I applied to med schools this year, mostly because I received several letters inviting me to apply to MD schools that are way above my sights (stats-wise). Having applied to those schools (and a couple of others) I am hoping to leverage my URM status, my 4.0 in DIY post-bacc courses, and my much improved MCAT.
While there is still time (as I write this in late fall 2015) left in this very long process for me to receive an MD or DO II and be on my way to becoming a physician, I'm not banking on miracles, and I've applied to several formal post-bacc programs. All the ones I've applied to are known to have a informal link with a med school or an actual linkage with a med school, and all but one confer master's degrees. I've been accepted to one already (Hallelujah!!), so no matter what happens I will be a doc someday. :)
Keep in mind that I know quite well that I'm flying in the face of conventional SDN wisdom by applying so precipitously. I really should've waited to apply to med schools until I had finished my remaining retakes and finished the SMP I've been accepted to. But applying to a few schools that invited me to do so isn't going to hurt anything. So what's done is done, and I'm just hoping that an adcom will decide to take a chance on me.
ECs: As a poor, adult working type person, I haven't had much opportunity since finishing undergrad for volunteerism. I've been blessed to hold down both clinical and research positions for several years, and have a couple of community outreach/extracurricular things that I enjoy. Will update once the cycle is over.
ptcharge.wordpress.com/
Applied, Rejected
Morehouse School of Medicine
Applying for combined PhD/MSTP? No
Submitted: 08/08/2015
Secondary Completed: No
Interview Invite: No
Interview Attended: No
Waitlisted: No
Accepted: No
Rejected: Yes
Summary of Experience:
Absolute silence. Tried sending them a LOI but I guess they weren't interested. :( This school...
Summary of Experience:
Quick turnaround on my rejection for this place. Was doubly disappointed to not have received a secondary, since they invited me to apply based on MCAT score. Oh well. I made the mistake of not applying early enough. Waiting to see if they'll be accepting me into their post-bacc master's though. I've heard/read much about the program, and while there is much to be cautious about, I'm not exactly putting all the eggs into one basket.
Summary of Experience:
I never submitted the secondary, thus rejection was expected. ~~~ On the waitlist for their MS Pharmacology program. We'll see what the end of the admissions process brings...
Summary of Experience:
Based on my reading on SDN, I fell in love with this place. Apparently, they didn't feel the same. :/ We'll see if they decide to accept me into their post-bacc Master's or not.
Summary of Experience:
Of the schools that invited me to apply based on my MCAT score, Harvard and OUWB were the only ones to actually send me a physical letter. Of course, I applied right away! I think I wrote the essays of my life for this place, but we'll see if going to Harvard is in the plan for me. ~~ No dice. :/ ~~~ Updated with summer grades ~1.5 months after secondary completed.
Summary of Experience:
Also applied because of a letter inviting me to apply. Sent LOI just before the great November purge of 2015 in which I, too, was cut down.
Summary of Experience:
Just hanging out waiting to hear back. Sent them a lovely little letter of interest ~2 months after submitting the secondary, but who knows if it'll do any good. ~~~ Received one of the emails from admissions asking whether or not I wanted to still be considered for an interview. Of course, I said yes. Hopefully, it'll pan out!
Summary of Experience:
Although on a previous cycle, I was invited to Medpath, this time around I wasn't. I'm thinking my MCAT is above the cutoff. :/ ~~~~~~~~~~~
Decided to apply at the last minute because of all the great things I'd read about the program. Hoping that if they can't accept me then perhaps I'll have a chance at the MedPath program! ~~~~ Adcom here was kind enough to set up an appointment to discuss weaknesses in my application. Now my plan going forward is to have great successes in my SMP and then reapply!! Still loving this school. :D
Summary of Experience:
Another place that sent me a email inviting me to apply. It took me a while, but I finally bit the bullet and submitted my app. We'll see how it goes. :) ~~~~~ Rejected here on 11/20. The lesson here: Don't turn in your application late.
Summary of Experience:
My secondary was submitted quite late here, despite receiving the invite in August. :( This was another place that actually sent me a physical letter asking me to apply. I wish I'd been able to do so in a more timely fashion, but I'm still hopeful! Sent them a letter of interest and summer grades 2 weeks after submitting the secondary. ~~~~ Realized that I completely left off my AMCAS one of my more awesome volunteering experiences... so I sent in another LOI. ~~~ Got some great feedback from here. So I'm feeling pretty good about my chances after I do the SMP.
Summary of Experience:
Due to circumstances beyond my control I completed the secondary super late, but they gave me a chance to fill it out anyway. I'm still hoping for a chance here. ~~~ No dice. Hoping that I just applied too late. Will try to get in touch with the adcom and figure out what they'd like to see in my application that would make me more competitive. ~~~~ Got great advice from the adcom on how to improve my application for next cycle. Looking forward to hopefully getting an interview next year.
struggledoc took the old MCAT and scored a 24 which is in the 43th percentile of all old scores.
We converted this to a 498 on the updated scale which is in the 43th percentile of the updated MCAT. We also converted struggledoc’s section scores as follows:
struggledoc scored a 7 on the Biological Science section of the old MCAT which is approximately equal to a 123 on the Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems.
struggledoc scored a 6 on the Physical Science section of the old MCAT which is approximately equal to a 122 on the Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems.
struggledoc scored a 11 on the Verbal Reasoning section of the old MCAT which is approximately equal to a 129 on the Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills.