Encouragement For Students Applying in Near Future - Please Help!!!

[Confused 20]

Hello, I will be applying to Saba for the May 2010 semester in the near future and I was wondering if anybody would be so kind as to provide me encouragement if he or she believes that I will be granted admission. Any input by anyone who is or was in a similar predicament and was granted acceptance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for anyone who is kind enough to reply and offer his or her input. Have a great day.

My statistics are as follows:
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, December 2009
University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut
Graduating Summa Cum Laude with an overall GPA of 3.833
Major GPA: 3.914
Science GPA: 3.810

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Volunteer at local hospital Same Day Surgery Department - 955 hours
Research Assistant at University of Connecticut Health Center Genetics Lab - 213 hours
Research Assistant for Poeciliine Gonopodium Length and Size Dependence of Mating Strategies: A Comparative Analysis Research Project - 1 semester
Research Assistant for Multi-Component Evaluation to Minimize the Spread of Aquatic Invasive
Seaweeds, Harmful Algal Bloom Microalgae, and Invertebrates via the Live Bait Vector in Long Island Sound Research Project - 2 summers
Research Assistant for The Asian red seaweed Grateloupia turuturu (Rhodophyta) invades the Gulf of Maine Research Project - 1 summer
Biology Tutor - 1 semester
Member of Premedical Society - 1 year
Volunteer at local Soup Kitchen - 2 years

ACCOLADES/ACHIEVEMENTS
Capital Scholarship winner
Dean's List - 7 occasions
Honor's Note - Economics
New England Scholar - 3 occasions
National Merit Scholar Honor Club Member
Golden Key Honor Club Member
Phi Kappa Phi Honor Club Member
Excellence in Biology Award - 2007
Certificate of Appreciation - Local Hospital

EMPLOYMENT
1/07-present Certified Nursing Assistant

No MCAT
No Physics
Will be taking Organic Chemistry II this fall as I graduate in December
2 Letters of Recommendation from science professors

[sgMD]

we regularly check the 'what are my chances' thread on this forum... please post admission questions on the right thread to get an answer...

[Dr.30564]

Hello, I will be applying to Saba for the May 2010 semester in the near future and I was wondering if anybody would be so kind as to provide me encouragement if he or she believes that I will be granted admission. Any input by anyone who is or was in a similar predicament and was granted acceptance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for anyone who is kind enough to reply and offer his or her input. Have a great day.

My statistics are as follows:
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, December 2009
University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut
Graduating Summa Cum Laude with an overall GPA of 3.833
Major GPA: 3.914
Science GPA: 3.810

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Volunteer at local hospital Same Day Surgery Department - 955 hours
Research Assistant at University of Connecticut Health Center Genetics Lab - 213 hours
Research Assistant for Poeciliine Gonopodium Length and Size Dependence of Mating Strategies: A Comparative Analysis Research Project - 1 semester
Research Assistant for Multi-Component Evaluation to Minimize the Spread of Aquatic Invasive
Seaweeds, Harmful Algal Bloom Microalgae, and Invertebrates via the Live Bait Vector in Long Island Sound Research Project - 2 summers
Research Assistant for The Asian red seaweed Grateloupia turuturu (Rhodophyta) invades the Gulf of Maine Research Project - 1 summer
Biology Tutor - 1 semester
Member of Premedical Society - 1 year
Volunteer at local Soup Kitchen - 2 years

ACCOLADES/ACHIEVEMENTS
Capital Scholarship winner
Dean's List - 7 occasions
Honor's Note - Economics
New England Scholar - 3 occasions
National Merit Scholar Honor Club Member
Golden Key Honor Club Member
Phi Kappa Phi Honor Club Member
Excellence in Biology Award - 2007


EMPLOYMENT
5/07-present Certified Nursing Assistant

No MCAT
No Physics
Will be taking Organic Chemistry II this fall as I graduate in December
2 Letters of Recommendation from science professors

nah, you'll never get in.

[Confused 20]

Thank you very much for your reply. Can you provide a brief explanation as to why you feel that I will definitely not gain admittance? Do you have any suggestions as to what I may do to ensure being accepted? Do you feel that I should finish Organic Chemistry II and graduate and apply in January 2010 for the January 2011 semester? Do you feel that this will improve my chances of gaining admittance a great deal? Thank you in advance for your reply.

[devildoc8404]

Dr.30564 was being sarcastic. Your stats and activities are (obviously) fine, as far as that goes.

Either you are lacking the sense of humor gene, or you are looking for electronic ego strokes.

Some pertinent questions might be:

Why are you applying to the Carib and not Stateside (MD and DO)? Why didn't you take the MCAT? It's absolutely worth it to look at US schools FIRST, even if it takes an extra semester or two.

