Congrats girl! My stats were vastly lower than yours on both my GPA and MCAT and I'm in my 3rd year of medical school. To those of you who need a word of encouragement, it can be done. If academics aren't your strength, dive into what is and highlight that as you apply. At the end of the day, academics mean very little if your patients can't relate to you.
@@seeMD for what it's worth, I have higher stats than you and I think that it means absolutely nothing. There's always going to be people who do better than you on these standardized exams. As long as you achieve your dreams, who cares in the long run? There are way more important things in life than this. And no one will care once you're a doctor, anyways. Hope your first year of med school is going well.
Your transparency will make you such a great physician! It’s ok to share your successes and you failures, and I know this will help so many people!! -premed with low GPA!
You genuinely do not understand how much I appreciate this video. I’ve been so down on myself recently because of my stats and seeing someone with a similar story that actually ends successfully is SO ENCOURAGING !!!! Congratulations you’re gonna do amazing in medical school❤️❤️
thank you for sharing, i was admitted to a solid DO program recently with a 3.31 sGPA and a 504 mcat (took it 3 times). if you have low stats, you can 100% get into medical school. do not let anyone tell you otherwise
Well dam, how did you get your recommendation letters from science teachers if you were that bad? Teachers here just hate me, I can't find one honestly
@@imjustcurious7485 having good grades doesn't go hand in hand with being an engaging, interested, and genuine learner. i recommend going to office hours every week, asking questions after class, and getting to know your professors. My LORs were very strong because my professors knew me.
@@imjustcurious7485 You still can get As in some classes with a 3.3. A 3.3 literally is a B+ so that's not even bad. It's just bad in terms of medical school.
@@fluxy965 What would you recommend doing if you weren't able to make connections because of covid? Shoot them an email asking to meet them so they can get to know you for recommendations?
thank you so much for sharing this and being so open about it. This makes me feel a lot better because all of my pre-med friends have 3.8-3.9 GPA but not me lol. I'm definitely worried about taking the MCAT especially cause I'm not a great test taker. but I have more confidence now that you have shared that you also aren't the best test taker and still got accepted into so many places (congrats by the way)!! Thank you and Goodluck with everything!!
There are many premed with a 3.8+, but also many successful premeds out there with a 3.5 and below. Numbers can be important but aren’t everything so don’t let this stress you out too much :)
I learned not to reveal that I am following the premed curriculum because many fellow students will try to sabotage you.... even -bitter-teachers would grade you more severely....
First of all, congrats future doctor!! I'm in a very similar situation right now (in the middle of a post-bacc) and this made me feel so encouraged! I've never been at the top of the class and constantly hearing everyone talk about their way higher GPA and MCAT scores can be intimidating. It feels so good to hear someone be real about their struggles, persevere, and still succeed in the end :)
3.72 (down from a 3.83 due to a 2.3 GPA last semester of undergrad....so a big red flag right there) and a 507 retake score improved from a 503. 1 Gap Year, 700 hours of volunteering, above average EC's, applied to 6 instate schools, 2 interviews (1 MD, 1 DO), 1 acceptance (MD). You do not need to have perfect stats to get in you guys!
@Fleetus Yeah sorry not going to give you the satisfaction of hearing "OMG 3.91, 1K+ volunteering, wOw thAt's aMaZiNg! You don't have to worry at all" that you have probably heard from every person you have told this too. Sorry to be harsh, but you're fishing for compliments. I just commented about how I got a 2.3 GPA, A TWO POINT THREE GPA my last semester, and you comment about how you're worried about your 2 A-s. If I had to give you a bit of advice, that kind of attitude is EXACTLY what medical schools don't look for. It comes off very disingenuous and your interviewer will be able to tell that a mile away. The sad thing is there are people on this thread genuinely nervous, downtrodden, beat up because they don't have the scores that everyone tells them to have. I went through that because of some very personal reasons right before applications and it truly was one of the lowest points of my life. Try spreading some positivity and encouragement to your fellow peers instead of boasting about your accomplishments. Sincerely, Your average M2
@@goat8614 the toxicity in this thread is absolutely disgusting. I mean honestly, what did you expect to hear after posting near perfect stats and saying you’re worried about it on a video meant to help console students like us who are struggling despite doing the best we can. Being nervous about it is fine and valid and all, but it does sound like you’re just fishing for compliments. But what do I know I’m not a fifth year paramedic 🥴🥴
@@goat8614 The OP was talking about themselves concerned about their hopes about getting into a school, yet you decided to make it all about you. It’s not a competition. We’re all trying to get into medical school, and we’re all struggling. Boo hoo, you got 2 A-s and brag about how many non clinical and clinical hours you have. Guess what? Medical schools DONT. CARE. ABOUT. THE. NUMBERS.
@@emperormouse5487 I know this is 8 months old but I just wanted to say congratulations. That is honestly so amazing that you were able to pull through. If you dont mind me asking, was the MD school an instate/out of state, public or private? Just kinda curious
This video really meant a lot to me as someone currently going through the process. I also have a low GPA/MCAT and have felt demoralized looking at SDN and Reddit. Thank you for posting this. :')
Thank you for sharing this! Next month, I am taking my second MCAT, and my first was extremely bad. It crushed my soul. 499 on the first try is honestly good, considering you took it without overthinking about it. I hope that I get to score really good on my second try :(
Good for you !! I also suffer from test anxiety , so it was nice to hear that you made it , I take my test in June and have been pushing it off for so long
I wish I could give you good advice regarding testing anxiety.. but I don't have any coping mechanisms... so I'm sending you encouragement and positivity instead!
Thank you for sharing! Just got my bachelors degree in Biochemistry, I started my first two and a half years with a cum GPA of 3.927 at the University of Arkansas, I then transferred to UW Madison where I got a 3.598 cum GPA. Hoping that they will consider my entire academic journey. I am in the process of becoming a Cytologist at Cleveland Clinic to embelish my medical school portfolio a bit more. I am enjoying studying for the MCAT, but freaking out a bit!
