Am I being realistic at all?

[garfieldnfriends]

Hi, I'm a rising junior with a GPA 3.1. At the end of my freshman year it was a at a 2.7, and I'm hoping to get it up to a 3.4 by graduation. I know it still isn't a great GPA though. If I get a low 30s score on the MCAT, what do you think my chances are of getting into a medical school like Georgetown? That would be my choice school.

Some background information on me, I am a registered Native American, and I'm an out-of-state student. I am the first in my family to go to college, and I went to a public high school. I'll be graduating from Seattle Pacific University.

I intend to have over 200 hours of clinical experience. I'm volunteering overseas at a clinic during spring break. Did a six-week summer medical program at Columbia following my freshman year. During that program, I shadowed three different physicians.

Some of the schools I am most interested it are:

Georgetown
University of Wisconsin-Madison
The George Washington University
University of California-Davis
University of Rochester
Indiana University
University of Vermont

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[OneTwoThreeFour]

As a registered Native American, you would be considered a member of a group that is under-represented in medicine (URM). Given that, a 3.4 and (lets say) a 30 on the MCAT, the graph gives you a 75% chance of getting in. Don't set your heart on any particular school, but cast a stats-suitable net and you will have a great shot.

 

[darkjedi]

Why Georgetown specifically?

Get your GPA as high as you can. Your Native American status will open a few doors too.

 

[garfieldnfriends]

Why Georgetown specifically?

Get your GPA as high as you can. Your Native American status will open a few doors too.

I thought Georgetown was one of the better medical schools that if I worked really hard, I might have a shot at.

 

[darkjedi]

I thought Georgetown was one of the better medical schools that if I worked really hard, I might have a shot at.

Unfortunately, Georgetown is one of the most applied to schools for precisely the reason that they have 'reasonable' median stats, but still a good school reputation. Unless you have a better reason for why Georgetown, it will be hard to differentiate yourself and increase your chances at this specific school.

 

[zzxxzz]

Unless you have a better reason for why Georgetown, it will be hard to differentiate yourself and increase your chances at this specific school.

OP is Native American, which differentiates him/her from 99.8% of MD applicants. Annually, there are more medical schools than Native American applicants.


With a 3.4 and a 30, you'll have a decent chance at Georgetown with your Native American status. They receive lots of applications, sure, but they also (informally) reserve some seats for minorities.

 

[WillburCobb]

UND, USD, and U of MN all have reserved seats for Native American students so I would consider those schools well. I believe Dartmouth may show a preference as well, but that's based on anecdotal evidence (I'm aware of a number of Native American students who were accepted there with less than stellar stats).

 

[Goro]

Concur.

As a registered Native American, you would be considered a member of a group that is under-represented in medicine (URM). Given that, a 3.4 and (lets say) a 30 on the MCAT, the graph gives you a 75% chance of getting in. Don't set your heart on any particular school, but cast a stats-suitable net and you will have a great shot.