Cum 3.27 Sci 3.17 MCAT 34 Chance meh

[Swickly]

3.27 cum Carnegie Mellon B.S. Biology/Psychology
3.17 Sci
34 MCAT (11PS,11VR,12BS)

I graduated this past may, and am applying Fall 2015. Just got a job doing research at an IVY league med school in my gap years

Volunteering/shadow:

-Clinical volunteer Hospice over 130 hours
- Shadowed Chief neurosurgeon at big hospital in my hometown, >20 hours...
- Plan on volunteering in ER before I apply.
- Studied abroad and volunteered >120 hours teaching English to youngsters at a vocational school in Rio de Janeiro

Research:

-6-7 months as an undergrad RA in a Health Psych lab
- Current job for 1.5 years possibly w/ a pub on an abstract according to PI, not sure..

ECs:
- Collegiate Football for 4 years. 25 hrs a week. ate most of my time with school
- Flag football coach for youth

Haven't written PS or gotten letters yet, though I think my letters will be pretty strong...

List so far:

Temple
Drexel
Jefferson
PCOM
Cooper
FAU
FIU
Miami
UCLA
UCSD
UCSF
UNC
Wake Forest
Tufts


Chance me por favorrr. oh and I'm allowed to take Post bacc classes at the university I work at for free because I work here.. But the thing is I would only be able to get the Spring grades ( to influence my science GPA) before I apply, the summer and fall of 2015 would be after my app is in, and wouldn't matter in terms of my GPA... right? Philadelphia would be ideal, any advice on how to make my app stronger in the meantime? Also, I screwed myself my last semester with a hard schedule due to studying abroad and leaving all tough classes.. Would it be better to retake classes I got a C in, or take higher level science classes?


Thanks guys!

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[Doug Underhill]

With a 3.27/34 (congrats on the high MCAT), you have a 50.7% chance of at least one MD acceptance. If you used your post-bac to raise that GPA to 3.4, your odds of acceptance would jump to 64.8%. Your ECs look pretty good- 20 hours of shadowing seems a bit low- maybe add another doctor in there. Adcoms don't quantitatively judge shadowing by the number of hours- they don't want premeds swarming attendings for every hour they can squeeze in- but it'd be nice to see you have at least 50 hours on there.

 

[DaMedDude]

I'd apply to more low-tier MD schools. Miami, Jefferson, Tufts, etc. are all pretty unlikely.

 

[alpinism]

3.27 cum Carnegie Mellon B.S. Biology/Psychology
3.17 Sci
34 MCAT (11PS,11VR,12BS)

I graduated this past may, and am applying Fall 2015. Just got a job doing research at an IVY league med school in my gap years

Volunteering/shadow:

-Clinical volunteer Hospice over 130 hours
- Shadowed Chief neurosurgeon at big hospital in my hometown, >20 hours...
- Plan on volunteering in ER before I apply.
- Studied abroad and volunteered >120 hours teaching English to youngsters at a vocational school in Rio de Janeiro

Research:

-6-7 months as an undergrad RA in a Health Psych lab
- Current job for 1.5 years possibly w/ a pub on an abstract according to PI, not sure..

ECs:
- Collegiate Football for 4 years. 25 hrs a week. ate most of my time with school
- Flag football coach for youth

Haven't written PS or gotten letters yet, though I think my letters will be pretty strong...

List so far:

Temple
Drexel
Jefferson
PCOM
Cooper
FAU
FIU
Miami
UCLA
UCSD
UCSF
UNC
Wake Forest
Tufts


Chance me por favorrr. oh and I'm allowed to take Post bacc classes at the university I work at for free because I work here.. But the thing is I would only be able to get the Spring grades ( to influence my science GPA) before I apply, the summer and fall of 2015 would be after my app is in, and wouldn't matter in terms of my GPA... right? Philadelphia would be ideal, any advice on how to make my app stronger in the meantime? Also, I screwed myself my last semester with a hard schedule due to studying abroad and leaving all tough classes.. Would it be better to retake classes I got a C in, or take higher level science classes?


Thanks guys!

Your chances at the above schools are very low considering your GPA (plus CA schools are extremely selective on their own).

You need to add more low tier private MD schools (ideally 20+) in order to have the best chance.

Check the MSAR for private schools with GPA/MCAT averages under 3.75/33.

 

[Faha]

Where is your state of residence? Cooper, UNC and the California schools are far reaches unless you are a resident of one of those states. Consider schools such as Quinnipiac, Hofstra, Albany, New York Medical College, Commonwealth (PA), Penn State, Oakland Beaumont, Western Michigan, Creighton, St. Louis, Rosalind Franklin, Loyola. Apply to any of the new medical schools that may be opening in 2016 and add a few more DO schools.

 

[Swickly]

I'm a PA resident... And i would love to go DO, I'll have to look into it more..

 

[gyngyn]

Where is your state of residence? Cooper, UNC and the California schools are far reaches unless you are a resident of one of those states. Consider schools such as Quinnipiac, Hofstra, Albany, New York Medical College, Commonwealth (PA), Penn State, Oakland Beaumont, Western Michigan, Creighton, St. Louis, Rosalind Franklin, Loyola. Apply to any of the new medical schools that may be opening in 2016 and add a few more DO schools.