Congratulations on your acceptance but also, your stats aren’t bad whatsoever, they are actually good! The problem is that we only hear from people who did good and think that we didn’t do good
I completely agree. I remember I made this video primarily because I didn’t know anyone with my stats and background who were successful MD applicants, not URM, didn’t have an upward trend, not top of their class, didn’t do a post bac/masters, and didn’t have a “safe” state school. I agree that my stats weren’t “bad” in a traditional sense but they were a pretty considerable barrier in my med school applications as noted during my interviews. I just wanted to share my experiences with others who may be in similar positions.
@@seeMD I am so happy and thankful that you share because I felt uncomfortable because of my MCAT score and I am applying this May but I don’t anymore. Thank you for inspiring others 🙏🏼🤍
THIS IS THE VIDEO I NEEDED !! I have one more year of undergrad and it’s definitely not been the best which is why I get so discouraged about pursuing med school. Although it’s not likely to get in with low stats, it’s also not completely impossible. Thank you for being vulnerable and sharing your raw journey! & I’m very proud of youu💓
We have a bunch of mutual friends and I was in your year at your undergrad school ;) but I’m glad I came across this, thanks for sharing! It’s definitely disheartening when the only gpa and mcat you hear of are the really good ones!
Congratulations on getting in and I hope it’s going well for you and you’re enjoying it! This gives me hope, so thank you for sharing! My GPA isn’t low by any means (3.79) but it has a STRONG downward trend (upward trend until my junior year then down to a 3.4 semester GPA this past semester). I have yet to take the MCAT and am trying to figure out if I want to do a master’s program that interests me before med school but it’s been discouraging to hear all my friends who are current med students talking about their 3.9 GPAs. I had a bunch of medical issues this year which definitely contributed to my GPA decreasing and I know I can explain that but it’s still scary to hear what average GPAs are and how admissions really like upwards trends in GPAs
I understand where you're coming from. Every situation is unique so don't worry about not having that upward trend, especially since it sounds like you had more pressing things to take care of (your health >>). Good luck :)
You are so refreshing and relatable to see! Personally, I want to attend a post bac just in case because my GPA is..yeah. I really needed this. Congrats Julia! I am subscribing!
Thank you! :) I didn't want to do a post bac/master's for personal/financial reasons even though that would have made my application a lot stronger. However, that would have been what I did if my circumstances were different.
Thanks for the insightful video Julia! I'm applying broadly to both MD and DO schools with a 3.4 GPA. I really hope to get in somewhere. You're freaking gorgeous btw! Keep up the good work!
Thank you for this! Med school makes everyone feel so bad about their GPA. It is really a toxic! I feel terrible about my GPA but when I tell my none pre-med friends they think it’s great.
YAYYYY congrats on getting into med school!!! I'm an M1 with a channel and I love how open you are about your experience, it's so valuable and relatable. Subscribed, let me know if you have any questions about what life is like as a med student or what to do/not do before school starts. Congratulations again!
As someone with very similar stats to you this was super encouraging and inpsiring!! Thank you so so much for this, it reminded me to keep going and try my best :,) hopefully schools can see past my stats as well this cycle!
Your undergrad stats and MCAT were pretty similar to mine. I ended up going and getting a masters degree, realized I didn't really want to be a Doctor and applied to PA school instead.
Even though this video was posted three years ago, revisiting it now is giving me the motivation I need to keep going with my MCAT prep. Thank you for sharing your story
Julia, you’re so beautiful & intelligent. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. I believe in you, I’m so proud of you for getting into medical school! You can do this love, I know you will do great things
Julia this video was so helpful! As someone who began college this year, remote learning has been tough especially on my self esteem lol. Thank you for sharing :)
CONGRATS! Thank you so much for this video! I have been struggling to find some guidance on med school advice and this really gave me some motivation:)
Thank you so much for this-you gave me hope!! What things would you do differently if you were to do it all over again? You’re going to be a great doctor, congratulations and good luck on your journey!! 👏🏼💖
definitely my MCAT journey. I should have postponed my MCAT when I didn't feel like I was ready and did it at my own pace instead of of those around me
I'm a junior in university, taking the MCAT this summer. I have a 3.72 now but I'm really hoping my experience teaching English in China will carry my application since I think I'll have pretty bad reccomendation letters 😅 Congrats on your acceptance :)
There are definitely many successful applicants out there with mediocre LORs, but honestly teachers/mentors just want you to succeed so the letters might be better than you think :)
Thanks for sharing this w/ us! It can be hard to talk about your gpa and scores, if they're low😳. Congratulations! I'm so happy for you! I hope and pray that you'll become an AWESOME doctor! 👩🏻⚕️The world needs you!☺ Take care!👋🏾👨🏾⚕️
Hi Julia, thanks for your video! This takes lots of courage and selflessness to make this video, sharing some pretty private stats. I'm currently waiting to hear bk post -interview from Canadian schools so your video helps~ I wish you the best of luck with your journey in medical school, you are a great fit for medicine
Your openness will make you an excellent doctor! It's important to share both your triumphs and your setbacks, and I believe this will benefit countless individuals! - Aspiring doctor with a lower GPA
Congratulations! I think it truly is amazing to hear about this success story. You are such an inspiration! Would you possibly go in detail with what your experiences were? And what you did with your time? Also additional questions: - I am currently a sophomore that is trying to make a timeline on how to take the mcat and if I need a gap year? How did you decide to take a gap year? And how did you fit studying into your full schedule?
I made another video going over my AMCAS application which details most of my experiences. I decided on a gap year because I wasn’t ready/didn’t have time to study the MCAT until the summer between my junior and senior year. I also knew I didn’t want to apply until I got my MCAT scores back. So for those reasons, I decided to start applying my senior spring. Also, if you’re planning to study only over the summer, I highly recommend to only concentrate on that. I worked and regret it because I didn’t end up having enough time. Let me know if you have any other questions!