[Dr.30564]

Thank you very much for your reply. Can you provide a brief explanation as to why you feel that I will definitely not gain admittance? Do you have any suggestions as to what I may do to ensure being accepted? Do you feel that I should finish Organic Chemistry II and graduate and apply in January 2010 for the January 2011 semester? Do you feel that this will improve my chances of gaining admittance a great deal? Thank you in advance for your reply.

Confused 20,

I'll tell you what I really think . . . you're in great shape (providing you're not curving your stats). You've must finish the req though (organic) and do decent on the MCAT. Good luck.

[Confused 20]

I wish to thank you two individuals for your reply. The reason I have decided to apply to the Caribbean is my age. I am very much older than the traditional applicant and I have grown frustrated with pursuing medicine because I very well realize how tremendously competitive gaining entry to a United States school is and I very well may be declined admittance if I score below a 30 on the MCAT. I feel this is very likely because I only performed slightly above average on the SAT. Furthermore, it is also very likely that I will perform poorly if granted an interview because I get very nervous in such situations and often show it. Lastly, I am worried that my Letters of Recommendation may not be strong enough because I am a relatively quiet student. To waste more time pursuing medicine in vain would cause me greater frustration because I have yet to have a career and wish to achieve my dream of becoming a physician as soon as possible.

Devildoc, do you believe that I will be granted admission based on my current statistics for the May 2010 semester?

Dr. 30564, do you feel that it would be an impossibility for me to gain acceptance if I do not take the MCAT? I was under the impression that individuals were still being granted admittance to Saba without having taken the MCAT. I was hoping that I had a chance of gaining acceptance because I am applying to the least competitive semester (May) and have solid GPAs (Overall - 3.833, Science - 3.810)

Any input from you two or anyone else registered to this forum will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[B_W_]

Nothing personal but the road to becoming a licensed and practicing MD is paved with exams and interviews much more stressful than the MCAT and admission interview. If you start ducking these ones how do you think you'll prepare for the ones to come? :confused:

As for figuiring out where you stand it's very simple. Compare your stats with the ones already posted by accepted students and if you are in that range then you probably have a chance.

[Confused 20]

Thank you for your response B_W_. I fully realize that becoming a physician requires a great deal of standardized examinations and stressful interviews. I was hoping that being granted admission to a good school like Saba would improve my confidence. Furthermore, making progression in medical school would cause me to acquire even more confidence, making good performances such aforementioned examinations and interviews more achievable. I have always dreamed of becoming a physician and I believe the Caribbean is my only hope of realizing this dream.

It is difficult to ascertain where I stand with respect to gaining admittance because my statistics diverge from many of the applicants on this website. My GPAs are higher than average (overall - 3.833, science- 3.810), however, I do not have some of the optional prerequisites that many applicants have (No MCAT, No Physics). This is why I am very interested in finding out if there are individuals who are similar to I that have been granted admission and also the opinions of others who have been through the admissions process.

Thanks again for your reply. Any further opinions would also be greatly appreciated.

[anesthetic_ambitions]

Confused 20 ...

Your GPA is good, great really, but your major hinderance as you know is not taking the MCAT. I'm not on any admissions board but I thnk few here would disagree that you most likely will get into a few Carib schools (the ones that don't require MCATs), but the Big 3 won't take you. You need to take the MCAT. Yeah it can be intimidating for some but it's a necessary evil, and other exams await you that are much harder as others have stated.

It would be a shame for you to have that GPA and not apply to the Big 3 or even D.O. schools in the states. If nothing else just take a sample MCAT online and see how you do. Also taking a physics course and finishing Organic II at a community college or wherever is a must. These are basic requirements for most if not all the Carib. schools, there really isn't any getting around that.

[devildoc8404]

Yes to the above. I'm not at Saba, but it's still the truth.

You can dodge the MCAT, but there is no way around the USMLE (Steps 1, 2cs, 2ck, AND 3).

You might dodge interviews at this point, but there is no way around interviewing for the match.

You have a very nice GPA, don't waste the opportunity to take a few extra courses and the MCAT, and get accepted to a school in the States. (And I don't say that lightly... I'm 95% sure that I'm older than you.) DO schools will sometimes accept students with MCATs in the mid-20's with good grades and experience, both of which you already have.

If you are worried about how you will interview, take steps now to change that. Join Toastmasters and force yourself to learn to speak publicly, or something. Take active steps to gain better interpersonal skills, rather than hiding behind the "I'm Quiet And Shy" mask. That won't cut it later, so why settle for it now?

Seriously, look US first. At least try and don't sell yourself short. Going overseas is a ton more work and more headaches that you don't need.

