Advice Please!

[gorgeous]

Hey!

 

I know this type of question has been asked before, please don't mind it being asked again. I could really use some advice.

 

I'm stuck between going to SGU or doing another year of undergrad. I have done 6 years of undergrad. This last year, I was supposed to do my 7th year; however, I got extremely sick and wasn't able to work or go to school. My physician advised against it. I am ready to start school again in the Fall. I am deciding between SGU or doing another undergrad year. My GPA is 3.59 and my best 2 years are 3.76. My MCAT is 30Q.

 

I was interviewed at two schools in Canada this past cycle; however, rejected at both post-interview.

 

If you were in my situation, would you go to SGU? Will the fact I wasn't doing much this last year reflect poorly upon my application?

 

Thanks in advance

[Mashmetoo]

Hey!

 

I know this type of question has been asked before, please don't mind it being asked again. I could really use some advice.

 

I'm stuck between going to SGU or doing another year of undergrad. I have done 6 years of undergrad. This last year, I was supposed to do my 7th year; however, I got extremely sick and wasn't able to work or go to school. My physician advised against it. I am ready to start school again in the Fall. I am deciding between SGU or doing another undergrad year. My GPA is 3.59 and my best 2 years are 3.76. My MCAT is 30Q.

 

I was interviewed at two schools in Canada this past cycle; however, rejected at both post-interview.

 

If you were in my situation, would you go to SGU? Will the fact I wasn't doing much this last year reflect poorly upon my application?

 

Thanks in advance

 

Your problem isn't at all related to doing more undergraduate course work. Spending a 7th year also won't likely help you that much unless you get all 90%+ on all your subjects with a full course load (4-5 full year credits) to actually have those marks make a difference in your cGPA. The main problem is applying to a WIDE range of schools and NOT fixating with getting into a med school in Canada, or in your current case,the other extreme, which is to fixate with ONLY going to SGU.

 

Right now, you are between a rock and a hard place. It's either going to some Caribbean school, even if it is SGU, versus doing yet another year of undergrad... But from what you are saying, you were really close matriculating in a North American school..

 

It really depends on you at this moment, do YOU think you can wait yet another cycle to apply to more schools? - e.g., US MD schools, US Osteopathic medical schools (especially!), Canadian schools again? Or, can you wait no more, and just want to start Med asap? I know that SGU takes in students 3 times a year, so you can theoreticalkly go to SGU this December, or Jan 2011. Before you jump the gun on SGU, KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO BECOME AN IMG AS A CANADIAN. Personally, I'd never go to a Caribbean school, I discovered the secret of American Osteopathic medicine, and I'm happy I made that choice. If you are interested, I have several posts that are a good start:

 

http://www.premed101.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42401

 

If you did apply to an Osteopathic medical school, with your stats, I'd say with good certainty that you are IN.

 

also here are some posts from people in similar situation as you:

 

http://www.premed101.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42987

 

http://www.premed101.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42905

[nosuperman]

Assuming you've gone through the aforementioned other posts on this, what sort of things stand out as important, or confusing, or relevant specifically to your decision?

 

For instance - do you think an extra year would help your application significantly? Is it reasonable that you could get a 3.9 or 4.0 because another 3.75-3.8 wouldn't necessarily help a whole lot. Would you be willing to rewrite the MCAT and study for a higher, more competitive score?

 

Alternately, how do you feel about practicing in the US or trying to apply to Canada as an IMG?

 

The best answer to your question should involve consideration for not only your posted GPA/MCAT but equally these personal aspects.