Ask AdmissionsConsultants

[mjr]

Hello. I will be graduating this quarter from Ohio State University (rated top 20 undergrad. business programs) with a degree in Business Administration (Accounting). I plan on sitting for the CPA in the spring and I will be working at PricewaterhouseCoopers this summer. But my ultimate goal is to attend Medical School.

I will graduate ‘magna cum laude’ (3.8 gpa), and I was a fairly active member of a few organizations. I know that admissions officers prefer a liberal arts degree- but how would they view work experience at a Big Four accounting firm and a CPA license? How competitive are the post-bac pre-med programs like Columbia or Johns Hopkins? And how important are ACT/SAT scores for such programs?

Thank You!

mjr

[twu]

quote:

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Originally posted by mjr

I will graduate ‘magna cum laude’ (3.8 gpa), and I was a fairly active member of a few organizations. I know that admissions officers prefer a liberal arts degree- but how would they view work experience at a Big Four accounting firm and a CPA license? How competitive are the post-bac pre-med programs like Columbia or Johns Hopkins? And how important are ACT/SAT scores for such programs?

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Postbaccalaureate premedical programs usually make their decisions based on undergraduate GPA and, sometimes, MCAT scores if available. I don’t think the SAT or other college entrance examinations are really all that big a deal after you actually get into college. No one since I finished my freshman year of college has even asked what my SAT scores were.

Columbia happens to be one of the better postbacc premed programs in the country. They have a good rate of success in getting their students into medical school. Beyond that they’ve also got a few “linkage” programs in which top-performing students are pretty much guaranteed a spot in an affiliated medical school. I have little knowledge of the Hopkins program.

As for the rest of your application, I appreciate the fact that you’ve finished what you describe as a top undergraduate business program. Somewhere along the way, however, you were bitten by the medicine bug and now want to be a doctor. You’ve actually identified this, but given that you haven’t described your motivation, it sounds like it’s coming from left field.

The point is, if you’ve made the decision now to become a physician, you really should begin demonstrating that interest. I don’t see why you’re even continuing with your accounting career. That’s my way of saying the AdComs wouldn’t particularly care that you have a CPA and worked with a Big Four. In fact, if I were on that AdCom, I’d question your motivation and wonder why you decided on becoming a physician but went on to work at a Big Four. Your motivation doesn’t make much sense to me and I doubt it would make much sense to any other admissions officer.

If you need help in formulating your motivation and putting your desire to work for you, we can certainly help. We’ve got consultants on our staff — all of whom were admissions officers — who have worked with career changing postbacc premeds get into some of the nation’s top medical schools. Let us know by calling the number below if we can be of any help.

Good luck.

Timothy Wu, MD
AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

[mjr]

quote:

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Originally posted by twu

quote:

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Originally posted by mjr

I will graduate ‘magna cum laude’ (3.8 gpa), and I was a fairly active member of a few organizations. I know that admissions officers prefer a liberal arts degree- but how would they view work experience at a Big Four accounting firm and a CPA license? How competitive are the post-bac pre-med programs like Columbia or Johns Hopkins? And how important are ACT/SAT scores for such programs?

---

Postbaccalaureate premedical programs usually make their decisions based on undergraduate GPA and, sometimes, MCAT scores if available. I don’t think the SAT or other college entrance examinations are really all that big a deal after you actually get into college. No one since I finished my freshman year of college has even asked what my SAT scores were.

Columbia happens to be one of the better postbacc premed programs in the country. They have a good rate of success in getting their students into medical school. Beyond that they’ve also got a few “linkage” programs in which top-performing students are pretty much guaranteed a spot in an affiliated medical school. I have little knowledge of the Hopkins program.

As for the rest of your application, I appreciate the fact that you’ve finished what you describe as a top undergraduate business program. Somewhere along the way, however, you were bitten by the medicine bug and now want to be a doctor. You’ve actually identified this, but given that you haven’t described your motivation, it sounds like it’s coming from left field.

The point is, if you’ve made the decision now to become a physician, you really should begin demonstrating that interest. I don’t see why you’re even continuing with your accounting career. That’s my way of saying the AdComs wouldn’t particularly care that you have a CPA and worked with a Big Four. In fact, if I were on that AdCom, I’d question your motivation and wonder why you decided on becoming a physician but went on to work at a Big Four. Your motivation doesn’t make much sense to me and I doubt it would make much sense to any other admissions officer.

