Ask AdmissionsConsultants

[hawkkid]

Dear AdmissionsConsultants,

I’m a bit of an off the beaten path want-to-be applicant.

I graduated with a BS in economics almost 2 years ago with an abysmal GPA of 2.55. I had originally went to college wanting to go down the med-school path but life intervened and I changed majors after the first year and a half of classes.

I’m considering going back to school to retake a couple of my science classes and take the ones that I never took in the first place.

I’m making an assumption that I will get a 4.0 in all of my classes(I’ve had a change of heart and lifestyle that allows me to perform up to my potential), and again assuming that I can come up with a decent MCAT score. (30+ I took an old one online and got a 27 without having taken any Ochem or Bio at a college level)

I’ve done some math and with just adding on the courses that I would need to take I would raise my overall GPA to around 3.1 and my science GPA to a 3.6. (If I can get any of these taken as a replacement grade to the prior classes the GPA’s would be a bit higher of course, but I’m assuming a worst case scenario.)The other thoughts that I had would be to go and get a second degree undergraduate degree or to take some graduate level classes to show that I am a capable student.

I was wondering from your perspective what would be my best course of action and/or how likely I would be as far as getting in to a med-school with this kind of a background?

Thank you for your time,

Matt

[ChemGuy]

Greetings,

I have a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Wisconsin (3.2 cum GPA). Currently, I’m in a Chemistry PhD program (2nd year, 3.0 GPA) at Georgia Tech.

A recent accident to my father followed by his cancer diagnosis has made me consider pursuing an MD. I’m missing a couple pre-reqs (Biology), but I’m pretty sure I could get everything taken care of within a year. It’s not uncommon for people to decide to leave a PhD program with a Master’s, and there are people in both my graduate program and undergraduate program who would right good recs. I would also leave with a couple publications to my name.

I realize my GPA(s) are not too hot, although my science GPA is probably slightly higher than my cumulative. I also believe I could raise it a touch while filling in my pre-reqs. The grad school GPA is concerning, but I think it’s a product of not loving what I was doing (hence the consideration of medical school).

I’m confidant I could score in the low 30’s on the MCAT, and maybe with some very hard work could get it around 35. I do have laboratory teaching experience (1.5 years).

With a solid MCAT score and volunteer work (which is completely lacking unless you go back as far as high school), would my application be competitive at any US medical schools?

[wshelton]

quote:

---

Originally posted by hawkkid

Dear AdmissionsConsultants,

I’m a bit of an off the beaten path want-to-be applicant.

I graduated with a BS in economics almost 2 years ago with an abysmal GPA of 2.55. I had originally went to college wanting to go down the med-school path but life intervened and I changed majors after the first year and a half of classes.

I’m considering going back to school to retake a couple of my science classes and take the ones that I never took in the first place.

I’m making an assumption that I will get a 4.0 in all of my classes(I’ve had a change of heart and lifestyle that allows me to perform up to my potential), and again assuming that I can come up with a decent MCAT score. (30+ I took an old one online and got a 27 without having taken any Ochem or Bio at a college level)

I’ve done some math and with just adding on the courses that I would need to take I would raise my overall GPA to around 3.1 and my science GPA to a 3.6. (If I can get any of these taken as a replacement grade to the prior classes the GPA’s would be a bit higher of course, but I’m assuming a worst case scenario.)The other thoughts that I had would be to go and get a second degree undergraduate degree or to take some graduate level classes to show that I am a capable student.

I was wondering from your perspective what would be my best course of action and/or how likely I would be as far as getting in to a med-school with this kind of a background?

Thank you for your time,

Matt

---

Dear Matt,
Thanks for your question. Your best course of action would be to begin your plan today and make it work, one day at a time. If you want to go to medical school you will likely figure out a way in due time. Going back for more science course is a good idea, and it’s possible a post bac will be necessary after that. I would also suggest you become very involved in volunteer and work activities related to patient care–you need this type of experience to confirm in your own mind that medicine is a viable career path for yourself.
Best wishes,

Dr. Shelton
Senior Consultant
AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

Keep up with us on:

[wshelton]

quote:

---

Originally posted by ChemGuy

Greetings,

I have a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Wisconsin (3.2 cum GPA). Currently, I’m in a Chemistry PhD program (2nd year, 3.0 GPA) at Georgia Tech.

