What do you do if you don’t get into medical school?
Let’s say that you have submitted your application and it’s late in the year. You have received no invitations for interview and since it’s now April, your chances of getting invited for interview and gaining acceptance are getting slimmer and slimmer. What are you going to do now? Since the day that you entered undergraduate studies, you have contemplated the study of medicine but at this point, it’s looking like you are not going to be a member of the upcoming year’s starting medical classes. What are you going to do?
Your current application
The first thing that you need to do is pull out a copy of your current application and take a long and objective look at it. Was your personal statement well-written and an accurate reflection of your goals in medicine? Did you illustrate strong extracurricular activities that showed your interest in your fellow humans? Was your undergraduate GPA competitive within the context of the schools that you applied to? Were your scores on the Medical College Admissions Test competitive within the context of the schools that you applied to?
What can you do about improving your application?
If you contemplate reapplying for next year, the first thing that you have to do is upgrade any and all things that were a liability for you in the current year. This might mean taking a course or re-taking the MCAT and making sure that your score is significantly higher. This means reworking your entire application including revamping your personal statement. If your application didn’t work for this year, it’s not likely that it is going to work for you next year. The major reason that people do not get into medical school is overestimation of their competitiveness within the context of the pool of applicants to the schools that they applied to.
The applicant pool
Every year since I have been working with medical school admissions, two things have been generally true. The undergraduate GPAs/MCAT scores of the applicant pool have been increasing and the number of application to my two schools have been increasing. We attribute the increase in the number of applicants to the generally poor economy and we attribute the increase in academic scores to both grade inflation (at some colleges ) and an increasing number of folks who use test prep companies for the MCAT. We are well versed in the undergraduate schools that practice grade inflation and we look very carefully at the patterns in the MCAT scores. Larger applicant pool and higher uGPA/MCAT scores mean that we are using much of the entire application to make our decisions as to whom we will invite for interview.
The URM myth
Both of my medical schools have about 1% URM representation in any given class. It is entirely a myth that being an Underrepresented Minority in Medicine is an automatic entry into medical school no matter what is on your application. We just don’t “hand out” seats in our freshman medical class for having a certain ethnicity. One of the prime forces for us is making sure that every student who is admitted will successfully get through four years of a very tough curriculum. The material to be mastered knows no color or ethnicity. In the past, with our admissions formula, we have been pretty fortunate in that our graduation rate in four or five years is greater than 99%. In general, those people who graduate in five rather than four years have some extenuating circumstances that have prevented them for continuing with their class not because they were not well-qualified in the first place.
Feelings that you are somehow inferior
This turns out to be a huge factor in whether or not a re-applicant will be successful on the second try. There are far more applicants than seats in medical school period. If you don’t get in, it is generally because you were not a good “fit” for the year in which you applied or you made some poor decisions in terms of the schools that you applied to again you were not a good “fit”. You can reassess you situation, change the things on your application that you can change and reapply stronger. There is very little difference in a student who is accepted and a student who is not accepted in any given year. You would be quite surprised to learn how close many “rejected” students actually came to an acceptance. Those folks who are wait-listed were definite acceptances but were a bit further down the list in terms of being offered a seat. They are definitly “alternates” but we just felt more strongly about the people who were offered admission.
Graduate school
In general, if you are NOT interested in graduate school, don’t undertake a graduate degree to enhance your application. If you have developed a passionate interest in Public Health or Business and you can complete your degree in one year or so, then obtain an MPH or an MBA but don’t look to these degrees to make you more competitive for medical school if your uGPA/MCAT was low.
If you elect to enter a Special Masters such as the Special Masters in Physiology (offered at many colleges/university), you can definitely enhance your chances of admission if you perform well in this type of a program. In addition, you will have some graduate training that can be used if you don’t enter medical school. These Special Masters generally have you taking the same coursework as medical students and can show that you are capable of handling a tough medical school curriculum. These programs are ideal for candidates who are just a bit below average (3.2-3.5) uGPA range or those who had a great deal of difficulty with the MCAT but higher uGPAs.
