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| These questions all address the fact that non-traditional students have done something else rather than be premedical immediately. You simply need to "tell your story" on your application. You will have more space to embellish on this in your secondary application and in your interview, so be prepared. Tell why you decided to go into the military, to have children, to become a teacher, etc. Then, explain why you want to be a doctor NOW. For example, "I joined the military directly out of high school because I was not sure I could handle college. I didn't have any role models in my family who attended college." or "My family expected that I enter into the family business selling shoes when I graduated from high school..." How can I locate effective Mentors in college to help me develop appropriate study skills? Find a Premedical Advisor who has worked with non-traditional students. They should be able to connect you to faculty Mentors who are empathetic (yes, they really do exist), to a Non-traditional or Postbac support student group or to Mentor you themselves. If no Advisor exists where you are, locate one! How can I build my self-confidence? This is tricky. You need to build on academic successes in order to build confidence. Take the academic path slowly at first, then pick up the pace as your confidence improves and your grades allow. Everyone lacks self-confidence under some circumstances. Make certain that the pace you set as a non-traditional premedical student provides you the appropriate amount of time and the conditions under which you may reach your academic and personal potential. Do not use someone else's timetable for you. How do I select a college? Should I avoid community colleges? Should I consider extension programs? If you can move geographically, or have access to a wide number of college opportunities, great. But, many applicants are constrained by what opportunities are available locally. These questions were addressed in the answer regarding unstructured programs to the first question, "How do I prepare as a non-traditional applicant?" |
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