[Dr.30564]

I wish to thank you two individuals for your reply. The reason I have decided to apply to the Caribbean is my age. I am very much older than the traditional applicant and I have grown frustrated with pursuing medicine because I very well realize how tremendously competitive gaining entry to a United States school is and I very well may be declined admittance if I score below a 30 on the MCAT. I feel this is very likely because I only performed slightly above average on the SAT. Furthermore, it is also very likely that I will perform poorly if granted an interview because I get very nervous in such situations and often show it. Lastly, I am worried that my Letters of Recommendation may not be strong enough because I am a relatively quiet student. To waste more time pursuing medicine in vain would cause me greater frustration because I have yet to have a career and wish to achieve my dream of becoming a physician as soon as possible.

Devildoc, do you believe that I will be granted admission based on my current statistics for the May 2010 semester?

Dr. 30564, do you feel that it would be an impossibility for me to gain acceptance if I do not take the MCAT? I was under the impression that individuals were still being granted admittance to Saba without having taken the MCAT. I was hoping that I had a chance of gaining acceptance because I am applying to the least competitive semester (May) and have solid GPAs (Overall - 3.833, Science - 3.810)

Any input from you two or anyone else registered to this forum will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
I do not think it is impossible to gain admissions without the mcat (since you have good stats). Although, I dont work for the admissions. If I were in your shoes I think I'd call saba and ask them over the phone. From what I've heard they are rather friendly. I really do not see any reason they would not admit you due to your high GPA. Did you go to a junior college? If so, ive heard they prefer you to take the MCAT. If they do want you to take it . . . based on your gpa you'll be just fine. Dont stress over it; just do it.

[TimNCSU]

Confused,

I have had friends gain entrance to US Medical schools with a 3.3, 3.5 etc. Since you have a rather good GPA, I suggest you just take the MCAT, the physics class and apply to US schools. I was in a similar situation where I was about to come to a caribbean school because of a 3.0 undergrad GPA. I was talked into taking some graduate level courses while working and studying for the MCAT and was able to gain acceptance to US school. If you are worried about your score on the MCAT, buy a preparation book from kaplan or princeton review. Those helped increase my score by 10 points.

[Experienced]

Hello, I will be applying to Saba for the May 2010 semester in the near future and I was wondering if anybody would be so kind as to provide me encouragement if he or she believes that I will be granted admission. Any input by anyone who is or was in a similar predicament and was granted acceptance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for anyone who is kind enough to reply and offer his or her input. Have a great day.

My statistics are as follows:
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, December 2009
University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut
Graduating Summa Cum Laude with an overall GPA of 3.833
Major GPA: 3.914
Science GPA: 3.810

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Volunteer at local hospital Same Day Surgery Department - 955 hours
Research Assistant at University of Connecticut Health Center Genetics Lab - 213 hours
Research Assistant for Poeciliine Gonopodium Length and Size Dependence of Mating Strategies: A Comparative Analysis Research Project - 1 semester
Research Assistant for Multi-Component Evaluation to Minimize the Spread of Aquatic Invasive
Seaweeds, Harmful Algal Bloom Microalgae, and Invertebrates via the Live Bait Vector in Long Island Sound Research Project - 2 summers
Research Assistant for The Asian red seaweed Grateloupia turuturu (Rhodophyta) invades the Gulf of Maine Research Project - 1 summer
Biology Tutor - 1 semester
Member of Premedical Society - 1 year
Volunteer at local Soup Kitchen - 2 years

ACCOLADES/ACHIEVEMENTS
Capital Scholarship winner
Dean's List - 7 occasions
Honor's Note - Economics
New England Scholar - 3 occasions
National Merit Scholar Honor Club Member
Golden Key Honor Club Member
Phi Kappa Phi Honor Club Member
Excellence in Biology Award - 2007


EMPLOYMENT
5/07-present Certified Nursing Assistant

No MCAT
No Physics
Will be taking Organic Chemistry II this fall as I graduate in December
2 Letters of Recommendation from science professors

Are you from Canada?

[Confused 20]

No I am not from Canada. I am a citizen of the United States. Any input from you or anyone else willing to reply is still greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[radsalltheway]

Confused,

I have had friends gain entrance to US Medical schools with a 3.3, 3.5 etc. Since you have a rather good GPA, I suggest you just take the MCAT, the physics class and apply to US schools. I was in a similar situation where I was about to come to a caribbean school because of a 3.0 undergrad GPA. I was talked into taking some graduate level courses while working and studying for the MCAT and was able to gain acceptance to US school. If you are worried about your score on the MCAT, buy a preparation book from kaplan or princeton review. Those helped increase my score by 10 points.

What school are you at? if you dont mind me asking