Retaking the MCAT
If you scored below that magic “30″ or had a severly lopsided score say 13 in PS, 12 in BS and a 5 in VR, then retaking that exam with solid preparation and remediation in your lower scoring areas might be a good idea. One of the things to consider is that you must shore up your deficiencs and be sure that you have done something major before you re-take this exam. Nothing can tank your application faster than several mediocre MCAT scores. While some schools will take your higher scores at each re-take and use a composite, most schools (includng mine) do NOT do this. If you retake, make sure that you are going to score higher period. Also remember that most people do not accomplish a higher score so you definitely need to do something different in terms of prep in order not to wind up with a lower score.
Timing
It is definitely true that the earlier you apply, the better your chances. Meet and exceed every deadline and in the case of reapplication, be early period. You can’t procrastinate on this one. As soon as you have decided to reapply, start getting your materials together for an early submission of your application. Most of the time, the difference between waitlist and acceptance is the timing of the application. Resolve that you are going to be proactive about getting your application done and that you are going to upgrade everything that you can upgrade within the time frame that you have between application cycles (this is not an infinite amount of time)
Reapplication time is also a good time to explore other career opportunities outside medicine especially if you are well below the averages for accepted students. One has to be realistic about their chances of acceptance if you are sitting on a uGPA of 2.9 or an MCAT score of less than 28. Sure some students in the past have gotten into some schools with those scores but most applicants with these numbers are automatically “screened out” of may medical schools. The other thing is that everyone is NOT going to become a physician no matter how great the desire. There are just too many applicants for seats.
Also do not make the mistake of thinking that you will become a Physician Assistant or enter Nursing as a substitute for medicine. While these are great careers, they are not the “same” as medicine. These careers can be extremely rewarding and satisfying but enter these careers because you have decided that they are a good “fit” for you and that you will enjoy them. Getting into Physician Assistant school is quite competitive and not a stepping stone into medicine. It is far likely that if you were not competitive for medical school, you are not going to be competitive for PA school.
Above all, if medicine is your dream, you will do whatever it takes to accomplish it but you need to be sure that you are upgrading your application with each reapp and that you are being realistic in terms of you competitiveness. Just reapplying does not increase your chances of acceptance in itself. Most people who reapply do something significant to upgrade their application. Make sure that if you elect to reapply, you do the upgrade.
I just want to say thank you for all that you’ve posted. These post encourage me and resolidify my resolve to go to med school. Thank you very much.
Hi! I just connected to your blog from your student doctor post. Anywho! I have been in this situation of not know what to do and not wanting to give up. For seven years, I have pursued entry into medical school, not applying each year but improving myself and still enjoying life.
One thing to add to your great posts is research. My first research position was in epidemiology. It was agreat and allowed for some awe experiences/encounters with great physicians. Now, I work as a clinical research coordinator. This is probably the best opporutnity for experiencing medicine with a “limited” pharmacy and no license.
Hi,
I happened to stubble across your site and really valued the input. So currently, I am a senior at my undergraduate institution with a 3.6 GPA. I have taken all the required courses for medical school, done volunteering, and I even have all my information filled out in AMCAS. I understand it is late to apply, but this decision to pursue medicine has taken sometime and thought. I had everything ready to send out a couple of days ago and then I found out my MCAT scores which were very low- totaling 21 (to be honest I didn’t prepare as well as I should have for this exam). Unfortunately I just missed the last chance to take the MCATs again before application deadlines (applying for med school fall 2009) Based on that score I am now very hesitant to apply when I think of my chances. I am debating on whether I should work really hard and take the test again in the spring and apply for med schools the following year? In the mean time if I decide to do this, what would you recommend to do in that year off to strengthen/ prepare myself for med school? Thanks
Hi Michael,
The question that you have to ask yourself is:”Do I want to practice medicine as a physician?”. If the answer to that question is “yes”, then you have the answer to your question.
The bigger question is: “How are you going to improve your MCAT score?”. Unless you do some major assessment, analysis and solve the problems that caused you to score so low, you are going to have a difficult time convincing any medical school to accept you.
