Ask AdmissionsConsultants

[twu]

quote:

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Originally posted by Hopp

I would like to go to med-school. Is it a problem that these courses were so long ago? I am taking advance bio -courses right now.

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There’s no set policy on how old premed courses can be to qualify for admission. Generally, however, it’s best to keep these courses as current as possible and not exceed five years. Taking advanced bio courses should satisfy the one-year of biology requirement. I’d look into re-taking Organic Chemistry, Physics, and General Chemistry to beef up your application. The last thing you’d want to do in this process is to have yourself shut out because of a technicality.

Good luck.

Timothy Wu, MD
AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

[future23]

Hi, I am 18 years old and starting at a Community College in the spring of 2005 in hopes to transfer to a UC such as UCLA or USC after 2 years at The community college. My plan is to go into College with a Biology major and work very hard in hopes to get above a 3.8 gpa and transfer to USC and for there finish my B.S. and apply to USC Med School.

Well long story short i just want some advice on what to do from this point so that i can put myself in a good position for the future.

(What courses to take?What are the most important things to do?What Extra activities i should get into at this point?..ANy info will be greatly appreciated. THANK YOU

[cts]

I dropped a couple of courses in my freshmen and sophomore years. So I would like to know if med schools really look down on W grades, even though my other grades are pretty good? I am just nervous that I’ll be eliminated as soon as they see W on the transcript. Thanks for answering.

[twu]

quote:

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Originally posted by future23

My plan is to go into College with a Biology major and work very hard in hopes to get above a 3.8 gpa and transfer to USC and for there finish my B.S. and apply to USC Med School.

Well long story short i just want some advice on what to do from this point so that i can put myself in a good position for the future.

(What courses to take?What are the most important things to do?What Extra activities i should get into at this point?..ANy info will be greatly appreciated. THANK YOU

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Begin building your story for medical school. The day you begin preparing for what you write on your personal statement several years from now is today. Each of your activities in the future, the courses you take, and even the major you assume will go toward creating that story of your motivation and reasoning in becoming a physician.

As you select your courses and decide which clubs to join in the future, keep all of this in mind and you can’t be wrong.

Good luck.

Timothy Wu, MD
AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

[twu]

quote:

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Originally posted by cts

I dropped a couple of courses in my freshmen and sophomore years. So I would like to know if med schools really look down on W grades, even though my other grades are pretty good? I am just nervous that I’ll be eliminated as soon as they see W on the transcript. Thanks for answering.

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Your application won’t be immediately eliminated as soon as a “W” is seen by an admissions officer.

Withdrawal grades, in the collective mind of the AdCom, are abandonments. It means you must’ve been so close to failing that you felt it was better to pull out and not receive a grade at all.

I almost never advise any of my clients to withdraw.

“W” grades can be mitigated, as you’ve said, by good grades in other courses and in the same courses in which you withdrew. The drawback of the “W” is that it’s now your job as the applicant, either during the application period or during the interview period, to have a good explanation for why you withdrew from the class. Inevitably this may lead to questioning regarding how well you really did in those other courses.

Good luck.

Timothy Wu, MD
AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

[stunna]

Dear Admissions Consultants:

If a dental student were to transfer to a medical school after her 1st year of study, will he still be required to take the mcats? I’ve been told that, the curricullum for 1st year med students and dental students are similar; hence, allowing a dental student to transfer to med school. Is this true?

thank you in advance

[twu]

quote:

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Originally posted by stunna

If a dental student were to transfer to a medical school after her 1st year of study, will he still be required to take the mcats? I’ve been told that, the curricullum for 1st year med students and dental students are similar; hence, allowing a dental student to transfer to med school. Is this true?

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You’re probably correct in that the curricula for the nation’s MD medical schools is similar to that of the nation’s dental schools. The same argument can be made between the MD medical schools and the osteopathic institutions.

Regardless, however, for a transfer from one professional school to another (i.e., dentistry to medicine, osteopathy to medicine, etc.) the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), the accrediting body of the country’s 125 medical schools, requires the MCAT. Your application will not be considered without the MCAT despite having gone through the first-year dental curriculum. As for “advanced standing,” you may be granted credit for certain courses in some medical schools. Things that are easily translatable from dentistry into medicine, such as biochemistry, may be fair game. Human Anatomy, which we as physicians learn a lot more thoroughly in the first year of medical school, will likely be one of those courses you’ll just have to take.

Good luck.

Timothy Wu, MD
AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

[ngolden]

My husband has a 3.96 at the University of Florida (he is an Anthropology major/chemistry minor) and a 34 MCAT (10P, 11B, 13V, Q). He has excellent letters of recommendations, 1 year of research experience that includes a publication, etc. He does not have patient contact. However, he has already interviewed at 3 schools. Realistically what are the chances of admissions (especially since he has already been invited on 3 interviews)? Wasn’t his lack of patient contact experience considered before the schools would grant him interviews? He is concerned that this weak spot in his application will prevent him from being accepted anywhere. Thanks.

