LOW GPA/MCAT Success Stories (Posts by Nontrads Already Accepted to Med School)

[619959]

@AtLongLast Can you please please PM me the schools that accepted you or "did not screen you for your GPA?" It would be a great help <3

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[alexwantsanMD]

me too!?


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[onefuturedr]

Same here... Me three!!!!


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[SailorHg]

1. Your age and GPA and MCAT if you have it.

Age: 26, will be 27 at matriculation
cGPA: 2.98
sGPA: ~3.3
MCAT: 513
pbGPA: ~3.5
(all according to AACOMAS)

2. Your financial and work situation.

Worked in healthcare finance for about 2 years, but quit my job to do a post-bacc full-time.

3. Your family and significant other situation.

Support from family who live nearby. I am dating someone in academia but not married/engaged.

4. Your plan or your path to success.

I barely graduated with a 2.37 gpa with no pre-reqs and very few BCPM classes. After getting a job at a hospital, I started to get the idea I would like to be a doctor. My first step was to start volunteering at a hospital, which I did while still in undergrad. After graduating, I applied to jobs exclusively in the healthcare sector and was lucky to have a few offers, one near a great post-bacc program. I started out by taking a healthcare sociology class while working full-time and then enrolled in gen-chem and physics the next fall. This was a mistake, and I ended up dropping physics (luckily before the drop deadline so no W). I did ok in gen-chem and with the financial support of my family, decided to quit my job the following year to take bio, physics and orgo. Bio and Physics were fine, and I earned mostly A's, but orgo gave me trouble and I ended up retaking a C+ the following year. I also took upper-level bio classes that next year as well. In between, and before retaking orgo, I spent the summer taking bio labs and studying for the MCAT. My post-bacc was pretty rigorous so I felt well prepared for the MCAT, but I knew I needed a lot of dedicated study time. I studied for about 3 months and was actually slightly disappointed by my 513. I took a Kaplan class and recommend it, if you have the resources.

What I did right:

- G0t used to the idea of going DO. When I first got the med school idea in my head, and found SDN, I thought "oh I won't need to consider DO, I'm MD or bust. I'm not like those other low gpa-ers." This is wrong. Grade replacement in non-science courses brought my cGPA within spitting distance of not being auto-screened. Even with grade replacement and a decent (but far from perfect) post-bacc, I still got screened and instant rejections from several DO schools. Oddly, it was the newer DO schools that gave me the axe right away.

- Respected the MCAT. I think it was my saving grace. I proved in one fell swoop that I can handle the material and that I belong in this arena.

- Found EC's that I am passionate about. I volunteered at a few hospitals for about 60 hours each until I found one I really liked. I also found a non-clinical volunteer opportunity that I've been doing for 3 years now, working with underserved populations. This gave me a lot to talk about in my personal statement, and it was all genuine.

- Shadowed! Find out if this is really a hole you want to dig yourself out of. This is not an easy path. Friendships will fall away because you won't have time for people, and this is just the pre-med stage! I found that every step I took towards medicine, every new volunteer gig, every shadowing opportunity, and even biochem, made me fall in love with medicine and science even more. This is the career for me and I am willing to make huge sacrifices to work in this field. It's ok to not feel this way. There were times when I wish I could let go and just go back to my (well-paying) job, but like most older pre-meds, I'm stubborn!

- Your application essays are of crucial importance. If you had a 4.0 and a 520 I imagine adcoms might be more forgiving, but you must craft a compelling narrative. Know why your EC's inspire you to become a physician. Start writing your PS early and get feedback on it. Ask people what they think of your story and if it sounds compelling and convincing. I was lucky enough to have a professional editor in the family, so this helped immensely.

- The interview. This is your chance to define yourself as a remade applicant. Prove you're a normal person who has made some mistakes. Or if you're lucky enough like I was, you'll get a blind interview where your interviewers do not have access to your grades.

Overall: I am living proof that coming back from a 2.37 cGPA and getting into a DO school is possible, but I will say that the stars aligned and I got very lucky. I submitted in November and am now sitting on an acceptance less than a month later. I think my high MCAT got me noticed. I was SO lucky that my interview was blind because I think it allowed they interviewers to get a very positive impression of who I truly am personality-wise without seeing my sordid past. So do not despair if you're in a similar situation, but know what you're getting into! I remember being in your situation a few years ago and it feels incredible to be able to relax for the rest of the application cycle.

 

[WGSgrad]

less than a month later[/I].

CONGRATULATIONS!

May I ask why you waited to apply so late? It seems like with those stats, even after GPA repair, you might have wanted to apply early... I guess if you were applying MD first and then using the later DO app cycle to get your stuff together, that makes sense, but it seems like you didn't apply MD...

 

[wanderedtoolong]

Thought I'd give an update for you nontrads on here with low GPAs worrying about how med school might go for you. I matriculated at a middle tier school in the Northeast after interviewing on their very last day and being waitlisted for about 3 weeks. Fast-forward 3.5 years and I'm AOA, killed step 1, and have residency interviews at all of my top programs. Moral of the story, your LizzyM score does not define you or your chances of success in medical school. Get into one, and then show up ready to work your tail off. Best of luck to all! Feel free to PM me with any questions.

1. Your age and GPA and MCAT if you have it.
30 years old, 3.3 uGPA, 3.9 gGPA, 37Q

2. Your financial and work situation.
Between being a graduate student for 2 years and now working a lab job, I'm basically breaking even every month. I lab tech full time right now.

3. Your family and significant other situation.
Engaged, my fiance is a graduate student and will finish his PhD about a year after I matriculate

4. Your plan or your path to success.
I was a bio major as an undergrad, so I had all the pre-reqs done (some over 10 years ago but most schools don't seem to care). Unfortunately, my ugpa was pretty low, but having taught undergrad science classes as a grad student, I couldn't bring myself to take any more. It would have taken a LOT of credits to bump my sgpa up, so I thought I'd just kill the mcat to compensate.
I have some pretty interesting ECs including some grants for international field research and a ton of research. I didn't ANY clinical experience when I started preparing to apply so I started volunteering in an ED and did some shadowing.

What I did right
As soon as I realized I might want to apply to med school, I started gaining some clinical experience (I needed this to make my decision, as well as for the sake of my application)
I prepared thoroughly for the MCAT and made sure it would be a strength on my application.

What I did wrong
I also had a hard time knowing where to apply with my stats spread. I hoped some upper-tier schools might look at my graduate work and mcat and interview me, but I found that ugpa matters WAY more than I thought it would and I didn't make the cut at any of those schools.
I also scheduled interviews for some of my top choices very early on. I wish I had given myself a few more interview experiences before walking into my "most important" one.
I also should have volunteered in a "non medical" setting at some point. I started doing this in September just because I had the time once my apps were in, and I really enjoy it, and it has come up in interviews a lot, but it probably would have helped to have something similar on my AMCAS.

Results
Accepted to Tulane. "High Priority" waitlist at Cooper. Waitlist at University of Michigan (I think they only interviewed me because I went to grad school there). Still waiting to hear back from UNC Chapel Hill, Brody at East Carolina, University of Vermont, and Hofstra. Still haven't been rejected from a bunch of those upper tier schools, but I think by now I can assume most of them are "silent rejections"

Conclusion
Undergrad gpa matters a lot, even if you've had a ton of experience since then, are more mature, and have proven your academic chops in other ways. There are just too many applicants who DO have the 3.8 to justify giving an interview to someone who does not (at top tier schools). I'm thrilled to be in somewhere and know I'm going to med school, but I really would like to be able to go in state due to financial concerns, and I feel like I blew my UNC interview (which was 4 months ago). Take home advice- get your stats as high as you can and work from there. Check the boxes, jump through the hoops.

 

[SailorHg]

CONGRATULATIONS!

May I ask why you waited to apply so late? It seems like with those stats, even after GPA repair, you might have wanted to apply early... I guess if you were applying MD first and then using the later DO app cycle to get your stuff together, that makes sense, but it seems like you didn't apply MD...

I actually did apply MD. Purely because I had help paying for it. Wild guess how many II I have so far . It was great practice for DO secondaries, if nothing else.

The November submission was an accident. I had an online, open-enrollment retake going that I expected to finish by August. This would have boosted me over 3.0, so l figured it was worth it to wait for August. I ended up getting a job and the class fell to the way side. I regret taking the job as early as I did, I should have just focused on the class. I ended up not finishing the class before the deadline in December so I submitted as soon as I realized I wouldn't finish on time. I almost wanted to wait until the next cycle but figured I'd give it a shot, and if I didn't get in, my GPA would be over 3.0 and 0.15 points higher next time around.

 

[Labrat07]

Well, my app cycle is at the end. The result's beyond my expectation. I feel I owe a lot from this forum. So I will write some valuable advice I accumulated on the way. Here's some stats
4 years ago:
2.55 cugpa
2.81 sgpa
BS in Biology

4 years later:
64 credits of As
504 MCAT

AACOMAS
3.11 cugpa
3.45 sgpa

AMCAS
2.9 cugpa

1 MD acceptance
Multiple DO acceptance

Some tips:

1/ Determination/ Will to do it: You need to have this mind set. It's not an easy path. You'll suffer sleep deprivation. You won't have time to go social with your friends.... In addition, there will be people who don't believe in what you're doing and they will say it to your face. Believe in yourself and embrace the adventures. Example: I had two jobs while going to school. Some days, I didn't even sleep. I slept in the car to save time ( even in some extreme cold winters). But I kept going because I'm willing to really die for it. At first, you won't believe in yourself but after some minor success it become a part of you. You will continue on. For the people that make it harder for you, really understand them and forgive them. Just know you're different and nobody is the same. You're ok with it. There's only one you. Make it different.

2/Ask for help / listen to your mentors: There are so many wonderful people in the world that are willing to help your journey without any expectation. Ask them for help. They will help you a lot. Especially if they saw your determination and your actions. Your actions will speak volume. Appreciate these angels!! Always sir, mam, and thank you. They go out of their way to help you. Respect that. Remember it for the rest of your life. Example: I got help from every single thing. From class schedule, plan, personal statement, secondary essays, MCAT.... You name it. One of my wonderful mentor on here is @Goro. and others @caffeinemia, @nontrad1986 , @bon22, @femmegoblue, @Eccesignum , @Moko.... Too many to mention

3/Don't half ass anything. Remember you only got one chance at this. Make it count. Ex: I took 1/2 classes per semester to make sure I got all As. Don't rush. Every secondary essay, I review with everyone I know. I applied to almost all DOs (except 2/3) and some MDs. Apply early on first day ( I cannot stress how important this is) Why give it to chance?? Give it your all and you will have no regret. I still regret not quitting work and focus on my MCAT (despite my mentor's advice, I needed to pay bills ) . Remember this lesson well.

4/ Adaptation/Change strategy: Make sure you're flexible to change. Don't be too rigid. If thing's not working, change right away. Ex: I got over 8 II first couple months. My first 4 II were all rejections/hold. I knew there was something wrong. I changed the whole approach. All my interviews after that were acceptance. Here's what I changed: At first, I was being really chill/not excited about the school (I'm kinda a quiet person). I thought I'm being myself. After, I did a lot of research about the school. I came in there really excited about the school. I asked genuine questions. Before any 1 on 1 , 2 on 1... interviews, I took the time to tell them how I'm excited to be there and I'm really grateful to be there. It worked. I taught this to one of my friend ( he failed like 7 interviews before this). After, He got accepted to KCU.

5/ Your story: I believe my non traditional background helped tremendously. I had my own story and owned it. Know your story and why. Own it and tell it. There can only be one of you. Be proud of yourself.

Good luck!
P.S please do not pm me with questions. I have a lot of adventure I'm planning. So I won't have time to answer your questions.
Live your life to the fullest!

From a non-trad adventurer.

 

[QofQuimica]

Just wanted to make everyone here aware of a phenomenal acceptance story after four application attempts that was posted last week in the Re-Apps forum by @keepontruckin04. This user is a Canadian nontrad who also provided their thoughts and tips regarding applying to US schools as an international re-applicant. Well worth reading, particularly for those of you who need some inspiration or are also international and/or re-applicants.

 

[bearbear33]

Finally posting on this thread brings me such gratification that it is second only to actually getting accepted. So here's to a future me that will also read this thread endlessly while deciding whether to apply


1. Your age and GPA and MCAT if you have it.

24 years old (23 when applying)
Overall GPA 3.35, BCPM GPA 3.41, AO 3.29
MCAT first attempt 30, second attempt 515


2. Your financial and work situation.

I'm not poor but I couldn't afford certain resources while applying (no MCAT classes, no application counseling, limited number of applications, etc.). I work full-time as a research coordinator. I didn't take time off to apply, so I had to start every process way earlier to account for the fact that I could only work on my application after work.


3. Your family and significant other situation.

I've been in a committed relationship for 4 years with someone in a 4-year graduate program. I chose to only apply in the region we are currently living, because I was not willing to do long distance during medical school. We've done it before and I have realized I need the social and emotional support system to succeed at school and still feel fulfilled. This limited my application to 8 schools.