Those CA schools are far reaches even if he is a resident!

 

[Swickly]

So you think the CA schools aren't even worth applying to?

 

[Australopithekus]

Try:

Penn State
Temple
Drexel
Jefferson
Cooper
Hofstra
Quinnipiac
NYMC
Albany
Tulane
Western Michigan
Creighton,
Rosalind Franklin
And 5+ DO schools.

 

[gyngyn]

So you think the CA schools aren't even worth applying to?

If you are SDA you should apply to Loma Linda. Other than that, very low yield.

 

[Goro]

GPAs are lethal for MD schools but fine for DO. Start with LECOM and PCOM and work outwards.

3.27 cum Carnegie Mellon B.S. Biology/Psychology
3.17 Sci
34 MCAT (11PS,11VR,12BS)

I graduated this past may, and am applying Fall 2015. Just got a job doing research at an IVY league med school in my gap years

Volunteering/shadow:

-Clinical volunteer Hospice over 130 hours
- Shadowed Chief neurosurgeon at big hospital in my hometown, >20 hours...
- Plan on volunteering in ER before I apply.
- Studied abroad and volunteered >120 hours teaching English to youngsters at a vocational school in Rio de Janeiro

Research:

-6-7 months as an undergrad RA in a Health Psych lab
- Current job for 1.5 years possibly w/ a pub on an abstract according to PI, not sure..

ECs:
- Collegiate Football for 4 years. 25 hrs a week. ate most of my time with school
- Flag football coach for youth

Haven't written PS or gotten letters yet, though I think my letters will be pretty strong...

List so far:

Temple
Drexel
Jefferson
PCOM
Cooper
FAU
FIU
Miami
UCLA
UCSD
UCSF
UNC
Wake Forest
Tufts


Chance me por favorrr. oh and I'm allowed to take Post bacc classes at the university I work at for free because I work here.. But the thing is I would only be able to get the Spring grades ( to influence my science GPA) before I apply, the summer and fall of 2015 would be after my app is in, and wouldn't matter in terms of my GPA... right? Philadelphia would be ideal, any advice on how to make my app stronger in the meantime? Also, I screwed myself my last semester with a hard schedule due to studying abroad and leaving all tough classes.. Would it be better to retake classes I got a C in, or take higher level science classes?


Thanks guys!

 

[ProudMD]

Agreed with Goro.

However, I still recommend applying to 15 or so "low-tier" (God I hate that term) MD schools. Admissions will be difficult, but definitely possible.

 

[patientvomits]

CA schools are a waste of money - they take almost no students from outside California. Definitely won't get into any Cali schools - why pay for the application fee and the secondary fee?

 

[ProudMD]

CA schools are a waste of money - they take almost no students from outside California. Definitely won't get into any Cali schools - why pay for the application fee and the secondary fee?

Not entirely accurate. UCSD, UCLA, and especially UCSF take plenty of OOS applicants. However, the OP does not have the stats to get into those schools. UCSF loves applicants from my alma mater, and many/most of my peers who are currently attending UCSF are not CA residents.

 

[DaMedDude]

CA schools are a waste of money - they take almost no students from outside California. Definitely won't get into any Cali schools - why pay for the application fee and the secondary fee?

UCSF - 20% OOS matriculants
Keck - 26.1% OOS matriculants
(2013 data)
and obviously stanford and loma linda are high OOS but that goes without saying.

 

[candbgirl]

OPs GPA are low for MD.I don't see a MD ii at all. Why waste the money on MD when your very best chances are at DO schools? Maybe throw in your state MD schools but other than that stick to DO for your best bets.

 

[gyngyn]

UCSF - 20% OOS matriculants
Keck - 26.1% OOS matriculants
(2013 data)
and obviously stanford and loma linda are high OOS but that goes without saying.

Those first three are all excellent choices for very accomplished OOS applicants.
This OP unfortunately has gpa's below the 10th% for all of them.
If there were a strong religious thread in his application he would be a very good candidate for Loma Linda, though

 

[Swickly]

Hmm yeah I would love to go to PCOM, but I'll be taking classes in the meantime and that should bump my GPA a tenth or so if I pull A's...I'm gonna scratch the CA schools along with a couple others. As for LECOM I'm not trying to live in Erie for 4 years...So we'll see. Thanks for the advice all.

 

[candbgirl]

One thing-you said you were applying in Fall 2015. I hope you meant June 2015. If you wait to apply until the Fall with your GPAs you'll be in trouble. You need to apply very early and hope for the best if you are looking at MD schools.

 

[Swickly]

yeah, definitely. I meant the next cycle. June 1st it is. And my revised list is now:

Temple
Drexel
Jefferson
Cooper
Albert Einstein
New York Medical College
FAU
FIU
Miami
UNC
Wake Forest
TUCOM
WesternU/COMP
PCOM
NSU-Com