If you need help in formulating your motivation and putting your desire to work for you, we can certainly help. We’ve got consultants on our staff — all of whom were admissions officers — who have worked with career changing postbacc premeds get into some of the nation’s top medical schools. Let us know by calling the number below if we can be of any help.

Good luck.

Timothy Wu, MD
AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

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I became motivated during my 3rd year of undergraduate work when my brother was diagnosed with cancer. As a result, I began volunteering at the James Cancer Hospital at OSU. It ended up I loved working there. But I was approaching graduation and it would have been difficult to change majors or get all the med req.’s within a reasonable time. So I began looking around and saw that a lot of the post-bac programs really help out with advising/mcat prep/ect.- and that you can finish the entire program in a summer and two semesters. So I decided to just finish up school and if I was still 100% committed to med school- then it will be the route I would take.

In addition, I would like to save some money before starting med school in that I would have some money to live off of. So that was my rationale for working for an accounting firm for a year or two before starting medical school. Do you think that is reasonable? Or valid?

mjr

[twu]

quote:

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Originally posted by mjr
In addition, I would like to save some money before starting med school in that I would have some money to live off of. So that was my rationale for working for an accounting firm for a year or two before starting medical school. Do you think that is reasonable? Or valid?

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The AdComs look for a theme in your application.

Essentially from the point you decide that you want to be a physician, the rest of your application should reflect that. To have a year during this time in which you work as a CPA in an accounting firm requires a rather lengthy explanation. And, to be entirely honest, few admissions officers will really believe that you can save all that much money just after working for one year in an accounting firm. Big Fours pay somewhere between $40,000 and $60,000 don’t they? After taxes, rent, and the fact that you’ll have to begin repaying some of your college loans means that you really won’t have much left.

Timothy Wu, MD
AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

[gilmartp]

Hello,

I am 31 years old and I have decided to go to medical school. Right now I am an attorney. I graduated law school in 2000. I have not been practicing for the past two years. I have been in school seeking an advanced law degree in intellectual property. I thought I might like law better if I became more involved in a scientific/technical area. That is not working. I do not want to practice law.

For many years I have wanted to become a doctor. My interest in medicine developed during college. In college, however, I was planning to go to law school. By my senior year I was very interested in medicine. Unfortunately, with all the wisdom of a 21 year old, I decided that it would be too much to change career plans. I was already accepted at and set to go to law school. I would have had to remain an undergrad another year to take science courses and wait another year to apply to medical school. I am an engineer. I have a technical background, however, not in biology or chemistry. At the time, I thought I could not make the change. Two years seemed a long delay. As I said, sarcastically: the wisdom of a 21 year old.

Anyway, I have never really stopped thinking about becoming a doctor. For many years I have thought about stopping law and returning to school and then medical school. I was always afraid of the time and, more importantly, the expense. Later, I always find myself wishing I did it a few years ago. Now, I am going to do it. I am seeking to enter a postbac program beginning this summer.

Onto my question of the moment:
As I wrote, I am in an advanced law degree program right now (LL.M. degree). I have only 6 credits remaining to complete the program in the spring semester.
Do you think an admission committee would want to see that I completed the LL.M. program? Should I finish the program? Or can I stop now and avoid wasting money on a degree that will never have any value to me?

I am concerned that an admission committee might look negatively on my leaving the program without receiving the degree. I notice that even the Hopkins postbac application asks, “Have you ever discontinued attendance at or been dismissed from any school or college?” I guess I would have to answer yes if I do not return to finish the LL.M. program. But I do not see myself practicing law again, so the degree will never have any value to me other than the value that an admission committee may place on the fact that I finished.

If I stop right now, I can save the expense of the 6 credits (approximately $8000) and be able to work full time for a few months to earn a little money (approximately $20000) to help through the postbac year and medical school. Additionally, if I am only working, I might be able to volunteer a little in some medical way.

Thank you for any advice.

[twu]

quote:

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Originally posted by gilmartp

If I stop right now, I can save the expense of the 6 credits (approximately $8000) and be able to work full time for a few months to earn a little money (approximately $20000) to help through the postbac year and medical school. Additionally, if I am only working, I might be able to volunteer a little in some medical way.