4. Your plan or your path to success.

During undergraduate I had a tough bout of depression that resulted in a 2.5 GPA early in my 4 years, and a lack of motivation. I made a huge effort to turn things around, and my GPA increased each semester, ending in a 3.8, and I got a volunteer job doing undergrad research, which I absolutely loved. Before graduating, my GPA was 3.2 and I decided to try to apply to med school. A class advisor basically ripped apart my application and chances of getting in, and I ultimately decided not to complete my secondaries and make sure med school was really what I wanted. So I ended up applying for full time jobs in research and started working right after I graduated. My intention was to work 1 year in research and then do 1 year as a scribe to decide whether I wanted an MD or PhD. My research job ended up involving a lot of work in the hospital, so I decided to stay for 2 years as I was already getting a lot of experience. I ended up deciding I couldn't see myself as a PhD (as much as I adore research - you can still do research as an MD), and after shadowing a ton of physicians I just felt really at home.

So here's what I was thinking about my application at the point when I applied the second time (this time). My GPA was slightly better than my first application, so I could highlight the upward trend. I didn't have the money to do an extra post bacc or a masters to get my grades up. I decided to retake the MCAT to prove I had really mastered the basic science material. I studied for 6 months after work (about 3 hours a day). I ended up with a great score and schools I got feedback from commented that I made sense of my grades on my application and they weren't worried about that - I had a strong upward GPA trend and my MCAT demonstrated mastery of the material. After all, as crushing as the numbers can be for a pre-med, it really is only one part of the application.

I asked for my letters of recommendation in January before I applied, while my professors were on break. This allowed us time to have a real conversation, and when a million students were requesting letters in May, they prioritized mine. Picking letter writers was difficult for me because I went to a huge school and had no meaningful relationships with professors for the first 3 years. My last year, I really made a point to get to know one or two professors I really liked, and was fully present in class and made a lot of extra effort. I still talk to these professors to this day (because I actually like them, not because of my application anymore). I think it worked out well that I did this in my "depth" courses because they knew my work on a deeper level than they would have in gen chem for example. If you're in this situation, remember you only need 3-4 letters to apply (if you go the individual letter route). You don't need to become BFFs with your teacher in every class. That would be exhausting. I ended up getting a letter from my undergrad professor and research advisor, my current boss who is an MD/PhD (I shadowed her too), and another professor that I got on with very well in a tough bio course.

So I think there's some common saying about med applications that you need to balance 6 things: GPA, mcat, research, volunteering, clinical exposure, and extracurriculars. I think my mcat and GPA balanced out, but they were nowhere near enough to carry my application.

Research: I've already mentioned I've done a lot of research; 3 semesters in undergrad and 2 years now full time. I believe it's extremely important to have an in-depth experience in research rather than a series of shallow ones. So in my opinion, commit more time to one lab rather than switching between a bunch every couple semesters. You want to show that you've actually been engaged in the research, contributed to it somehow, and can talk about it articulately. If you're having trouble getting started in a lab, try offering to volunteer at a lab first. If you're doing well, it will be worth their time to keep you on and offer you credit or hire you, because they've already trained you. I volunteered for 6 months at my first research position and ended up getting to do really cool stuff (brain sectioning for example) instead of just administering questionnaires all day. I think it was because the lab wasn't responsible for keeping me or putting me through some run-of-the-mill program. My current full time job is in clinical research, so I spend half my time in the office, and half my time running studies in the hospital. I can't say I'm really working with patients, but I'm very comfortable in the setting and working with nurses. Technically I also work with some clinical populations so I could say that on my application as well. Mostly what I've done is take every minute opportunity to learn new skills, and do data analysis. At this point I can explain my research inside and out, and I've done a poster presentation and worked on some smaller data analysis projects. I don't have a paper in my name (yet), but I can clearly articulate what I've learned and the interprofessional skills I've developed. Take comfort in the fact that not everything has to be about what's on your CV - they do interviews for a reason.

Clinical experience: all I've done is shadow for 75 hours. I shadowed in sleep medicine, neurology inpatient and outpatient, diagnostic neuroradiology, interventional neuroradiology, and neurosurgery. My job was a huge asset here, because I could tell the physicians I already had clinical privileges at the hospital I work at. I also got to shadow my bosses. Next, I literally cold called (cold emailed technically) physicians I looked up in the directory in specialities I was interested in. A lot of them love interested students and are happy to help. Sometimes you need to follow up once or twice because they're busy. But what ended up happening was I got to know them, told them what I was all interested in, and some of them would refer me directly to another physician I could shadow in another speciality. Never hurts to ask. If you're struggling, start with the people you know, including your family physician. One common criticism on my application after following up with rejections was my lack of clinical experience. To this day I think that is highly subjective. I know people who've volunteered in hospitals for years and have no experiences with patients. Or people who've gone to Haiti for 2 weeks and that's it. It all counts, but there's no way to get REAL "clinical experience" as a pre-med. That's what doctors do. Just do what you can and try to show what you learned from it. A great option if you have time is to become a CNA.

Volunteering: I really didn't have any. It shocks me that some students have like a million hours and their application looks perfect. When I was in school, I was so busy I had no free time to volunteer. Same with my current job. And I couldn't afford not to work after school in order to have time to volunteer. So I just tried to beef up those random few things I did as an undergrad - relay for life, fundraisers for clubs I was in, etc. I think they care more about seeing that you actually have ties to your community and care about people to the extent that you'll donate your time. I felt I was doing this, but not in ways that allowed me to note a hundred hours on my amcas.

Extracurriculars: I didn't go crazy with this because I really wanted to focus on my grades and my research. But I was part of a co-ed fraternity that focused on agriculture/community service, and I also helped start a student org that supported college students with chronic disease. I felt really passionate about this last one and we managed to give out a few scholarships before I left. My experiences with that org played a big role in my application - it fueled a lot of my desire to be a doctor.

All in all I felt like a well-rounded applicant who could speak meaningfully about my experiences and qualifications. Having 2 years off really developed me as a person.


Application timeline/numbers:
Letters requested January
MCAT taken May
8 Primary applications: sent the day after the AMCAS opened (6/8/16)
8 secondaries submitted within 72 hours of receipt. Finished all mid-July.
2 interviews: 10/14/16 and 2/10/17
Waitlisted at the first school 11/4/16 and accepted 12/15/16.
Accepted at the second school 3/3/17.
Rejected from 6 schools.


APPLYING EARLY WILL ONLY HELP YOU. You're competing with thousands of students who will submit the minute amcas opens. Turn around your secondaries immediately (set a 2-3 day deadline for yourself). They are exhausting and you'll want to quit but send them all in - if you weren't going to finish the secondary why did you waste money on the primary? You can draft some of the major essays before you start secondaries - just Google it. Next, the silence will be deafening. Don't call a school every week because you think they forgot about you. They didnt. The interview season won't end until March or April and you have a lot of waiting to do. Send updates if the school accepts them (I didn't to be honest). Otherwise be patient. A year or more of your life will pass on this application - don't look back on a bunch of anxiety and application status-checking. Go out and have fun and keep working on yourself. When it pays off some day you will only have 4 years of hard work to look forward to. So enjoy your time now.


In summary:
SDN can be a very negative place to be while applying. It can also be a great source of information. Try to be honest with yourself. On one hand, be honest with yourself about your shortcomings and how you can improve them. You can ignore them all you want, but adcoms won't. On the other hand, be honest with yourself about your skills and why you think you'd be a great doctor (academically and in the field). Applying to med school is so freaking competitive that there will always be someone who will tell you that you won't get in or shouldn't apply. If you've been objective and think you'd be a great fit, there is no reason not to apply. Always be open to feedback. Take every rejection as an opportunity to get feedback and learn about yourself. Don't give up - learn more and make informed choices.

When I re-read my post it doesn't feel like the odds were stacked against me on this last application. But from where I've started, I came a long way.

 

[Ad2b]

@bearbear33 - break up that long paragraph(s) of text to make it easier to read. Want to read your story!

 

[bearbear33]

@bearbear33 - break up that long paragraph(s) of text to make it easier to read. Want to read your story!

Alas, it will not currently let me make edits... thanks though! I'll try again later.

 

[Xavieous]

1. Your age and GPA and MCAT if you have it.

Age: 27, will be 28 at matriculation
Undergraduate cGPA: 2.4
Undergraduate sGPA: ~2.3

1 year masters GPA: 3.5

+16 retaken courses-
cGPA: 3.07
sGPA: 3.01
MCAT: 28
(all according to AACOMAS)

2. Your financial and work situation.

Worked throughout undergradate education (5 years). Felt it was the reason I was a C+ average student and so did not work in graduate school, made a HUGE difference and was very validating. Post graduate school I work as a clinical researcher while improving my lowest science courses.

3. Your family and significant other situation.

Have a live in girlfriend of 4+ years (so kinda married?). 2 dogs, no kiddos.

4. Your plan or your path to success.

I struggled all throughout my undergraduate education. I could never seem to get the grades necessary to be competitive and felt like I wasn’t cut out for medical school, felt that I probably wouldn’t be able to handle it as my grades didn’t reflect academic excellence. I decided to give myself one last shot after getting my second bachelors degree and enrolled in a Masters Physiology and biophysics program to see if I had enough smarts to handle it. I also quite my weekend job where I worked a 12 hour night shift every Friday and Saturday for my entire 5 years of undergraduate education.

I surprised myself in how I was able to commit to my graduate education, it was far more interesting and applicable, plus the free time from no job was a huge boost as I could invest the correct amount into my academics. Let me tell you, if I can do the 360 confidence change on my abilities, anyone can. It just takes the correct environment for each of us to find success.

After graduating I had a renewed burning fire to get into medical school, but knew I would have a brutal uphill battle as even with graduate GPA I still only had a 2.75 cgpa. I decided to give applying a shot, taking the very last MCAT in September. Got my 28 MCAT, applied last minute to 15 schools and received radio silence from all the schools. What a painful, humiliating, frustrating sound. So, after further review of my application I decided to give it one more go, but would take a year off first. In that time I took 9 credits per semester at my local college until I was above that ugly 3.0 threshold. In the 6 classes I took that year, I could only afford a single A- and was petrified of what it meant to get below that. So----I aced everything, further validation that I could do it. Finally, I got above the threshold and applied to 46 schools: Every DO school, 10 MD I had a shot at.

More radio silence.

But, finally, I started to get the interview invites! I had to turn some down I got so many after I got into my dream school, never thought that could have happened to someone like me! Apparently GPA isn’t everything, at least cumulative!

What I did right:

Refused to give up until who I truly was was reflected on my application. It took me a long time to figure out how I was seen by each school looking at my few flimsy pieces of paper, but when I did I learned how to show my strength underneath my weaknesses.

I listened to those around me when I doubted myself. I had parents, siblings, friends, and an awesome girlfriend that saw in me what I often couldn’t see in myself: someone that was good enough.

Did not believe the lies that come into your mind when you are not accepted. It is so easy to sink into frustration and acceptance of inadequacy when you get rejected. Why else would they say no, right? But no, the real truth is I was good enough, and I just had to fight my way over the walls that were keeping me from being seen my an actual human being. I now work next to a residency coordinator and every year she receives over 700 applications to this prestigious program. She does not have the manpower to look through them all, so filters by gpa, exam scores, and small other things until it is down to something more manageable, somewhere in the 300 range. I needed to get past the filter. I got my GPA up JUST above the 3.0 cutoff and instantly became visible.

Read stories of success from people before me and gained encouragement from their struggles. I was not alone, you are not alone. If you have it in you (you do) you can overcome this barrier, just as I and others did.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly have a CLEAR view of your application. Don’t have it clouded by excuses, maybes, well possibly, or other half truths. They won’t help you. Know how you stack up to others, to your chances, and then set a plan that will lead you to your goal. Hone that skill of humility and use your failures as points of motivation. This will make you stronger than the person who has never failed. You have an edge, use it.


Overall:

This process is one I don’t wish on anyone, as each of our years are precious and limited. But, if you know your goals, don’t take an easier path just because the difficulty ahead. I choose a big dream not because it was easy and I knew I could do it, but because I knew it would make me into the person that I want to become. My process grew me into someone I respect and someone who will look upon the struggles of my patients with compassion and empathy. Hold onto your dreams, make a plan and stick to it. You can do it, I have faith in you. See you on the other side.


P.S. this thread has helped me alot over the years and I am very happy to donate my own story to it, in hopes that someone else who is at the end of their rope will find this and get the courage to continue on into the unknown.

 

[Cbly4735]

I'm finally ecstatic that I can contribute to this thread!

1. I am 31 years old and graduated in 2001 with a GPA of just about 2.34 after taking an immature approach to school. My MCAT was taken last Fall and was a 29O.

2. From the 2002 until when I start medical school I had been working as a critical care flight paramedic for a major medical center in MD. 3 years ago when I started my post-bac in NY I was asked to become an instructor for a biology lab at my univ. and have done so for the past 2.5 years.

3. When I started the program/path I was a single, as of this past summer I now check the married box. My wife is incredible and has been supportive of the effort. When I moved back home with my parents at 27 to go back to school she didn't make fun of me (too much!) but was interested in my pursuit.

4. While I knew I was intelligent enough and more then dedicated, I understood the mountain ahead of me. I enrolled in all of the pre-reqs that I hadn't taken, or had taken over 10 years earlier. I earned nothing less then a A- (both in orgo) while taking 2-3 classes a semester. I did this while working on a per-diem status in MD and teaching at the hospital, teaching 2-3 sections of bio lab, and volunteering as a mentor. Once the pre-req's were done I enrolled in extra courses (biochem, cell bio, neuro...etc) and Aced those.

