Medical school applicants (or any other professional school applicant) must assess their credentials realistically to present themselves in the best possible way during the application process. Since applicants are evaluated based on specific quantitative criteria (primarily undergraduate GPA and MCAT scores) and non-quantitative criteria (research and clinical exposure, leadership skills, mentoring experiences), as well as…
How Does the Med School Adcom View Multiple MCAT Scores?
In 2007, the MCAT was first offered electronically. Prior to this technological shift, the MCAT was only offered a limited number of times a year – as a paper and pencil exam. AAMC also restricted the number of times you could take the exam in one year as well as in your lifetime. Now that…
Are Low Stats a Total Dealbreaker for Med School Adcoms?
So you got your MCAT score back–it wasn’t what you’d hoped for. Or maybe despite working as hard as you could, your undergraduate GPA is just average. It’s natural to worry that these numbers will doom your chances of getting into a top med school program. But that isn’t necessarily the case! A well-constructed application…
What Every Premed Student Needs to Know About Retaking Classes
If you have retaken classes in the past or will need to retake a class in the future, reading this post will tell you what you need to know about how the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOMAS) and the Association of American Medical Colleges (AMCAS) view these grades. AACOMAS and the AAMC…
Low Stats Got You Stressed About Med School?
Our recent webinar, Get Accepted to Med School with Low Stats, was a masterclass in how to overcome those not-so-great profile numbers. If you’re worried that your low stats will keep you from the med school of your dreams, you need to watch this video now! Watch the webinar!
How Your Academic Statistics Influence Your Medical School Choices
The most reliable source of information about allopathic medical schools is provided on the Medical School Admissions Requirements (MSAR) website, offered by the AAMC. It is worth purchasing access to this database because the statistics it contains can be extremely valuable in helping you decide where to apply. Before you begin exploring the school data,…
Boost Your GPA for Medical School Acceptance
In our last post, we talked about how to best present yourself in your secondaries and interviews. Today we’ll move forward and discuss ways to boost your GPA, another important feature of your med school application profile. Feeling a bit fragile after those intense last few blog posts? That’s to be expected – you’ve just…
3 Ways to Deal with a Low MCAT Score
After weeks of patiently waiting, you finally receive your MCAT score, only to realize that it’s much lower than you’d hoped. In this situation, you have several options. First, take some time to think; it’s not a good idea to make a decision immediately after receiving your score. Give it some time. Identify and consider…
Writing About Weaknesses in Your Med School Personal Statement
When coming up with material for your medical school personal statement, it’s important that you ask yourself the following: Are there any weaknesses, any holes in my information, or any questionable data that somebody may question about my application? You don’t want your admissions reader getting to the end of your application and then asking,…
Improve Your MCAT Score for Medical School Acceptance
Fortunately, it’s easier to tackle a poor MCAT score than a poor GPA. While you should not retake the exam too many times, a better-prepared second or possibly third attempt can be a sound strategy. Many people find that studying independently or with a group of friends works well. Reviewing your old class notes and…
Rejected From Medical School 3x – Today a Pediatric Resident and Mom [Episode 238]
You’ve taken the MCAT, maybe even applied and been rejected. Discouraged? Don’t be. Hear Dr. Allie’s story. Allie Lyle had wanted to be a doctor since she was 14. More specifically she wanted to be a pediatrician. And she pursued this path diligently. But the MCAT and a few mistakes got in her way. She…
How to Improve Your Study Skills to Become a More Competitive Med School Applicant
As an aspiring doctor, you have a lot on your plate. Upgrading your study skills now can help you learn to be more efficient about how you study, save you time, help you improve your grades, and allow you to establish the skills that will see you through medical school. These strategies can make a…
GPA Issues When Applying to Med School: What to do With a “W”
Almost everybody has a blemish on their GPA. Usually it’s a failed class or a semester of poor grades. But there’s also the issue of how a “W” on your transcript will affect your chance of admission to medical school. The truth is that withdrawing from one or two classes is not going to hurt…
Applying to Medical School with a Low Science GPA
The process of applying to medical school is stressful. Applying with a low science GPA can make the process even more nerve-wracking. For over five years with the UC Davis School of Medicine Postbaccalaureate Program, I specialized in helping students with low numbers apply successfully to medical schools across the country. In my last year…
Applying to Med School With Low Stats? Read This.
Medical school admissions are competitive: it’s a fact of the process. If your GPA or MCAT is lower than average for your target schools, you may be facing an extra level of worry. Can you mitigate your low stats with a great essay? Or should you take a step back and focus on raising your…
An M1 Who Smashed Every Obstacle on Her Path to Med School
This interview is the latest in an Accepted blog series featuring interviews with medical school applicants and students, offering readers a behind-the-scenes look at top medical schools and the med school application process. And now, introducing Shantrice…. Accepted: We’d like to get to know you! Where are you from? Where and what did you study…
What to do About a Low GPA, an Encore [Episode 201]
Many of you are planning ahead for your first application this summer and fall. Others are concerned that you may need to reapply because the news you’ve received so far isn’t what you wanted. In either case, if your grades are a concern, this podcast is for you. This week, join us for a rebroadcast…
Your Past Doesn’t Define You [Episode 209]
Today’s one of those shows where I’m going to be the sole presenter. I actually started preparing this show during the World Series way back in October. Yes, folks, after 108 years of losing, the Chicago Cubs finally won the World Series. At the same time, we were working (and have worked in the past)…
What to Do About a Low GPA [Episode 146]
This week, join us for a rebroadcast of one of our most popular shows – our discussion of how to address a low GPA. Many applicants are concerned about their undergrad GPAs, and nervous that their GPA might be too low for their target graduate program. If this is you, don’t miss this episode! Accepted’s founder…
Help Your Child Boost Their Premed GPA
Do you want to help your premed child get into med school…without having to nag or stress them out? This series has loads of concrete, actionable advice that will help your premed discover their competitive advantage and get Accepted! A low GPA is probably the hardest area to improve. This makes sense – it was years in the…
