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orthomodel
05-12-2006, 07:29 PM
Hi everyone,
I’ve actually been perusing this site for a few months. I’ve decided to throw my own dilemma out there.

I got accepted to Ross 2 months ago for the May 06 semester. I decided to defer my enrollment because my dad was not going to be able to supplement my Stafford loans in time and I’m not really in a good position financially to take out private loans on my own. I didn’t want to wait until Jan 07 but I got deferred until then anyway as the fall 06 class is was too full for deferments.

So I decided that if I was gonna have to wait 8 months to start school, I might as well apply to a few US schools again since I sent my applications in right at the deadline this year for all the schools I applied to which is obviously too late to have a good shot at acceptance. I graduated in ‘01 with a ** in math and a 3.5 gpa and I took all my prereqs and also took biochem and anatomy (I wanted to get used to working on a cadaver). I also worked in a hospital for a year and have some life experience since I’ve been out of school for a few years. I took the MCAT a few times and got a 22 which was frustrating because while my VR went from a 5 to a 9, my ** and PS went from 8 to 5 and 6 respectively. I guess I was too concerned with reading freakin passages than I was with organic reactions. *sigh* Sorry to go off topic, but I really hate that test.

I know ya’ll are probably like “how does she think she can get into a US school with those scores?” Well there are a few schools in Puerto Rico that I might be qualified for and I do speak some Spanish. So I was going to take some Spanish classes during the summer and fall and apply to the med schools in June in PR and a few state schools that I didn’t apply to before and maybe some others. I figured that since I was applying so early I would hear back before it was time to go to Ross. And I would also have more time to fix my finances in case my Dad flaked out on me again.
Well that was the plan until yesterday when I got an email saying that I could start in the Fall if I wanted.

So should I go to Ross this fall? I’m only considering it because I’m not getting any younger and part of me doesn’t want wait, or worse regret deferring my admission to apply to schools that I might not get into. But on the other hand I could use the time to cover my behind financially since my Dad is on his own time frame and he’ll probably send my school check late no matter what semester I start. And I was really excited about going to Ross a few months ago, but now I guess I’m starting to get a little nervous about all the obstacles that lie ahead (Rely On Self Study, huge classes, island life, may or may not get clinicals I want in a timely manner, no home base to get support from, etc.). So if I have any chance at all to get into a US school I want to take it. And if I do get into one that frees up a spot for someone else to go to Ross. And please, “do a search” ain’t gonna work this time (and now that I’ve just said that someone will undoubtedly tell me to do that); I already did one and came up with nada. So that’s my deal. Discuss.

Oh and yes as the name suggests I am interested in ortho and yes I do know how hard it is to get into, which makes deciding what to do all the more frustrating. And I’m sorry but I don’t subscribe to that whole “Your MCAT predicts your USMLE score” business. I plan on busting my **** and that’s all there is to it. The MCAT exposed my weaknesses and I’m not one to keep making the same mistakes. Sorry, I’ll get off my soapbox now. Discuss. Ha!

(I just previewed this post and its hella long, if you got this far, thanks for reading!)

McGillGrad
05-12-2006, 08:28 PM
Okay, long read, but in general I would go through a full round of US applications after taking a Kaplan class and getting a 30 on the MCAT. Then try for the Caribbean.

brob311
05-12-2006, 09:01 PM
I agree w/ Mcgill Grad...take the MCAT's again. They really do mean a whole lot in the US admissions process regardless of your second language. You should also look into US DO schools. You have the numbers to possibly get in there.

Viel Glück!

orthomodel
05-13-2006, 10:00 PM
I've taken the MCAT 4 times already, 4/01, 8/01, 8/02, & 4/05. Wouldn't taking it a 5th time hurt my chances?

sarahtarah
05-14-2006, 09:07 AM
honestly since you've already applied to us med schools, i'd wait it out. youre garunteed a spot in ROss for jan, why rush it and hurt yourself financially?

by waiting you get your financial stuff in order, and see if you might maybe hopefully get a chance at a us med school.

good luck

sukhtinder
05-14-2006, 10:46 AM
so are you a model?

Ms.SS1984
05-14-2006, 02:56 PM
wow...4 times...u know they're changing it after august, mcat will be 4.5 hours and on computer...

Daemonavi
05-15-2006, 11:22 AM
i think she should definitely wait it out. if you got a chance in US med school then you should definitely give it a shot. afterall... like sarah said.. you are already garunteed a seat at ross for jan '07.

McGillGrad
05-15-2006, 11:33 AM
I've taken the MCAT 4 times already, 4/01, 8/01, 8/02, & 4/05. Wouldn't taking it a 5th time hurt my chances?

If you have taken it four times and haven't done well then it might be time to face the fact that you may not be destined to do well on the MCAT and move on to Ross.

orthomodel
05-16-2006, 09:05 AM
McGill, I was not planning on taking the MCAT again. As I said in my original post, the schools in PR have lower MCAT averages which is why I wanted to apply there. I speak enough spanish to go to those schools so I'd like to give the application process there a shot.

orthomodel
05-16-2006, 09:11 AM
I've also been reseraching the whole multiple MCAT thing. While some schools may look down on it, there a few adcoms that think that taking the MCAT multiple times and finally doing well shows perserverance and proves that you really want to be a doctor (try searching under "took MCAT 4(or 5 or 6 or 3) times" in your favorite search engine). But as I said, I don't plan on being one of those people. I'd rather spend my time studying spanish and pre-reading for the usmle than trying to bust out a decent score on the MCAT. I've given all I can to the MCAT fo' sheazy.

rokshana
05-16-2006, 09:33 AM
McGill, I was not planning on taking the MCAT again. As I said in my original post, the schools in PR have lower MCAT averages which is why I wanted to apply there. I speak enough spanish to go to those schools so I'd like to give the application process there a shot.

did you take a kaplan or princeton review class for any of you mcats? If a 22 is your highest, then i would say if you aren't going to take them again, you should try for DO schools if you want to stay in the US or just go to Ross (i mean you have the guarantee for ross- so it won't hurt you to try for the DO schools) - I'm not sure about the MCAT requirements for the PR schools, but if you are connected to PR and fit their criteria- you should apply!! The PR schools are LCME schools so that would be an advantage!!

LastDance
05-16-2006, 10:20 AM
In medical schools in PR, are all the classes taught in spanish?


thanks

orthomodel
05-16-2006, 10:38 AM
From what I've read, the classes in PR school are taught in spanish but the texts and exams are in english. Some professors may teach in english but most don't. Also, it helps to hear things in spanish because you shadow md's during your first year so you'll need to know what the patients are saying. And most if not all the patients you see during your 3rd and 4th years speak spanish. One of the schools, Ponce, requires that you be fluent before you enroll and also requires 6 credits of spanish as a prereq while the other, UC Caribe doesn't, but you have to have taken 12 credits of spanish before you enroll at UCC. U of Puerto Rico only accepts people from PR or people with strong ties since they're state-supported, but the other 2 are private.

Junito
05-16-2006, 11:15 PM
The PR schools may have lower MCAT req, but they are still very competitive. They may place a stronger emphasis on other aspects of the application than the MCAT scores. I would apply to the PR schools and go to Ross in the meantime. I knew someone who went to Ross who was on a waitlist for Temple Univ, during the end of the semester he received the call that he was accepted. He didn't finish the semester by the way...;)