@@seeMD Hi! thank you so much for your reply. This video showed up in my recommended, and after I sent that comment I ended up realizing that you posted a second video (also very helpful, thank you for posting). I am struggling with making a timeline for myself on how to study and when to take it with balancing everything
I’m in the same boat but I want to say to all the premeds that are watching - yes you can get in with lower stats but it makes it significantly harder. I think it’s beaten to death online that stats aren’t everything but don’t get under the illusion that they’re not that important. They’re just not sufficient on their own to get you accepted.
Omg we have rly (eerily) similar stats! I'm deciding to apply to American schools as an out-of-state (Canadian) applicant so my chances might be less than yours but I think this video is my motivation to try :) thank you!
Haha don’t worry so much about people judging you. You showed solid improvement and you made it to medical school! Be proud of yourself. Also it sounds like you killed all of your interviews. Just work hard throughout medical school and im sure you will become a doctor who I would feel comfortable having care for myself or my family! Good luck!
@@seeMD Ahhhh! Im praying!! So many resources out there such as a special masters program. Ahhh immA keep tryingg. Wishing you luck on your journey as well!!!
@@venom_dave Still trying to get in! I ended up getting an MBA during my gap year. Might as well! I was a manager for a clinic and the accelerated masters in business was only a year. Looking into trying to do a Masters in Med Sci program. Its designed for students with low gpa! Look into that! It increases your chance by a lot LOLOL. Now I'm back on the grind trying to get into medicine.
I watched this whole video....I'm not even a medical school student...I'm a finance student LOL. But I still learned and gained from this video because I want to go to grad school to get my MBA, but I don't have the greatest stats and I was getting discouraged.
@@venom_dave a 3.75 GPA from Johns Hopkins will be viewed more favorably over the same GPA from a lower tier public school by the admissions committee because the student was in a more competitive environment.
@@krishnancom I see, so what if I’m in my first 2 years at community college bc my mom teaches there, bc I wanna get into medical school down the road what would be the most important things for getting accepted?
@@venom_dave A good GPA from any school and decent MCAT will get your app reviewed. But it is more important to have clinical experience and volunteering; and to write about meaningful interactions with patients. It shows that over time you can tolerate different kinds of people and medicine is a passion you'll pursue lifelong.
Thank you so much for posting this video. I also feel like I dont have many people who have similar stats. I relate to your comment about test performance during practice exams vs. actual test day - I was wondering if you would be willing/comfortable to share your experience on your practice exams compared to actual test day in terms of how you dealt with the testing anxiety, pressure, how you prepped, and if your practice exams were reflective of your actual score. I am currently prepping and trying to "over shoot" my goal score so I have a buffer come test day once all the anxiety sets in
Yes, I definitely recommend over shooting your goal score if you have testing anxiety/underperform on tests. There's a lot I would want to say about that so I think I'm going to make a separate video about my MCAT experience. Please stay tuned!
Personally, would not recommend, especially from big test prep companies like Kaplan and TPR. They're overpriced and their content isn't representative of the actual test. Just do UWorld and the AAMC materials, and fill in content gaps with review books and KA for psych/soc. Hope that helps!
Maybe, it's easier to get in nowadays??? I applied for 2 years in mid 1990s and didn't get accepted with 3.65 GPA and 27 (out of 45 in old MCAT). My MCAT score was a killer.
I have a good GPA and im a good test taker so I expect a good MCAT score but my experience and clinical work is practically non existent. I kind of am permanently home because of a sibling I take care of. I’ve never seen someone like me apply so I keep just wanting to do more and more gap years to try and catch up.
In my opinion, you will need to show that you know what you're getting into by being a doctor (through volunteering, shadowing, family, etc.). However, it's okay if you don't have a lot of experiences since taking care of your sibling is also very important. With COVID, I saw that there are increasing amounts of virtual opportunities. I also know some people who have high stats and like 20 clinical volunteer hours and 1 short term shadow experience who got in. They were advised to take a gap year to do clinical work to strengthen their app but they still decided to apply and have gotten accepted to multiple MD programs. So honestly, you never know. Admissions is kind of random in my opinion and it all depends on how you sell yourself in your application. Good luck! :)
Just took my MCAT. I have no idea how I did. Anything between 505 and 515 would not surprise me one bit. My GPA is 3.57 and my SGPA is 3.73 (It's reversed because I did chemical engineering at a top institution). No real upward trend or anything, but I do have a few unique aspects to my application as far as ECs and overall story. I'm basically relying on that to get in, because I know my stats aren't good, and my volunteering/clinical experience is nothing too special, just average. I wish I knew I wanted to be a doctor before I was halfway through engineering.
I got a 497 on my first MCAT (yikes...also after the Kaplan prep course). Taking it for a second time next month and am beyond nervous. At this point anything above a 505 would be appreciated.
Applying this cycle and would love it if you can tell us which schools you applied to and how you made that list. I'm looking through msar and just reading through every school is overwhelming. Thanks for the video!
I completely agree that MSAR is overwhelming. According to their website, I basically wasn't qualified or was at the lowest 25 percentile for almost every MD school (from what I recall). So I honestly didn't have that many schools I had to research 😅
I honestly regret applying to some of these schools and not others, but here's my list: DO COMP Pomona COMP NW Touro CA Touro NY Midwestern CCOM PCOM NYITCOM NOVA SE University Michigan MD California Northstate University College of Medicine Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine Morehouse School of Medicine UCSD UCR Georgetown George Washington U Miami
You can't start the next chapter of your life by re reading your the last one...And I found you more realistic and inspiring for a high-school study like me because some people got 525 but don't share their experience.So my question for you were you working while you were studying for mcat?
