Which if anyone from Wayne is reading this… the title pretty much cancels any internet anon I might have. 
I’m the 2nd oldest in my class. I will graduate 2 months before I turn 40.
Had a 2.98 uGPA, 3.74 post bacc GPA at an SMP, a 34 and a 28 on my MCATs.
My original degree was in art, I worked in computer programming.
I am never married and I have no kids, so I am not soo good on giving that advise.
However, if any one would like advise, please send me a message, and I’ll do my darn-dist to answer within a few weeks. 
- Yerivf Said:
Which if anyone from Wayne is reading this.... the title pretty much cancels any internet anon I might have.
I'm the 2nd oldest in my class. I will graduate 2 months before I turn 40.
Had a 2.98 uGPA, 3.74 post bacc GPA at an SMP, a 34 and a 28 on my MCATs.
My original degree was in art, I worked in computer programming.
I am never married and I have no kids, so I am not soo good on giving that advise.
However, if any one would like advise, please send me a message, and I'll do my darn-dist to answer within a few weeks.
I'm the 2nd oldest in my class. I will graduate 2 months before I turn 40.
Had a 2.98 uGPA, 3.74 post bacc GPA at an SMP, a 34 and a 28 on my MCATs.
My original degree was in art, I worked in computer programming.
I am never married and I have no kids, so I am not soo good on giving that advise.
However, if any one would like advise, please send me a message, and I'll do my darn-dist to answer within a few weeks.
Your advice and experience on getting into and getting thru medical school will always be appreciated. Don't have any hesitation in chiming in on the many threads we have on OPM!
Hello,
I recently ran across your post and I’m glad I did. You’re around my age and you attend Wayne State, where I want to go to re-take some pre-med prereqs. Is your post-bacc from Wayne? If so, how hard is it to get into that particular program? Were you heavily scrutinized because of your age and your undergrad GPA? My former dermatologist began med school at 38 at Wayne. I also know another lady that began at 42 (I believe). She’s in Internal Medicine now. Any thing that you would like to share would be greatly appreciated.
In many ways I feel I was more scrutinized for my low uGPA than for my age. I’d have to check with some of my classmates, but other ‘oldies’ who didn’t have as many difficulties in undergrad didn’t seem to get wait-listed as much as I did… but then again, I’m talking to all the people who got accepted, or got accepted off the wait-list.
A couple of the years I applied, there was little or no wait-list movement, and part of my problem was applying late. So I would say age doesn’t seem to be a big factor for Wayne, it’s showing you have the commitment to medicine, and that you have recognized and addressed any of the difficulties that have been holding you back.
I did an SMP at Cincinnati. I was asked why I didn’t do the BMS program at Wayne… and it was because I didn’t know about it. It’s not like they advertise it heavily from the SOM’s main website.
But here is a link in case anyone is interested: http://gradprograms.med.wayne.edu/program-spotlight.php?id=34
I can recommend Cincinnati program personally, and I know a few of my classmates came from the BMS program. My classmates liked Wayne’s program, felt it gave them a leg up on getting into Wayne, and were taught by many of the same profs who teach the med school’s sections. So if you are gun ho Wayne, I’d definitely apply to the BMS program.
As for how hard it is to get into… that I don’t know.
Cincy when I applied wanted a high MCAT and was decently competitive. Well if you didn’t have a high MCAT than it was very competitive. When I applied it seemed they liked 30 or above MCAT when a GPA at least around 3.0. If you had those things, you had a pretty good shot at getting in.
Hope this helps, you, or anyone else out there reading. 
So, here is my question…Is the BMS different from post-bacc? In my case, since I have an engineering background, I figured I need biology and org chem.
Now, I too was thinking about wayne state. Is it better to take this at a community college? Does wayne state have a program that can accomodate me? Post bacc?
I have been studying now for about 8 months and was about start taking the mcat in about 2 months.
Any suggestions will be appreciated guys.
Thanks!
Whether the BMS addresses some of the required coursework, that I don’t know.
Give admissions a call. Dawn is amazing and helpful. If you can’t get her, the rest of the staff are very nice (but if you have the bad luck of phoning on any of the busy call in days, they can be a bit brisk, just ask if there is a better time to call back).
Hope this helps!
And I hope to see you at Wayne before I rush off for residency!
You got 2 years, so hurry up! 
Ha hah! Keeping track of names helps!
Hi sirtosti!
1st, you will join the ranks of several previous engineers in our class. So know that your background will do you good now, and once you get into the med school.
I take it you have not taken in Biology yet. I would, before the MCAT. A ochem classwork deficency is easier to overcome than Biology, Gen Chem, Physics, and Biochem.
Advanced understanding of genetics is also very helpful.
If you haven’t taken all your pre-reqs, I would suggest holding off on the MCAT. It’s a big pain in the butt, and I hated having what seemed to me a ‘dead year’ between when I took the MCAT in the summer and hopefully going to school. But the MCAT isn’t something to mess around with. It’s better 1 and done, then giving people any possible excuses to disqualify you.
Because if you take the MCAT more than once, you will be questioned as to why.
Also, I don’t know if you know this, but you need your pre-reqs completed before you enter medical school. And if you haven’t been made aware, the MSAR is one of the best resources for pre-req planning.
It was $35 when I was applying, and it was the best money I ever spent.
But I still encourage you to check the BMS website about it’s coverage of pre-reqs, and if you still have questions, call the admissions office.
Wayne’s a big school, they may even have an official post-bac program if the BMS doesn’t cover it.
The thing is that I am on a second tour of my review books and feel like I’m ready for this MCAT thing. I feel like though I might not have all the pre-reqs, I should go for it.