A recent accident to my father followed by his cancer diagnosis has made me consider pursuing an MD. I’m missing a couple pre-reqs (Biology), but I’m pretty sure I could get everything taken care of within a year. It’s not uncommon for people to decide to leave a PhD program with a Master’s, and there are people in both my graduate program and undergraduate program who would right good recs. I would also leave with a couple publications to my name.

I realize my GPA(s) are not too hot, although my science GPA is probably slightly higher than my cumulative. I also believe I could raise it a touch while filling in my pre-reqs. The grad school GPA is concerning, but I think it’s a product of not loving what I was doing (hence the consideration of medical school).

I’m confidant I could score in the low 30’s on the MCAT, and maybe with some very hard work could get it around 35. I do have laboratory teaching experience (1.5 years).

With a solid MCAT score and volunteer work (which is completely lacking unless you go back as far as high school), would my application be competitive at any US medical schools?

---

Dear ChemGuy,
Thanks for your inquiry. Sure it’s possible that you could make a transition from graduate school to medical school. But it may not be easy–you may have to do more upper level science course work, not to mention making sure sure you have adequate volunteer and work experience in patient related activities. Personally, I would suggest that you also consider just completing your PhD first-it’s usually a good idea to complete programs you start and complete them successfully. You would still be a position to apply to medical school. Hope this helps.
Good luck,

Dr. Shelton
Senior Consultant
AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

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[Sunshine4000]

Dear Admissions Consultants,

I took my MCAT this past August, but I am not happy with my score and feel that I can do better based on my practice test results. I have had mixed advice from advisors at my university, and I would like another opinion. I plan on re-taking the MCAT next year (2011) around March or May at the latest, but I want to know what are my chances are as I stand right now (without retaking the MCAT) of getting into MD schools in the continental US, especially Californian schools.

-California resident
-I am currently a senior at UCSD with a Molecular Biology major and Music minor
-3.551 GPA (which is going up every quarter)
-27 MCAT (P-8, V-9, B-10)
-2yrs hospital volunteer work with patient contact (over 525 hrs; various departments including ER, OR, and L&D)
-2 years of leadership positions within my college directly overseeing 50+ peers and organizing college wide events with faculty and staff (one of these years I held a Senior position as a junior)
-3 years as a mentor for incoming students
-I am currently doing cancer research (bench research) on campus (and I plan to be in this lab for 2 years) and will hopefully have a publication as the primary investigator by next year
-The first two years of college I also worked part-time as a waitress
-I commute to school daily (10+ hrs/wk)
-The letters of rec I currently have are very good to stellar

Will my extracurriculars help to balance my GPA and MCAT score, or are those two areas that most schools will focus on more and flat out reject me for because they are average/low? With all of this, if my MCAT score does not go up , what is the likelihood that I will get into MD schools? What minimum MCAT score should I shoot for this next time around (ie if I am not consistently getting that score on practice tests I should postpone taking it again until I can improve)? I would really like to stay in California to be closer to my family, or at the very least, on the West coast. I am not looking at DO schools because I am leaning towards a surgical specialty and have heard that it is a lot harder to get one of your first choice surgical residencies if one has a DO vs an MD.

Thank you so much- I truly appreciate your time and consideration in addressing my concerns.

-M

[wshelton]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sunshine4000

Dear Admissions Consultants,

I took my MCAT this past August, but I am not happy with my score and feel that I can do better based on my practice test results. I have had mixed advice from advisors at my university, and I would like another opinion. I plan on re-taking the MCAT next year (2011) around March or May at the latest, but I want to know what are my chances are as I stand right now (without retaking the MCAT) of getting into MD schools in the continental US, especially Californian schools.