Do you have a knowledge base problem? If so, then you may want to invest in taking one of the commercial prep tests what can increase your knowledge base. Did you have a test procedural problem? If so, then you need to do a thorough analysis of why you can’t use the material from your knowledge base and apply it to the types of questions that the MCAT uses.
The best way to do this inventory is purchase three or four of the retired MCAT exams (available from the MCAT site), take one test apart and analyze how the questions are constructed. Then do plenty of practice tests making sure that you correct your problems. Be sure to save one exam to take under actual test conditions (there is a computer test available too).
Finally, do not attempt to retake the MCAT until you have completely solved your test-taking problems. Two poor scores will tank your application very quickly. Take your time and get your score into the competitive range. Good luck!
Hi, I am a highschool senior wanting to go into premed. I am very concerned however about the possibility of going for 4 yrs of premed and not being able to get into medical school. What can I do to improve my chances? Also if I would not get into med school what options are there for an undergraduate biology or chemistry(leaning more toward the chemistry) degree? I have applied at several schools. In general is it better to go to a larger university or a smaller one.
Thank You, Julie
To Julie:
Attend the college/university where:
You can find the best learning environment for you (performance is everything).
Where you can get solid comprehensive pre-medical courses that both challenge you and provide a solid knowledge base.
Where you are comfortable and feel a part of the college/university community ( can get to know professors and allow them to know you).
Other than the above, the size of your school actually doesn’t matter much. What does matter is a strong nurturing environment for your intellect. Some people are happiest in the large university and some folks thrive in the small libral arts college. Some of the smaller colleges (University of Mary Washington in Va for example), while small, have very strong academic departments and multiple resources for students. Another smaller university with excellence is University of Maryland, Baltimore County in Catonsville. This small university boasts very strong and innovative faculty members who are totally invested in their students.
Your performance, whether from a large university or small college, is going to be the key to getting into medical school. A 3.2 from a large university does not beat out a 3.7 from a small college. Wherever you decide to go, you have to DO WELL. The undergraduate matriculant grade point average for 2007 was 3.65. That’s a very high GPA and that was just the average. Take plenty of time and figure out where you can do your best work.
If you find that you just can’t thrive in a large university, do your best and then transfer after freshman year. You can always do the reverse too, that is, transfer from the small college to the large university. Just get good grades and master your studies.
Hi I am a senior at a large university and I happened to find this website in looking for help to apply to medical school. I have wanted to go to medical school for about 2-3 years now, and have been preparing for it. However, as it comes to my graduating year my g.p.a is only a 3.1, but my MCAT is score was a 38. I know my mcat score is higher than average but my gpa is low from just being young and wreckless. I also have excess shadowing and volunteering hours compared to other students. It seems I have almost all of the package except the gpa, so is it better to apply now or try to get a masters and then apply later? Also, could I apply as a matriculant at a later date if I were to work in the medical field at all? Please let me know thank you?
To Marshall,
Don’t enter a masters program unless you WANT a masters degree. A masters other than an Special Masters Program (medical school grade enhancement) won’t make you any more competitive than you are now. You might look into the SMPs like Georgetown’s or Virginia Commonwealth’s certificate. These are designed to enhance the credentials of folks who anticipate application to medical school.
You don’t need any more volunteering or shadowing. You need to raise your uGPA as much as you can. This can be by post-bacc coursework or you can apply to and enter a SMP (do well and then enter medical school. I would even try applying to your state schools with what you have now if you have a strong upward trend. The worse that would happen is that you don’t get in. Good luck
Hi,
I really wish I would of found this site before I applied. I just wanted to know how important shadowing/volunteer hours are when considering an applicant. I applied for this year in order to enter the fall 2009 semster and out of 40 schools i received 1 interview (Resulted in an alternate list position) and 2 holds. My uGPA is a 3.49 (Bad first year with a strong upward trend), and an MCAT of 31 R. Also, I worked in a bio psych lab and presented at a Neuroscience conference, and had good solid recomendations, but no shadowing experience. I just want to know where i went wrong, so i can start to improve.
