I am in my third year at Cornell University and wanted some advice as to whether I should apply this year or wait until senior year (take a year off)...

By the end of this spring semester I will have a 3.1 cumulative GPA, MCAT score of 33, and solid extra-cirricular/research experience). I am also african american and am majoring in neurobiology and behavior. Do I have a shot applying this year or should I apply senior year and take the Gap year that comes along with it...

Thanks for your help,

I am in my third year at Cornell University and wanted some advice as to whether I should apply this year or wait until senior year (take a year off)...

By the end of this spring semester I will have a 3.1 cumulative GPA, MCAT score of 33, and solid extra-cirricular/research experience). I am also african american and am majoring in neurobiology and behavior. Do I have a shot applying this year or should I apply senior year and take the Gap year that comes along with it...

Thanks for your help,

Fast? You might want to settle down there...

Your MCAT is great and your GPA is ~.55 lower than average assuming its your BCPM, but your UGrad school is an IVY and you're a URM and you have a tough major.

I would do it, but it would be stupid not to apply broadly

I am a ugrad atm...

If you apply as a URM you have an excellent chance of being accepted. Your GPA is a little low but your MCAT is excellent. Apply broadly and early and you should at least get an interview or two.

Apply. GPA is a little on the low side, but good MCAT and EC's LOR's and you'll be fine. Just be smart about where you apply to.

:)

If you feel extremely ready, then apply. If you think and feel that you are not at your best, then you might want to wait another year to strengthen your weaknesses.
If you do want to apply, you should only apply at your dream school(s).
Many would actually say to apply broadly, I agree. However, I believe this leads to applicants applying to schools they may not become really satisfied with (upon acceptance).
In short, only apply to your dream school(s) even if you think that you may not qualify. With your MCAT and ECs, I believe you have a shot at least at one MD program. Good luck!

Thats terrible advice. Don't just apply to your dream schools. You will get washed out if that happens and become a reapplicant.

I'd try and get your gpa up as much as possible in the last year, then apply.

If you feel extremely ready, then apply. If you think and feel that you are not at your best, then you might want to wait another year to strengthen your weaknesses.
If you do want to apply, you should only apply at your dream school(s).
Many would actually say to apply broadly, I agree. However, I believe this leads to applicants applying to schools they may not become really satisfied with (upon acceptance).
In short, only apply to your dream school(s) even if you think that you may not qualify. With your MCAT and ECs, I believe you have a shot at least at one MD program. Good luck!


Awful, awful advice. Your dream shouldn't be a school, your dream should be the practice of medicine. Apply broadly and hope for any school to take you. You'll find any medical school is much more satisfying than no medical school. If you get a lot of acceptances then start worrying about which school is your dream school.

:)

Agree. Apply broadly, using the MSAR to find schools in line with your stats, but also apply to a few 'reach' schools. Right or wrong, the URM status will change things for you, so it won't hurt to apply to those reaches.

Wow, you really believe that ALL of the points I made are awful? Thanx...


Not all of them, just the one about not applying broadly.

Do you have a shot?! You're a URM with a 33- Welcome to medical school my friend.

If you apply as a URM you have an excellent chance of being accepted. Your GPA is a little low but your MCAT is excellent. Apply broadly and early and you should at least get an interview or two.

I dont know what you're smoking, but IMO, more like at least get a full scholarship or two.

I dont know what you're smoking, but IMO, more like at least get a full scholarship or two.


Well, even for an average URM matriculant he's still below the average for GPA. The equivalent of a non-URM with a 3.4 and a 37. A 3.4 and a 37 are very good stats, but probably not full ride stats (could be wrong though, I didn't have those stats).

I don't think you can go wrong with a year off. I was in a similar situation last year, where I maybe would have gotten in to my state schools, but took an extra year to work on EC's and just relax. I think my application is much better for it, I'm having (kind of) more success than I would have the previous cycle, I don't have to worry about secondaries and interviews during school, and the time off is AWESOME. As a URM especially, any improvements in your app could lead to scholarship offers. All thoughts of strengthening your app aside, once you enter med school, odds are you'll be busy til you retire, so why not take a break before plunging in? I have absolutely zero regrets about my decision.

I am in my third year at Cornell University and wanted some advice as to whether I should apply this year or wait until senior year (take a year off)...

By the end of this spring semester I will have a 3.1 cumulative GPA, MCAT score of 33, and solid extra-cirricular/research experience). I am also african american and am majoring in neurobiology and behavior. Do I have a shot applying this year or should I apply senior year and take the Gap year that comes along with it...

