IsTheSceneSafe
New Member
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2024
- Messages
- 6
- Reaction score
- 7
Hello,
I’ll try and lay everything out, so you can get a good idea of where I’m at.
I got my bachelors in a science field which only included the basic prereqs. GenChem, GenPhys1, biology1&2 etc. I got around a 3.0 for cGPA and sGPA. Did good freshman year did bad sophomore and junior, then did good senior year. I struggled during those years not from having hard classes, but from my lack of motivation and being unsure of my career path. There are quite a few Ws and Cs in my transcript.
During my senior year I realized the mistakes I made, and the path I wanted to go down. (Medical school).
However, I knew that I needed to confirm this before I spent tens of thousands of dollars on a post-bacc with no extra degree at the end of it. So I worked in the medical field for around a year after graduation. During that time it became clear this is what I wanted to do regardless of the money and time required.
I am now 1 semester into my 3 semester post bacc, where I am taking all missing prereqs and a few extra hard science classes. It is around 35 credits total. Assuming I get between a 3.8-4.0 in my post bacc, my last 70ish credits will be in that same range. This however would not make my cGPA and sGPA more than 3.15-3.2.
Clinical hours will be likely around 2000. I have leadership / hobbies / shadowing / non clinical to put down.
No research or volunteering yet though.
I have always been very good at standardized tests, so I’m hoping this translates well on the MCAT eventually.
My main questions for you are about my timeline, and my school choice.
I can finish the post bacc this fall if I take my 2nd and 3rd semesters during summer and fall with a full courseload. This however would be a very intensive courseload and afterwards I would only have 5 months to study and complete the MCAT and complete my application related items. (Personal statement etc).
Or I can take a lighter course load per semester and spread out the classes over this summer, fall, and spring. Leaving myself an entire year to do MCAT and applications related items. This would likely set myself up for success more in my classes / MCAT / application, but it would add another year onto my timeline. I am not in a rush, but adding a whole year seems like a lot.
Secondly, my other question is regardless of my timeline. Does my GPA make it worth applying to aim for MD? I would be fine with DO, but my preference is highly MD because I am considering quite a few competitive specialty’s. Obviously you can still do them with DO, just harder to do it. Would a high enough MCAT be enough for MD schools if I succeed in my post bacc?
Thanks you for your help.
Let me know if I can give any other clarifying information.
I’ll try and lay everything out, so you can get a good idea of where I’m at.
I got my bachelors in a science field which only included the basic prereqs. GenChem, GenPhys1, biology1&2 etc. I got around a 3.0 for cGPA and sGPA. Did good freshman year did bad sophomore and junior, then did good senior year. I struggled during those years not from having hard classes, but from my lack of motivation and being unsure of my career path. There are quite a few Ws and Cs in my transcript.
During my senior year I realized the mistakes I made, and the path I wanted to go down. (Medical school).
However, I knew that I needed to confirm this before I spent tens of thousands of dollars on a post-bacc with no extra degree at the end of it. So I worked in the medical field for around a year after graduation. During that time it became clear this is what I wanted to do regardless of the money and time required.
I am now 1 semester into my 3 semester post bacc, where I am taking all missing prereqs and a few extra hard science classes. It is around 35 credits total. Assuming I get between a 3.8-4.0 in my post bacc, my last 70ish credits will be in that same range. This however would not make my cGPA and sGPA more than 3.15-3.2.
Clinical hours will be likely around 2000. I have leadership / hobbies / shadowing / non clinical to put down.
No research or volunteering yet though.
I have always been very good at standardized tests, so I’m hoping this translates well on the MCAT eventually.
My main questions for you are about my timeline, and my school choice.
I can finish the post bacc this fall if I take my 2nd and 3rd semesters during summer and fall with a full courseload. This however would be a very intensive courseload and afterwards I would only have 5 months to study and complete the MCAT and complete my application related items. (Personal statement etc).
Or I can take a lighter course load per semester and spread out the classes over this summer, fall, and spring. Leaving myself an entire year to do MCAT and applications related items. This would likely set myself up for success more in my classes / MCAT / application, but it would add another year onto my timeline. I am not in a rush, but adding a whole year seems like a lot.
Secondly, my other question is regardless of my timeline. Does my GPA make it worth applying to aim for MD? I would be fine with DO, but my preference is highly MD because I am considering quite a few competitive specialty’s. Obviously you can still do them with DO, just harder to do it. Would a high enough MCAT be enough for MD schools if I succeed in my post bacc?
Thanks you for your help.
Let me know if I can give any other clarifying information.