Thank you,
Sincerely,
ALi
To Ali:
If you are not holding a rejection letter then don’t give up. If you do find that you need to reapply for next year, get some volunteering experience and upgrade as much of your application as you can. Make sure that you apply to your state schools, some schools with a national reputation and then a dream school or two. Get that shadowing and volunteering experience. If you can take an upper division bio course 9or neuroscience then do that too. You want to try to inch your uGPA above 3.5.
I would also strongly encourage you to look into post bacc programs with linkage. If you could get into one of those, you would likely be able to get yourself into a position to get into medical school. You need one of those programs that you essentially take the same coursework as the medical students. Do well and you would greatly enhance your application. It’s a tough road because you uGPA is likely killing you but if you are absolutely dedicated to traveling this path, do what you have to do to get in.
My daughter has a 3.64 GPA from Cornell, 33 on the MCAT with a Q, graduated one semester early, spent one semester at the University of Melbourne, Australia on the excel student exchange program and has shadowed a number of physicans both hospital and private practice based and was rejected from all 12 NY state schools. Trying to contact the office of admissions was of no use. PS she graduated #2 in her class, was nationally ranked in two events in gymnastics and an avid soccer player. A poll of the NY State medical schools ranged in acceptance of minority applicants from 5% -40% with some being accepted with GPA’s of 2.9 and MCATS of 21!
To Brian H. Hallas:
I can tell you that 3.64 is an average uGPA for a matriculant for medical school and 33 MCAT is a little above average. I don’t know that sports and travel make compelling reasons to accept an applicant though they are not bad for extracurricular activities. As for minority candidates getting in with lesser statistics, sure this happens and surely legacy applicants get in with lesser statistics too. In the end, schools choose applicants based on what they want their class to look like. There is no one absolute that will predict success in medical school admissions. It’s a brutal year and next year will be even worse with the economy being poor and healthcare being one of the stable professions left.
That being said, your daughter might need to do some meaningful research to enhance her application. She might also want to rework every part of that application that can be changed since it hasn’t been successful this year. She needs to meet and exceed every deadline which means that time is going by fast if she intends to reapply for next year. The other thing that she needs to look into is to apply across the board to a larger number of medical schools both inside and outside of one state. She should apply to some schools like Drexel, Jefferson, and GW/Georgetown. These schools tend to attract a large number of applicants from other regions which could be advantageous.
Medical school is not a reward for having a high uGPA and MCAT score. Schools look very carefully at the entire application. Your daughter needs to make sure that every aspect of her application is top notch from the personal statement (which has to be truly personal and well-written) to solid letters from people who know her well (not just people she has shadowed but professors who can write strong and meaningful letters). Like I said, that 3.64 isn’t a top uGPA and the 33 MCAT while above averge is not a “homerun”. Sports and travel are not enough to make her unique or attractive to a medical school. If she graduated #2 in her class, I certainly would have expected a higher uGPA (do you get my drift here?) and more academic achievements (Phi Beta Kappa, etc).
Be very careful when you start to list things like “graduated #2 in class” and exchange programs. These things imply that there should be a very high level of scholarship which should be carefully related and outlined in your daughters AMCAS application. You may also want to invest some money in a professional admissions counselor for your daughter for next year since she has tons of extracurriculars that need to be carefully relayed and enhanced. Admission to medical school is getting tougher and tougher. No one (,n spite of what you hear about URMs, is sliding in these days. Good luck!