Thanks for your help,
Your numbers are fine. Schools won't care about your gpa if the rest of your application is on point. Make sure your personal statement is eloquent, interesting and compelling. I can't stress that enough. Also, make sure your Letters of Rec are outstanding. If you think you'll have trouble securing some really strong ones, take an extra year to get to know your professors more and then hit them up. That was the smartest decision I've ever made.

I recommend taking a year off to mature and live life. From my experience, schools are very accepting of students that have a social life, are personable and fun.

Goodluck, I'm sure you'll do fine.

If you feel extremely ready, then apply. If you think and feel that you are not at your best, then you might want to wait another year to strengthen your weaknesses.
If you do want to apply, you should only apply at your dream school(s).
Many would actually say to apply broadly, I agree. However, I believe this leads to applicants applying to schools they may not become really satisfied with (upon acceptance).
In short, only apply to your dream school(s) even if you think that you may not qualify. With your MCAT and ECs, I believe you have a shot at least at one MD program. Good luck!

I don't agree with the dream school advice, but for a different reason. What you read about on paper and hear from others is just part of the story. When I was applying to undergrad, it was Feb. of my senior year, I had already checked out some schools during winter break, and I was lost. I didn't like any of the schools I had gotten in to. I was talking to my aunt and she started looking on line and came across DePaul. I had never heard of the school before, but thankfully it's deadline was March 1st. I figured I was already in somewhere, so I have nothing to lose by applying. I applied, got in, and visited the school. I loved the school and am currently a very happy student there.

So I would avoid applying to just 'dream schools' because no matter how much research you do, the only way to get a feel (at least for me) is to go and visit the school, and get a feeling for it. I went in to applying to medical school with the thought that I just want an MD and did not really have a 'dream school.' What works for one person doesn't work for anyone. I say apply broadly, not just because it increases your chances of getting in, but you might also find that you are surprised by how much you like a given institution that otherwise you may have never considered.

I also disagree with HopefulOne. You are only in med school for 4 years. You are going to be practicing for the rest of your life. Of course everyone wants to go to their dream school but this does not mean that 1) they will get the best education there 2)they will be happy there. I definitely know people who thought their college was their dream college until they actually matriculated. Sometimes your dreams don't match up with reality.

Hey bud, before you go applying everywhere right now, think about this scenario.

Say you apply to 20 schools, your reaches and some you have a 'better' shot at getting into. Now let's say you get into one or two schools you had a better shot of getting into but aren't TOO excited aboutthem, and you didn't get into any of the schools you "wanted" to go to..

Now you have a situation where you either say YES to schools you may not want to go to, or you could attempt to go through another round and try for the other schools. But understand please that the schools that DID accept, (and I can only speak in hypotheticals) will probably not accept you AGAIN. So you may in fact be screwing yourself.

HOWEVER, if you wait the year, do what you can to make yourself a more desired applicant, then you'll have a better shot of getting into your reach schools, and if you DON'T get into any then, the schools that you would have gotten into the previous round will let you in now, and you can go there KNOWING you did all you could.

I'm not saying to do this, I just wanted to point out why applying BROADLY in your situation NOT be the best move for you. Though in the end, it's all up to you. Good luck, OP.

Hey op,

I was in your EXACT situation in my junior year (pretty much the same breakdown for stats and I am black as well). I decided to take the extra year in undergrad and waited to apply after I graduated. For me, this worked out spectacularly since I was able to pull about a 3.7 for senior year which brought my gpa. Also in taking a gap year, I was able to secure a great job in health policy which every school I have interviewed at has been very impressed by. So far I've gotten into 7 schools including one of my top choices (Cornell).

If you do go this route (and I'm not saying that you necessarily should) it will only improve your application. I think that whatever you decide, you will have a shot at med schools. I am just an advocate of the gap year since it gives you time to stop, breathe, and regain your sanity (plus party and have fun) while pursuing something very interesting (in my case health policy) before you start med school. If you apply broadly, don't hesitate to apply to your dream schools as well. There were a couple of dream schools that didn't make my original list because I thought I couldn't get in (Cornell included) that I eventually added and am glad I did. But apply very broadly! Good luck!

:luck:

If you want to discuss this more, PM me!

I have a 3.35 GPA and 37 on the MCAT. I've also done two summer science research programs with faculty at my college and participated genuinely in science and non-science extracurriculars. I intend to volunteer at hospital from September through February before applying to medical schools in June 2009. What are my chances of getting into any allopathic medical school?

moving to What are my chances? subforum.

you'll definitely get in and definitely a have your choice of schools this year...but you could get into prestigious med schools, if you can get straight A's your senior year and then apply.