29 MCAT and oddly calculated GPA with drastic improvement curve

[Blackxp]

::Edited::

Absolutely appreciated everyone's feedback. Thank you everyone!

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[sneaktiger]

I don't think you need to worry about your GPA and MCAT too much, they are fine and especially you have a very good come-back after you dropped out. Admissions love this kind of stories and they will think you are unique. So the main thing you need to do is to make sure that you emphasize in your personal statement on how you overcome your lows and why you want to be a doctor. There are many students with similar grades like you, so focus on the LOR's, these need to be good and the people who write these letters must know you so well personally and understand your struggles and goals in life. Besides that, you need to shadow more doctors, family/peds/OB/ER and so on. Also, your volunteer hours cannot count as shadowing hours, so be aware. If you have any extracurricular activities (sports, art, music...) your chances will be greater.

 

[Blackxp]

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[Blackxp]

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[Goro]

Looks like a good list; add Quinnipac and all other new MD schools. The low MCAT may hurt you, but I think you'll have a shot at some MD program. You're fine for an DO school, including mine.


Medical Schools (MD):
UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School
UMDNJ- Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
Drexel University College of Medicine
Albany Medical College
George Washington University Sch of Med & Hlth Science
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
New York Medical College
Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine
Temple University School of Medicine
The Commonwealth Medical College
Western Michigan Medical School

Medical Schools (DO):
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey - School of Osteopathic Medicine, NJ
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine - Erie/Seton Hill, PA
New York College of Osteopathic Medicine of NYIT, NY
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, PA
Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in New York, NY

 

[Blackxp]

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[Goro]

The newer schools tend to be less picky as most applicants shy away from them because they're well, new. Despite being a guinea pig, if you're a good self-studier, there's something to be said about being a pioneer.


I shall add the new schools too, although I'm worried that they can go either or two ways. They are overly picky and only choose really high stats, or they are willing to accept lower scores since they have less reputation to pull in the better students? Hoping the latter though!

Thanks again! Either way I am hoping to get into a medical program. The current pathologist I am volunteering/shadowing has me kinda excited about DO. I've tried talking to all of the DO's though and another said to honestly try for MD first. It will open more doors and especially internationally, but that I shouldn't sweat it either way. Again he is one of the old school DO's that had to fight back in the day. Times have changed immensely from what he has said.[/QUOTE]

 

[talinnlove]

Some other MD schools you could consider:

- EVMS (10th %tile GPA: 3.15), public but 50% of their class is OOS
- Loyola (10th %tile GPA: 3.29), private
- Wake Forest (10th %tile GPA: 3.29), private
- U of Vermont (10th %tile GPA: 3.36), public, but 70% of their class is OOS

All have 29 MCAT within their range (albeit the lower end), so your GPA and/or MCAT would still be higher than some person or people that they let in before

 

[Blackxp]

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[talinnlove]

I am hoping that although I am in their 10th percentile for most things that I am much more than what my numbers tell at face value. Hoping that they will accept me over people with actual numbers in the 10th percentile when they realize that I am much more than my average GPA. Just wish my MCAT was better than it was. Its well balanced and I got that going for me, but thats about it. Assuming most of the low GPA's have obscenely high MCATs to make up for themselves which I do not really have.

I can offer a bit of solidarity here at least. I got an interview invite from George Washington (aka the school that only interviews 7.5% of their applicants) on the first day they sent IIs out. I have by several points the lowest LizzyM score of anyone who has posted their stats in the GW forum. So I'm basically counting on the non-cognitives and holistic review process if I'm going to get accepted anywhere. I'm reminding myself that II does not equal acceptance, but also that they wouldn't waste their time interviewing me instead of someone with a 3.9 GPA / 35 MCAT if they didn't think there was something worthwhile in my application besides my numbers.

You've got an interesting story, and a potential wealth of experiences to tap when writing your personal statement and secondary essays. It's a resource that many high-scorers would likely envy (see the "less-informed pre-meds" thread in the pre-allo forum for proof ). Again, I'm just another pre-med here, but do your best to own everything you have to offer.

 

[Blackxp]

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