Thank you, I'm just coming across your video and channel. Thank you, I'm super inspired, I'll process my medicine dream again, my GPA way lower than yours. Thank you Julia
Answer these next 2 questions: what is the maximum you personally are taking out in student loans per year? can it exceed $80,000 or not? That’s $320,000 before tuition gets taken off.
Thank you for sharing - I was wondering to ask for some advice as a non traditional with a low GPA with a strong upward trend. I’ve been worried with an overall cumulative gpa of 3.18 after a post bac, 3.4 science gpa (due to taking a lot of sciences later), and a 507 MCAT with a low CARS. I feel confident with the rest of my application, just worried about my stats, especially the low GPA. I have averaged a 3.8 GPA for the last 70 units - my freshman and sophomore GPA were very poor, but I am not the same student during that time. Should I be worried about not getting into an allopathic medical school or an interview? I know DO medical schools would be a good fit for me from what I have been told. However, I have always aimed to get to allopathic medical schools. Sorry for a lot of the information, and thank the for the content and help.
I never comment on youtube videos, but your video is so honest and inspirational. I love your transparency. It will make you an amazing physician. You seem really kind, and friendly. I'm a struggling pre med right now. I would love to chat with you personally if you have the time.... please?
Congrats girl! My stats were vastly lower than yours on both my GPA and MCAT and I'm in my 3rd year of medical school. To those of you who need a word of encouragement, it can be done. If academics aren't your strength, dive into what is and highlight that as you apply. At the end of the day, academics mean very little if your patients can't relate to you.
Hi why not try out MR CARLOS he really helped me in passing my MCAT
Yeah but you’re URM. I’m not saying that’s bad or anything, but it definitely played a factor
CONGRATULATIONS! That's AWESOME!😃👩🏾🎓👩🏾⚕️👋🏾👨🏾⚕️
@@OrganicDolphinThat’s not fair. Why should URMs get to have low stats?
May I ask you a few questions ?
You got in! Nobody GIVES A DAMN about your scores. YOU GOT IN!!!!!! Congrats!!!
That's what my friends say to me when I start getting insecure
@@seeMD for what it's worth, I have higher stats than you and I think that it means absolutely nothing. There's always going to be people who do better than you on these standardized exams. As long as you achieve your dreams, who cares in the long run? There are way more important things in life than this. And no one will care once you're a doctor, anyways. Hope your first year of med school is going well.
@@smellypatel5272 So true!
S/O to all the 3.1 Pre-Meds out there :* I will see yall in medical school :)
Purrrrrrrrrrrrrr Triniti. We’ll all see each other SOON!
I’m at that :( at 3.15 and you have no idea how many people look down on me for that
You absolutely will! They cannot deny hard work fam :)
Hi why not try out MR CARLOS he really helped me in passing my MCAT
I will see you there
Your transparency will make you such a great physician! It’s ok to share your successes and you failures, and I know this will help so many people!! -premed with low GPA!
I'm slowly learning that sharing my failures is okay too :)
I've been struggling to pass the mcat for over a year . Does anyone know any alternative to pass the mcat. please share 🙏
@@jaredblis MCAT exams won't a problem if you work with someone like Mrs Amanda She's God sent, she saved me from taking the test for the 3rd time
You genuinely do not understand how much I appreciate this video. I’ve been so down on myself recently because of my stats and seeing someone with a similar story that actually ends successfully is SO ENCOURAGING !!!! Congratulations you’re gonna do amazing in medical school❤️❤️
Thank you and good luck on your journey :)
thank you for sharing, i was admitted to a solid DO program recently with a 3.31 sGPA and a 504 mcat (took it 3 times). if you have low stats, you can 100% get into medical school. do not let anyone tell you otherwise
CONGRATS
Well dam, how did you get your recommendation letters from science teachers if you were that bad? Teachers here just hate me, I can't find one honestly
@@imjustcurious7485 having good grades doesn't go hand in hand with being an engaging, interested, and genuine learner. i recommend going to office hours every week, asking questions after class, and getting to know your professors. My LORs were very strong because my professors knew me.
@@imjustcurious7485 You still can get As in some classes with a 3.3. A 3.3 literally is a B+ so that's not even bad. It's just bad in terms of medical school.
@@fluxy965 What would you recommend doing if you weren't able to make connections because of covid? Shoot them an email asking to meet them so they can get to know you for recommendations?
It's so amazing for you to be so open about this! You def are helping students fell less insecure. Thank you
You just made my day. I’m glad I could help in some way :)
thank you so much for sharing this and being so open about it. This makes me feel a lot better because all of my pre-med friends have 3.8-3.9 GPA but not me lol. I'm definitely worried about taking the MCAT especially cause I'm not a great test taker. but I have more confidence now that you have shared that you also aren't the best test taker and still got accepted into so many places (congrats by the way)!! Thank you and Goodluck with everything!!
There are many premed with a 3.8+, but also many successful premeds out there with a 3.5 and below. Numbers can be important but aren’t everything so don’t let this stress you out too much :)
I learned not to reveal that I am following the premed curriculum because many fellow students will try to sabotage you.... even -bitter-teachers would grade you more severely....
This was reallly awesome. Becoming a physician isnt about the grades its about perseverance so good job!
Yes, totally agree.
The problem is that's all schools care about. They can say holistic all they want, but they want a good MCAT score regardless.
Yeah, they see it as an indicator of how well the student will handle the rigor of med school curriculum
First of all, congrats future doctor!! I'm in a very similar situation right now (in the middle of a post-bacc) and this made me feel so encouraged! I've never been at the top of the class and constantly hearing everyone talk about their way higher GPA and MCAT scores can be intimidating. It feels so good to hear someone be real about their struggles, persevere, and still succeed in the end :)
Thank you! You don't have to be at the top of the class in order to become a doctor. So good luck, future doctor! :)
3.72 (down from a 3.83 due to a 2.3 GPA last semester of undergrad....so a big red flag right there) and a 507 retake score improved from a 503. 1 Gap Year, 700 hours of volunteering, above average EC's, applied to 6 instate schools, 2 interviews (1 MD, 1 DO), 1 acceptance (MD).