At the end my GPA probably made it over 2.75 but barely (overcoming 150 credits at a subpar GPA is not easy). But I was able to convey my dedication and hunger for medicine in my personal statement. And as of yesterday afternoon I had 1 acceptance and waiting on 3 other previous interviews. And just so people know and don't use this as an excuse: NO, I am not a minority. I am a white male raised by middle income parents. So I got no special treatment.

For those that are starting the struggle, don't give up. Sometimes its rough and upsetting. But if you persevere, the reward is well worth it! Good luck to everyone!

Did you only go through one application cycle? If so, did you lean more toward DO schools?

 

[LittlePuppy]

1. Your age and GPA and MCAT if you have it.

Age: 27, will be 28 at matriculation
Undergraduate cGPA: 2.4
Undergraduate sGPA: ~2.3

1 year masters GPA: 3.5

+16 retaken courses-
cGPA: 3.07
sGPA: 3.01
MCAT: 28
(all according to AACOMAS)

2. Your financial and work situation.

Worked throughout undergradate education (5 years). Felt it was the reason I was a C+ average student and so did not work in graduate school, made a HUGE difference and was very validating. Post graduate school I work as a clinical researcher while improving my lowest science courses.

3. Your family and significant other situation.

Have a live in girlfriend of 4+ years (so kinda married?). 2 dogs, no kiddos.

4. Your plan or your path to success.

I struggled all throughout my undergraduate education. I could never seem to get the grades necessary to be competitive and felt like I wasn’t cut out for medical school, felt that I probably wouldn’t be able to handle it as my grades didn’t reflect academic excellence. I decided to give myself one last shot after getting my second bachelors degree and enrolled in a Masters Physiology and biophysics program to see if I had enough smarts to handle it. I also quite my weekend job where I worked a 12 hour night shift every Friday and Saturday for my entire 5 years of undergraduate education.

I surprised myself in how I was able to commit to my graduate education, it was far more interesting and applicable, plus the free time from no job was a huge boost as I could invest the correct amount into my academics. Let me tell you, if I can do the 360 confidence change on my abilities, anyone can. It just takes the correct environment for each of us to find success.

After graduating I had a renewed burning fire to get into medical school, but knew I would have a brutal uphill battle as even with graduate GPA I still only had a 2.75 cgpa. I decided to give applying a shot, taking the very last MCAT in September. Got my 28 MCAT, applied last minute to 15 schools and received radio silence from all the schools. What a painful, humiliating, frustrating sound. So, after further review of my application I decided to give it one more go, but would take a year off first. In that time I took 9 credits per semester at my local college until I was above that ugly 3.0 threshold. In the 6 classes I took that year, I could only afford a single A- and was petrified of what it meant to get below that. So----I aced everything, further validation that I could do it. Finally, I got above the threshold and applied to 46 schools: Every DO school, 10 MD I had a shot at.

More radio silence.

But, finally, I started to get the interview invites! I had to turn some down I got so many after I got into my dream school, never thought that could have happened to someone like me! Apparently GPA isn’t everything, at least cumulative!

What I did right:

Refused to give up until who I truly was was reflected on my application. It took me a long time to figure out how I was seen by each school looking at my few flimsy pieces of paper, but when I did I learned how to show my strength underneath my weaknesses.

I listened to those around me when I doubted myself. I had parents, siblings, friends, and an awesome girlfriend that saw in me what I often couldn’t see in myself: someone that was good enough.

Did not believe the lies that come into your mind when you are not accepted. It is so easy to sink into frustration and acceptance of inadequacy when you get rejected. Why else would they say no, right? But no, the real truth is I was good enough, and I just had to fight my way over the walls that were keeping me from being seen my an actual human being. I now work next to a residency coordinator and every year she receives over 700 applications to this prestigious program. She does not have the manpower to look through them all, so filters by gpa, exam scores, and small other things until it is down to something more manageable, somewhere in the 300 range. I needed to get past the filter. I got my GPA up JUST above the 3.0 cutoff and instantly became visible.

Read stories of success from people before me and gained encouragement from their struggles. I was not alone, you are not alone. If you have it in you (you do) you can overcome this barrier, just as I and others did.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly have a CLEAR view of your application. Don’t have it clouded by excuses, maybes, well possibly, or other half truths. They won’t help you. Know how you stack up to others, to your chances, and then set a plan that will lead you to your goal. Hone that skill of humility and use your failures as points of motivation. This will make you stronger than the person who has never failed. You have an edge, use it.


Overall:

This process is one I don’t wish on anyone, as each of our years are precious and limited. But, if you know your goals, don’t take an easier path just because the difficulty ahead. I choose a big dream not because it was easy and I knew I could do it, but because I knew it would make me into the person that I want to become. My process grew me into someone I respect and someone who will look upon the struggles of my patients with compassion and empathy. Hold onto your dreams, make a plan and stick to it. You can do it, I have faith in you. See you on the other side.


P.S. this thread has helped me alot over the years and I am very happy to donate my own story to it, in hopes that someone else who is at the end of their rope will find this and get the courage to continue on into the unknown.

Congrats on getting in med school! Did you get in at both DO and MD schools? And if DO, was the grade replacement still in place at the time of your application?

Thanks and congrats once again!

 

[holdthemayo]

This was my favorite thread during my premed years. Reading stories of other people coming back from low GPAs helped me determine that this was a possibility for me. I know this thread is old, but I'm starting at a US MD school this week, and I wanted to share my story.


1. Your age and GPA and MCAT if you have it.
Age: 33 (32 when applied)
GPA when applied: 3.1 cGPA 3.1 sGPA
Freshman GPA: 0.6
Undergrad cGPA: 2.7
60 credit DIY postbac: 4.0
MCAT: 516

Accepted DO & MD.

2. Your financial and work situation.
I worked full time for several years after graduation prior to deciding to go back to school. I took a significant pay cut and took a job as a scribe to get more hospital hours during my postbac, though not always full-time. I had enough money saved to pay for all of my premed courses out of pocket, but will be taking loans for medical school.

3. Your family and significant other situation.
I am happily married with two young children. My spouse works a full time job and makes pretty good money. Also 2 cats.

4. Your plan or your path to success.

I started college in 2002 at my state university and failed miserably. I had some mental health issues and some major immaturity issues and rarely went to class. Unfortunately for my future self, many of the classes I had failed were science classes.

I finished freshman year with a 0.6 GPA and an even lower sGPA. My dream had been to become a doctor one day, but I knew that dream was over.

I took a year off, worked full time, grew up a little and got the help I needed. I took a few classes at CC and did much better. The next year I started at a private college as a History major and did much better. I just wanted to do well enough to graduate and was a solid, if not spectacular, B+ student. When calculated with my failed year and CC credits, I had a 2.7 cGPA.

Spent the next 5 years working, getting married, and trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I still wanted to study medicine, but had been told by everyone that I had no chance with my GPA. I eventually found SDN, late one night and started finding GPA recovery stories, learned about DO schools, etc. By morning I had convinced myself that is was possible. When I told my spouse, I was expecting her to shoot me down and the whole thing would end right there. Instead, she was extremely excited and encouraged me to research more.

Just when I was ready to take the plunge, her job relocated abroad for two years. I enrolled in classes the week after we returned to the US. I treated school like it was my job and maintained a 4.0 GPA. I did not accept anything less than an A from myself. I also began volunteering as soon as classes began. I knew I would only have limited time each week that I could devote to volunteering, so I found something that I could commit to for a small number of hours at a time over a long period.



What I did right:

I had a long term plan, but I broke it down into small steps. I would occasionally revisit and revise the the master plan, but I would not allow myself to focus on more than one step at a time. It kept me sane.

MCAT: I knew that much of my success would be determined by how I did on the MCAT. If I screwed that up, my years of hard work might not matter. I studied 6 days a week for 3 months until my practice tests were where I wanted them to be. I would have postponed a cycle rather than risk a bad MCAT.

SMPs are great, but I am very thankful that I did a DIY postbac. I was able to pay for it out of pocket rather than be in even more debt when this is done.

I married a supportive spouse. She has been my biggest supporter through this. My parents were not in favor of me taking this path. I come from a blue collar family who are a bit distrustful of academia and medicine.

Lastly, I knew when I would quit and had a backup plan. I had several "jumping off points" where I would admit that it was time to pursue something else. That doesn't mean I planned to fail, but I'm older and didn't want to spend my entire life chasing something that wasn't meant to be.


What I did wrong:

I did not apply as broadly to MD schools as I should have. I was running out of money and prioritized DO secondaries and secondary fees. I ended up turning down several DO interviews. In retrospect, I should have applied to fewer DO schools and prioritized more MD secondaries even if I had to borrow a bit of money to do it.

Spent too much time on SDN. This place was a great resource, and I wouldn't be a medical student if I hadn't found it. That being said, it made me more anxious without really helping during my application cycle.

Finally, and conversely, I wish I would have found SDN sooner. I'm happy with my life for the past 10 years, but I would have done a few things differently if I had known earlier that I could do this.

Conclusion:
It is possible to recover from even the worst of starts and reinvent yourself. It takes years and a lot of hard work, but it can be done.

 

[Shotapp]

This was my favorite thread during my premed years. Reading stories of other people coming back from low GPAs helped me determine that this was a possibility for me. I know this thread is old, but I'm starting at a US MD school this week, and I wanted to share my story.


1. Your age and GPA and MCAT if you have it.
Age: 33 (32 when applied)
GPA when applied: 3.1 cGPA 3.1 sGPA
Freshman GPA: 0.6
Undergrad cGPA: 2.7
60 credit DIY postbac: 4.0
MCAT: 516

Accepted DO & MD.

2. Your financial and work situation.
I worked full time for several years after graduation prior to deciding to go back to school. I took a significant pay cut and took a job as a scribe to get more hospital hours during my postbac, though not always full-time. I had enough money saved to pay for all of my premed courses out of pocket, but will be taking loans for medical school.

3. Your family and significant other situation.
I am happily married with two young children. My spouse works a full time job and makes pretty good money. Also 2 cats.

4. Your plan or your path to success.

I started college in 2002 at my state university and failed miserably. I had some mental health issues and some major immaturity issues and rarely went to class. Unfortunately for my future self, many of the classes I had failed were science classes.

I finished freshman year with a 0.6 GPA and an even lower sGPA. My dream had been to become a doctor one day, but I knew that dream was over.

I took a year off, worked full time, grew up a little and got the help I needed. I took a few classes at CC and did much better. The next year I started at a private college as a History major and did much better. I just wanted to do well enough to graduate and was a solid, if not spectacular, B+ student. When calculated with my failed year and CC credits, I had a 2.7 cGPA.

Spent the next 5 years working, getting married, and trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I still wanted to study medicine, but had been told by everyone that I had no chance with my GPA. I eventually found SDN, late one night and started finding GPA recovery stories, learned about DO schools, etc. By morning I had convinced myself that is was possible. When I told my spouse, I was expecting her to shoot me down and the whole thing would end right there. Instead, she was extremely excited and encouraged me to research more.

Just when I was ready to take the plunge, her job relocated abroad for two years. I enrolled in classes the week after we returned to the US. I treated school like it was my job and maintained a 4.0 GPA. I did not accept anything less than an A from myself. I also began volunteering as soon as classes began. I knew I would only have limited time each week that I could devote to volunteering, so I found something that I could commit to for a small number of hours at a time over a long period.



What I did right:

I had a long term plan, but I broke it down into small steps. I would occasionally revisit and revise the the master plan, but I would not allow myself to focus on more than one step at a time. It kept me sane.

MCAT: I knew that much of my success would be determined by how I did on the MCAT. If I screwed that up, my years of hard work might not matter. I studied 6 days a week for 3 months until my practice tests were where I wanted them to be. I would have postponed a cycle rather than risk a bad MCAT.

SMPs are great, but I am very thankful that I did a DIY postbac. I was able to pay for it out of pocket rather than be in even more debt when this is done.

I married a supportive spouse. She has been my biggest supporter through this. My parents were not in favor of me taking this path. I come from a blue collar family who are a bit distrustful of academia and medicine.

Lastly, I knew when I would quit and had a backup plan. I had several "jumping off points" where I would admit that it was time to pursue something else. That doesn't mean I planned to fail, but I'm older and didn't want to spend my entire life chasing something that wasn't meant to be.


What I did wrong:

I did not apply as broadly to MD schools as I should have. I was running out of money and prioritized DO secondaries and secondary fees. I ended up turning down several DO interviews. In retrospect, I should have applied to fewer DO schools and prioritized more MD secondaries even if I had to borrow a bit of money to do it.

Spent too much time on SDN. This place was a great resource, and I wouldn't be a medical student if I hadn't found it. That being said, it made me more anxious without really helping during my application cycle.

Finally, and conversely, I wish I would have found SDN sooner. I'm happy with my life for the past 10 years, but I would have done a few things differently if I had known earlier that I could do this.

Conclusion:
It is possible to recover from even the worst of starts and reinvent yourself. It takes years and a lot of hard work, but it can be done.

Awesome post and thank you for sharing ☺
I am so happy for your success and I will do my best to follow your footsteps.

