Fractured college career. Advice appreciated.

Pre-Med & Medical School Pre-Med Topics
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<p>Hi. I’m considering a career in Medicine. However, I have little direct guidance or mentoring, so I’ve come here to ask a few questions. I look for truth, not delusion. Thanks in advance. </p>

<p>I’m the atypical student. I’m over 20, having worked and gone to school at the same time to support myself. I have a history of volunteer leadership that dates back to the 7th grade, heavy church and missionary involvement. </p>

<p>I’m currently at Freshman (possibly Sophomore) standing in my college career. Given my personality and background, I think Medicine and I will work well together. I’ve taken approximately 45 credits, mostly in Liberal Arts. I’ve taken courses ranging from Japanese to World Literature to Music performance, and about every writing class imaginable. By the time I graduate, my GPA will be high, probably around 3.8.</p>

<p>Recently I’ve completed a transfer and matriculation process into another 4-year school to finish my undergraduate work. </p>

<p>Questions:</p>

<li><p>Do medical schools look at a cumulative/ science GPA exclusively from your college of graduation, or do they calculate all grades from all schools you may have attended in a comprehensive GPA? (Upon transfering, I was given a “Fresh” GPA. My credits transfered, but were essentially omitted from GPA calculations. How do Medical schools view this?) </p></li>
<li><p>I have one or two withdrawals. Really bad, or really not a huge deal?</p></li>
</ol>

<p>I’ve taken very few science/math courses, just Bio and Calculus. But I do well in them, and with the right orchestration, I will have a phenomenal GPA in the Math/Sciences. My MCAT score will also be fine.</p>

<p>My education has been stunted and delayed, but I will graduate highly qualified and more-than-adequately prepared for a challenging career. </p>

<p>Does medical school appreciate atypical candidates, or am I burning my time?</p>

<p>-drock</p>

2

<p>Don't most medical schools require a year of Inorganic Chemistry and Organic Chemistry?</p>

3

<p>Is it one withdrawal or two? What is the nature of them, i.e. why did you leave. You should really fully explain your situation as to why switching schools whether you made bad grades in past institutions etc before we can advise you. Medical schools will ask for every institution that you've attended and for you to send a transcript from every one, I believe. While you may have a fresh gpa at your new school(all transfer students get a fresh gpa) you will still send the other colleges' transcripts which have that gpa. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.</p>

<p>In addition to bio and math. Chemistry, organic chem, and physics will all be required for med school and on the MCAT.</p>

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<p>Thanks Nd. Here are some details.</p>

<p>I left my initial institution for a few reasons, the most significant of which was a health reason, though I did seek a more challenging academic environment. My first semester's GPA was 3.7, but my second was much lower. I did poorly in 3 courses due to illness (I couldn't physically attend). I aced the course that didn't grade on attendance.</p>

<p>I took courses as I could at CC, most of which were A/B's. I've earned credit from two BA granting institutions, including the one I currently attend. I have a few W's on courses withdrawed from as well as the situation described above. </p>

<p>The paperwork is ugly in comparison to a lot of candidates. This I know. I've heard, though, that Medical schools find candidates with varied life experience interesting, which is why I've taken time to research this option. </p>

<p>Comments appreciated.</p>

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<p>I don't believe that any reference to "varied life experience" was meant to cover this situation. Varied life experience means people who hitch-hiked around the world, people who graduated from Harvard after growing up in a cardboard box, etc...</p>

<p>Simply put, your path to med school is going to be harder because of what you describe. It's going to be harder to get top reference letters because of all of the transfers. It's going to be hard to show that you can handle multiple lab courses in the same semester because so far it appears that you haven't.</p>

<p>All is not lost since you expect to be stellar in the rest of your undergrad and on your MCATS but do not consider that your past is a positive factor in admissions. If you consider it a positive factor you will fail to provide adequate explanation to the adcoms. Without that explanation you won't make it to Round 2 of the process (secondary apps).</p>

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<p>Keep in mind that, for anonymity's sake, I post conservatively on public forums. All details will not be posted here. But when they are most important, the right people will be informed of them in full. :)</p>

<p>Thanks for the responses thus far. They are appreciated!</p>

7

<p>OP,</p>

<p>Meet the pre-med requirements (basic science classes) and do your best in them, and you should be fine. I like the fact that your academic interests do sound well-rounded. Also, make sure you present "yourself" to medical schools, as it sounds you have overcome difficult times; and beyond that, simply, because you should. And of course, do your best on the MCAT -take a course, if you can! The rest, is up to the medical school admissions committee, and nobody on this board can tell you, for certain, what they'll think once they see the minutia that you don't give us, here at the forum.</p>

<p>Best of luck, and keep us posted.</p>

<p>WF</p>

<p>P.S. If you graduated, or will graduated soon, and have not met the science pre-reqs, look into a post-bachelor's premed degree.</p>