-California resident
-I am currently a senior at UCSD with a Molecular Biology major and Music minor
-3.551 GPA (which is going up every quarter)
-27 MCAT (P-8, V-9, B-10)
-2yrs hospital volunteer work with patient contact (over 525 hrs; various departments including ER, OR, and L&D)
-2 years of leadership positions within my college directly overseeing 50+ peers and organizing college wide events with faculty and staff (one of these years I held a Senior position as a junior)
-3 years as a mentor for incoming students
-I am currently doing cancer research (bench research) on campus (and I plan to be in this lab for 2 years) and will hopefully have a publication as the primary investigator by next year
-The first two years of college I also worked part-time as a waitress
-I commute to school daily (10+ hrs/wk)
-The letters of rec I currently have are very good to stellar

Will my extracurriculars help to balance my GPA and MCAT score, or are those two areas that most schools will focus on more and flat out reject me for because they are average/low? With all of this, if my MCAT score does not go up , what is the likelihood that I will get into MD schools? What minimum MCAT score should I shoot for this next time around (ie if I am not consistently getting that score on practice tests I should postpone taking it again until I can improve)? I would really like to stay in California to be closer to my family, or at the very least, on the West coast. I am not looking at DO schools because I am leaning towards a surgical specialty and have heard that it is a lot harder to get one of your first choice surgical residencies if one has a DO vs an MD.

Thank you so much- I truly appreciate your time and consideration in addressing my concerns.

-M

---

Dear Sunshine4000,
Thanks for your inquiry. Your MCAT score of 27 will in all likelihood be a barrier to admission into California medical schools. So it’s really important for you to retake the MCAT exam next year and get a score well into the 30’s in order to be competitive. I suggest not retaking it until you are getting the scores your are aiming for on your practice exams. Your EC’s won’t matter much until you get your MCAT score up. And if you want to go to an M.D. program it’s quite likely you will have to apply to schools outside California. Finally, you might want to consider working with one of our AC consultants to help you with your application. Let us know if you would like a more detailed analysis.
Best,

Dr. Shelton
Senior Consultant
AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

Keep up with us on:

[Engineer or not]

Hi, I graduated with an engineering degree in June. My gpa was a 3.0 and I haven’t taken the MCAT and haven’t fulfilled the biology or chemistry requirements, yet. I recently decided that I wanted to shift paths and go into medicine. I’m a strong student in sciences and math so not too worried about fulfilling the bio and chem reqs.

I wanted to know if I were to apply to med school what MCAT score would I need to aim for in order to have a good chance of getting in, despite my low gpa. Would I even have a chance of getting into a US medical school, coming from an engineering background and working in a non-medical related industry.

Regards,

Confused

[AdmissionsConsultants]

Hello everyone!

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Best of luck with your applications!

Sincerely,

David Petersam
President
AdmissionsConsultants, Inc.
DPetersam@admissionsconsultants.com

AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

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[wshelton]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Engineer or not

Hi, I graduated with an engineering degree in June. My gpa was a 3.0 and I haven’t taken the MCAT and haven’t fulfilled the biology or chemistry requirements, yet. I recently decided that I wanted to shift paths and go into medicine. I’m a strong student in sciences and math so not too worried about fulfilling the bio and chem reqs.

I wanted to know if I were to apply to med school what MCAT score would I need to aim for in order to have a good chance of getting in, despite my low gpa. Would I even have a chance of getting into a US medical school, coming from an engineering background and working in a non-medical related industry.

Regards,

Confused

---

Hi Confused,
Good to hear from you. Hopefully we can help you clarify your situation. Your GPA is a little on the low side but the fact that your major was in engineering, which is a challenging major, may be taken into consideration by the committees. Still, my sense is it’s likely that you will have to do a post-bac—a one year program of upper level science courses— before you will be competitive for medical school admission. Also, you will need to be involved in volunteer and work activities that show you have a real dedication to medicine. These are probably more important areas in which to focus before you worry too much about taking the MCAT exam. If you want more detailed advice about developing a plan for making yourself ready for medical school application, you might want to contact our office and set a consultation with one of our consultants.
Best wishes,

Dr. Shelton
Senior Consultant
AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

Keep up with us on:

[ekochsho]

Dear Consultants:

I would like some advice on what medical schools may be reasonable for me to apply to given my background:

2.9 GPA B.S. physics, physiology (top-ten ranked Univ.)
3.5 GPA Ph.D. physics
3 years as tenure-track prof. physics, w/ successful re-appointments and very strong teaching evaluations
many first-authored pubs/presentations
lots of shadow/volunteer clinical exp
MCAT score of 35

I have contacted many admissions officers, trying to better determine my candidacy, but have mostly received very vague info. Only one officer wrote back with an explicit answer, saying that for their school, I looked like a strong applicant (UNM). All that I’m looking for is a rough sense of whether I would be considered a “strong”, “average”, or “weak” applicant at various schools. I would be grateful for any reliable advice on the matter. Thanks!