Thanks for your comments and suggestions. What I and my daughter are finding is that at a number of medical schools your GPA does not matter whether it is from a tier 1 or 2 or 3 school. Traveling and spending a semester abroad, sports, working, shadowing, etc I would think would make a well rounded candidate. I know that I would want my physician to be compassionate, have many life experiences, try and relate somehow to me etc and not just be “book smart”. I will carefully review with my daughter her applications and revise per your suggestions. Thanks for the help. brian
Hello, I am a med school applicant with a GPA of 3.71 (both sci and non sci) and a MCAT score of 34 (PS 11, Verb 9, BS, 14). Ive applied to 16 schools (half of them pretty competitive) and with the majority of them in NY (my state school). I received interviews from all the SUNYs as well as Albany, Rochester and NYMC. However, I have been receiving post-interview rejections left and right without any acceptance yet (and a hold from SUNY downstate). I have worked in a undergrad research lab for 1.5 years. worked in a onco/hemo clinic for 6 months. Currently employed by HHMI as a research tech at cold spring harbor and volunteering as a med assistant in a GI clinic. My application was completed in late October (the primaries were submitted in mid August). Everything is looking dim for me, I am thinking of reapply again possibly earlier. I’m thinking about quiting the research tech job and volunteer at 2 hospitals for 6 months…as well as possibly as my current PI for a letter (she is the dean for grad admissions at CSHL) and ask the GI doctor for a recommendation. The 2 hospital volunteer jobs would not be included in my reapplication since it would be after I quit my research tech job in August (So I would be working for a full year).My application essays seem awsome b/c I’ve paid a company to help me edit it. What am I doing wrong and how can I make myself more competetitve??
Sincerely,
To Anonymous:
You have a number of things covered well. Your hold at SUNY Downstate may turn into an acceptance in the long run so don’t lose hope. My guess is that your later application hurt you this year. This was the year to be early and earlier. If you have to reapply, plan on being ready to submit everything on the earliest date possible without exception. Reapply to your state schools and look at some schools like Drexel, GW, Georgetown, Tulane, Tufts, Case Western Reserve and Northwestern. Also, be sure that you have some volunteering done (you don’t need much but you DO need some).
Make sure that you interview skills are up to par too. Be very sure of this because you seem to have everything else in range. Be very careful with paid company essays too. Let your best friends read your final drafts and edit them too. The folks who know you best turn out to be the best editors. Good personal statements are well-written and make you stand out as a unique person that would be an asset to any medical class. Sometimes, your own words can convey your passion in the best possible light.
The same goes for LORs. Be sure that the folks who are writing these have a copy of your CV, your personal statement and the schools that you are interested in applying to. This helps them to write a letter that makes you stand out in a more personalized manner. If they have known you over a period of time (a faculty adviser, research adviser) then so much the better. Be sure that these are good too.
I hope that you don’t have to reapply but if you do, jump on everything early and nail that application from top to bottom for next year. Good luck!
P.S. I am a NY state resident, what out of state schools would you recommend?
Hello, I am a med school applicant with GPAs of 3.87 non-sci and 3.75 sci, and a MCAT score of 32 (PS 10, Verb 11, BS, 11). I am an undergrad at University of Miami. I applied to 10 schools; most of them are in FL. My applications were complete late September.
I have received only one interview invite in late February, which is from University of Miami. The interview went very good, but my interviewer told me that he liked my application and before the interview he had asked the admissions committee why I wasn’t offered an interview sooner. Their response was that there had been an issue with my application and it was finally fixed by AMCAS so they could finally consider it. I am not sure what this could be, I tried calling AMCAS but couldn’t get much information. I was wondering if you heard of anything like this happening to someone else and if you have any idea of what could he be talking about.
I have many years of volunteering experience, I continuously shadow a doctor at the UM hospital, from whom I received an excellent recommendation letter. I also have been working full time all four years throughout my undergrad studies. I am not good at writing so my personal statement wasn’t that great, and I don’t have any research experience.
I haven’t heard from UM yet, but still waiting. In case that I have to try again, what should I do and not do to make myself more competitive?
Thank you for your advice.
To Eileen,
You need to rework every part of your application if you end up reapplying next year. You should also request (in writing) from AMCAS, the problem with your application so that you don’t repeat the process. Apply early (on the first day possible) and apply broadly. If you applications were complete in late Sept, you were late for this year. Early is always better.
I originally wanted to do medicine, but I have recently decided to try to get into P.A. school, after working with one. I am graduating in May with a 3.65. I was a student-athlete in college, so was only able to get around 1100 hours of paid patient care work during summers and off-season. I work for Americorps and have over 1000 hours of volunteer work, and over 500 hours shadowing P.A.s. I scored a 1090 on my GRE. I also have had 2 abstracts published by the ACSM. How competitive am I when applying? I know Yale has a good program, and I go to one of the major Universities in my state. What are my shots at getting in to a top-knotch P.A. program?
