Perhaps the measure of a person is not how high they have gone but from what depths they have started from.
My original bachelor’s degree grades were so bad that I graduated magna cum barely. My science GPA was worse with nearly a negative number. Lets not even mention failures, repeats, and withdrawns. Yet, not long after, I earned a master’s degree in sociology with a 3.7 GPA and learning computers along the way. Now, after about 20 years of working and achieving in “corporate america,” I am running a 3.9 with nearly 40 credits under my belt in post-bacc classes and will likely have a total of 60 credits by the time I apply, including retake of the intro/basic level sciences and additional advanced bio & chem classes with a few upper level health policy courses (Hey, its a state school; once I pay for 12 credits a term, I might as well take a full load for the same tuition).
I choose to take a Zen view my past grades; they simply “are.” I can neither erase my past grades nor should I as they are part of how I came to be where I am today. I can only work now to show my committment and ability. Perhaps my chances are slimmer than most but they are certainly much better than not trying at all. The glaring difference in my grades is my measure of how far I have come and how far I am willing to go to get into medicine.
So, never give up, never give, never give up that ship!
And this Old Philospher saying good night friends.
Thanks everyone for their advice. Geoff, your Zen is great and I will remember that. I am not ashamed of my past but more disappointed. I have always been a fan of “things happen for a reason” philosophy.
Looking back, I may not have been ready to go to medical school back then. I did not have the proper study skills and was quite immature, impatient, and too proud to ask for help. Over time I had calmed down, matured, have asked for help, obtained great study skills that work, and more importantly, I have a direction in my life.
I did not repeat any of my undergraduate courses, some ended with Cs others with Bs, but mostly Cs. I received a Master’s degree and am writing a thesis that is not based on journal research but actual, hard data that I had performed. And on a subject that not many people perform it on; trying to find the 3rd breast cancer susceptibility gene.
I am having a hard time at work, as I am trying to remain motivated but I have lost the wind in my sails. In short, between work, school, studying, and family with barely a break in the last 4 years I am burned out. And when I get burned out I let my past and my poor performance get the best of me. This is one of my weaknesses that I am always trying to overcome.
Since I am taking off the week that I take the MCAT, I decided to go away to study for the better part of the week. I have arranged for grandma and grandpa to take my daughters for the week (which they love since they get spoiled rotten) and my wife and I are heading somewhere. Don’t know where but somewhere.
One of the issues that we are all dealing with is that our lives are almost on hold because we do not know what is going to happen. Either a rejection, a waitlist, or a wonderful acceptance. This grueling process is taxing on the body, the mind, and the emotions. That is why I am so glad that I am part of this group. Knowing that I can turn to you guys for a little TLC, support, and enthusiasm is what is really helping.
Well, now that I have rambled enough, UMDNJ-RWJ came through this morning with a secondary. I am convinced that the secondaries serve no other purpose that to get more money. Talk to you guys soon.
Gabe
If it will make you feel any better, I had to fill in the dreaded “Institutional Action” box. So embarrassing! I won’t describe the incident in question, but just let you ponder this: It was a dark and beery night in 1991…
Meanwhile, as usual, the people around me at Princeton Review have zero ethics, and freely admit to leaving off grades and such from their applications. I fear we are rearing a generation of cheaters! I blame that damn Grand Theft Auto.
Gabe, my thought is - it’s done, no sense worrying about it. You’ve worked to put together a good application that has lots of good stuff in it. You’ve got solid recent work that hopefully draws the eye away from those crappy old numbers. Now you just need to wait and hope it plays out well. There are enough success stories on OPM to know that it can definitely happen.
Mary
Here is an update of my progress:
Secondaries Received:
1) UMDNJ-NJMS
2) UMDNJ-RWJ
3) UMDNJ-SOM
4) GW
5) Albert Einstein
6) New York Medical College
7) Dartmouth
8) University of Vermont
Sent out:
1) UMDNJ-NJMS
2) UMDNJ-RWJ
3) GW
21 days until the MCAT
Quote:
If it will make you feel any better, I had to fill in the dreaded “Institutional Action” box. Meanwhile, as usual, the people around me at Princeton Review have zero ethics, and freely admit to leaving off grades and such from their applications. I fear we are rearing a generation of cheaters! I blame that damn Grand Theft Auto.
Institutional action? I know a little something about that. I can vividly recall that when I tried to petition to be readmitted back into school (unsuccessfully until after I did a year at a community college) that one of the women on the committee commented that I had about as much chance of becoming a physician or scientist as a tree. Well it must be a damn good season for tress, since I recently succesfully complete a graduate fellowship at the NIH WITH a publication and previously a Master’s degree in Chemistry, I now look forward to declaring Arbor Year 2006 after after I matriculate into med school next year!
And don’t get me started about this new generation of cheaters. Hopkins taught me a LOT about that unfortunately
