Hey everyone, I'm seeking some advice and would really appreciate it.
I destroyed my GPA 15 years ago, 40 hours of 1.97 with 2Fs in Biology and Cs in other sciences. I had to work for everything with no financial aid help (no parental guidance or peer support, totally on my own). I was a young and naive teenager, my college advisors (who were not aware of my situation at home) told me to not drop out, but I couldn't juggle three jobs with 18 hours of engineering. Eventually, I learned to listen to myself and just drop out, but only after I'd done so much damage. That was 13 years ago. Now, I have over 350 credit hours with about 3.2GPA/3.0sGPA. I went back when I had a better job and could afford a roof, food, and clothes, and and did great, above a 3.7.
I used an online GPA calculator and it would take me over 200 additional credit hours of As to get to 3.6 overall GPA. If I take 18 credit hours of science, I could get a sGPA of 3.1 to 3.2. Would this be worth it? I only make so much money and I'm not sure if it would be better allocated somewhere else like applications to apply broadly, etc.
I could take some math courses though, since I am always working full time its easier to do this than science with lab courses. What about online courses? This provides me more flexibility.
My MS GPA is above 3.8. I have to retake the new MCAT because my verbal was horrifying. Looking back, it was glitchy but I didn't pay any attention, I was glad to be done. I reached my "goal" score but needed to shoot higher.
I work in the medical field, but don't really like my job, so its a challenge to stay motivated in that department. I do a pretty good job, though, and get good reviews. It has just become mundane. I also volunteer consistently at another hospital, and have dabbled in academic research, but this is hard, again, since I'm working shift work full time.
I would like some advice about what is the best allocation of my money because alot of people are like don't waste it on more courses, and my time. I have to work to support myself so I only have so many hours outside of work. Right now, I'm studying to retake the Mcat next year, either January or April depending on my practice test results, and will need extra time for the masters degree exam. Should I be focused totally on the mcat? Should I take more undergrad courses? What if I take those courses online (traffic where I live is awful and this would cut down on the commute)? Should I seek out more leadership experience/volunteer experience/academic research experience?
From the advice of others, I have already considered PA or accelerated RN, but I'm not really into it after shadowing and talking to those professionals. Also, my MS is in Molecular Biology, so I don't see that knowledge content being applied in these professions. DO is okay too, but I would be lying if I said I really cared about manipulation and how some programs offer acupuncture...not sure I concur with those ideas, and the stigma, I'm already a female, just saying. I just don't feel comfortable with that really. I definitely plan to apply DO though since they have a grade replacement, but I feel at this point I would fit best with MD. Its just half my lifetime ago I was a typical irresponsible in-denial teenager. 15 years ago, I was still a teenager who literally had no direction or guidance by anyone. I learned trial by error. Bad idea in academia. (Basically, I ran away from an abusive situation and started working. Emancipation was not an option. When my friends from highschool went to college, I wanted to go to. 95% of my graduating class went to college. I admit I was in denial of my situation, but now I feel that that denial is haunting me for the rest of my life.)