Hello there. I don't post on SDN often, but I’ve lurked these forums for years. Anyway, here is where I’m at:
I’m a URM (non-mexican Hispanic), going to be 25 in april
Degree: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
CGPA: 2.53
SGPA: 2.41 (post bac grades factored)
DO,CGPA: 2.80 or so (w/ 3 retakes + post bac grades factored)
DO,SGPA: 2.71 (w/ 3 retakes + post bac grades factored)
PostBac GPA (15 SEM units so far, taken a la carte at state school): 3.7
MCAT: Haven’t taken, although I have been studying very diligently for about a month, expected to take the test May 23rd.
ECs (projected by this application cycle):
- 80 Hours ER volunteer
- 295 Hours Volunteered in HIV research laboratory
- Employed in the above research laboratory for 3 months
- Tutored at a necessary education high school for 3 months
- Employed as a Substitute teacher (almost a year now)
- Shadowing (haven’t started yet, currently calling doctors)
LORs (Have 2 of these going to collect the others this coming feb – everyone has agreed to write)
- Human Physiology + Cardiovascular Physiology professor (A, A- respectively)
- Chemistry 2 professor (A-)(recent retake, professor’s memory of me is fresh)
- PI of laboratory (UCSF professor of medicine)
- Post doc in laboratory (UCSF associate professor of medicine)
- Principal of necessary education high school
My questions:
1) If I score well on my MCAT (32+), should I apply this cycle? Or should I wait till next cycle?
2) Right now, I’m thinking that it might be a good idea to save up all of my money earned through work and then take a full course load for 3 entire quarters next year (or at least try to, it’s about 1500 a class). If I do this, I could theoretically push my GPA (DO gpa of course) far over the 3.0 mark with grade replacement. Should I just wait on this even if I score excellently on the MCAT?
3) How long can I keep letters of recommendation? Do you think it’s safe to let them sit for a year?
4) How bad is it to reapply to schools that have rejected you? If it's not good to do this, then I think waiting a year would be the better choice.
I want to be in osteopathic medical school as quickly as I can be. That’s the only reason why I ask if it’s possible to get some interviews based on a high MCAT score.
I've sufficiently handled the issues that i've had in the past with studying. I can easily sit down and put in 6 hours of non-stop, meaningful studying these days. I had to teach myself (with great difficulty) how to be responsible, how to learn, and how to actually study without just staring at words.
And yes, I realize that I’ve permanently screwed this life up (video game addiction, before you ask). Cut me some slack, I’m trying to make do with what I’ve got.
I’m a URM (non-mexican Hispanic), going to be 25 in april
Degree: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
CGPA: 2.53
SGPA: 2.41 (post bac grades factored)
DO,CGPA: 2.80 or so (w/ 3 retakes + post bac grades factored)
DO,SGPA: 2.71 (w/ 3 retakes + post bac grades factored)
PostBac GPA (15 SEM units so far, taken a la carte at state school): 3.7
MCAT: Haven’t taken, although I have been studying very diligently for about a month, expected to take the test May 23rd.
ECs (projected by this application cycle):
- 80 Hours ER volunteer
- 295 Hours Volunteered in HIV research laboratory
- Employed in the above research laboratory for 3 months
- Tutored at a necessary education high school for 3 months
- Employed as a Substitute teacher (almost a year now)
- Shadowing (haven’t started yet, currently calling doctors)
LORs (Have 2 of these going to collect the others this coming feb – everyone has agreed to write)
- Human Physiology + Cardiovascular Physiology professor (A, A- respectively)
- Chemistry 2 professor (A-)(recent retake, professor’s memory of me is fresh)
- PI of laboratory (UCSF professor of medicine)
- Post doc in laboratory (UCSF associate professor of medicine)
- Principal of necessary education high school
My questions:
1) If I score well on my MCAT (32+), should I apply this cycle? Or should I wait till next cycle?
2) Right now, I’m thinking that it might be a good idea to save up all of my money earned through work and then take a full course load for 3 entire quarters next year (or at least try to, it’s about 1500 a class). If I do this, I could theoretically push my GPA (DO gpa of course) far over the 3.0 mark with grade replacement. Should I just wait on this even if I score excellently on the MCAT?
3) How long can I keep letters of recommendation? Do you think it’s safe to let them sit for a year?
4) How bad is it to reapply to schools that have rejected you? If it's not good to do this, then I think waiting a year would be the better choice.
I want to be in osteopathic medical school as quickly as I can be. That’s the only reason why I ask if it’s possible to get some interviews based on a high MCAT score.
I've sufficiently handled the issues that i've had in the past with studying. I can easily sit down and put in 6 hours of non-stop, meaningful studying these days. I had to teach myself (with great difficulty) how to be responsible, how to learn, and how to actually study without just staring at words.
And yes, I realize that I’ve permanently screwed this life up (video game addiction, before you ask). Cut me some slack, I’m trying to make do with what I’ve got.