 

[mavric1298]

1. Your age and GPA and MCAT if you have it.

Age: 31
cGPA: 3.1
sGPA: 3.5
AO GPA 2.7
MCAT: 30 (9BS, 11VR, 10PS) - my verbal I think was huge for me, 96th percentile. (I was working and going to school while studying, didn't have a choice. Could have done a lot better, but the situation was what it was). I think it really helped balance out the lower BS section.



2. Your financial and work situation.

Worked in healthcare consulting, implant coordinator, analyst, process improvement, and front end IT. (I had my feet in just about everything on the business side, but for 5 years was a coordinator for the OR, then mainly for the last 2 years was a lead financial analyst/reporting/front end systems "super user")

3. Your family and significant other situation.

Married, wife was a charge master, then recently went back to do her internship for registered dietician, and now works CCU & rad/onc. Own a home, have 2 dogs that are basically giant children (110+ #'s)

4. Your plan or your path to success.

Had a career previously, and floated around a bit after H/S while taking classes here and there. Loved my job, but it wasn't enough. Initial rejected medicine as my dad is a doc, and didn't want to just follow in his footsteps. Eventually figured out it was what I wanted to do. Did some CNA work, then went back to school as I started taking classes for the first time seriously. I had some bad grades from not dropping classes when I was dual enrolled in HS, and a couple fails from not going in my 10 year history of taking classes whenever I felt like. Got an AA taking 2 classes at a time while working full time (3.7X), transferred to top state school, and got a degree in molecular/cellular/developemental bio. Took 2 classes at a time, all science, including summers, for 4 years. Took 2 app cycles, first with 0 II's, second with 6 II's, 2 DO acceptances, and finally an MD acceptance just over a week and half ago. (also WL and missed another MD spot by <10 seats in a ranked WL, from a top 15 school....it was a weird cycle)

What I did right:

- Took every class seriously. Knew I had little room to make any mistakes...but at the same time, treated setbacks as just that. Didn't let it snowball on me. I got a 2.5 in 2nd ochem (of 3 quarters for us), which actually was above the class average. Instead of freaking out, I just adjusted, and for the final ochem got a 3.6 which was one of the top grades (yeah, our science grades were rough)

- Was dedicated to a few EC's, instead of trying to fill a "checklist". This was huge - allowed me to talk about it and write about it in interviews/secondaries, in a passionate way. Instead of doing 10 hours of this and 50 hours of that, I had significant # of EC hours, that weren't all medical. But instead, were things I was passionate about and was able to articulate that.

- Really knew the in's and out's of the process. Didn't get caught up by anything. Knew how many schools I wanted to apply to, where to look for requirements, what letters I was going to need, what dates to have stuff in by, how long MCAT was actually good for (this one is huge. People often don't know that schools require within 3 years of MATRICULATION, not application), etc etc etc. Being well prepared and knowing what was ahead was huge.

- Got to know profs, in almost every class. Went to office hours, was an active learner. Asked questions. Didn't go just to show up. Sat down for an hour with my letter writers to really tell them more about myself - which I think really helped my letters stand out

- Expanding on above, didn't wait to talk about LOR's with professors; even from year 1, after a class I might consider wanting a letter from, I contacted the prof and touched base with them a couple times a year. This way when I was getting ready to apply, I wasn't scrambling to find an academic letter from this that or another (some schools have crazy requirements)

- Applied broadly, applied day 1 app opened

- Lastly with interviews; don't rehearse what you are going to say. Instead, practice: A) being comfortable B) Thinking critically out loud. I cannot stress B enough. Interviewers are more interested in HOW you think then your specific answers. KNOW WHAT IS IN YOUR APP, and be prepared to talk about it. If it's fluff, don't have it on there at all. You will get called out, and it will show in the interview. Lastly, at least be slightly educated on healthcare policy, ethics, and the likes. Have an opinion formed, and be able to back it up. Again, it's about how you think.

Overall: Be realistic from day one. Know your GPA, know how many credits it will take to get you above 3.0 if possible. Have a plan. Have a backup plan. And most importantly, have grit. It's very easy to come on SDN, and even trick yourself into saying "this time will be different", "I'm going to get my act together starting right NOW"...then a week, a month later, you're back in your old habits. Procrastination manifests this way; you end up having to cram for an exam, it's a terrible experience, your grade isn't what you want, and you promise yourself you'll never let it happen again. Next thing you know.....

With that in mind - you have to follow through with change. Yes you'll slip up at times, and the key is instead of letting it spiral, quickly pick yourself back up and get back after it. It will be a grind. At times it will feel hopeless, but if you remain dedicated, you have a chance.

 

[M2indy]

Told myself(back in 2014) when I got in I would post on this page. Just started this fall (2017)!!!

1. Your age and GPA and MCAT if you have it.
Age: 27
GPA: uGPA - 2.9 sGPA - 2.5 gradGPA - 3.3
MCAT: Old - 24 and 26 New - 504
URM

2. Your financial and work situation.
Financial Situation: undergraduate debt and graduate school debt
Work Situation: 2 years working in healthcare (clinically and administratively)

3. Your family and significant other situation.
No kids, No Spouse

4. Your plan or your path to success.

FIRST: NEVER TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER!!!!! If I had a dollar for everyone who said I should stop,quit, or just no then I would definitely be rich. Once you have decided to go for medicine, you HAVE to commit through any and every circumstance. Not to sound cliche but, where there is a will there is a way. Make yours....

Probably the biggest gem I want to leave on this page is NETWORK!!!! As you can see, metric wise I am not the most competitive. In addition, I have learned that no amount of "life experience" can overcome a metric deficit. Not saying this is fair, but it is the rules of the game and can't be avoided. However, I have found that what can overcome it is knowing the right people. What I mean by this, is get into the habit identifying key people in the admissions process or at the institution(s) you are interested in and having them act as advocates for you. The easiest way to accomplish this is right at your fingertips.. Google. Google who the admissions directors, doctors in your area who graduated from schools of interest, and faculty who you can reach out to and develop a relationship. I found it easiest to just explain your story to them (be aware that if you do receive the opportunity to speak with someone, this moment could serve as an impromptu interview). An example interaction is as follows:

You manage to get a hold of a person that has been identified as being involved in the admissions process (from director to secretary). Your first question should be (preferably after primary/secondary application has been submitted to said school) How competitive am I at this school? The key to this question is that its purpose isn't to gauge how competitive you are at said school (since you've already applied you've already taken a chance) but its to get the potential advocate to pull your application. inevitably they will have some questions concerning your applications (the typical why physician, extra curricular, grade discrepancies, etc...) which you should already have your answers to. After review of your application, you should then ask have they experienced someone with similar metrics/experiences to you gain acceptance at this institution. If the answer is yes (even if its a 1% chance) your still in the running. In an ideal situation, during this exchange (which should always been done in person or at least via phone) you are building an image for yourself that may not be explicitly stated on your application. For this reason, I refer to these moments as impromptu interviews and this is the first step to developing a relationship for an advocate (there are more obviously but for time I will not go into detail here). Lastly, you should always ask if your contact can refer you to any additional resources. Who knows, if they liked your story that could recommend you speak to someone who could do even more for you!

A strong advocate is almost equal to a high MCAT in my opinion. It is an advocate who has the ability to make sure your application makes it to top of the pile. It is advocates who can possibly sway the committee come interview season. And it is advocates who can provide you with the resources (human and material) to help you accomplish the aforementioned goals. I will acknowledge that my story is atypical however, it is a way. For those of you who were like me (low metrics yet still hopeful) then I highly suggest this approach. Feel free to PM and I will give you additional details and advice if wanted.

***DISCLAIMER*** by LOW metrics I mean low within the acceptable range. A 1.5 gpa and < 480 MCAT wont get you too far no matter who you know.

Lastly, don't get too bogged down on this site from the "I had a perfect MCAT with 1000's hours of experience" people who flock to this site. Most of these people are full of **** and are easily screened out during the interview process. The main goal from networking is to get a foot in the door. Everyone has a story. If you can just get the right people to hear yours you are one step closer.

 

[AkGrown84]

I'm not even 100% sure I saw this when I was premed, but I feel like it may have eased my fears a bit! Anyways, I'm a current 4th year at a DO school currently applying for anesthesiology residencies.
1. Your age and GPA and MCAT if you have it.
Current age 33, started med school at age 30. Will be a 34 year old intern.
GPA: undergrad+informal postbac was ~3.5. Can't remember exact breakdown, but science GPA was around the same (both just over 3.5). History major. Postbac for math+science prereqs.
MCAT: a dismal 25. Looked it up on a conversion chart, and that would be a 499 now.
2. Your financial and work situation.
Was a high school teacher and real estate agent. Stopped that 2 years prior to med school and worked as a scribe in the ED. I CAN'T SAY HOW VALUABLE THIS EXPERIENCE WAS!!! It was the perfect "experience", especially for applications and interviews: working side-by-side with a physician, learning the lingo, being there long enough to see the good and bad experiences, etc. Plus, LORs out the wazoo if you're good. I paid my way through undergrad, so I had no debt prior to med school. Paid cars off, no credit card balances, etc. Husband was an engineer and we saved for several years to go to med school. We did take out loans for med school, though....savings was mainly to supplement for living.
3. Your family and significant other situation.
Husband of almost 10 years. 4 kids, ages spanning from 13 years down to 4.5 years (currently). 3 are in school at this point. Husband commuted 4,500 miles the first year and a half of med school (we had to move across the country to start school) so we'd have an income and good health insurance for a little longer. When we moved for school, we knew nobody within about a 1,000 mile radius, so we were on our own. Briefly had a nanny when he went back to work the first time and that didn't last long (she was in waaaaay over her head), so my in laws graciously came to "live" with the kids and I for about 8 months so I didn't have to worry about childcare. My husband now stays at home with the kids, does day trading (stocks) part time, and remodels the house we bought when we moved. In all, we'll be up about $100k if we have to move for residency next year, so that's not a bad side "income" for my hubby the past 2 years. And if we don't have to move-awesome because then we'll be able to enjoy our completely renovated house and awesome neighborhood for at least another 4 years.
4. Your plan or your path to success.
Essentially, I'd say to everyone on here with a family thinking if they can do it-YOU CAN. The BIGGEST FACTOR is how much you want it. If you want it bad enough, you'll figure out a way. Everyone has "stuff" that makes med school hard. For some, it's being away from family for the first real time. Or dealing with roommates. Or whatever. For those of us with kids, it's juggling a busy home life with an even busier school life. We all have our obstacles, but we all just do what needs to be done regardless. I realize that this is much different than a lot of the suggestions above/before me, but I feel like that was all great advice as well and don't want to be redundant.

The only real academic piece of advice I have is to research every single program. If you're not the "picture perfect" candidate because you're GPA is a little low or didn't do as well on your MCAT as you'd hoped, or _______ (insert whatever there), then research the programs thoroughly. There was a book published each year (maybe it's online now?!) that showed the stats of every MD school (unfortunately, there was no such thing for the DO schools). Their 10%-90% ranges for GPA and MCAT. Find as many schools as you can that have "your" stats within their range and apply to those. If your GPA is 3.5 and their range is 3.78-4.0, simply don't waste your $$. I would caveat that with if it's your dream school or you live right next door, maybe take a chance, but don't do more than 1-2 of those. If you are real with yourself and are realistic about what schools may look at your application, you'll spend less $$ and be better off for it. And this advice is exactly the same for applying to residency programs. It is amazing how many of my classmates have no clue. Applications are already opened up, and I have classmates messaging me for information that I dug up months ago (ie: which programs take COMLEX in lieu of USMLE, COMLEX minimums, DO friendly, etc). This is all the ground work stuff to make you successful in applications-both for med school and for residency.

Good luck! And I realize that I'm definitely not the norm (30 something mom of 4 kids), so if you're anywhere in the same boat and want/need someone to talk to or to bounce ideas off of, message me!

 

[AkGrown84]

I'm not even 100% sure I saw this when I was premed, but I feel like it may have eased my fears a bit! Anyways, I'm a current 4th year at a DO school currently applying for anesthesiology residencies.
1. Your age and GPA and MCAT if you have it.
Current age 33, started med school at age 30. Will be a 34 year old intern.
GPA: undergrad+informal postbac was ~3.5. Can't remember exact breakdown, but science GPA was around the same (both just over 3.5). History major. Postbac for math+science prereqs.
MCAT: a dismal 25. Looked it up on a conversion chart, and that would be a 499 now.
2. Your financial and work situation.
Was a high school teacher and real estate agent. Stopped that 2 years prior to med school and worked as a scribe in the ED. I CAN'T SAY HOW VALUABLE THIS EXPERIENCE WAS!!! It was the perfect "experience", especially for applications and interviews: working side-by-side with a physician, learning the lingo, being there long enough to see the good and bad experiences, etc. Plus, LORs out the wazoo if you're good. I paid my way through undergrad, so I had no debt prior to med school. Paid cars off, no credit card balances, etc. Husband was an engineer and we saved for several years to go to med school. We did take out loans for med school, though....savings was mainly to supplement for living.
3. Your family and significant other situation.
Husband of almost 10 years. 4 kids, ages spanning from 13 years down to 4.5 years (currently). 3 are in school at this point. Husband commuted 4,500 miles the first year and a half of med school (we had to move across the country to start school) so we'd have an income and good health insurance for a little longer. When we moved for school, we knew nobody within about a 1,000 mile radius, so we were on our own. Briefly had a nanny when he went back to work the first time and that didn't last long (she was in waaaaay over her head), so my in laws graciously came to "live" with the kids and I for about 8 months so I didn't have to worry about childcare. My husband now stays at home with the kids, does day trading (stocks) part time, and remodels the house we bought when we moved. In all, we'll be up about $100k if we have to move for residency next year, so that's not a bad side "income" for my hubby the past 2 years. And if we don't have to move-awesome because then we'll be able to enjoy our completely renovated house and awesome neighborhood for at least another 4 years.
4. Your plan or your path to success.
I did one year of undergrad right out of high school. Didn't know what I wanted to do. Got married that next summer and worked for a couple of years. Had my oldest, then went back to school part time (just 2 classes) to keep busy. I continued part time for the next year or so and ended up loving history. Got divorced when my son was 3, continued school part time. It was during this time I decided I wanted to go to med school. I met my current husband and he was onboard with the med school idea. I ended up graduating undergrad at age 25 and 9 months pregnant with kiddo #2. Did an informal postbac part time for the next couple years, skipping a semester each time we had another kid! Applied at age 29, started med school at 30 with 10, 5, 4, and 1.5 year old kids.