To Brad:
I actually don’t know what your chances of getting into a “top-knotch P.A. program” would be. My expertise lies in medical school admissions and the teaching of medical students. Your best bet is to call the programs that interest your, relate your qualifications and find out if you would be competitive for their programs. I am sure that the program directors would be happy to let you know where you stand. You might also go to the website for PA and see if there are any statistics on those sites similiar to the ones that can be found on the AAMC (American Association of Medical Colleges) website. Good luck!
Hello, I will be applying to medical schools this summer and my GPA thus far is 3.39 (a science GPA of 3.4). I have 492 volunteer hours from the er dept at my local hospital, I’ve worked at a free clinic in our area for 4 years, and am EMT certified. I have also been shadowing a doctor and have 40hrs. I know alot is riding on the MCAT but even if I did get a 30, would my GPA keep me from getting in? If so am I applicable for the Post bacc program. I assumed that was only for people interested in medicine that did not take prereqs in undergrad.
To Sarah:
You know that your uGPA is very low for medical school application regardless of MCAT score. You can certainly apply with that uGPA but you are likely to face an uphill climb. Post baccs are not only for people who just need pre-med coursework. There are a number of special masters programs (SMPs) [Georgetown's SMP for example] that are for application enhancement. Go to the AMCAS site and look for post bacc programs. There are hundreds of all types including programs out there for upgrading credentials. The biggest drawback is that you will be expected to perform very well in these programs (expensive too). A poor performance can end any hope of getting into any medical school. Good luck.
My son is a junior at Emory university studying Chemistry. His overall undergraduate GPA is 3.3, science is 3.1. He is prepping to take his MCAT. His advisor said he is borderline and suggested he apply in his senior year to improve his GPA, she also mentioned a master’s program. If he gets a 30 on the MCAT what do you believe he could do to improve his chances. He is an EMT and works summers at Moffitt cancer center doing research. He is a resident of Florida.
Thank You
To Bob Alexander:
A masters degree (other than a Special Masters e.g. Georgetown SMP) is not going to make your son more competitive for medical school. His uGPA is well under the average matriculant uGPA of 3.7. Graduate work does not increase uGPA and is generally weighted about the same as an extracurricular activity. Post Bacc work (work completed after bachelors degree but at undergraduate level) will raise the uGPA but this is a very slow process. A strong MCAT score will help but will not offset a mediocre uGPA.
Would you say that the undergrad institution has a huge impact on the medical admission?
for example, would a person from a less known school be considered equal to the student from a world wide university?
I am currently in HS and having a hard time making this decision. go to a known/extremely hard university (ex. University of Toronto) OR go to (york university), a university not known for its science.
and if I were to apply to America, would this have a huge impact on my application??
Thanks.
To Gj:
Your undergraduate performance (not your institution) is the major criterion in acceptance into medical school. In the USA, if an institution of higher learning is accredited, it is fine for undergraduate work. If you do well at an accredited institution, the reputation of your undergraduate institution is not going to be a problem. If you don’t do well, going to the most prestigious institution is not going to help you.
I don’t know how things work in the UK but I do know the system in the U.S. I would say, go where you know you can get the best education and can do your best work because it’s your performance that counts.
I see, so now all that is needed is to do well in the next 4 years and the EC and the MCAT?
hi drnjbmd,
Do you have a email address that I can contact you with? I prefer not to talk about my information on this website.
thank you.
ananoymous
To anonymous:
I don’t reply directly to readers. I am sorry.
I have previously wrote on this forum. My previous post will affect my chances of getting into medical school. Is it possible to delete my post or make me anonymous?
I am a student with a 3.7 Science GPA and a 3.95 overall GPA. My first MCAT score was a 31 (10, 9, 12). I wanted to score higher, so I have taken them again and am waiting for the scores. I have volunteer hours and have done research for over 2.5 years. I have showded two different doctors. I am a university scholar and have presented my research to both the students and the doctors and PH.D. candidates at the hospital. I have applied to many schools to better my odds, but am really stumped on two questions that seem so simple. First, If I was granted an interview what life experience would I talk about. (I am not really sure if this should be slanted to someting that geared me toward medical school or any life experience.) Second, If I was granted entrance to the school at the interview would I accept? Do you have any suggestions in this regard? Also, where do you think I fall at this point in my candidacy. Primary’s are done, and secondaries are being sent every day as I receive new requests.