My biggest concern though is this:
the biology ( 1 symester), orgo 1 and 2, were all taken at a community college. My physics and chem were taken also at a community college before I transfered to a 4 year college. I since graduated with a B.S. in Engineering.
Am I at a disadvantage because those weren’t taken on a 4 year school?
Would school’s look down on those? Should I retake those?
Since you need 2 semesters with lab of biology, and things change in about 5 years, I would take both semesters of biology with lab at a 4 year school. Meanwhile I would do the practice tests for the MCAT that are available online. Then take the MCAT’s and perhaps take biochemistry and a more advanced biology course (say, genetics) while doing your applications.
If you did well in the other courses, I’m not sure there is a benefit in retaking them at a 4 year college.
Kate
O wow! I am looking into this program as well! I am 31 with a uGPA of 2.87 and a gGPA of 3.27(traditional master’s in Cell Bio). Wayne and Eastern Mich respectively. My question is showld I take some undergrad courses for the BMS prog? Or am I good to go as is? I don’t want to risk getting screened outbecause of my 2.87. Thanks!
- Mcs0503 Said:
O wow! I am looking into this program as well! I am 31 with a uGPA of 2.87 and a gGPA of 3.27(traditional master's in Cell Bio). Wayne and Eastern Mich respectively. My question is showld I take some undergrad courses for the BMS prog? Or am I good to go as is? I don't want to risk getting screened outbecause of my 2.87. Thanks!
What do your grades look like in your core requirements?
You want ALL my grades? it’s a 2.87 so Bs and Cs. I am looking at taking the BMS program in the near future
I think what he meant was how does the 2.87 break out into science vs non-science, and how were your grades in the pre-requisite courses (intro biol, gen chem, org chem and phys). This is the way adcom’s will see them once entered into the AMCAS or AACOMAS application. Also, science / non-science are broken into undergrad, post-bacc which sum to give total undergrad. Then you see graduate GPA (again, sci / nonsci) and then total GPA (sci / nonsci).
Yea, what I was going for is if you have good grades in your core requirements (BCPM, or bio/chem/physics/math)- we don’t know if that GPA involves the same grades across the board or if there’s a distinct difference when you look at core requirements, BCPM, and total undergraduate as different entities. If the core requirement grades are good and the 2.87 represents your non-science grades pulling the science grades down, then it might be a good idea to target some upper-level science courses instead, or perhaps think of an SMP and plan a narrative in your personal statement that emphasizes your performance in science courses. The minutae in how that 2.87 breaks down will affect how you go about mitigating concerns it may cause for ADCOMS. You can’t change the past, but you do need look at the past under a microscope to determine exactly what your weaknesses are.
There are two things that can make any given grade problematic: how low it is and how old it is, and of course the resultant of the two. If you took 2 semesters of organic chemistry 10 years ago and got grades around B-/C+, I’d say to definitely retake them. If you took them 2 years ago and got an A- in each, then don’t bother- what would it prove? As you slide the scale between those extremes, of course, it becomes more of a judgment call.
If you want further advice (and I encourage you to ask if you do!), I’d suggest starting a new thread and linking back to this one. It’s easier if there’s an individual thread for each person’s situation.
I do have a thread that I posted awhile a ago is it reccommended that I bump it up? Also I am eyeing taking about 22 credits or so to get my GPA up to a 3.0 and then enrolling in Wayne States SMP prog. I think my sGPA is a little lower but my concern is that even if I do take an SMP that my gpa will be screened out as is unless I take a few undergrad courses(I know exactly which I will take)
The irony is that I have a B in Orgo I a B- in orgo 2 A/B in Physics I and II.
I got out of Wayne in 04 and Eastern in 08
Here is the link to my thread
http://www.oldpremeds.org/fusionbb/showtopic.php?t…
- Mcs0503 Said:
O wow! I am looking into this program as well! I am 31 with a uGPA of 2.87 and a gGPA of 3.27(traditional master's in Cell Bio). Wayne and Eastern Mich respectively. My question is showld I take some undergrad courses for the BMS prog? Or am I good to go as is? I don't want to risk getting screened outbecause of my 2.87. Thanks!
Sorry it took me a bit to reply.... Step 1, stress, blah blah blah.
I was not 'pre-screened' with my 2.98 uGPA. I applied like 4 times, and got wait-listed. (I applied late*, and since part of my 'weakness' was a shown propensity towards procrastination, this did not help demonstrate I had addressed all the factors that played into my low uGPA). So for these reasons I say apply this cycle# (if you have your MCAT and all that in order).
If you get wait-listed you can ask if them BMS will help address the weaknesses in your application. I know they can ignore your uGPA if you get a hard science Master's (Cell Bio counts), above a certain GPA. No I don't remember that cut off.
With this plan in place, you have a shot at getting into next year's class, and you can find out if the BMS will make a difference. But depending on how timelines for applying to the BMS (and your needs, etc) align, it may also mean that you lose one more year.
I hope this helps!
----
*Applying late == sending in my Secondary about the 2nd or 3rd week of January.
#The applications for this cycle begin soon, I suggest writing (and re-writing) your personal statement now, and submitting your AMCAS the day it opens. Then turn around any secondary requests within a week.
Note, Wayne's secondary will require you to write (3) 1-page essays on various topics. Since I suck at writing, and am somewhat phobic about it, this was always one of my greatest challenges at getting in my secondaries on time. (The other hurdle I had to applying on time was getting the free money for application fees). But early is one of the BIGGEST things people with 'marginal' grades can do to help their chances.