Essentially, I'd say to everyone on here with a family thinking if they can do it-YOU CAN. The BIGGEST FACTOR is how much you want it. If you want it bad enough, you'll figure out a way. Everyone has "stuff" that makes med school hard. For some, it's being away from family for the first real time. Or dealing with roommates. Or whatever. For those of us with kids, it's juggling a busy home life with an even busier school life. We all have our obstacles, but we all just do what needs to be done regardless. I realize that this is much different than a lot of the suggestions above/before me, but I feel like that was all great advice as well and don't want to be redundant.

The only real academic piece of advice I have is to research every single program. If you're not the "picture perfect" candidate because you're GPA is a little low or didn't do as well on your MCAT as you'd hoped, or _______ (insert whatever there), then research the programs thoroughly. There was a book published each year (maybe it's online now?!) that showed the stats of every MD school (unfortunately, there was no such thing for the DO schools). Their 10%-90% ranges for GPA and MCAT. Find as many schools as you can that have "your" stats within their range and apply to those. If your GPA is 3.5 and their range is 3.78-4.0, simply don't waste your $$. I would caveat that with if it's your dream school or you live right next door, maybe take a chance, but don't do more than 1-2 of those. If you are real with yourself and are realistic about what schools may look at your application, you'll spend less $$ and be better off for it. And this advice is exactly the same for applying to residency programs. It is amazing how many of my classmates have no clue. Applications are already opened up, and I have classmates messaging me for information that I dug up months ago (ie: which programs take COMLEX in lieu of USMLE, COMLEX minimums, DO friendly, etc). This is all the ground work stuff to make you successful in applications-both for med school and for residency.

Good luck! And I realize that I'm definitely not the norm (30 something mom of 4 kids), so if you're anywhere in the same boat and want/need someone to talk to or to bounce ideas off of, message me!

 

[Narcissistic Injury]

This thread has really helped me get my s*** together mentally and realize that people in worse academic situations than mine have succeeded. It has also made me realize just how much harder I need to be working at this. Thanks to those who have posted here, and hopefully in a couple of years I will have my own story to share here.

 

[premedmommyx2]

I'm not even 100% sure I saw this when I was premed, but I feel like it may have eased my fears a bit! Anyways, I'm a current 4th year at a DO school currently applying for anesthesiology residencies.
1. Your age and GPA and MCAT if you have it.
Current age 33, started med school at age 30. Will be a 34 year old intern.
GPA: undergrad+informal postbac was ~3.5. Can't remember exact breakdown, but science GPA was around the same (both just over 3.5). History major. Postbac for math+science prereqs.
MCAT: a dismal 25. Looked it up on a conversion chart, and that would be a 499 now.
2. Your financial and work situation.
Was a high school teacher and real estate agent. Stopped that 2 years prior to med school and worked as a scribe in the ED. I CAN'T SAY HOW VALUABLE THIS EXPERIENCE WAS!!! It was the perfect "experience", especially for applications and interviews: working side-by-side with a physician, learning the lingo, being there long enough to see the good and bad experiences, etc. Plus, LORs out the wazoo if you're good. I paid my way through undergrad, so I had no debt prior to med school. Paid cars off, no credit card balances, etc. Husband was an engineer and we saved for several years to go to med school. We did take out loans for med school, though....savings was mainly to supplement for living.
3. Your family and significant other situation.
Husband of almost 10 years. 4 kids, ages spanning from 13 years down to 4.5 years (currently). 3 are in school at this point. Husband commuted 4,500 miles the first year and a half of med school (we had to move across the country to start school) so we'd have an income and good health insurance for a little longer. When we moved for school, we knew nobody within about a 1,000 mile radius, so we were on our own. Briefly had a nanny when he went back to work the first time and that didn't last long (she was in waaaaay over her head), so my in laws graciously came to "live" with the kids and I for about 8 months so I didn't have to worry about childcare. My husband now stays at home with the kids, does day trading (stocks) part time, and remodels the house we bought when we moved. In all, we'll be up about $100k if we have to move for residency next year, so that's not a bad side "income" for my hubby the past 2 years. And if we don't have to move-awesome because then we'll be able to enjoy our completely renovated house and awesome neighborhood for at least another 4 years.
4. Your plan or your path to success.
I did one year of undergrad right out of high school. Didn't know what I wanted to do. Got married that next summer and worked for a couple of years. Had my oldest, then went back to school part time (just 2 classes) to keep busy. I continued part time for the next year or so and ended up loving history. Got divorced when my son was 3, continued school part time. It was during this time I decided I wanted to go to med school. I met my current husband and he was onboard with the med school idea. I ended up graduating undergrad at age 25 and 9 months pregnant with kiddo #2. Did an informal postbac part time for the next couple years, skipping a semester each time we had another kid! Applied at age 29, started med school at 30 with 10, 5, 4, and 1.5 year old kids.

Essentially, I'd say to everyone on here with a family thinking if they can do it-YOU CAN. The BIGGEST FACTOR is how much you want it. If you want it bad enough, you'll figure out a way. Everyone has "stuff" that makes med school hard. For some, it's being away from family for the first real time. Or dealing with roommates. Or whatever. For those of us with kids, it's juggling a busy home life with an even busier school life. We all have our obstacles, but we all just do what needs to be done regardless. I realize that this is much different than a lot of the suggestions above/before me, but I feel like that was all great advice as well and don't want to be redundant.

The only real academic piece of advice I have is to research every single program. If you're not the "picture perfect" candidate because you're GPA is a little low or didn't do as well on your MCAT as you'd hoped, or _______ (insert whatever there), then research the programs thoroughly. There was a book published each year (maybe it's online now?!) that showed the stats of every MD school (unfortunately, there was no such thing for the DO schools). Their 10%-90% ranges for GPA and MCAT. Find as many schools as you can that have "your" stats within their range and apply to those. If your GPA is 3.5 and their range is 3.78-4.0, simply don't waste your $$. I would caveat that with if it's your dream school or you live right next door, maybe take a chance, but don't do more than 1-2 of those. If you are real with yourself and are realistic about what schools may look at your application, you'll spend less $$ and be better off for it. And this advice is exactly the same for applying to residency programs. It is amazing how many of my classmates have no clue. Applications are already opened up, and I have classmates messaging me for information that I dug up months ago (ie: which programs take COMLEX in lieu of USMLE, COMLEX minimums, DO friendly, etc). This is all the ground work stuff to make you successful in applications-both for med school and for residency.

Good luck! And I realize that I'm definitely not the norm (30 something mom of 4 kids), so if you're anywhere in the same boat and want/need someone to talk to or to bounce ideas off of, message me!

THIS IS SO INSPIRING. Thank you for posting!! I am a mommy of a 3 year old, and am due with my second in December! My GPA and MCAT are about the same as yours, I am praying for any school to give me a chance!!

 

[1231nal]

I am a 21-year-old caucasian male in my senior year of a Bachelors in Biology at a small private midwest school. My GPA is 3.42 and I got a 497 on my MCAT. (Read the whole post before you judge those scores)

I do have a good amount of medical experience. I started working as a float-CNA at a local 500+ bed hospital my freshman year. Got my EMT-B license the summer before my sophomore year, and they have been working as an ER-Technician at that hospital ever since. In total, its just above 2000 hours of paid healthcare experience.

I also have had the opportunity to travel around the world and country on mission trips with my local church. All of the trips focused on serving the underserved in non-medical capacities. I have led and organized two of my most recent mission trips.

I know my GPA isn't killer, but I had a rough sophomore year due to a couple reasons I won't go into depth on. My freshman, junior, and senior year (so far) I have made the Dean's List easily. If you kill my sophomore year, my GPA is 3.79. (But obviously, you can't do that)

I took the MCAT early last Spring. I really took it then to see how I would do with not a crazy amount of studying. This would allow me to have a gap year where I could maybe gain some lab-work experience and/or more hospital experience. I am currently in Biochem and Physics, which are obviously big parts of the MCAT, so I was planning on retaking it again this Spring after studying much more in-depth. 497 is pretty bad, I know, so I applied. Broadly. I didn't truly think I would get an acceptance this cycle, but I had the funds and medical experience to apply so I did. Well, guess what.... I DON'T HAVE TO TAKE THE MCAT AGAIN BECAUSE I GOT ACCEPTED!

Anyone reading this, know that it is possible to get accepted with a low GPA and (awful) MCAT. Don't let the worry of not getting accepted make you hold back your application. Put that application in and hope for the best. What's the worst that can happen? A school tells you no? If you truly want this, that no should motivate you to do even better the next cycle. All I needed was a chance to show schools who I am. Of the schools that gave me that chance, one understood my passion and determination for this pursuit.

Good luck to all of you and I hope my story can motivate and relax you!

 

[brainnurse]

I stalked this thread more nights than I can count during my pre-med years, so it's only right that I contribute in my own little way.

1. Your age and GPA and MCAT if you have it.
29 y/o - 3.30 - 513

I took my first pre-med class when I was 27. My starting GPA was 2.7 (with about sixty credits from a foreign country).

2. Your financial and work situation.
I worked as a nurse full time (plus the occasional PRN shift in whatever agency I was working for at the time) until a year ago, then I switched to part-time. My work paid for most of my tuition (because I was also pursuing a BSN during this time), but I did end up taking a loan out for the first couple of semesters.

3. Your family and significant other situation.
My boyfriend was an IM resident when I first thought about pre-med. He was my favorite cheerleader. He talked me through my fears and helped me decide on a reasonable path to my goal. I've since married the guy. We moved to a new city in August so I can go to med school here. =)

4. Your plan or your path to success.
I'm incredibly risk-averse so while I wanted to be a doctor, I couldn't bring myself to go "all in" as some people suggested I do. I worked full time while slowwwwwly dipping my toes in the academic waters. I started with two classes in a local college (I also didn't want to spend too much money - the work stipend was limited). Then I was accepted to the university RN-to-BSN program. I had to budget my work's financial contribution, so I continued taking science classes at the college for another semester + a summer while taking nursing classes at the university. I transitioned to taking 16 credits at the four-year university in the Fall of 2015. The semester after, I graduated with my Bachelor's plus all the med school prereqs. I took the MCAT in April of 2016 and got my first acceptance in October. My cycle was over by November and now, I'm in an amazing medical school with some of the most brilliant people I have ever met. I'm about to take my second major exam, in fact! It still feels ridiculously surreal.

That's it, guys. It's weird that what felt like a lonnnnnggg pre-med journey actually only took a couple of years. Keep trucking, everyone. We'll all get where we need to be eventually.

 

[ilekaj]

I'm not even 100% sure I saw this when I was premed, but I feel like it may have eased my fears a bit! Anyways, I'm a current 4th year at a DO school currently applying for anesthesiology residencies.
1. Your age and GPA and MCAT if you have it.
Current age 33, started med school at age 30. Will be a 34 year old intern.
GPA: undergrad+informal postbac was ~3.5. Can't remember exact breakdown, but science GPA was around the same (both just over 3.5). History major. Postbac for math+science prereqs.
MCAT: a dismal 25. Looked it up on a conversion chart, and that would be a 499 now.
2. Your financial and work situation.
Was a high school teacher and real estate agent. Stopped that 2 years prior to med school and worked as a scribe in the ED. I CAN'T SAY HOW VALUABLE THIS EXPERIENCE WAS!!! It was the perfect "experience", especially for applications and interviews: working side-by-side with a physician, learning the lingo, being there long enough to see the good and bad experiences, etc. Plus, LORs out the wazoo if you're good. I paid my way through undergrad, so I had no debt prior to med school. Paid cars off, no credit card balances, etc. Husband was an engineer and we saved for several years to go to med school. We did take out loans for med school, though....savings was mainly to supplement for living.
3. Your family and significant other situation.
Husband of almost 10 years. 4 kids, ages spanning from 13 years down to 4.5 years (currently). 3 are in school at this point. Husband commuted 4,500 miles the first year and a half of med school (we had to move across the country to start school) so we'd have an income and good health insurance for a little longer. When we moved for school, we knew nobody within about a 1,000 mile radius, so we were on our own. Briefly had a nanny when he went back to work the first time and that didn't last long (she was in waaaaay over her head), so my in laws graciously came to "live" with the kids and I for about 8 months so I didn't have to worry about childcare. My husband now stays at home with the kids, does day trading (stocks) part time, and remodels the house we bought when we moved. In all, we'll be up about $100k if we have to move for residency next year, so that's not a bad side "income" for my hubby the past 2 years. And if we don't have to move-awesome because then we'll be able to enjoy our completely renovated house and awesome neighborhood for at least another 4 years.
4. Your plan or your path to success.
I did one year of undergrad right out of high school. Didn't know what I wanted to do. Got married that next summer and worked for a couple of years. Had my oldest, then went back to school part time (just 2 classes) to keep busy. I continued part time for the next year or so and ended up loving history. Got divorced when my son was 3, continued school part time. It was during this time I decided I wanted to go to med school. I met my current husband and he was onboard with the med school idea. I ended up graduating undergrad at age 25 and 9 months pregnant with kiddo #2. Did an informal postbac part time for the next couple years, skipping a semester each time we had another kid! Applied at age 29, started med school at 30 with 10, 5, 4, and 1.5 year old kids.