You do not need to have perfect stats to get in you guys!
@Fleetus Yeah sorry not going to give you the satisfaction of hearing "OMG 3.91, 1K+ volunteering, wOw thAt's aMaZiNg! You don't have to worry at all" that you have probably heard from every person you have told this too. Sorry to be harsh, but you're fishing for compliments. I just commented about how I got a 2.3 GPA, A TWO POINT THREE GPA my last semester, and you comment about how you're worried about your 2 A-s.
If I had to give you a bit of advice, that kind of attitude is EXACTLY what medical schools don't look for. It comes off very disingenuous and your interviewer will be able to tell that a mile away. The sad thing is there are people on this thread genuinely nervous, downtrodden, beat up because they don't have the scores that everyone tells them to have. I went through that because of some very personal reasons right before applications and it truly was one of the lowest points of my life. Try spreading some positivity and encouragement to your fellow peers instead of boasting about your accomplishments.
Sincerely,
Your average M2
@@goat8614 the toxicity in this thread is absolutely disgusting. I mean honestly, what did you expect to hear after posting near perfect stats and saying you’re worried about it on a video meant to help console students like us who are struggling despite doing the best we can. Being nervous about it is fine and valid and all, but it does sound like you’re just fishing for compliments. But what do I know I’m not a fifth year paramedic 🥴🥴
@@goat8614 The OP was talking about themselves concerned about their hopes about getting into a school, yet you decided to make it all about you. It’s not a competition. We’re all trying to get into medical school, and we’re all struggling. Boo hoo, you got 2 A-s and brag about how many non clinical and clinical hours you have. Guess what? Medical schools DONT. CARE. ABOUT. THE. NUMBERS.
@@emperormouse5487 I know this is 8 months old but I just wanted to say congratulations. That is honestly so amazing that you were able to pull through. If you dont mind me asking, was the MD school an instate/out of state, public or private? Just kinda curious
Which med school u applied ??
Nobody's judging you. Thanks for sharing your story! It's very inspiring. Congrats on getting in.
This video really meant a lot to me as someone currently going through the process. I also have a low GPA/MCAT and have felt demoralized looking at SDN and Reddit. Thank you for posting this. :')
Thank you for sharing this! Next month, I am taking my second MCAT, and my first was extremely bad. It crushed my soul. 499 on the first try is honestly good, considering you took it without overthinking about it. I hope that I get to score really good on my second try :(
Good luck to you!! I believe in you!
Good for you !! I also suffer from test anxiety , so it was nice to hear that you made it , I take my test in June and have been pushing it off for so long
I wish I could give you good advice regarding testing anxiety.. but I don't have any coping mechanisms... so I'm sending you encouragement and positivity instead!
Hi why not try out MR CARLOS he really helped me in passing my MCAT
Thank you for sharing! Just got my bachelors degree in Biochemistry, I started my first two and a half years with a cum GPA of 3.927 at the University of Arkansas, I then transferred to UW Madison where I got a 3.598 cum GPA. Hoping that they will consider my entire academic journey. I am in the process of becoming a Cytologist at Cleveland Clinic to embelish my medical school portfolio a bit more. I am enjoying studying for the MCAT, but freaking out a bit!
Omg don’t ever be embarrassed!! You’re doing absolutely amazing!! Congratulations 💕 so proud of you!
Thank you!
Congratulations on your acceptance but also, your stats aren’t bad whatsoever, they are actually good! The problem is that we only hear from people who did good and think that we didn’t do good
I completely agree. I remember I made this video primarily because I didn’t know anyone with my stats and background who were successful MD applicants, not URM, didn’t have an upward trend, not top of their class, didn’t do a post bac/masters, and didn’t have a “safe” state school. I agree that my stats weren’t “bad” in a traditional sense but they were a pretty considerable barrier in my med school applications as noted during my interviews. I just wanted to share my experiences with others who may be in similar positions.
@@seeMD I am so happy and thankful that you share because I felt uncomfortable because of my MCAT score and I am applying this May but I don’t anymore. Thank you for inspiring others 🙏🏼🤍
thank you for being so vulnerable in sharing this, I love it. It helps those who are in the same shoes as you find hope.♥️
I personally believe that there's always hope out there :)
I wasn't going to apply to many MD schools in Florida cause of my GPA but you just inspired me !!! Thanks, I know you're killing it in med school :)
Thank you and good luck to you. Let me know if you end up coming to UM :)
I was feeling really down about my chances getting into med school once I apply for it but you gave me hope thank you ☺️
Good luck with your journey :)
THIS IS THE VIDEO I NEEDED !! I have one more year of undergrad and it’s definitely not been the best which is why I get so discouraged about pursuing med school. Although it’s not likely to get in with low stats, it’s also not completely impossible. Thank you for being vulnerable and sharing your raw journey! & I’m very proud of youu💓
Thank you! If it’s truly what you want, I think you’ll become a doctor regardless of some numbers :)
AW! I love your transparency. Your future patients will be lucky to have you. You're going to be a fantastic physician!
Thank you so much! 💕
We have a bunch of mutual friends and I was in your year at your undergrad school ;) but I’m glad I came across this, thanks for sharing! It’s definitely disheartening when the only gpa and mcat you hear of are the really good ones!
