this is not a place for personal questions…

I started taking graduate courses while working full-time. I had a really good academic and extracurricular record in undergrad. However, on my 5th graduate course, Introduction to Java, (in the other four courses I got 2 A’s and 2 A-’s) I helped a friend (who was mourning the loss of a family member) with one of his homework assignments and we both got disciplined for inappropriate collaboration and were required to withdraw from the course. Obviously, I understand where the school is coming from – that was against the rules, regardless of my good intentions. I have definitely learned my lesson. I was also put on probation for a year so I haven’t been able to take other courses yet. But I plan on it.

I have 4 questions:
1) Do I have to report this under institutional action even though I was just taking random courses (not towards a degree)?
2) If so, in my explanation should I explain the circumstances under which I was disciplined or should I just say that I am sorry and that I have learned my lesson. I feel like an explanation is necessary to show that I was, albeit misguidedly, just trying to help someone – I had no personal gain in it.
3) What are the chances of medical schools still considering a good candidate for medical school?
4) Is there any thing I can do, besides taking more courses, to show that I am not a dishonest person?

Thanks

I am in a difficult situation. When I was a junior in college three years ago I took my MCAT without proper preparation and I scored a 24Q. I knew that I needed better scores to get into medical school; therefore I decided that I was not going to take the test again until I was properly prepared. I just retook the MCAT last month and when my scores came back the other day I was devastated because I had scored a 23M. I studied really hard for the test, however my nerves really got the best of me that day and instead of going with my gut instinct and voiding the test I allowed it to be scored. Now I am at a crossroad in my life and I’m not sure which direction I should go in. I have been asking around for advice and most people have told me to forget about becoming a doctor because I had my chance to prove myself and I essentially blew it by doing even worse on my MCAT.

Just to give you some background information. I am the first person in my family to graduate with a bachelor’s degree. I graduated 9th in a high school class of close to 400 students. I struggled with my SATs and got wait-listed and eventually rejected from several excellent undergraduate institutions. Regardless, I got into my safety school, which was an average small liberal arts college and in my four years there I did my best to get the most out of my education. I have always loved science; therefore I majored in Biology and minored in Chemistry. As a member of my school’s honors program I worked hard to excel in the classroom. When I graduated two years ago I held a 4.0 science GPA and a 3.98 cumulative GPA.

Outside of class I did not do as much as I could have done. I had a lot of scholarships, however they did not cover my entire tuition and I was afraid of letting my grades slip because I knew that I would be the person paying off my loans after graduation. My major extracurricular/passion outside of the classroom was research. I began doing research at my school the summer after my freshman year of college and I continued to do research year round until I graduated. Overall, I spent three summers working in my school’s research lab and one summer working in a biomedical science lab at a Fortune 500 company.

I decided to take time off after I graduated because I felt burned out and I did not think that I would be able to handle the stress of medical school. In addition, with age I figured out that there was a lot more to medical school then I knew and that a lot of sacrifice and responsibility comes with wearing that coveted white coat. I looked at my time off as a way to prepare myself mentally for the rigors of a medical education, as well as a time to evaluate my life and decide if I really wanted to go into medicine. With that being said, I spent the summer after graduation doing research at my school. I simultaneously volunteered at a psychiatric hospital for six months. I shadowed a physician for a day, secondary to time constraints in their schedule. All of that was followed by a two month break at which time I went to job fairs/interviews, I met with my research advisor and worked on turning my research data into publications and I also spent time overcoming a personal illness. Finally, at the end of those two months I found my current job. Over the past year, I have been working in an emergency department shadowing doctors while they examine patients, typing their notes, tracking down diagnostics, making phone calls and doing anything and everything to help the doctors effectively treat their patients. Working this past year has made me want medicine more than I have ever wanted it before. I love my job and I could not imagine doing anything else for the rest of my life, however it seems like the MCAT is cutting my dream short.

I realize that I have made a lot of mistakes and that I could have done things differently in order to make myself a better candidate for medical school. I realize that compared to other students I am probably a mediocre candidate. I want this badly, however I feel like my hands are tied and that there is nothing that I can do to dig myself out of the hole that I am currently standing in. I am about to turn twenty-four and my advisors have told me to stop wasting time and move on with my life. Is my dream shot or should I still give it a try? I have never applied to medical school and I am afraid that if I just give up that I will always be questioning myself.

As of now I am registered to take the MCAT again in July. My scores will not come back until September, so I am technically late in the application cycle. In addition, I’m trying to work full-time overnights, study, fill out my application, write a personal statement and balance my personal life. In all honesty the stress of everything is starting to make me question my decision to pursue this career and I do not think that I will be able to do any of the things that I need to do in that kind of mindset. Would it be better for me to take another year off and do things the right way or should I just move on? Thanks for your advice.

I just came across your article and found it very similar to the advice I have received from my advisor. After reading that the medical schools do not evaluate an application until all the scores are released even if I apply in June, I became worried. I am currently waitlisted to one medical school and am on “hold” for another. I am beginning the application process again and have not retaken the MCAT because I did not expect to be going through this process again. I just rescheduled the MCAT a week ago for the July 31st date. After reading your article, I realized that my application would not be evaluated until after September 1st, and I don’t want a repeat of last year. I thought the schools would still evaluate me with my old score. I applied late last year because I took the MCAT in August and one of my recommendation letter writers did not provide me with the letter until November!!!

So, is it better to apply with a 28O and a 3.86 overall GPA in June or take a chance and take the MCAT in August hoping for a better score (thus applying “late”)?