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With only six credits to go in completing an advanced law degree, I really don’t see the utility in holding off on that to save $8,000. I’d think of it more as a waste in investing for the other 60 or so credits you had to take to get to this point for the LLM in the first place!

Furthermore AdComs aren’t particularly keen on people who take up projects and don’t finish them satisfactorily. You are a student and you should do well in whatever you choose. Remember that the AdComs don’t particularly care what you studied — just that you excel in it.

I think an appropriate game plan would be:

1) continue with your LLM and finish it off.
2) in this remaining semester, or as you near completion of your graduate law degree, begin volunteering in a hospital, shadowing a physician, or do something medical.
3) begin your postbacc premed program this summer.
4) continue volunteering while in the postbacc premed program.
5) I would hold off on working in law for now. If you’ve read the previous message, I advised a CPA not to go join a Big Four for fear that it wouldn’t create a good story to tell to the AdCom. I think this is a similar, if not the same, case. As a med school hopeful now, you really should direct as much of your energies toward getting into med school. The $20,000 you may save while working in law really won’t make much of a dent. I’d remain a student as long as possible.

Good luck.

Timothy Wu, MD
AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

[boardchic]

Hi.
I know I have seen posted over and over again that applying late ruins your chances of getting into medical school, so I’m trying to figure out if I ruined my chances of getting into a top school. I submitted my AMCAS application September 3 (It was processed by September 13). I graduated from Brown in May with a 3.83 overall GPA and 3.77 BCPM. I took the MCAT in April and scored 39 (12B, 12P, 15V). I applied to 16 schools (mostly highly competitive) and so far I’ve interviewed at West Virginia, Pitt, UPenn, Washington University, NYU, and I’m interviewing at Northwestern and UNC in January. I still haven’t gotten interview invitations from some of my top schools, including UCSF and Cornell. Is this because I applied too late? Is it still possible to receive interview invitations and be a competitive candidate, or did I really mess up by applying late?
Thank you for your time.

[twu]

quote:

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Originally posted by boardchic

Is this because I applied too late? Is it still possible to receive interview invitations and be a competitive candidate, or did I really mess up by applying late?

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You certainly seem to have the numbers consistent with highly competitive candidates who get into highly competitive schools.

Interviews for medical school are conducted anywhere from August to February during the application cycle. The later you interview in the cycle, the more likely it is that you will land on the waiting list. Acceptance letters begin going out as early as September and extend (sometimes) into January.

I’m leaning more toward your acceptance into medical school than a waitlist position. Again you seem like a highly competitive candidate who’s not interviewing at too late a point in the admissions cycle. Should you land a waitlist spot, however, I wouldn’t look to your Plan B just yet.

Good luck.

Timothy Wu, MD
AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

[Dave]

I just have a few quick questions…

I am 30 years old. I have had a complete change of focus in my life and am now considering Medical School. After pissing away high school, I have 45 Community College credits that were geared towards emergency medical technology and firefighting. Now, I am thinking of going to med school. Could you run down real briefly what are the major steps and what my focus should be in the next few years. My plan so far is this, starting in the spring, I will go to community college in Phoenix and start from scratch (Again all my college credits are meaningless fire science classes). I plan to take between 12-15 credits a semester and go during the summer. Transfer to ASU or Uof A in a year and a half and get 30 credits of upper level science classes then apply to the U of A School of Med.
Am I even close? Do this sound like a good plan? Again if anybody could direct me in the right direction and give me feedback as to what I should be doing I’d be thankful.

[twu]

quote:

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Originally posted by Dave
Am I even close? Do this sound like a good plan? Again if anybody could direct me in the right direction and give me feedback as to what I should be doing I’d be thankful.

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It’s certainly a viable plan to get into medical school.

What you should be careful of, however, is the number of credits you complete at the community/junior college and the courses you select at that kind of institution. The plain fact is the AdComs don’t feel community colleges are up to the same level as senior colleges, and grades earned there don’t really impress anyone.

My suggestion is to just enroll in a standard senior college or university and go about the premed route that way. Far too often I’ve dealt with applicants who had taken a significant number of credits, or the majority of their premed courses, in junior colleges. That almost always turns into a big mistake.