Aww hi! Very curious who this is haha
You're amazing!! We are all proud of you - you will make a great physician (:
Thank you so much!! :)
Congratulations on getting in and I hope it’s going well for you and you’re enjoying it! This gives me hope, so thank you for sharing! My GPA isn’t low by any means (3.79) but it has a STRONG downward trend (upward trend until my junior year then down to a 3.4 semester GPA this past semester). I have yet to take the MCAT and am trying to figure out if I want to do a master’s program that interests me before med school but it’s been discouraging to hear all my friends who are current med students talking about their 3.9 GPAs. I had a bunch of medical issues this year which definitely contributed to my GPA decreasing and I know I can explain that but it’s still scary to hear what average GPAs are and how admissions really like upwards trends in GPAs
I understand where you're coming from. Every situation is unique so don't worry about not having that upward trend, especially since it sounds like you had more pressing things to take care of (your health >>). Good luck :)
u will have no idea how inspiring and motivating ur video is🥺🥺 pls don’t ever take this down💖
Good luck on your journey :)
Congratulations! :) Thank you so much for sharing your experience. This makes me so inspired!
You are so refreshing and relatable to see! Personally, I want to attend a post bac just in case because my GPA is..yeah. I really needed this. Congrats Julia! I am subscribing!
Thank you! :)
I didn't want to do a post bac/master's for personal/financial reasons even though that would have made my application a lot stronger. However, that would have been what I did if my circumstances were different.
YES so proud of you and how much you’ve accomplished!!! Cheering for you every step of the way ❤️
🥺🥺💕
Thanks for the insightful video Julia! I'm applying broadly to both MD and DO schools with a 3.4 GPA. I really hope to get in somewhere. You're freaking gorgeous btw! Keep up the good work!
You got this! I didn't think I would with my GPA without a master's/GPA booster, but sometimes fit outweighs a lower number (in my opinion).
@@seeMD Thank you! I'm really hoping to show schools that I'm a fit candidate with my experiences and personal statement.
U get in?
How’d it go
Thank you for this! Med school makes everyone feel so bad about their GPA. It is really a toxic! I feel terrible about my GPA but when I tell my none pre-med friends they think it’s great.
Reading everyone's comments and watching your video gives me hope.
You got this!!
YAYYYY congrats on getting into med school!!! I'm an M1 with a channel and I love how open you are about your experience, it's so valuable and relatable. Subscribed, let me know if you have any questions about what life is like as a med student or what to do/not do before school starts. Congratulations again!
Thanks! I might just take you up on that offer 😅
@@seeMD Feel free to DM me on Instagram or Twitter anytime! @heymarls
Congratulations, Julia! Thanks for sharing your experience :) Maybe you can share your interview experience in your future videos!
Thanks! And that's a good idea
As someone with very similar stats to you this was super encouraging and inpsiring!! Thank you so so much for this, it reminded me to keep going and try my best :,) hopefully schools can see past my stats as well this cycle!
Yes, you’re amazing for even committing to this crazy journey. Good luck!!
Your undergrad stats and MCAT were pretty similar to mine. I ended up going and getting a masters degree, realized I didn't really want to be a Doctor and applied to PA school instead.
I’m glad you figured it out before committing to the whole doctor thing!
what was your undergrad GPA that got you into PA school?
@@aditimalhotra9394 undergrad sgpa was 3.5ish. Calc 2 and 3 really screwed my undergrad GPA. Masters degree was sgpa of 3.9.
Even though this video was posted three years ago, revisiting it now is giving me the motivation I need to keep going with my MCAT prep. Thank you for sharing your story
Good luck girlie :)
So much respect for your openness.
you have no idea how much I needed this thank you💗💗
Glad you can get something out of this video :)
Hi why not try out MR CARLOS he really helped me in passing my MCAT
Congratulations and thank you for the transparency with sharing your journey!!
Thank you!
Julia, you’re so beautiful & intelligent. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. I believe in you, I’m so proud of you for getting into medical school! You can do this love, I know you will do great things
Thank you so much :)
Julia this video was so helpful! As someone who began college this year, remote learning has been tough especially on my self esteem lol. Thank you for sharing :)
College will get better year after year :)
CONGRATS! Thank you so much for this video! I have been struggling to find some guidance on med school advice and this really gave me some motivation:)
I'm so glad!
Wow! We have pretty much the same stats. Hoping for the best this cycle. Thanks for sharing this video!
Good luck!!
this was literally so encouraging omg :( thank you
Good luck with your journey!
Your GPA is definitely not low! I would say it’s on the lower side of average stats, you should be proud! Congratulations!
Thank you!
Thank you so much for this-you gave me hope!! What things would you do differently if you were to do it all over again? You’re going to be a great doctor, congratulations and good luck on your journey!! 👏🏼💖
definitely my MCAT journey. I should have postponed my MCAT when I didn't feel like I was ready and did it at my own pace instead of of those around me
I'm a junior in university, taking the MCAT this summer. I have a 3.72 now but I'm really hoping my experience teaching English in China will carry my application since I think I'll have pretty bad reccomendation letters 😅 Congrats on your acceptance :)
There are definitely many successful applicants out there with mediocre LORs, but honestly teachers/mentors just want you to succeed so the letters might be better than you think :)
An inspiration to us undergrads struggling through the process!
Glad you found this video helpful :)
Thanks for sharing this w/ us! It can be hard to talk about your gpa and scores, if they're low😳. Congratulations! I'm so happy for you! I hope and pray that you'll become an AWESOME doctor! 👩🏻⚕️The world needs you!☺ Take care!👋🏾👨🏾⚕️
Thank you!! :)
Congrats! Sounds like you really overcame a lot. Really like the full AMCAS/AACOMAS review idea
Thank you!
You did great!! You got into med school! Congratulations girl
Thank you! 😊
Thanks for being so brave and open Julia! I hope you know that your sharing is very helpful and encouraging, and we appreciate it!! :)
glad you could get something out of this video :)
This gives me some relief, I have a 3.8 and just hit 499 on my first practice exam... I now have 4 days to get my act together.
Best of luck!! Remember to breathe and know that this one result doesn’t determine everything!
Hi Julia, thanks for your video! This takes lots of courage and selflessness to make this video, sharing some pretty private stats. I'm currently waiting to hear bk post -interview from Canadian schools so your video helps~ I wish you the best of luck with your journey in medical school, you are a great fit for medicine
Good luck on your journey as well!
