General advice and schools list for unusual case

[keeponswimming]

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[deleted480308]

With a cgpa below 3, a mediocre mcat, and a carribean withdrawal......I just don't see it

 

[DrMidlife]

Find out what an SMP is. See the postbac forum.

Retake the new MCAT and do better than your prior take.

 

[keeponswimming]

DrMidLife, thank you for your suggestions. I cannot afford more school right now but at least now which way I should go next.

I did get into some low-yield SMPs but I was discouraged by the very low percentage of students who were accepted into the related medical school class the following year, often despite good SMP/graduate grades. That is why I enrolled into the GPA enhancer post-bacc program instead. I took mostly upper level undergrad courses but also took some graduate level courses.

As for the MCAT, it is reasonable for me to retake it as I am working right now without other time-consuming obligations.

Is there anything I can do for my medical school application that is already underway this cycle?

 

[GreenDuck12]

I'm not familiar with the particulars of your academic record but it sounds like the first two years of school were especially rough with multiple failing grades. Did you retake these courses? If so, osteopathic schools allow grade replacement which could have a significant impact on your cGPA and sGPA. If not, one thing you could do to prepare a stronger app is to retake courses with low grades (F/D/C-) and target DO schools. With your numbers being well outside the median for allopathic schools, it is going to be a very, very tough sell for an admissions committee.

As for this cycle, if you have retaken courses and the osteopathic schools have a substantial change in your GPA, apply to osteopathic programs, though it is getting late in the cycle.

Here is the backstory:
15 years ago, I went to a top 10 undergrad and did the first 2 years as an engineering major. I had a lot of failing grades, academic probation and even had to withdraw temporarily. I went back and graduated with a science degree in biology. My cGPA then was ~2.2

 

[keeponswimming]

GreenDuck12,
Yes, without the first two years of college, my cGPA would be close to 3.5 but unfortunately all of those decade-old grades count.
I retook the science courses that I failed. I did not retake the engineering courses as I left engineering and never looked back!

For DO schools, my cGPA is at least 3.12 right now.

 

[GreenDuck12]

cGPA of 3.12 is still well outside the range for DO schools. With admissions, the first hurdle is the numbers game, and being too far away from the median will make it tough for your application to get through an initial screening. What seems to be holding you back is a combination of GPA and MCAT, both of which you can remedy. Your reinvention with a post bac is impressive, but it doesn't overcome the low overall numbers. If I were in your shoes, I would: 1. study for MCAT like crazy and retake 2.retake as many F/D/C- classes that I could (knowing that when those grades are replaced with As, my cGPA will be within the range of DO schools) ((if needed, retake science courses if your sGPA is below a 3.5)) and reapply once my numbers are closer to the median. A cGPA of 3.5 is in the range for DO schools (check out this site for some stats though I have not verified the data: http://osteopathicmedstudent.com/osteopathic-schools/mcat-and-gpa-statistics/ )

GreenDuck12,
Yes, without the first two years of college, my cGPA would be close to 3.5 but unfortunately all of those decade-old grades count.
I retook the science courses that I failed. I did not retake the engineering courses as I left engineering and never looked back!

For DO schools, my cGPA is at least 3.12 right now.

 

[keeponswimming]

Thank you all for your constructive advice!