Essentially, I'd say to everyone on here with a family thinking if they can do it-YOU CAN. The BIGGEST FACTOR is how much you want it. If you want it bad enough, you'll figure out a way. Everyone has "stuff" that makes med school hard. For some, it's being away from family for the first real time. Or dealing with roommates. Or whatever. For those of us with kids, it's juggling a busy home life with an even busier school life. We all have our obstacles, but we all just do what needs to be done regardless. I realize that this is much different than a lot of the suggestions above/before me, but I feel like that was all great advice as well and don't want to be redundant.

The only real academic piece of advice I have is to research every single program. If you're not the "picture perfect" candidate because you're GPA is a little low or didn't do as well on your MCAT as you'd hoped, or _______ (insert whatever there), then research the programs thoroughly. There was a book published each year (maybe it's online now?!) that showed the stats of every MD school (unfortunately, there was no such thing for the DO schools). Their 10%-90% ranges for GPA and MCAT. Find as many schools as you can that have "your" stats within their range and apply to those. If your GPA is 3.5 and their range is 3.78-4.0, simply don't waste your $$. I would caveat that with if it's your dream school or you live right next door, maybe take a chance, but don't do more than 1-2 of those. If you are real with yourself and are realistic about what schools may look at your application, you'll spend less $$ and be better off for it. And this advice is exactly the same for applying to residency programs. It is amazing how many of my classmates have no clue. Applications are already opened up, and I have classmates messaging me for information that I dug up months ago (ie: which programs take COMLEX in lieu of USMLE, COMLEX minimums, DO friendly, etc). This is all the ground work stuff to make you successful in applications-both for med school and for residency.

Good luck! And I realize that I'm definitely not the norm (30 something mom of 4 kids), so if you're anywhere in the same boat and want/need someone to talk to or to bounce ideas off of, message me!

Wow your post is so inspiring. I have a DO school acceptance, had an MD interview and have two additional MD interviews coming up. For the past months I’ve been worrying about how my husband and I are going to make it work with 3 kids. I’m still waiting to hear from my state school but so far it’s looking like we may be moving across the country. Seeing posts like yours give me hope and confidence. I’m still terrified of the changes our family may have to go through but it helps to know I am not the first to embark in this “mission” lol. Anyway thanks so much for sharing

 

[2K17MD2BE]

T o everyone who took time out to post on this thread (I know I am a few years late but..)
Thank you!! All of you. I am in the worst despair at the moment, sitting in front of my laptop trying to write a 15-page global health paper due at midnight tomorrow, and I cannot seem to find the words because I feel as though my dreams of med school are dying right before my eyes.
My Stats:
26 y/o F; 3.24sGPA, 3.62uGPA, 3.59 MPH (in-progress); MCAT 497 (494 on first attempt). Came from a lower middle-class African family. Got blessed and came to US. Dreamed of playing pro-soccer; hopes dashed as I realized to be pro you have to start at birth (like, who knew we had U9 and U12 world cups?!!!). Got interested in medicine after mom and sister survived ghastly motor accident, but went to college with intention of studying aerospace engineering; realized in first statics class that I was not That fond of machines. Graduated as a Medical Technologist in 2013. Worked ever since (been working since I got off the plane 10yrs ago); didn't know much about med school process, and didn't know anyone who did; six years after I finally decided I wanted to be a doc and I'm still trying to get in; learning things as I go along, just a bit too late (like I didn't know post-bacc courses were not the same as masters' degrees, or that non-basic science masters' programs did almost nothing to help your GPA). Not sure where I'll be by this time next year, and as the year runs out my throat is closing up slowly. I've only ever wanted to be 3 things in my life, and this is by far the most important. I know I will be something else if I am not a doctor. I am just not sure if I will be able to deal with it (if it helps, I'm INFP, total micro-analyzer, which might explain my current state of mind).
I am so grateful to have stumbled upon this thread today. I think to some extend I can keep a small shred of hope alive because of your stories. Maybe I will be back next year with a positive update. Maybe not. But for now, to all of you who contributed, thank you!!

 

[dr.wieners]

1. Your age and GPA and MCAT if you have it.
Age: 22, turning 23 before matriculation
cGPA: 3.42 (2.6 after receiving ASN/RN degree before taking pre-reqs)
sGPA: 3.2
MCAT: 505


2. Your financial and work situation.
Married, am main source of income for my family. Registered nurse in the emergency department and in-home infusion services.

3. Your family and significant other situation.
Married, family close by, school I have been accepted to is 30 minutes from home.

4. Your plan or your path to success.
I graduated from my nursing program with an associate's degree in 2015 with a cGPA of 2.6. I never made below a C, my nursing classes had a 6 point scale (so an 80-86% was a C), get a few C's in 7 credit hour courses = crap GPA. Started working and re-ignited my desire to become a physician instead of going the nurse practitioner route. Started taking pre-reqs knowing full-well I needed A's, and busted them out. Finished all pre-req's in 3 semesters of insanity while working. Studied for MCAT for a few weeks after my summer semester finished up and scored decently. I believe it worked for me that my pre-reqs were fresh in my mind with limited prep-time (I was determined to apply this cycle). I took the pre-reqs while finishing my BSN and graduated this past December.

What I did right:
The big difference for me was making connections. I only applied to one school, and completely dedicated myself into getting into that program. I called the school, they gave me a tour, and I asked if they had any connections they could give me for shadowing. They gave me the email to one of the professors of EM at the school, and I started shadowing with her. We got along really well and I shadowed over 250 hours with her before applying. This was hard to do while taking 21 credit hours and working but I made sure to put in the time. She wrote me a very good LOR and went to bat for me once my application was in. I also worked in the ER with many rotating medical students from the school and some physician preceptors for them that put in a good word for me. I believe this made all of the difference to help me stand out and gain an acceptance with a lower than average GPA among the thousands of applicants.

Overall:
Moral of the story is, you put in the work, try to build connections (if distance allows), and do the best you can to show improvement you can overcome a low GPA.

 

[TURTLEGRUMBLE]

1. Your age and GPA and MCAT if you have it.
29 years old
UG cGPA (according to AACOMAS/AMCAS): 2.85
Junior/Senior GPA (Once I turned my life around): 3.7
MCAT: 14bs/11/11/Q = 36Q

Years later... but this is freaky how close these stats are to my husbands stats.

 

[premedbrah]

Is that GPA with the post-bacc included?

-Undergrad: 2.54 (200+ units)

 

[skb18]

I've been waiting for the last ~6-7 years to post in this thread!

I graduated college a few years ago with a 2.6 (sGPA 2.77). Long, ugly transcript with several colleges, a bunch of failed classes for high school credit early on, a bit of an upward trend in the middle (as high as 3.5 or so), and back down to a 3.1 for senior year. Not very promising.

I took 2 years off to work in research and absolutely loved it. It was a productive time and I ended up on 2 publications and 2 more in submission by the time I applied this year. None first author, but second on 3 of them.

Took the MCAT, got a balanced 32 - solid, but clearly not enough to undo the GPA damage. I was a little disappointed because I had been in the 32-38 range in practice exams, so I felt I could do better.

I then applied to SMPs and somehow managed to get into one of the Boston ones. I think the solid research track helped, and the decent MCAT too. I had read on these boards to pull the uGPA to a 3.0 but that wasn't really a possibility for me, so I threw out some applications and hoped for the best.

Went through the SMP, got a 3.8. Not too bad, but I had heard that people with my undergrad record should do better, so I was still pretty worried.

Retook the MCAT over the summer and got a 38 (11P didn't budge from last time, 14V, 13B). Saved a screen shot when I got my score because I literally couldn't believe it and I was afraid it wouldn't be there when I logged back in!

I sent my primary out after the MCAT - mid-August. I know I should have applied earlier, but I spent the summer studying for it and didn't have it in me to finish my primary as well. Secondaries were finished between mid-September and mid-October.

At the end of October, I received 2 interview invites within 48 hours. I attended the Cincinnati interview the following week. And guess what?

This past week, I was accepted to the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine! I could not possibly be more thrilled! It almost seems surreal, because it's always said on these boards that people with my GPA simply do not get into MD schools (and they're lucky if DOs give them a second look). However, I am proof positive that if you work hard, have a compelling story and show several years of dedication (and the ability to succeed academically), your undergrad GPA will not completely destroy your chances.

I would also like to comment on the claim that most schools "pre-screen" for a 3.0:
I applied to 5 schools that openly pre-screen. I received secondaries from 4 of them (all except UCLA). I also got an interview at one of these.
I really don't think that most schools throw out your application if you have <3.0 - you just need a good reason for them to look closer. A high MCAT helps!

I think that the really important thing is the ability to keep at it for several years and maintain the faith in yourself that you have what it takes. And it's also important to enjoy the years you spend working towards your goal - I sincerely loved my job in research, and I loved my SMP coursework, so I didn't feel like I was wasting time as a pre-med with no guarantees at the end of the road.
It's not easy and it's not pretty, but if it's what you want, it can definitely be done. Good luck!

Which SMP did you go to in Boston? I'm trying to decide if I want to go to BU and this gives me hope if it was there!

 

[GoodLawd]

For any one thinking they won’t ever reach their dream of med school... don’t give up. After 10 years of working full time in the med field, taking (and repeating) undergraduate courses, getting a post-bacc BS degree, doing research, volunteering, and finally studying for the MCAT.... I was accepted into an allopathic med school a few months ago. I started this journey as a fifth year high school student who EVERYONE doubted. Actually a few SDN trolls even doubted me saying it was highly likely I wouldn’t get any interviews. If I can do it, you can too. Don’t give up, believe in yourself, trust the journey, and it will work out. I’ve spent the last 10 years getting into med school and now I’m going to spend the next 4 trying to get out.

1. Your age and GPA and MCAT if you have it.
Accepted into MD school as a 28 year old, 3.2 cGPA, 3.6 sGPA, post-bacc GPA 4.0, 500 MCAT

2. Your financial and work situation.
Worked in medical field and research for 10 years.

3. Your family and significant other situation.
I'm a first generation college student. I graduated high school after 5 years and grew up in a family whose parents were drug dependent. Struggled hard in first years of undergraduate. Dropped, withdrew, and retook many courses till I figured out how to tackle the sciences. Decided to drop out of college to pursue a technical school for a job in the med field. I worked in the medical field and returned to undergrad to apply to med school. After BS, I worked in research and then applied to a post-bacc program. After finishing post-bacc., matriculating into MD school!

SO is in professional school as well but 3 years ahead of me. Drew upon them for encouragement and advice.

4. Your plan or your path to success.
Don't ever let someone tell you that you can't do something. If you want to go to medical school, you will. Take the back door, knock down barriers, and never stop believing in yourself. I pursued a post-bacc. program to refine my basic sciences and took additional upper division courses. Utilized every resource, tutor, and professor when needed. I learned to adapt to the inc difficulty of courses, use the professionals I met to assist me, and most importantly, not to sweat the small stuff.

 

[maxknux]

I have tried coupe of times with the MCATs and only applied once in the cycle. I used my MCATs to get into MPH program that focuses on Epidemiology and Biostatistics. I am about to finish this summer. Now I am thinking after all this time. Now entering my 31st year of my life. I might take another stab but into MD/PHD program that mixes my passion in biostatistics and medicine.

 

[msch]

Q's thread gave me the idea that there needs to be a time capsuled thread where low gpa nontrads can see different models of success.

How about we play like this:

1. Your age and GPA and MCAT if you have it.
I am 21 years old. I have a Master's Degree GPA of 3.97, an UnderGrad GPA of 3.6. My cummulative of these two is around a 3.7. However, if I include the Dual Enrollment courses I took in high school, my GPA drops to a cummulative of 3.18.

2. Your financial and work situation.
I have always wanted to pursue medicine and lost hope once I realized that the dual enrollment courses I took in High school are on my official transcript. I began taking dual enrollment courses at 14 years old. As can be expected for a young kid taking courses at a community college, competing with students a minimum of four years older, my grades were poor. My HS GPA was 2.6 and is weighing me down.