Your openness will make you an excellent doctor! It's important to share both your triumphs and your setbacks, and I believe this will benefit countless individuals! - Aspiring doctor with a lower GPA
Fellow B student here. Anything is possible so at the end of the day, following your dreams is all that matters.
Congratulations! I think it truly is amazing to hear about this success story. You are such an inspiration! Would you possibly go in detail with what your experiences were? And what you did with your time?
Also additional questions:
- I am currently a sophomore that is trying to make a timeline on how to take the mcat and if I need a gap year? How did you decide to take a gap year? And how did you fit studying into your full schedule?
I made another video going over my AMCAS application which details most of my experiences.
I decided on a gap year because I wasn’t ready/didn’t have time to study the MCAT until the summer between my junior and senior year. I also knew I didn’t want to apply until I got my MCAT scores back. So for those reasons, I decided to start applying my senior spring.
Also, if you’re planning to study only over the summer, I highly recommend to only concentrate on that. I worked and regret it because I didn’t end up having enough time.
Let me know if you have any other questions!
@@seeMD Hi! thank you so much for your reply. This video showed up in my recommended, and after I sent that comment I ended up realizing that you posted a second video (also very helpful, thank you for posting).
I am struggling with making a timeline for myself on how to study and when to take it with balancing everything
I’m in the same boat but I want to say to all the premeds that are watching - yes you can get in with lower stats but it makes it significantly harder. I think it’s beaten to death online that stats aren’t everything but don’t get under the illusion that they’re not that important. They’re just not sufficient on their own to get you accepted.
Yay!! Congratulations, and thank you for sharing!!
Thank you!! 😊
Omg we have rly (eerily) similar stats! I'm deciding to apply to American schools as an out-of-state (Canadian) applicant so my chances might be less than yours but I think this video is my motivation to try :) thank you!
Good luck!!
Haha don’t worry so much about people judging you. You showed solid improvement and you made it to medical school! Be proud of yourself. Also it sounds like you killed all of your interviews. Just work hard throughout medical school and im sure you will become a doctor who I would feel comfortable having care for myself or my family! Good luck!
thank you!
Im soo nervouss. My GPA IS SOO LOW (below 2.75) and MCAT is average. I hope one day I can make it to be a doctor :(
I personally believe that you’ll become a doctor if it’s truly what you want. Might just look like a different path when compared to others :)
@@seeMD Ahhhh! Im praying!! So many resources out there such as a special masters program. Ahhh immA keep tryingg. Wishing you luck on your journey as well!!!
@@BasicallyBosco did u get in?
@@venom_dave Still trying to get in! I ended up getting an MBA during my gap year. Might as well! I was a manager for a clinic and the accelerated masters in business was only a year. Looking into trying to do a Masters in Med Sci program. Its designed for students with low gpa! Look into that! It increases your chance by a lot LOLOL. Now I'm back on the grind trying to get into medicine.
@@BasicallyBosco so what’s the most important thing how to get into medical school u would say? I’m in my first year as in community college
I watched this whole video....I'm not even a medical school student...I'm a finance student LOL. But I still learned and gained from this video because I want to go to grad school to get my MBA, but I don't have the greatest stats and I was getting discouraged.
I love this. Hi non-premed 😂
I really appreciate your honestly thank you so much for sharing!
Congrats! Hope med school in the fall goes well!
Thanks!
She went to Johns Hopkins for undergrad. People stop comparing your stats to hers. The undergrad school matters in how med schools view that.
Wdym?
@@venom_dave a 3.75 GPA from Johns Hopkins will be viewed more favorably over the same GPA from a lower tier public school by the admissions committee because the student was in a more competitive environment.
@@krishnancom I see, so what if I’m in my first 2 years at community college bc my mom teaches there, bc I wanna get into medical school down the road what would be the most important things for getting accepted?
@@venom_dave A good GPA from any school and decent MCAT will get your app reviewed. But it is more important to have clinical experience and volunteering; and to write about meaningful interactions with patients. It shows that over time you can tolerate different kinds of people and medicine is a passion you'll pursue lifelong.
@@krishnancom wait so where would u go for clinal experience and volunteering? Thank u by the way
Thank you so much for posting this video. I also feel like I dont have many people who have similar stats. I relate to your comment about test performance during practice exams vs. actual test day - I was wondering if you would be willing/comfortable to share your experience on your practice exams compared to actual test day in terms of how you dealt with the testing anxiety, pressure, how you prepped, and if your practice exams were reflective of your actual score. I am currently prepping and trying to "over shoot" my goal score so I have a buffer come test day once all the anxiety sets in
Yes, I definitely recommend over shooting your goal score if you have testing anxiety/underperform on tests.
There's a lot I would want to say about that so I think I'm going to make a separate video about my MCAT experience. Please stay tuned!
I’ll be studying for the MCAT over the summer, and I was thinking of taking a prep course. I would love to hear your experience.
Personally, would not recommend, especially from big test prep companies like Kaplan and TPR. They're overpriced and their content isn't representative of the actual test. Just do UWorld and the AAMC materials, and fill in content gaps with review books and KA for psych/soc. Hope that helps!
Thanks for the video idea! In a nutshell, I think it depends on the type of student you are
Hi why not try out MR CARLOS he really helped me in passing my MCAT
Thank you for a great real video ❤
Congrats 🎉
Congratulations 🍾
Thank you so much for sharing, this definitely put me at ease. NEW SUBSCRIBER!
Thanks for subscribing!
Love your sweater btw
Thanks for sharing, Julia!
Maybe, it's easier to get in nowadays??? I applied for 2 years in mid 1990s and didn't get accepted with 3.65 GPA and 27 (out of 45 in old MCAT). My MCAT score was a killer.
I have a good GPA and im a good test taker so I expect a good MCAT score but my experience and clinical work is practically non existent. I kind of am permanently home because of a sibling I take care of. I’ve never seen someone like me apply so I keep just wanting to do more and more gap years to try and catch up.