[wshelton]

quote:

---

Originally posted by ekochsho

Dear Consultants:

I would like some advice on what medical schools may be reasonable for me to apply to given my background:

2.9 GPA B.S. physics, physiology (top-ten ranked Univ.)
3.5 GPA Ph.D. physics
3 years as tenure-track prof. physics, w/ successful re-appointments and very strong teaching evaluations
many first-authored pubs/presentations
lots of shadow/volunteer clinical exp
MCAT score of 35

I have contacted many admissions officers, trying to better determine my candidacy, but have mostly received very vague info. Only one officer wrote back with an explicit answer, saying that for their school, I looked like a strong applicant (UNM). All that I’m looking for is a rough sense of whether I would be considered a “strong”, “average”, or “weak” applicant at various schools. I would be grateful for any reliable advice on the matter. Thanks!

---

Dear Ekochsho,
Thanks for your inquiry. Unfortunately, it’s hard to be precise about your chances. I can imagine some schools having an interest in your application and others not. Overall, I would say if you want to go to medical school it’s worth your while to apply. You very well could be competitive, particularly at some schools that are less competitive and in your home state. If you get serious about applying, I recommend that you contact our office and set up a consultation with one of our experts—you will get a lot more detailed advice and support.
Best wishes,

Dr. Shelton
Senior Consultant
AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

Keep up with us on:

[ekochsho]

quote:

---

Originally posted by wshelton

Quote:

Originally posted by ekochsho

Dear Consultants:

I would like some advice on what medical schools may be reasonable for me to apply to given my background:

2.9 GPA B.S. physics, physiology (top-ten ranked Univ.)
3.5 GPA Ph.D. physics
3 years as tenure-track prof. physics, w/ successful re-appointments and very strong teaching evaluations
many first-authored pubs/presentations
lots of shadow/volunteer clinical exp
MCAT score of 35

I have contacted many admissions officers, trying to better determine my candidacy, but have mostly received very vague info. Only one officer wrote back with an explicit answer, saying that for their school, I looked like a strong applicant (UNM). All that I’m looking for is a rough sense of whether I would be considered a “strong”, “average”, or “weak” applicant at various schools. I would be grateful for any reliable advice on the matter. Thanks!

---

Dear Ekochsho,
Thanks for your inquiry. Unfortunately, it’s hard to be precise about your chances. I can imagine some schools having an interest in your application and others not. Overall, I would say if you want to go to medical school it’s worth your while to apply. You very well could be competitive, particularly at some schools that are less competitive and in your home state. If you get serious about applying, I recommend that you contact our office and set up a consultation with one of our experts—you will get a lot more detailed advice and support.
Best wishes,

Dr. Shelton
Senior Consultant
AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

Dear Admissions Consultant,

Just to see if I understand correctly: If I were to apply to a dozen of the less competitive MD and in-state schools, might you guess that I’d have a better than a 70% chance of success? Or should I only look at DO schools, if I want to have a high chance of admission (say >70% chance)? I know it’s hard to throw a number out there, but I’m trying to get a rough sense of how many and what type of schools I should shoot for, before scheduling a meeting with a consultant. Thanks a ton!

[wshelton]

quote:

---

Originally posted by ekochsho

quote:

---

Originally posted by wshelton

Quote:

Originally posted by ekochsho

Dear Consultants:

I would like some advice on what medical schools may be reasonable for me to apply to given my background:

2.9 GPA B.S. physics, physiology (top-ten ranked Univ.)
3.5 GPA Ph.D. physics
3 years as tenure-track prof. physics, w/ successful re-appointments and very strong teaching evaluations
many first-authored pubs/presentations
lots of shadow/volunteer clinical exp
MCAT score of 35

I have contacted many admissions officers, trying to better determine my candidacy, but have mostly received very vague info. Only one officer wrote back with an explicit answer, saying that for their school, I looked like a strong applicant (UNM). All that I’m looking for is a rough sense of whether I would be considered a “strong”, “average”, or “weak” applicant at various schools. I would be grateful for any reliable advice on the matter. Thanks!

