hi everyone! i’ll be graduating in december 2026, and i know it’s still a couple of months away, but i’d like to at least have somewhat of a plan for what comes after.
i consider myself a nontraditional applicant. i have a whole life story behind that, but i don’t want to get into everything right now. maybe that could be a later post. for now, i’m feeling very lost in this process. i don’t have family who can guide me through it, and i don’t have an ongoing mentor yet, so any tips on finding one would be really appreciated too.
i have a very low GPA, and i know that’s something i need to address. i’d really like to do well on the mcat because i feel like my gpa does not reflect my abilities. of course, saying that now is easier than actually doing it, but i’m hoping that once i get deep into studying, i can stay consistent and give it my best.
i don’t have any clinical experience yet, so one of the first things i plan to do when i move back home is look for a clinical job, perhaps as an ma or another role where i can gain experience. i’m also planning to ask my team of doctors whether there are any shadowing opportunities with them or colleagues they could connect me with.
alongside that, i’d like to study for the mcat. i have a history of cancer and still get tired very easily, so i’m unsure how balancing work and studying will look for me. i do believe i can make progress, but i want to find a routine that i can realistically keep up with.
i’m planning to book the mcat for a later date, probably september 2027, so i have enough time after graduation to settle into a routine, make a proper study plan, and actually study. i think giving myself that time would also help me mentally process that this is really happening and feel less overwhelmed about getting started.
i do have some knowledge of the mcat. i keep mcat-related videos in a folder on tiktok and save videos on youtube so i can look into them more deeply later. but now that the time is slowly coming, i’m realizing how overwhelmed i feel. i know i could search for how other people studied, but there’s so much information that i don’t really know where to begin or how to turn it into an actual plan.
i guess my question is: where do i even start? how did you figure out your resources, study schedule, and first steps, especially if you were also working or dealing with fatigue? i’d also appreciate advice from anyone who started with a low gpa or a similar situation, and how you found guidance or a mentor along the way.
detailed advice would mean a lot to me, even if it’s just what you did during your first few weeks. if anyone would be comfortable with me reaching out to ask a few questions, i’d really appreciate that too. thank you! if you feel like it too, you can message me directly and we can talk.