First, at any interview that you receive, answer the questions that you are asked. Answer them honestly and completely without trying to figure out “what the questioner wants to hear”. Second, it is highly unlikely that you would be offered admission on the day of the interview. Your interview performance will be evaluated by the person interviewing you and will be noted in your application materials. After that, the entire committee has to vote you in (or out). There is nothing automatic about acceptance into medical school not mater what uGPA you have.
Hello there,
I am a 24 year old student from UC Berkeley with a 3.86 overall GPA and a 3.75 science. I have an MCAT of 34: 11V, 12P, 11B. 3 publications and additional research and volunteering.
I have sixteen interviews so far. I have participated in three interviews, and have been rejected from Ohio State University (mean mcat: 33, overall post-interview acceptance rate: 64%.
I have invites from Duke, Columbia, Mt. Sinai, but I don’t even think I should go because I think that if I can’t get into OSU, I will never be able to get in to a school with a 20-40% acceptance rate post-interview.
I went to a mock interview at my undergrad institution, but I just found her to be highly abrasive and abusive. I don’t know what I need to work on, but I contacted the school and they said they’d get back to me.
please help!
To Berkeleypremed:
If you are out of state for Ohio, it’s tough to get into Ohio State. You should not turn down any interviews unless you have an acceptance letter from the school that you have decided to attend. Many of the private schools are easier for out of staters because they are not bound to take a specific percentage of in-state residents.
The more interviews you go on, the better your chances of getting accepted. One rejection does not mean every school is going to reject you.
I am a senior graduating in Decemeber 2010. I actually took an extra semester because I am a psychology major and I decided to take extra science classes such as biochemistry and advance organic chemisty. I have done volunteer work in state and out of state, but no research to this point. I have had to work through out my four years in college. I also tutor. However my gpa is low, 3.65 because the first year I didnt do so well and ended up with a 3.1 gpa. However, the first year I didnt take any science classes so my science gpa is much stronger with only 1 B+ in physics and then all As in chemistry, organic, math, and bios. Im also taking an MCAT course in january and then start to apply to medical school. My question is if my first year will hurt my chances of admission and what can I do to improve my application. I have work really hard to improve my gpa. Sophmore year about 3.8 gpa and junior and seniour year 4.0.
Thanks
I just want to correct my previous posting. I looked up my transcript and realized my overall gpa is 3.7 and science gpa is around 3.9. I feel that 3.7 overall gpa is low because I am aware of how competitive is to get into medial school.
To Dicy:
You can’t go back and undo what is past in your college career. You can only control what you are doing now and in the future. Do well on the MCAT after a thorough prep, write an excellent personal statement and keep up the strong work in your coursework yet to go.
There is no perfect combination of uGPA/MCAT that ensure admission but you can continue to do the best that you can; apply broadly and make sure that your application shows you the the most positive light. Good luck!
hi. my GPA is pretty low about 3.02 and my science gpa is a border 2.9 i havent taken the MCAT yet but i know if i take a course i’ll do good and im working hard towards this. however, while i’m trying to build my GPA i was thinking of applying to a special M into mS program that would help me to get into med school. what other programs apart from georgetown are there? i heard there was one at TCOM/UNT in Texas but i cant seem to find it on their website…
To ORE:
You can go to the AAMC website and search their website for “Postbacculaureate Programs”. Every postbacc and SMP program is listed according to state, degree and purpose. Good luck.
Is a 3.4 from Columbia better than a 3.7 from UMASS or UVM?
To Susan:
It isn’t the undergraduate school but your performance there. A 3.7 is going to trump a 3.4 no matter where it’s from. You can’t count on the “reputation” of your undergraduate school to offset a poor performance. That 3.4 is well below the average for matriculants and will likely become a liability unless there is some significant post bacc (not graduate) to raise it. Good luck