Application Cycle One: 2006

• Undergraduate college: University of Virginia
• Undergraduate Area of study: Engineering/Technology

• Institution: University of Maryland Baltimore County
• Area of Study: Biological/Life Sciences
• Degree Obtained: N/A

• Total MCAT SCORE: 514
• MCAT Section Scores: B/B 127, C/P 130, CARS 127   Detailed Breakdown
• Overall GPA: 3.10
• Science GPA: 2.83

Summary of Application Experience

I am a nontraditional student. I am 28 now and started this process about a year ago. I knew it was an uphill fight and it seemed that every advisor I met along the way did everything they could to discourage me. 'Your grades are too low' or 'you don't have enough volunteer experience' or whatever. The key is to believe in yourself and your desire.

My volunteer position was the key to the whole thing. I got a gig stocking shelves in the OR at a level one trauma center because I knew that I would get to see blood. I had to make sure I could deal with the blood before I was going to devote 4 years to this process. As it turned out, I loved it.

I did that job to the best of my ability and showed up every time, on time. After a while, I won more and more responsibility - I could get blood from the blood bank, help get patients from their rooms, help transfer patients to/from the OR table. If you're responsible and you show interest people are more than happy to help you out. Every doc in that hospital was in your shoes at some point in their life.

Case in point, I was staying late one sunday night and I was asked to hold something for a surgeon during a nonsterile procedure. After a thank you note and some emails, I ended up making friends with that surgeon, which led him to invite me to follow him on rounds, which led him to invite me to scrub-in to serveral procedures, which led to me actually doing some cutting, retracting, and dressing placement, which led to me loving surgery. I was a volunteer who got to touch the insides of people!!!!!!!! I don't say it to sound weird or gross but just because you have a volunteer gig doesn't mean you have to shuffle papers. Anyway, the experience hooked me as it was the coolest thing I had ever done.

As for the application process...EARLY EARLY EARLY. I had my AMCAS confirmed by 6/20 and I turned around secondaries as soon as I could. I totally got secondary burnout and only ended up submitting 5 complete apps. I got very lucky considering my premed advisor said my chances were less than 5%.

I studied for the MCAT for three months and took practice tests for two weeks prior to the test date. Eat a good breakfast and bring snacks. And be prepared for the proctor to mess up and give you less than the alloted time on each section.

Oh - and if your school only offers a premed ADVISOR as opposed to a COMMITTEE, make sure you get the extra recommendation letters from science and regular faculty members. This detail prevented me from completing some schools' apps because they required a COMMITTEE letter OR an ADVISOR letter PLUS THREE OTHER RECS.