I have several pre-requisite courses to take but my GPA will only be lifted to around a 3.3 if I manage to get straight A's. I am working full time and going back to school to take these courses would be a financial strain and I am wondering if you think I would have a shot of acceptance? I know Med school's look at trends but how much do they factor this into their decision? The interesting thing is that students who take AP courses are not required to submit these grades- even though some receive college credit. I feel as though I am being shafted for being a motivated kid.

3. Your family and significant other situation.
I have a supportive family and I am currently in a relationship.

4. Your plan or your path to success.
Get straight A's in remaining courses.
Take MCAT prep courses and do my best

I just think that we as nontrads with financial and personal difficulties need a place to see success and find inspiration. And a place to cheer along those who are coming after us.

*************

Note: only MS0's, med students, residents, and attendings should post in this thread. If you are a premed who has not yet been accepted to medical school, and you would like to share your plans, please do so in the Low GPA Premed Plans to Success thread.

 

[Medicello9]

I am a 21-year-old caucasian male in my senior year of a Bachelors in Biology at a small private midwest school. My GPA is 3.42 and I got a 497 on my MCAT. (Read the whole post before you judge those scores)

I do have a good amount of medical experience. I started working as a float-CNA at a local 500+ bed hospital my freshman year. Got my EMT-B license the summer before my sophomore year, and they have been working as an ER-Technician at that hospital ever since. In total, its just above 2000 hours of paid healthcare experience.

I also have had the opportunity to travel around the world and country on mission trips with my local church. All of the trips focused on serving the underserved in non-medical capacities. I have led and organized two of my most recent mission trips.

I know my GPA isn't killer, but I had a rough sophomore year due to a couple reasons I won't go into depth on. My freshman, junior, and senior year (so far) I have made the Dean's List easily. If you kill my sophomore year, my GPA is 3.79. (But obviously, you can't do that)

I took the MCAT early last Spring. I really took it then to see how I would do with not a crazy amount of studying. This would allow me to have a gap year where I could maybe gain some lab-work experience and/or more hospital experience. I am currently in Biochem and Physics, which are obviously big parts of the MCAT, so I was planning on retaking it again this Spring after studying much more in-depth. 497 is pretty bad, I know, so I applied. Broadly. I didn't truly think I would get an acceptance this cycle, but I had the funds and medical experience to apply so I did. Well, guess what.... I DON'T HAVE TO TAKE THE MCAT AGAIN BECAUSE I GOT ACCEPTED!

Anyone reading this, know that it is possible to get accepted with a low GPA and (awful) MCAT. Don't let the worry of not getting accepted make you hold back your application. Put that application in and hope for the best. What's the worst that can happen? A school tells you no? If you truly want this, that no should motivate you to do even better the next cycle. All I needed was a chance to show schools who I am. Of the schools that gave me that chance, one understood my passion and determination for this pursuit.

Good luck to all of you and I hope my story can motivate and relax you!

Hello, did you get accepted to a US MD or DO school?

 

[Stellaartwa]

This thread (or a similar one that I can't find) was one of the most uplifting and encouraging things I read before starting this journey. I swear, half of the battle is just finding the courage to pursue medicine, a career exclusively for the high-achievers, after failure. I just want you to know, YOU CAN DO IT. It will take insane levels of sacrifice but YOU CAN!

1. Your age and GPA and MCAT if you have it.
30
Undergrad major: Science (Awesome, lots of science credits to make up for!) || sGPA: 2.3, uGPA: 2.8
Grad school: Unrelated "soft" science w/ thesis || GPA 3.67
Post-bacc: 60 credit hours, ALL BPCM taken full-time over 2 years || GPA: 4.0.
Overall my AMCAS reflected cGPA 3.1/sGPA 3.1/MCAT 520.

2. Your financial and work situation.
Married with, thankfully, a fairly high-earning spouse. Moderate undergrad loans, no grad school loans, very reasonable mortgage. No other debt. I have been working part time the last few years during PB in a clinical setting making $20/hr x 20hr/wk. Currently in my "gap year" working FT making $20/hr x 40hr/wk.

3. Your family and significant other situation.
Married to an engineer, two young(!!) daycare aged kids at home

4. Your plan or your path to success.
After years of wavering between pursuing anything and returning to my dream of medicine, I took the plunge at 27 years old. With an infant at home and a supportive spouse, I started the DIY Post-bacc. Over those two years, I took 60 credit hours (~20 classes) of BPCM. PEOPLE, I FINALLY got an A in calculus, a course that I had previously withdrawn from twice and gotten a D+ in once. I became very involved on campus (tutor, mentor etc) and worked my PT clinical job. My basket was totally full. I took a 3 month LOA from my job and studied for the MCAT full-time: 7 hours per day, 6 days per week. I scored a 520.

I applied to 21 MD schools & 5 DO schools. I was invited to 9 MD interviews and 2 DO interviews. I was accepted to all of the schools I interviewed at and am now waiting for financial aid decisions.

What I did right:
I got all As in my PB. This cannot be overstated. It truly is #1. The "trads" will be getting all As or close to, you need to be at least as good as them. I also box-checked like the trads did (volunteer, research, leadership, campus involvement, shadowing) and then some. I had a deficit that they didn't. I made up for it as best I could.

Finally, I used the SDN WARS tool! Search for it. TRUST ME. This will save you money by helping you refine your school list!

Final notes;
I recognize that my situation is perhaps unique. A lot of the non-trads I have met don't have the financial situation to do what I did (ie: study full time, work part time). Even still, I wanted to share my story. I know how difficult it is to dream about this career constantly and yet, be too afraid to pursue it. This path is truly not for the faint of heart but if you want it and are willing to work your ass off, you can do it. To succeed, you need to develop the attitude that a "B" won't cut it! Stop and do some serious soul-searching and figure out why you failed the first time around. DO NOT repeat those mistakes. Of the 6 non-trads I met throughout this process, half of us made it and half of us didn't. The ones who didn't were the ones who I believe hadn't figured out why they were failing. They were still getting the same bad grades they got in college.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, if you need a cheerleader, PM ME. I believe in every one of you (especially you fellow moms out there with dreams!!!)! I have been there. It's a dark, long, lonely, expensive and difficult road and sometimes you just need some support. I have no doubts that us low GPA -> MD/DO will make excellent physicians. It takes an extreme level of grit, determination and courage to do what we do!

 

[aphi7949]

This thread (or a similar one that I can't find) was one of the most uplifting and encouraging things I read before starting this journey. I swear, half of the battle is just finding the courage to pursue medicine, a career exclusively for the high-achievers, after failure. I just want you to know, YOU CAN DO IT. It will take insane levels of sacrifice but YOU CAN!

1. Your age and GPA and MCAT if you have it.
30
Undergrad major: Science (Awesome, lots of science credits to make up for!) || sGPA: 2.3, uGPA: 2.8
Grad school: Unrelated "soft" science w/ thesis || GPA 3.67
Post-bacc: 60 credit hours, ALL BPCM taken full-time over 2 years || GPA: 4.0.
Overall my AMCAS reflected cGPA 3.1/sGPA 3.1/MCAT 520.

2. Your financial and work situation.
Married with, thankfully, a fairly high-earning spouse. Moderate undergrad loans, no grad school loans, very reasonable mortgage. No other debt. I have been working part time the last few years during PB in a clinical setting making $20/hr x 20hr/wk. Currently in my "gap year" working FT making $20/hr x 40hr/wk.

3. Your family and significant other situation.
Married to an engineer, two young(!!) daycare aged kids at home

4. Your plan or your path to success.
After years of wavering between pursuing anything and returning to my dream of medicine, I took the plunge at 27 years old. With an infant at home and a supportive spouse, I started the DIY Post-bacc. Over those two years, I took 60 credit hours (~20 classes) of BPCM. PEOPLE, I FINALLY got an A in calculus, a course that I had previously withdrawn from twice and gotten a D+ in once. I became very involved on campus (tutor, mentor etc) and worked my PT clinical job. My basket was totally full. I took a 3 month LOA from my job and studied for the MCAT full-time: 7 hours per day, 6 days per week. I scored a 520.

I applied to 21 MD schools & 5 DO schools. I was invited to 9 MD interviews and 2 DO interviews. I was accepted to all of the schools I interviewed at and am now waiting for financial aid decisions.

What I did right:
I got all As in my PB. This cannot be overstated. It truly is #1. The "trads" will be getting all As or close to, you need to be at least as good as them. I also box-checked like the trads did (volunteer, research, leadership, campus involvement, shadowing) and then some. I had a deficit that they didn't. I made up for it as best I could.

Finally, I used the SDN WARS tool! Search for it. TRUST ME. This will save you money by helping you refine your school list!

Final notes;
I recognize that my situation is perhaps unique. A lot of the non-trads I have met don't have the financial situation to do what I did (ie: study full time, work part time). Even still, I wanted to share my story. I know how difficult it is to dream about this career constantly and yet, be too afraid to pursue it. This path is truly not for the faint of heart but if you want it and are willing to work your ass off, you can do it. To succeed, you need to develop the attitude that a "B" won't cut it! Stop and do some serious soul-searching and figure out why you failed the first time around. DO NOT repeat those mistakes. Of the 6 non-trads I met throughout this process, half of us made it and half of us didn't. The ones who didn't were the ones who I believe hadn't figured out why they were failing. They were still getting the same bad grades they got in college.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, if you need a cheerleader, PM ME. I believe in every one of you (especially you fellow moms out there with dreams!!!)! I have been there. It's a dark, long, lonely, expensive and difficult road and sometimes you just need some support. I have no doubts that us low GPA -> MD/DO will make excellent physicians. It takes an extreme level of grit, determination and courage to do what we do!

 

[aphi7949]

This is AMAZING! and SO inspiring! I have very similar stats as you but I only have one little one and work full time! I'm so so proud of you and wanted to thank you for sharing! These types of inspirations are not shared enough.

 

[deleted1016374]

.

 

[2K17MD2BE]

T o everyone who took time out to post on this thread (I know I am a few years late but..)
Thank you!! All of you. I am in the worst despair at the moment, sitting in front of my laptop trying to write a 15-page global health paper due at midnight tomorrow, and I cannot seem to find the words because I feel as though my dreams of med school are dying right before my eyes.
My Stats:
26 y/o F; 3.24sGPA, 3.62uGPA, 3.59 MPH (in-progress); MCAT 497 (494 on first attempt). Came from a lower middle-class African family. Got blessed and came to US. Dreamed of playing pro-soccer; hopes dashed as I realized to be pro you have to start at birth (like, who knew we had U9 and U12 world cups?!!!). Got interested in medicine after mom and sister survived ghastly motor accident, but went to college with intention of studying aerospace engineering; realized in first statics class that I was not That fond of machines. Graduated as a Medical Technologist in 2013. Worked ever since (been working since I got off the plane 10yrs ago); didn't know much about med school process, and didn't know anyone who did; six years after I finally decided I wanted to be a doc and I'm still trying to get in; learning things as I go along, just a bit too late (like I didn't know post-bacc courses were not the same as masters' degrees, or that non-basic science masters' programs did almost nothing to help your GPA). Not sure where I'll be by this time next year, and as the year runs out my throat is closing up slowly. I've only ever wanted to be 3 things in my life, and this is by far the most important. I know I will be something else if I am not a doctor. I am just not sure if I will be able to deal with it (if it helps, I'm INFP, total micro-analyzer, which might explain my current state of mind).
I am so grateful to have stumbled upon this thread today. I think to some extend I can keep a small shred of hope alive because of your stories. Maybe I will be back next year with a positive update. Maybe not. But for now, to all of you who contributed, thank you!!

Every time I get a reaction notification for this thread my chest tightens just a bit. I wrote this post three years ago and I am FINALLY starting med school this fall. So much has happened in those three years but I am still eternally grateful I came across this thread on the night I did. Thank you all for sharing your stories!!

 

[AspiringDoc911]

For any one thinking they won’t ever reach their dream of med school... don’t give up. After 10 years of working full time in the med field, taking (and repeating) undergraduate courses, getting a post-bacc BS degree, doing research, volunteering, and finally studying for the MCAT.... I was accepted into an allopathic med school a few months ago. I started this journey as a fifth year high school student who EVERYONE doubted. Actually a few SDN trolls even doubted me saying it was highly likely I wouldn’t get any interviews. If I can do it, you can too. Don’t give up, believe in yourself, trust the journey, and it will work out. I’ve spent the last 10 years getting into med school and now I’m going to spend the next 4 trying to get out.

1. Your age and GPA and MCAT if you have it.
Accepted into MD school as a 28 year old, 3.2 cGPA, 3.6 sGPA, post-bacc GPA 4.0, 500 MCAT

2. Your financial and work situation.
Worked in medical field and research for 10 years.

3. Your family and significant other situation.
I'm a first generation college student. I graduated high school after 5 years and grew up in a family whose parents were drug dependent. Struggled hard in first years of undergraduate. Dropped, withdrew, and retook many courses till I figured out how to tackle the sciences. Decided to drop out of college to pursue a technical school for a job in the med field. I worked in the medical field and returned to undergrad to apply to med school. After BS, I worked in research and then applied to a post-bacc program. After finishing post-bacc., matriculating into MD school!

SO is in professional school as well but 3 years ahead of me. Drew upon them for encouragement and advice.