In my opinion, you will need to show that you know what you're getting into by being a doctor (through volunteering, shadowing, family, etc.). However, it's okay if you don't have a lot of experiences since taking care of your sibling is also very important. With COVID, I saw that there are increasing amounts of virtual opportunities.
I also know some people who have high stats and like 20 clinical volunteer hours and 1 short term shadow experience who got in. They were advised to take a gap year to do clinical work to strengthen their app but they still decided to apply and have gotten accepted to multiple MD programs. So honestly, you never know. Admissions is kind of random in my opinion and it all depends on how you sell yourself in your application.
Good luck! :)
@Yurudia If your sibling has a medical condition, you can write your time as clinical volunteering hours!
Just took my MCAT. I have no idea how I did. Anything between 505 and 515 would not surprise me one bit. My GPA is 3.57 and my SGPA is 3.73 (It's reversed because I did chemical engineering at a top institution). No real upward trend or anything, but I do have a few unique aspects to my application as far as ECs and overall story. I'm basically relying on that to get in, because I know my stats aren't good, and my volunteering/clinical experience is nothing too special, just average.
I wish I knew I wanted to be a doctor before I was halfway through engineering.
Wishing you the best of luck!!
Hey man did u get in?
I got a 497 on my first MCAT (yikes...also after the Kaplan prep course). Taking it for a second time next month and am beyond nervous. At this point anything above a 505 would be appreciated.
I’m glad to know I’m not the only one that scores so low after a prep course 😅. Good luck on try 2!!
U get in?
Bruh.... that GPA's hella high lol. I'm rocking a 3.34 cGPA, 3.08 sGPA, but at least a 515 MCAT. I'd be straight chillin with your GPA lol.
I wish I could’ve been :’)
Girl I would be so happy with a 506! Ugh I have below a 500… I’m retaking it here soon and I’m nervous about it 😭
Best of luck!!
Applying this cycle and would love it if you can tell us which schools you applied to and how you made that list. I'm looking through msar and just reading through every school is overwhelming. Thanks for the video!
I completely agree that MSAR is overwhelming. According to their website, I basically wasn't qualified or was at the lowest 25 percentile for almost every MD school (from what I recall). So I honestly didn't have that many schools I had to research 😅
You were not a “B to B+” student. You were a B+ to A- student, which would’ve put you in the 85th percentile at my undergrad.
Congratulations!!!! Would you be able to do
a AACOMAS application cycle video please?
Thank you and yes of course! It's a very similar application but I emphasized some things slightly differently
Congratulations 😊
i needed this
Good luck 🫶🏻
@@seeMD thank you!
Congratulations 🎉
CONGRATULATIONSS!! 🥳🥳 I'm also a pre-med student and I'm in the same boat with my GPA. If you don't mind, I was wondering what schools you applied to?
I honestly regret applying to some of these schools and not others, but here's my list:
DO
COMP Pomona
COMP NW
Touro CA
Touro NY
Midwestern CCOM
PCOM
NYITCOM
NOVA SE University
Michigan
MD
California Northstate University College of Medicine
Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science
Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine
Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine
Morehouse School of Medicine
UCSD
UCR
Georgetown
George Washington
U Miami
@@seeMD Thank youu so muchh!
Hey !! I really loved this video and it gave me so much motivation. I am applying for med school next year. Which school are you planning to go?
I'm currently not sharing that information. But it's one of my top choices so I'm really excited! Good luck to you on this upcoming cycle!!
Hi why not try out MR CARLOS he really helped me in passing my MCAT
@@samanthapash-brown1473 who is that person ?
@@denizoncel3471 Mr Carlos
@@denizoncel3471 he really helped me in passing my MCAT exams
U cute with that chocolate and vanilla sweater. Happy for your acceptance
You can't start the next chapter of your life by re reading your the last one...And I found you more realistic and inspiring for a high-school study like me because some people got 525 but don't share their experience.So my question for you were you working while you were studying for mcat?
I was the first summer I took my MCAT. I was a full time student when I took my second MCAT
@@seeMD 10Q 🙏
Thank you, I'm just coming across your video and channel. Thank you, I'm super inspired, I'll process my medicine dream again, my GPA way lower than yours. Thank you Julia
Answer these next 2 questions: what is the maximum you personally are taking out in student loans per year? can it exceed $80,000 or not? That’s $320,000 before tuition gets taken off.
Military baby
The Medical College Admission Test
is really frustrating, I can't believe I failed again after studying so much
My dream of getting into the medical school is getting ruined due to my poor performance in the MCAT exam 💔
Lovin' this
It is not low, and you can see some other UA-camrs' GPAs like Cindy Wong, Dr. Le, lower than 3.5.
You give me hope! Thanks
Good luck!!
Thank you. You are going to be a great doctor!
Congrats!!! :))
thank you :)
Thank you for sharing - I was wondering to ask for some advice as a non traditional with a low GPA with a strong upward trend. I’ve been worried with an overall cumulative gpa of 3.18 after a post bac, 3.4 science gpa (due to taking a lot of sciences later), and a 507 MCAT with a low CARS. I feel confident with the rest of my application, just worried about my stats, especially the low GPA. I have averaged a 3.8 GPA for the last 70 units - my freshman and sophomore GPA were very poor, but I am not the same student during that time. Should I be worried about not getting into an allopathic medical school or an interview? I know DO medical schools would be a good fit for me from what I have been told. However, I have always aimed to get to allopathic medical schools.
Sorry for a lot of the information, and thank the for the content and help.
I never comment on youtube videos, but your video is so honest and inspirational. I love your transparency. It will make you an amazing physician. You seem really kind, and friendly. I'm a struggling pre med right now. I would love to chat with you personally if you have the time.... please?
Thank you for your kind words. Feel free to reach out to me on IG @juria.miru :)