Cal's Career Center Health Team

AMCAS Application Workshop Tomorrow!

Presented by Cal Alumni Association & Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions
Sponsored by Sigma Mu Delta, Asian American Health Society, and Pre-Med Honors Society.
Tuesday, May 1st at 7pm
University of California, Berkeley, Alumni House

At Kaplan's Annual AMCAS Workshop we will work through the "nuts and bolts" of the Medical School Primary application process.  Included in our discussion, will be a step by step approach to the student profile, academic records, short answer questions, and an introduction to the personal statement.  We will also explore how the AMCAS application fits into your Medical School Admissions timeline.
Snacks and beverages will be provided!

Seating is limited, please register at www.kaptest.com/mcat for this once a year event.

Jose H. Olivas

Cast Your Net Wide: Med School Applications

Your  health team advisors have this to say (in unison):  Apply to many schools.  Not 40, unless you are really looking forward to filling out secondaries.  Not even necessarily 30 schools...but please, please, please...apply to more than 15.  Take our word for it, no matter how much you want to live in California, New York, or any other geographical location, do not discount other good schools (which take out-of-state applicants) just because they aren't in places to which you are automatically drawn.  A good range to aim for is 21-25.  No matter what your scores and grades look like, no matter how varied and interesting your activities, there is no guarantee that any one school will love you enough to grant you a sought after position; sometimes the schools you have little love for are the ones who will embrace you wholeheartedly; and all of these schools will make you a doc.  If you don't want to find yourself taking on "reapplicant" status just because you were being too choosy, then broaden your scope and cast that net widely, pre-meds!

English Requirement for Medical School

Here's a common question we're getting from students these days:  "I have only completed half of the one-year English requirement for some medical schools.  Would it be okay for me to take the other half at a community college?" 

The answer is yes.  Most medical schools aren't particularly concerned with where you completed your English requirement, whether or not they are even stringent about it to begin with.   If you are really nervous about this, call a few schools and ask.  Don't worry, they won't blacklist you for it. 

Rachel   

Fee Assistance Programs

With the new AMCAS application season coming up, we want to make sure that you are ready for the costs associated with applying to medical school.  AMCAS offers a Fee Assistance Program that can help reduce the cost of primary applications for eligible students.  Here is some information from the AAMC website: 

The AAMC believes that the cost of applying to medical school should not be a financial barrier to individuals who are interested in becoming physicians. The AAMC Fee Assistance Program (FAP) assists MCAT examinees and AMCAS applicants who, without financial assistance, would be unable to take the MCAT examination or apply to medical schools that use the AMCAS application.

Applicants who are approved for fee assistance in 2008 receive the following benefits from the AAMC:

• Reduction of the MCAT registration fee from $210 to $85 for any registration submitted subsequent to the date of approval during the 2008 calendar year
• Waiver of the application fee of $520 for submitting the completed AMCAS application to up to 13 medical schools. Applicants pay $30 for each school beyond the 13 free applications.

In addition, most AMCAS-participating medical schools waive their supplemental application fees for applicants who have been granted fee assistance by the AAMC.

MCAT Scores

Quite a few of you have been calling up the Career Center concerned about your MCAT scores.  In an effort to keep you informed we thought we'd post some FAQs and answers here on the blog: 

1.  Now that I have my MCAT scores should I choose schools accordingly?

The MSAR presents you with the median scores and GPAs of the incoming class for each school.  This piece of information is only marginally useful.  After all, half of the MCAT scores were above, half below the reported score.  Schools look at many other factors besides scores; if you have outstanding personal qualities and experience and an average MCAT score, many schools won't weigh the score very heavily.  Choose schools based on their teaching methods, location, and other factors aside from scores.  Make sure that you select some schools that are less-than-ideal for one reason or another as "back-ups."  Do remember, however, that ANY AND EVERY medical school acceptance is a major achievement, don't be seduced by name-brand schools alone...and don't assume that if you do apply to a handful of the heavyweights they're only gonna want you for your MCAT score...although it may be a more important factor.      

2.  My score stinks.  Should I re-take the MCAT?

First of all, does it really stink?  How does it compare to the national average?  If your score is truly below average and you are considering retaking the MCAT, ask yourself the following questions:

-Was I sick that day?  Where there other  major factors that influenced my ability to do well on the test?  Extenuating circumstances? 

-Did I prepare to the best of my ability?  Did I study enough?

If you answered "no" to one or both of these questions, consider retaking the MCAT.  But please be cognizant of the fact that you will not be taking the same test you took the first time.  Your scores may drop in some categories unless you make sure to brush up on ALL the sections.  Many students receive a lower score in their verbal section, study, study, study to retake the MCAT, then succeed in raising their verbal score while their physical or biological plummets.  Not good.

If your score is 30 or higher, really think twice about retaking the MCAT.  Aside from having to answer all of those tough questions again, if your score drops you'll feel terrible.  Many people do manage to raise their scores the second time around, but it is no less work than the first time. 

3.   I don't care what you say, my verbal is terrible and I'm re-taking the MCAT!  How can I do better  the next time around? 

As a veteran pre-med advisor used to tell us, read the newspaper EVERY morning.  Understand the tacit content, the overall theme, and what is being SAID vs. what is  IMPLIED.  Remember, if English is your second language, medical schools definitely take that information into account! 

Your health team shares the following perspective:  Apply only when you are the strongest applicant you can be.  If you did your best on the MCAT, gracefully accept that and focus on addressing other parts of your application. 

Taking time out

Some schools think it's smarter for you to stagger out your pre-med courses, and encourage you to take some time off before you start medical school.

Fast-trackers abound here at Cal.  Students sometimes feel left behind if they haven't completed all of their pre-med courses come junior year.  Many medical schools view the situation differently, and feel that time out can strengthen a candidate’s application.  Here’s what your health team had to report after a recent conference at one UC medical school: 

If you're struggling in your pre-med courses, you're better off staggering them out. 

Sure, if you're a whiz at chem and are breezing through Physics 8B, you needn't worry about your grades.  But many students find that their grades suffer from cramming too many pre-med series courses into each semester...all in the name of applying to medical school at the soonest possible juncture.  Medical schools would much rather see good grades than hasty completion of pre-reqs.  Poor grades due to poor judgment doesn’t do much to boost any candidate’s application.  This particular medical school said, in no uncertain terms:  Take your time!

That year off looks good on you!

Some of the more competitive medical schools aren't likely to give as much consideration to students who are coming directly out of college unless they have done something extraordinary.  Many students pursue the same types of activities in an effort to be competitive that med schools are more likely to look at an applicant who has distinguished themselves in some way.  Enter the student who just spent the last year or two in a language immersion program, teaching for AmeriCorps, or working in as an EMT.  These applicants often stand out.  Of course, no one is going to think much of your year spent watching Nip/Tuck re-runs...so if you do decide to take your time, spend it doing something that counts!

Important Disclaimer:  Medical schools have different criteria for what makes a competitive applicant.  If you are confident about your candidacy as a junior, by all means, apply!  If you are struggling with your grades or feel that you need to boost your candidacy, than consider the advice above.  A year or two spent demonstrating your skills as a helper and leader can make a difference.  If you're unsure, make an appointment with a Career Center health advisor to discuss which options might work best for you.