Please give me some advices

[kaw]

Hi Everybody,

Would you please comment on my situation? I just graduate from University of California, Irvine in Biological science (Cum GPA : 3.76, and science GPA3.94, I got straight A in all the science classes except the neuroscience lab). I have volunteered in 3 different hospitals for 5 years. Two years of Biomedical research experience at UCI medical schools, and recently got a scholarship from National Institutes of Health (a scholarship for student who pursue a career in medicine, a one year fellowship, so I am doing cancer reseach at NIH in Maryland). I also worked as a tutor at UCI, and got certified. Three years ago, I went on an exchange program at United Kingdom and study accounting and finance. I also participated in the 21st leadership progarm etc...My MCAT scorce in 2002 is 29 (7-vebral, 11-bio, 11-phy), I felt that was terrible, so I re-took it at 2003, but I did even worse than the first one ( v-5. b-11, p-11)....Since i am not an native speaker, I was immigrated from china 3 years ago, so I did suck at vebral reaoning.....so...do you think I should go for ROSS or re-take the MCAT again (In the past two attempts, I have never taken any MCAT perview class, so this time I will take a per-class if I take it again) and re-apply for a U.S. medical school :oops:

Karen

[biologyman]

How many times have you reapplied? If you really want to go to a US school, then try again. You seem to have a very good chance for a US med school, but living in CA is always a disadvantage for anyone. It is simply a competitive state. You seemed like you worked very hard for this, so don't give up now. I wasn't as active as you are. I only did few volunteering here and there. I also took the MCAT twice. Vebal-5, Physical Science-10, Bio-10. The second (V-7, P-11, B-10) I got rejected twice, so that's why I decided to come to Ross. If you did applied to the US med schools and they all rejected you, then you should definitely call them to ask them why they made such a decision. That way, you can be more direct and fix whatever you need to try to get in the next time. I know someone in my class who had a 3.7 and 34 MACT. So, it happens. It all depends on how much you are willing to wait, and give for a US school. With your position, and if you want it bad enough, then it is definitely your. Remeber this is only one of the steps in a very long path you are going to take. You still have a long way ahead of you.

[njmd]

Karen,

I think you have a great chance at US medical schools. The verbal is the only thing you need to improve on. Consider applying to other private schools in other states as well as some state schools elsewhere that accept nonstate students.

You seem to be a very well rounded candidate. I am sure you would get in. Did you only apply to CA schools or other too?

But in the meantime apply to Caribbean schools like St. George's and Ross just in case; so you don't waste time.

Good Luck,
njmd

[Mo716]

You stand an excellent chance of getting into med school in the United States. You have two choices. Either you can use this upcoming year and better yourself in some way to make yourself look more attractive to U.S. med schools (research, work, re-take the MCAT, etc.) and re-apply, or you can come to a Caribbean med school (which I predict you will easily be accepted to) and start school right away. It all depends on you and whether you feel that being in U.S. med school is worth the wait.

I also happen to be from Southern California and I had a GPA and MCAT scores that were pretty much like the ones you have, but I was in a position where I would have had to wait a year to apply to U.S. med schools, so I decided to come to Ross and get started. I don't exactly regret the decision I made, but if I had to do it all over again I'd wait the year and apply to U.S. schools.

I imagine that you live in the Los Angeles/Orange County area, and I think you're in a great place right now where you have plenty of opportunities to extend your credentials to make yourself more attractive to med schools. Caribbean med school is a good way to go, but it should be your LAST OPTION after all others have been exhausted, and you haven't reach that point yet.

[ny_doctor_dream]

Same here. Good GPA, good overall (30+)MCAT score, but got 6 on verbal on the second try. If I had a 7 or 8 in verbal, I would have a much better chance of getting in US schools. Verbal is definitely a killer for me. But since you have not take a prep course, you will have some room to improve, but verbal is very difficult for a non-native speaker.
I personally don't want to wait any more. If I do not get into US schools this year, I will come to any Caribean schools that accept me as I am getting older and older.... :(
I have heard that 7 on verbal with 11-12+ on science you will have a chance. Good luck!!!

I feel Ross is a respectable school with good USMLE passing rate. If you are capable, you should not have any problem of finding residency after gradutation. After residency, it will not matter where you graduate from except you are interested in academic medicine.

[2ndyear]

Karen,

Your academic resume is very impressive. I think you'll do better in verbal this time around and get in a stateside school. Gosh I really wish we have more people like you coming to RUSM instead of the mommy's boys and daddy's girls (frat boys, sorority girls, failed jocks, etc.) that saturate this medical school with their immaturity and insecurity. Best of luck to you!

Try the private schools on the East Coast, they'll love to take applicants like you. RUSM is a good medical school but this place is for the risktakers and the most determined students.

[kaw]

Hi guys,

Thanks for your advice! I applied for the U.S. medical school in 2002 for the 2003 entering classes, and got 4 interviews from U of Pitt, Wake Forest, Albert Einster, and U of Virginia....but I didn't get in anyone of them....so I am considering Ross :P (I think it is the best caribbean school), and to retake the 2003 April MCAT...anyway, my plan is like that I will try my best to get accepted by Ross First, and then re-take the MCAT in April...If i do well in the coming MCAT, i will re-apply for the U.S. medical school and defer the offer from Ross....If I still do suck on verbal reasoning, I will just go for Ross in the coming Sept....Do you guys think it is a good idea? (My friend from NIH was in my position two years ago (v-6, b-11, p-11), but he didn't give up. He was working very hard at NIH, and spent two years to study English. AS a result, he got a 10 in vebral reasoning this year, and got accepted by many medical schools. Thus, he told me it is possible to improve the v scorce as long as you work hard.)

Karen