---

Dear Ekochsho,
Thanks for your inquiry. Unfortunately, it’s hard to be precise about your chances. I can imagine some schools having an interest in your application and others not. Overall, I would say if you want to go to medical school it’s worth your while to apply. You very well could be competitive, particularly at some schools that are less competitive and in your home state. If you get serious about applying, I recommend that you contact our office and set up a consultation with one of our experts—you will get a lot more detailed advice and support.
Best wishes,

Dr. Shelton
Senior Consultant
AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

Dear Admissions Consultant,

Just to see if I understand correctly: If I were to apply to a dozen of the less competitive MD and in-state schools, might you guess that I’d have a better than a 70% chance of success? Or should I only look at DO schools, if I want to have a high chance of admission (say >70% chance)? I know it’s hard to throw a number out there, but I’m trying to get a rough sense of how many and what type of schools I should shoot for, before scheduling a meeting with a consultant. Thanks a ton!

---

Dear Ekochsho,
Thanks for your follow up. It’s really impossible to put a number on your chances. All I can say is that it’s worth your while to apply because you very well could be competitive. This is the situation for many applicants, many of whom who are successful.
Good luck,

Dr. Shelton
Senior Consultant
AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

Keep up with us on:

[Medhopeful1988]

Hey I live in Montreal, attended McGill University and will graduate this Dec 2010 in a BSC anatomy and cell biolgy … Wishfully I would like to attend medical school… Problem is my GPA… I have currently a 3.38 cGPA… But the reason why it is so low is due to family medical crisis’ that I took on the responsibilty to get the medical attention my family memember”s needed (grandmother was hospitalized then underwent many kidney tests, brother was diagnosed with a growth (tumor mass) in his leg, mother was diagnosed with sleep apnea) … So that was 8 months of my life along with work, school, volunteering and bringing them to appointments and testings … Those 8 months produced 2 semesters of 2.8 and a 3.07 … I have 3 years of research at the Royal Vic… Along with volunteering in the same hospital… Along with shadowing a head doctor… Tutored a highschool student for a year … Fundraiser for leukemia… A manager at a bar … Worked at style xchange (clothing store)… Worked at a telephone systems company … Hockey player (garage league) … And the list goes on… Now what would be my chances seeing that I explain that 8 month period in my life in getting into medical school ? Such that I explain the circumstances and also the experiences and lessons that I took away from them. I am willing to apply anywhere except carib due to the strict “laws” of coming back to Canada… As for the MCAT I will be doing it this summer commiting 40 hours a week of studying along with 12 hours of a prep course… And I am aiming for 32 above. Also I am fluent in french so french med schools can be an option… And please respond with informed answers … Thank you so much

[wshelton]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Medhopeful1988

Hey I live in Montreal, attended McGill University and will graduate this Dec 2010 in a BSC anatomy and cell biolgy … Wishfully I would like to attend medical school… Problem is my GPA… I have currently a 3.38 cGPA… But the reason why it is so low is due to family medical crisis’ that I took on the responsibilty to get the medical attention my family memember”s needed (grandmother was hospitalized then underwent many kidney tests, brother was diagnosed with a growth (tumor mass) in his leg, mother was diagnosed with sleep apnea) … So that was 8 months of my life along with work, school, volunteering and bringing them to appointments and testings … Those 8 months produced 2 semesters of 2.8 and a 3.07 … I have 3 years of research at the Royal Vic… Along with volunteering in the same hospital… Along with shadowing a head doctor… Tutored a highschool student for a year … Fundraiser for leukemia… A manager at a bar … Worked at style xchange (clothing store)… Worked at a telephone systems company … Hockey player (garage league) … And the list goes on… Now what would be my chances seeing that I explain that 8 month period in my life in getting into medical school ? Such that I explain the circumstances and also the experiences and lessons that I took away from them. I am willing to apply anywhere except carib due to the strict “laws” of coming back to Canada… As for the MCAT I will be doing it this summer commiting 40 hours a week of studying along with 12 hours of a prep course… And I am aiming for 32 above. Also I am fluent in french so french med schools can be an option… And please respond with informed answers … Thank you so much

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Dear Medhopeful1988,
Thanks for your question. It’s not so unusual for applicants to have bumps in the road to medical school. Your goal will be to explain how it was a one time event and not indicative of who you are as a student. I think it’s still worth your while to take the MCAT exam and to apply if you want to go to medical school. Let us know if you would like help with your application–just call our office.
Best,

Dr. Shelton
Senior Consultant
AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

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