[bubabuggy]

How many schools did your husband apply to?

[ngolden]

10. 3 Lower ranked schools, 3 mid ranked schools, 4 high ranked schools.

He did not get into 2 of the high ranked ones (Mayo clinic, vanderbilt) and wasn’t given an interview at either and still hasn’t heard from the other 2. He has had interviews at all 3 of the mid ranked schools and has not yet heard from the lower ranked ones. Is that strange?

[twu]

quote:

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Originally posted by ngolden

My husband has a 3.96 at the University of Florida (he is an Anthropology major/chemistry minor) and a 34 MCAT (10P, 11B, 13V, Q). He has excellent letters of recommendations, 1 year of research experience that includes a publication, etc. He does not have patient contact. However, he has already interviewed at 3 schools. Realistically what are the chances of admissions (especially since he has already been invited on 3 interviews)? Wasn’t his lack of patient contact experience considered before the schools would grant him interviews? He is concerned that this weak spot in his application will prevent him from being accepted anywhere. Thanks.

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The process at different schools is admittedly different. Certain institutions choose to wade through an entire application before sending out interview invitations. Other institutions will make the interview decisions based on numbers alone, and will worry about the details during or after the interview.

The schools your husband applied to likely loved his numbers and offered interviews based on that alone. I suspect that much of his application wasn’t examined. I can guarantee, however, that in this admissions model the application will be reviewed after the interview. Your husband may be extensively questioned regarding his motivation to study medicine and, if not, the admissions committee will likely draw their own conclusions based on his AMCAS and secondary application.

Patient contact in and of itself is not the sole reason why people get into medical school. It certainly helps but only in the context of being a motivation for entering medical school. Other things, coincidentally, can serve as this same motivation.

Good luck.

Timothy Wu, MD
AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

[chalacazo]

can i get into medical school?
i have some f’s grades in my undergraduate courses but not in my pre-med courses.
Major:biochemistry
Overall GPA: 3.3
Pre-Med GPA: 3.55
MCAT:29
Minority group member
extremely low income family member
1 1/2 years volunteer work

[brewcow]

Hello. I have submitted all of my secondary applications and received my MCAT score in mid October b/c I took the August MCAT, but still have not heard anythinng except that my application is complete. I thought I was a qualified candidate – I went to Johns Hopkins Undergrad and Columbia post bac graduating both with a solid GPA, but got a 27 on the MCAT. I have worked in the medical field, previously as a pharma sales rep and currently as a clinical research assistant (and have been in that later position for 2 1/2 years). I have been published as well for this. The thing is that I work in a controversial field and I am concerned that it is possibly hurting me, especially for jesuit institutions. What is your opinion regarding my candidacy? Would you consider it late in the process to not have heard from any schools yet?

[twu]

quote:

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Originally posted by chalacazo

can i get into medical school?
i have some f’s grades in my undergraduate courses but not in my pre-med courses.
Major:biochemistry
Overall GPA: 3.3
Pre-Med GPA: 3.55
MCAT:29
Minority group member
extremely low income family member
1 1/2 years volunteer work

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“F” grades in any of your coursework is something that requires a great deal of explaining to the AdCom. You likely still have a shot at getting into medical school, but much of this will hinge on how well you present the failing grades and how you explain your performance as an undergraduate.

Good luck.

Timothy Wu, MD
AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

[twu]

quote:

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Originally posted by brewcow

What is your opinion regarding my candidacy? Would you consider it late in the process to not have heard from any schools yet?

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Something that many med school applicants overlook in snagging interviews is application timing. Typically a candidate for medical school isn’t fully reviewed (i.e., considered for an interview) until the entire application is complete. Part of my advice to my clients is to take the MCAT in April instead of August because of the earlier date in which April scores get back (by mid June).

Applications to medical school are considered on a rolling basis. As qualified applicants roll in, interviews are offered, and acceptances are extended. The application season opens approximately on June 1. Interviews begin going out as early as late June/early July. Acceptances are being handed out as early as late August/early September in the current cycle.

Those who take the August MCAT are at a signficant disadvantage because, while your AMCAS and secondary applications may have been completed well in advance (e.g., June), your application was never technically complete until October 15 (when the August MCAT scores got back). Already a signficant number of interview spots were handed out as well as a small number of medical school seats.

While I don’t have your entire story on hand (i.e., your application), I think that much of your interview drought has a lot to do with application timing.

Let us know how we can help you.

Good luck.

Timothy Wu, MD
AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

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