4. Your plan or your path to success.
Don't ever let someone tell you that you can't do something. If you want to go to medical school, you will. Take the back door, knock down barriers, and never stop believing in yourself. I pursued a post-bacc. program to refine my basic sciences and took additional upper division courses. Utilized every resource, tutor, and professor when needed. I learned to adapt to the inc difficulty of courses, use the professionals I met to assist me, and most importantly, not to sweat the small stuff.

Hello! I have very similar stats to you and am wondering if you could PM what school you got into! Congratulations!!!

 

[HealingGrace]

Hello! I have very similar stats to you and am wondering if you could PM what school you got into! Congratulations!!!

Hello! I have very similar stats to you and am wondering if you could PM what school you got into! Congratulations!!!

same! Can you let me know which school?? thank you and congrats!! so cool!

 

[hollisterdoc]

This thread (or a similar one that I can't find) was one of the most uplifting and encouraging things I read before starting this journey. I swear, half of the battle is just finding the courage to pursue medicine, a career exclusively for the high-achievers, after failure. I just want you to know, YOU CAN DO IT. It will take insane levels of sacrifice but YOU CAN!

1. Your age and GPA and MCAT if you have it.
30
Undergrad major: Science (Awesome, lots of science credits to make up for!) || sGPA: 2.3, uGPA: 2.8
Grad school: Unrelated "soft" science w/ thesis || GPA 3.67
Post-bacc: 60 credit hours, ALL BPCM taken full-time over 2 years || GPA: 4.0.
Overall my AMCAS reflected cGPA 3.1/sGPA 3.1/MCAT 520.

2. Your financial and work situation.
Married with, thankfully, a fairly high-earning spouse. Moderate undergrad loans, no grad school loans, very reasonable mortgage. No other debt. I have been working part time the last few years during PB in a clinical setting making $20/hr x 20hr/wk. Currently in my "gap year" working FT making $20/hr x 40hr/wk.

3. Your family and significant other situation.
Married to an engineer, two young(!!) daycare aged kids at home

4. Your plan or your path to success.
After years of wavering between pursuing anything and returning to my dream of medicine, I took the plunge at 27 years old. With an infant at home and a supportive spouse, I started the DIY Post-bacc. Over those two years, I took 60 credit hours (~20 classes) of BPCM. PEOPLE, I FINALLY got an A in calculus, a course that I had previously withdrawn from twice and gotten a D+ in once. I became very involved on campus (tutor, mentor etc) and worked my PT clinical job. My basket was totally full. I took a 3 month LOA from my job and studied for the MCAT full-time: 7 hours per day, 6 days per week. I scored a 520.

I applied to 21 MD schools & 5 DO schools. I was invited to 9 MD interviews and 2 DO interviews. I was accepted to all of the schools I interviewed at and am now waiting for financial aid decisions.

What I did right:
I got all As in my PB. This cannot be overstated. It truly is #1. The "trads" will be getting all As or close to, you need to be at least as good as them. I also box-checked like the trads did (volunteer, research, leadership, campus involvement, shadowing) and then some. I had a deficit that they didn't. I made up for it as best I could.

Finally, I used the SDN WARS tool! Search for it. TRUST ME. This will save you money by helping you refine your school list!

Final notes;
I recognize that my situation is perhaps unique. A lot of the non-trads I have met don't have the financial situation to do what I did (ie: study full time, work part time). Even still, I wanted to share my story. I know how difficult it is to dream about this career constantly and yet, be too afraid to pursue it. This path is truly not for the faint of heart but if you want it and are willing to work your ass off, you can do it. To succeed, you need to develop the attitude that a "B" won't cut it! Stop and do some serious soul-searching and figure out why you failed the first time around. DO NOT repeat those mistakes. Of the 6 non-trads I met throughout this process, half of us made it and half of us didn't. The ones who didn't were the ones who I believe hadn't figured out why they were failing. They were still getting the same bad grades they got in college.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, if you need a cheerleader, PM ME. I believe in every one of you (especially you fellow moms out there with dreams!!!)! I have been there. It's a dark, long, lonely, expensive and difficult road and sometimes you just need some support. I have no doubts that us low GPA -> MD/DO will make excellent physicians. It takes an extreme level of grit, determination and courage to do what we do!

Thank you so much for this! I'm a homeschooling mom to 5 young kids, and my story is very similar to yours except I'm 38 now and will be 40ish when I'm ready to apply. I obsess every day over whether or not I'm being idiotic to chase this dream, and worry every day that it's going to be bad for my marriage or my kids for me to not be totally dedicated to them. I boomerang back and forth between being determined to feeling selfish for trying for this. I definitely will PM you! Thanks for sharing this and I hope med school is going well for you!

 

[ATCtoDO]

25 year old now OMS-1. Close to a 3.0 gpa, took me 3 attempts to score a 503 mcat. Non traditional student with an undergraduate degree in an allied health profession. Probably over 5,000 clinical hours prior to getting my masters last year. Took pre reqs after graduating UG while working full time. It’s possible for others to get in as well! Keep working. If you’re a non trad with lots of experience I suggest you get ALOT of hours to counter the low gpa or mcat. Choose one of these two: research or clinical experience. Do a lot of one and skip the other. Show you’re passionate about the field you want. Keep applying. Hope this motivates some people out here.

 

[AspiringDoc911]

25 year old now OMS-1. Close to a 3.0 gpa, took me 3 attempts to score a 503 mcat. Non traditional student with an undergraduate degree in an allied health profession. Probably over 5,000 clinical hours prior to getting my masters last year. Took pre reqs after graduating UG while working full time. It’s possible for others to get in as well! Keep working. If you’re a non trad with lots of experience I suggest you get ALOT of hours to counter the low gpa or mcat. Choose one of these two: research or clinical experience. Do a lot of one and skip the other. Show you’re passionate about the field you want. Keep applying. Hope this motivates some people out here.

Thank you for this post! I'm applying with low stats (cGPA 3.4 , sGPA 3.1 , gGPA 3.45) and 500 MCAT but I have over 9,000 hours clinical experience!

 

[ATCtoDO]

Thank you for this post! I'm applying with low stats (cGPA 3.4 , sGPA 3.1 , gGPA 3.45) and 500 MCAT but I have over 9,000 hours clinical experience!

Good luck to you. Apply broadly and stress your clinical experiences in the application process. Dm me if you have any questions

 

[LOPOKATYDA]

Has Nasrudin gotten in somewhere? Wouldn't that be the true measure of success?

Hey, if I missed it, congrats Nasrudin.

I was/am working full-time with periodic spurts of working 2 jobs at 50-60 hours a week while going to school at about 3/4 time. 10-12 hours a semester. I am the money maker in my unit. Which is unfortunate for my unit given that I am a low level health care grunt and have been throughout my premed tour of duty. b Tutuapp 9Apps ShowBox

 

[futuredoc_11]

25 year old now OMS-1. Close to a 3.0 gpa, took me 3 attempts to score a 503 mcat. Non traditional student with an undergraduate degree in an allied health profession. Probably over 5,000 clinical hours prior to getting my masters last year. Took pre reqs after graduating UG while working full time. It’s possible for others to get in as well! Keep working. If you’re a non trad with lots of experience I suggest you get ALOT of hours to counter the low gpa or mcat. Choose one of these two: research or clinical experience. Do a lot of one and skip the other. Show you’re passionate about the field you want. Keep applying. Hope this motivates some people out here.

which master's program did you do? Do you think an SMP is absolutely necessary if someone has a gpa of 3.0? my gpa is around that arena and Im doing DIY post bacc due to financial constraints

 

[futuredoc_11]

I remember looking at this thread when I started thinking about going for it and being inspired by the stories here. Seems like it hasn’t been very active recently, but I still want to share my story for the guy/gal that is where I was 3 years ago. Very grateful now that it’s my turn to post!

1. Your age and GPA and MCAT if you have it.
Age: 27, male, ORM
Undergrad major: Business

GPAs:
Undergrad cGPA: 3.1; Undergrad sGPA: 2.6
Post-bacc cGPA and sGPA: 3.8; 22 hours, all science courses taken over two years while working full-time. I took 16 more hours during the application cycle to finish up prereqs and strengthen my app for a potential re-application but they weren’t included in my app so they don’t really factor in.
Total cGPA: 3.2; Total sGPA: 3.1

MCAT: 512

2. Your financial and work situation.
No undergrad debt. Saved a little (10k-ish) during the year that I worked for a consulting firm right out of undergrad. That was used up quickly for post-bacc tuition and living expenses. Paid cash for all prereqs from the money I earned working full-time at a hospital as a tech. I did not want to go into debt during my post-bacc. Lived pretty much paycheck to paycheck during the three years between starting prereqs and being admitted to med school this past week.

3. Your family and significant other situation.
Single guy, thank goodness. I admire the heck out of the nontrads in my prereqs that had a spouse and/or children. Whenever I felt like I was having a hard time juggling work, classes, MCAT prep, volunteering, and research I looked to them as inspiration because they were juggling it all AND managed to take care of their young children and be a good spouse.

4. Your plan or your path to success.
I went into undergrad straight out of high school as a pre-med biology major. Did okay freshman year (3.6-3.7 GPA), but things went south sophomore year (C in Orgo 1, D in Orgo 2, C in Physics 1). Realized that I wasn’t really sure I wanted to be a physician, and even if I was sure my academic performance wasn’t cutting it. Switched to business so I could earn a decent living upon graduation. It worked out fine, I got a good job at an accounting/consulting firm making a good salary. But soon after I started working there I just knew that I still wanted to chase the dream and become a physician.

So I took a CNA course on the weekends and then worked for a staffing agency as a CNA on the weekends while still working the consulting job during the week. Left the consulting job and became a tech at the academic medical center in my city working directly with physicians.

I did a DIY post-bacc over the next two years, two classes per semester. I retook Orgo 1 and Orgo 2. Took the semester off of classes to study for the MCAT, and scored pretty well but nothing amazing.

Applied to 25 or so MD schools and 4 DO schools. Got two interview invites, one to my in-state MD school and one to a DO school halfway across the country. Felt that both interviews went well. Admissions decision was deferred until the end of the interview season at both, then I was waitlisted at both. I interviewed in October at the MD and got waitlisted in March, then finally got accepted off the waitlist in April, 200ish days after my interview.

What I did right:

• Checked all the boxes. Clinical experience, clinical volunteering, non-clinical volunteering, shadowing, and research (not technically required but it helped).
• Worked directly with physicians at the academic medical center affiliated with the MD school that I got into. This is not possible for everyone, and I was fortunate that I got a job at this particular hospital, but I think finding a job working side-by-side with physicians that you can learn from and who can vouch for you is a huge advantage. I had letters of recommendation from four (4!) of the doctors I worked with. I know that having these letters from well-respected and well-known doctors from within the institution went a long way in showing the admissions committee that I would be a good addition to the class. I also did research with one of the doctors I worked with. I just casually asked him one day while were in the procedure room together and ended up working on research with him for two years, getting multiple posters, abstracts, and a first-authored manuscript from it. I cannot overstate the importance of the relationships I built with these physicians. Beyond the LORs and research, I learned so much about the type of physician I want to be from them. They were true mentors to me and I hope to be the same for pre-meds and medical students once I am a physician.
• Took a semester off from prereqs to focus on studying for the MCAT. I also dropped my work hours down to 20-30 per week. Scored a couple points above the average matriculant’s core at my state MD school. It wasn’t an earth-shattering score, but pretty good. One of my interviewers said that my MCAT score went a long way to make up for my undergrad performance.

What I did wrong:

• I’m pretty sure my personal statement sucked. I wrote it over two weeks and didn’t have it read/edited by a single soul. There are resources out there that can significantly improve the quality of your PS, whether it be doctors you work with, professors you took classes with, friends, or SDN members. Take advantage of these resources.
• Ditto with my secondary responses. I wrote them too quickly just so I could submit the secondaries early.
• I didn’t ace my post-bacc. Obviously it turned out okay for me, but a 4.0 goes a long way. My 3.8 post-bacc is close to the average GPA for matriculants, and most matriculants don’t have a terrible undergrad GPA to make up for like I did.
• I only applied to 4 DO schools based on location and how established they were. I was not a strong enough candidate to be picky, but I was anyway. It turned out great, but reapplying would have stung knowing that I could have applied more broadly and possibly had more success.

Final notes:

This has been a heck of a journey. I never doubted whether this was what I wanted to do with my life. I knew that I had to pursue medicine because I would regret it forever if I didn’t try to become a physician. I did, however, sometimes think that with my academic baggage this was a fool’s errand. But I knew I had to try, and I truly wanted to try. I think that carried me through.

Getting into medical school, overall, is the most difficult thing I have done in my life based on the time, effort, and discipline it required. Being here now, with an acceptance from my state school (which I wanted to attend more than any other school), is an incredible feeling. I am proud of what I have accomplished so far, and excited for all the things that I have the privilege of learning and doing in the future!

how many total post bacc credits did you take. currently in the process of doing diy post bacc myself...i have accumlated 21 credits and 4.0 gpa thus far

 

[ATCtoDO]

which master's program did you do? Do you think an SMP is absolutely necessary if someone has a gpa of 3.0? my gpa is around that arena and Im doing DIY post bacc due to financial constraints

Dm me for specifics. I don’t like to broadcast my life to the internet