Applying this cycle - Is this too many courses in progress to be realistic?

[surfca40]

I'm changing careers into medicine and I've had a lot of prerequisite courses to complete as I was a business major, so I've been working on them over Intercession and Spring semester.  I've looked at a lot of programs on the west coast.  I'm eligible to apply to about 5 programs of interest as they state the prereqs just need to be done before matriculation not by the application; however, I was wondering if I actually have a shot with this many classes still pending.  I plan on applying in August after I finish the summer semester.  If I don't get in I'll reapply next year with them all done.  Here's what I have done:

 

Completed by Application in August: 1 year english, college algebra, anatomy, psychology, sociology, statistics, General Chemistry 1, 9 units of humanities, medical terminology (42 units)

 

Pending for Fall 2016: Physiology, Genetics, General Chemistry 2 (12 units)

Pending for Intercession 2017: Biochemistry (4 units)

Pending for Spring 2017: Microbiology, Organic Chemistry 1 (10 units)

 

I have some different experiences - 750 hours community service as a volunteer police officer, 50 hours ER volunteer, 6 total years as a police officer, US Army Veteran, and I'll have about 600 hours HCE as a full time EMT/PCT on a med/tele unit when I apply.  GPA should be: cGPA 3.41, sGPA 3.81, last 60 GPA 3.81

 

I know it's not ideal but I'm hoping somewhere will give me a shot!  

[cop to pa]

August is starting to touch on the late side of applications. Many programs will be starting interviews then. With your low HCE and so many outstanding courses, you may be better served to wait a cycle.

 

You may just be pissing money away on applications and fees this go round.

[surfca40]

Money aside, is there any other negative consequences to applying and not getting in?  I'm not too worried about the financial aspect of it.  Would programs look negatively on a reapplicant if I had to reapply next year?

[cop to pa]

As long as your application improves (and it will with more prerequisites completed and more HCE) there should be no negative impact. If money is no issue, then what the hey, go for it.

[MT2PA]

Money aside, is there any other negative consequences to applying and not getting in?  I'm not too worried about the financial aspect of it.  Would programs look negatively on a reapplicant if I had to reapply next year?

 

They don't look negatively on a reapplicant - if you improve your application.  If the only improvement on your app will be completed courses (i.e not more HCE, more shadowing, more volunteering) it could maybe not be favorable.  You also have pretty low HCE numbers wise.

 

Personally, I think you'll have too many courses in progress.  If the programs say you just have to be done by matriculation, go ahead!  But it's a lot of classes (prereqs!) which make it hard to compare you to other applicants.  It might be a stretch for a program to want to bring you in for an interview if it's hard to compare your courses or GPA to other applicants.  Taking a chance on you might not be as likely as bringing in applicants who already have their prereqs completed so the program KNOWS how they did in all those science courses.  You said you're changing careers so if you are taking these courses for the first time or just getting into science courses, it's hard to compare someone with just a few science courses affecting their sGPA vs someone who has all the prereq science courses factored into their sGPA.  Basically - they could interview someone who already has A's in all those prereqs instead of you who hasn't proven yourself yet.

[surfca40]

My HCE will improve over time as I'm still working full time as an EMT/PCT in med/tele and I'll probably try to get into the ER at some point in time.  So by next cycle, I should have about 2,500 hours. 

 

And thanks for the input, I appreciate it. 

[lanime]

As a side note of something to check into as well, many programs have a limit to the number of preqs that can be outstanding at the time of application. Some even specify the types of classes that need to be completed prior to applying.

[surfca40]

Yeah, I've looked into that and I should meet the specific requirements.  A couple dictate how many you can have in progress and some of the other ones state certain ones (such as A&P) must be complete.  The courses I listed above aren't all for the same program, they're for a mix.  For example, my #1 choice doesn't require O-chem or Biochem that I plan on taking during the Spring.  Thanks for the heads up though!

[anewconvert]

Hear what people are telling you.  You aren't competitive right now.  You don't have enough HCE and you have too many pre-req classes outstanding to be able to draw a good picture of you as an applicant.  You aren't ready to apply and you achieve nothing by applying.  I'd be surprised if you made it passed the most perfunctory review of your application at this point.  

 

And all of that aside, if you are completing your application in August you'd be hard pressed to get an interview even with a stellar application.

 

 

Get your ducks in a row and apply next spring.  Have your application done and submitted by June 1st.  If your GPA stands up through the really tough classes you have ahead of you then you will be a strong candidate given your experience and additional HCE hours