- Joined
- Apr 29, 2012
- Messages
- 27
- Reaction score
- 0
Hi everyone,
On the basis of my cGPA and sGPA alone, I already know I'm not competitive to get into UNC-Chapel Hill and Wake Forest, even though I would be considered a resident state applicant, so I have pretty much set my sight on DO school. I feel like my GPAs are currently strong for a lot of D.O. schools, and after I finish preparing for the MCAT, I should score in the low 30s come June.
My ECs are okay as far as what adcoms are looking for: 50 hours of shadowing family doctor, pediatrician, GI; writing tutor for my college (1 year), volunteered at a food pantry and set up a food drive through a church; volunteer middle school english tutor; 1 year of research at my college (no publications); a few clubs here and there; academic mentor (1 semester); played piano for 11 years (1 year at my college); and 100 hours volunteering in the ER last summer (about 9 hours each week, Thursdays and Fridays).
I guess what I'm concerned about is a down trend in my grades. I started out strong my freshmen and sophomore years (ended with a 3.76 GPA over that span). My junior year I ended up taking on too much, and I wasn't prepared at all mentally for how hard physics, microbiology and physiology would be all in one semester, in between working 6 hours for the school, doing research, and taking private piano lessons (I know, pretty stupid to try and do so much). I ended up getting a C in physics, a C- in micro, and a C in physio--I pretty much gave up near the end because I felt that my hopes for medical school were 100% shot. Next semester I took a lighter course load and ended up getting all Bs, which brought my cGPA down to a 3.43.
This year I managed a 4.0 1st semester (re-took physio and got an A), which seems great considering I was upward trending from my junior year disaster and brought my GPA up to a 3.52. But this semester I found out that I made B+s in both cell biology and statistics, as well as a 1 credit course that is part of my biology major. I made As in my other two general courses, but even if I make an A in the spanish class I plan to take over the summer, my GPA will only be about a 3.53 (my sGPA about a 3.39-3.4)
So my main concern is, how will D.O. school adcoms look at this? Will my below average performance in my final semester raise a red flag? I have heard that it hurts applicants if their grades take any downward trends throughout college. Thanks for the input.
On the basis of my cGPA and sGPA alone, I already know I'm not competitive to get into UNC-Chapel Hill and Wake Forest, even though I would be considered a resident state applicant, so I have pretty much set my sight on DO school. I feel like my GPAs are currently strong for a lot of D.O. schools, and after I finish preparing for the MCAT, I should score in the low 30s come June.
My ECs are okay as far as what adcoms are looking for: 50 hours of shadowing family doctor, pediatrician, GI; writing tutor for my college (1 year), volunteered at a food pantry and set up a food drive through a church; volunteer middle school english tutor; 1 year of research at my college (no publications); a few clubs here and there; academic mentor (1 semester); played piano for 11 years (1 year at my college); and 100 hours volunteering in the ER last summer (about 9 hours each week, Thursdays and Fridays).
I guess what I'm concerned about is a down trend in my grades. I started out strong my freshmen and sophomore years (ended with a 3.76 GPA over that span). My junior year I ended up taking on too much, and I wasn't prepared at all mentally for how hard physics, microbiology and physiology would be all in one semester, in between working 6 hours for the school, doing research, and taking private piano lessons (I know, pretty stupid to try and do so much). I ended up getting a C in physics, a C- in micro, and a C in physio--I pretty much gave up near the end because I felt that my hopes for medical school were 100% shot. Next semester I took a lighter course load and ended up getting all Bs, which brought my cGPA down to a 3.43.
This year I managed a 4.0 1st semester (re-took physio and got an A), which seems great considering I was upward trending from my junior year disaster and brought my GPA up to a 3.52. But this semester I found out that I made B+s in both cell biology and statistics, as well as a 1 credit course that is part of my biology major. I made As in my other two general courses, but even if I make an A in the spanish class I plan to take over the summer, my GPA will only be about a 3.53 (my sGPA about a 3.39-3.4)
So my main concern is, how will D.O. school adcoms look at this? Will my below average performance in my final semester raise a red flag? I have heard that it hurts applicants if their grades take any downward trends throughout college. Thanks for the input.