DO decent MCAT, meh GPA, but good experience(s)?

[goodmcatmehgpa123]

Just finished my PS and revising it now before planning to submit this week (Mon/Tue). Thought I'd share my basic statistics and figure out how screwed or not I am?

Academics:

• 32 MCAT (11, 11, 10)
• 330 GRE (170 Q, 160 V)
• cGPA: 3.39
• sGPA: 2.9
• post-bacc GPA: 2.89 (woke up late for an exam by 45 min, first time ever, was a double exam day, so I basically had 1 hour less to take two 2-hour exams, dragged my GPA down)
• realized I needed time off for personal reasons so decided not to continue with year 2 of post-bacc for masters'. wasn't sure if I wanted to do MD/DO route OR go to the research/MSc route. Used the time to take anatomy, retake a bio class from undergrad (got an A), deal with my personal ****, shadow, and work on the side.
  • QUESTION: should I mention this at all in my PS and if so, how much?

Experience(s):

• shadowing >100 hours in diff departments of hospital (ER, psych)
• 1 publication: literary journal in college (science behind why low-alcoholic beer can be considered a good post-workout hydration method)
• 1 year RA in behavioral neuroscience lab (college, no publications)
• 6 months RA in cardiology lab (at hospital, then they lost funding for lab so couldn't keep me on)
• Recs from 2 professors, 2 employers
• Shadowing a DO atm, will be getting rec letter soon
• Dorm RA in college (2 years)
• Taught kids in under-served schools (K-12) about neuroscience and science in undergrad
• Spent 2 spring breaks in Utah for Alternative Break Volunteer trip, second year was a coordinator for the trip. Worked K-6 aged kids on basic health education (washing their hands, really elementary stuff), teaching them math and basic science, helping set up new dorms for them (it was a mix of a day and boarding schools)
• Working for private tutoring company (tutor HS/college kids for math and science classes; provide college admissions counselling for students applying to undergrad)

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[efle]

Is that 3.4 cGPA 2.9 sGPA with grade replacements factored in?

 

[goodmcatmehgpa123]

Is that 3.4 cGPA 2.9 sGPA with grade replacements factored in?

yes. the anatomy class I am finishing fairly soon so that will add in as well.

 

[GrapesofRath]

You really need more GPA repair. A 2.9 science GPA combined with the 2.9 post-bacc just is not good enough. Post-bacc's are auditions for med school basically and a 2.9 isn't convincing anybody you can handle a medical school workload. You can use the "oh I fell asleep for an exam" excuse(which btw is not a good excuse) but beyond that if you had a 2.9 your other classes weren't going so great either. It's not really just the 2.9 sGPA that'll be problematic, it's the fact there is no upward trend whatsoever and your post-bacc which is your audition was also sub 3.0 work.

You'll need a couple semesters of strong post-bacc work AT LEAST to really start convincing ADCOMs you can handle a med school workload and overlook a 2.9 post-bacc GPA and sGPA(and by strong work 3.7+ is the standard). I wouldn't worry about EC's(which by and large are ok) or anything else until you can address your GPA weakness.

 

[PugsAndHugs]

A low undergraduate GPA with an even lower post-bacc does not look good at all, I think this will be lethal for MD schools. Your MCAT is on the higher end for DOs but I'm still not sure if it can make up for your poor GPAs.