Timothy Wu, MD
AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

[bubabuggy]

I took a year of general chemistry, 1 year of calculus, and 1 semester of biology at a community college. Afterwards I transferred to UCSD and was a biology major and took O-chem and Physics. However, the calculus at the community college was definitely more demanding than at UCSD, and the general chemistry exams looked similar in difficulty to the ones given at the commuity college. The cc I went to required lots of hard work and students that came from that school ended up being the top 5% of graduating seniors at UCSD. I was wondering if taking the the g-chem and calculus at a jc will hurt my chances of admission to medical school.

[uclaboy4life]

I am currently getting around 3.75 to 3.8 and I took all my premed classes at UCLA. However, I took a year and half off because I spent my time in IRaq serving as a reservist. My grade seems to be slipping this year a bit. If I get 10, 10, 10, on the MCAT this year and then apply to some med schools, even if my GPA slips to 3.65 to 3.7, do I have good chances of getting into top schools because of my circumstances?

[twu]

quote:

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Originally posted by bubabuggy

I took a year of general chemistry, 1 year of calculus, and 1 semester of biology at a community college. Afterwards I transferred to UCSD and was a biology major and took O-chem and Physics. However, the calculus at the community college was definitely more demanding than at UCSD, and the general chemistry exams looked similar in difficulty to the ones given at the commuity college. The cc I went to required lots of hard work and students that came from that school ended up being the top 5% of graduating seniors at UCSD. I was wondering if taking the the g-chem and calculus at a jc will hurt my chances of admission to medical school.

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I don’t believe taking just one year of general chemistry and one year of mathematics is going to hurt your chances in light of the fact that you’re a biology major at UCSD.

I understand and appreciate that your courses at the community college may have been more difficult than those taken at UCSD, but the AdCom’s members (as well as the general lay public) just won’t accept that as fact unless proven by some objective study. The bottomline is I think you’re on the right track and courses taken at a community college won’t hurt your chances in getting in.

Good luck.

Timothy Wu, MD
AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

[twu]

quote:

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Originally posted by uclaboy4life

I am currently getting around 3.75 to 3.8 and I took all my premed classes at UCLA. However, I took a year and half off because I spent my time in IRaq serving as a reservist. My grade seems to be slipping this year a bit. If I get 10, 10, 10, on the MCAT this year and then apply to some med schools, even if my GPA slips to 3.65 to 3.7, do I have good chances of getting into top schools because of my circumstances?

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Being a reservist should not hurt your chances as the interruption in your education is understandable (and appreciated, by the way).

You have a good GPA from a good university. Provided you’ve got the right motivation, demonstrable evidence of that motivation on your application, a well-written personal statement, and decent MCAT scores, I see no reason why you shouldn’t be admitted to a good med school.

Good luck.

Timothy Wu, MD
AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

[tqucla]

Hi, I am a recent college graduate and I am thinking about going to medical school. But I need to have my chances assessed before committing myself to a post-bac program and volunteer service. Here is my background:

I started college a local community college after high school. During the first year I was going to school part-time and running a full-time internet business. After one and half years, because I was taking too few credits, I was put on progress probation. This caused me to decide to shut down my business and focus on study.

After another two and half years, I transferred to UCLA as a Math/Econ (B.S.) major with straight A’s except two B’s in calculus I had received during my first year.

At UCLA, I was part of the UCLA College Honors program and the math department departmental honors program. It took me a little over two years to finish my study at UCLA. I graduated this year with College Honors, Mathematics Departmental Honors and Summa Cum Laude. My UCLA GPA is 3.9.

The idea of going to med school occurred to me while I was at UCLA. I took one year of physics (for scientists and engineers) at UCLA and got straight A’s. Because I was approaching the upper limit of total credits allowed, I could not take the rest of chem and bio requirements at UCLA. I am thinking about joining USC’s post-bac program and finish those requirements there.

So, what are my chances? I really don’t want to commit myself to another two to three years of study and exams and low-pay, temporary jobs if my chances are slim. Below is a summary of my assets and liabilities:

1. Attended 4 years of junior college and received one progress probation while there.
2. The English and calculus requirements were taken at the community college.

1. 3.9 GPA at UCLA.
2. Graduation with UCLA College Honors, Math Departmental Honors, Summa Cum Laude from UCLA (and the less important Dean’s Honors every quarter).
3. Took one year of physics at UCLA and got al A’s.

Should I commit myself to it? I am extremely serious about becoming a doctor. But some of my friends have told me that I have too many academic liabilities. Please advise.

[Author]

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