GPA comeback

[FSUchess99]

I attribute my lack of success to a lack of maturity in applying full effort in my first undergrad years. I finished my BA in social sciences in 2007 cGPA 2.22, sGPA 1.61.

My transcript is a mess. Lots of Cs and Fs, even in premed requirements. (I wasn't pre-med when I took these. Just dabbling in science/math.)

I retook all my failed classes and med school pre-reqs over the last two years, took upper division biology courses, and now my GPA looks like this:

AMCAS
cGPA: 2.71, sGPA: 2.74 (yeah... I know I'm screened out of most (all?) MD schools)

AACOMAS
cGPA: 3.18, sGPA: 3.71

since returning to school, 48 credits at 3.79 GPA (full-time while doing research)

32P mcat (10P-11V-11B)

Research:
1 3/4 years research at time of application, 20-35 hrs/week, every week.
student employee of the year nominee
poster presentation (I didn't present it personally, but will get a chance to, is this significant?)
hopefully a publication, which we have started writing. wrapping up project now.

Clinical:
about 75 hours shadowing in Em. Dept.
will be a scribe in gap year (it's set up already)

Leadership:
three years restaurant management after graduating, supervising mostly college students (about my age). it feels silly to use this, but I learned more than I ever did in school and it was NOT easy.

Volunteering:
very weak spot. I read to elementary students off and on, and Im going to start volunteering at a clinic soon. I have plenty of time this semester, what should my hours goal be?

Miscellaneous: when I came back to school I changed my lifestyle and gradually lost 60 lbs.

Thanks for any constructive criticism. I have three months to wrap up my PS, letters of Rec, and patch holes the holes in volunteering and clinical.

edit-
I plan to apply broadly to DO schools and in-state (Florida) for MD, if advisors think the latter is reasonable.

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[gmcguitar4]

With both GPA under 3.0, applying to an MD school is a waste of $$...unless you are URM. If I were you, I would still take classes next Fall and maybe even summer to retake a couple more classes to boost your AACOMAS GPA.

 

[GoZags]

With both GPA under 3.0, applying to an MD school is a waste of $$...unless you are URM.

Even then, I think this is a misconception...You need a decent GPA above 3.0 to be accepted to school by-and-large. Grade replacement = good, or Post-Bac if you can qualify.

 

[systematic]

I'll be applying with very similar stats this cycle. Good luck man!!

 

[Catalystik]

I attribute my lack of success to a lack of maturity in applying full effort in my first undergrad years. I finished my BA in social sciences in 2007 cGPA 2.22, sGPA 1.61.

My transcript is a mess. Lots of Cs and Fs, even in premed requirements. (I wasn't pre-med when I took these. Just dabbling in science/math.)

I retook all my failed classes and med school pre-reqs over the last two years, took upper division biology courses, and now my GPA looks like this:

AMCAS
cGPA: 2.71, sGPA: 2.74 (yeah... I know I'm screened out of most (all?) MD schools)

AACOMAS
cGPA: 3.18, sGPA: 3.71

since returning to school, 48 credits at 3.79 GPA (full-time while doing research)

32P mcat (10P-11V-11B)

Research:
1 3/4 years research at time of application, 20-35 hrs/week, every week.
student employee of the year nominee
poster presentation (I didn't present it personally, but will get a chance to, is this significant?)
hopefully a publication, which we have started writing. wrapping up project now.

Clinical:
about 75 hours shadowing in Em. Dept.
will be a scribe in gap year (it's set up already)

Leadership:
three years restaurant management after graduating, supervising mostly college students (about my age). it feels silly to use this, but I learned more than I ever did in school and it was NOT easy.

Volunteering:
very weak spot. I read to elementary students off and on, and Im going to start volunteering at a clinic soon. I have plenty of time this semester, what should my hours goal be?

Miscellaneous: when I came back to school I changed my lifestyle and gradually lost 60 lbs.

Thanks for any constructive criticism. I have three months to wrap up my PS, letters of Rec, and patch holes the holes in volunteering and clinical.

edit-
I plan to apply broadly to DO schools and in-state (Florida) for MD, if advisors think the latter is reasonable.

Wow! What a great comeback. I think you'll do fine applying to DO schools, stats-wise.

I am very concerned that you have yet to begin gaining clinical experience. At least the shadowing is well above average. What life experience can you cite in your PS that tells you medicine is right for you?

The Leadership is terrific. The people skills you exercised are essential to success in medicine. Don't feel silly. This is one of your strongest ECs. The research is well above the average and will benefit your application as well.

Check into Wayne, an MD school that primarily considers the last 30 hours of earned GPA credit. I don't know if they have a cut off of 3.0 like most other allopathic schools do.

 

[TriagePreMed]

0% chance MD. Very good D.O. chances, provided you do enough clinical volunteering.

 

[Goro]

Concure 100%. Get more volunteer and shadowing experience; plus more stuff that shows your altruism.
good luck!

0% chance MD. Very good D.O. chances, provided you do enough clinical volunteering.

 

[FSUchess99]

Thanks for the advice, everyone, I'm going to really focus on clinical volunteering for the next few months.

As far as school selection goes, I ordered the 2013 osteopathic medical college info book, they ship in early april.

I want to:

1. attend a school that has an excellent academic support system, where I can surround myself with people dedicated to constantly improving themselves academically.

2. attend a school where they make a concerted effort to make transitions easier, because med school is packed full of them.

First year, studying for boards, going into rotations (esp concerned here), applying for residency, etc., I want to know how these things work well in advance. Although, I suppose SDN is pretty good for that.

Any suggestions for schools like these?

 

[Catalystik]

As far as school selection goes, I ordered the 2013 osteopathic medical college info book, they ship in early april.

You hopefully have already seen this on-line information to get an idea of what schools are out there: http://www.aacom.org/resources/bookstore/cib/Documents/2012cib/2012cib-whole.pdf

 

[Xypathos]

Disregard the people who keep wanting to flaunt the GPA and 3.0 issue.

Yes, it is generally true.

However, those stats are geared toward your average middle class white male fresh out of college. They don't take into consideration non-trad applicants (which you by definition now fall into) and students who show an upward trend.

Some schools will cut you off, some will focus on the last 30-90 credits earned.

It's going to be an uphill climb for you and you're going to have to tailor your school list to places where you have a chance but it's still possible to pull out an MD acceptance. Sure, it won't be Harvard or the likes but places like Wayne (which Cata suggested) are a possibility.

You've already mentioned DOs so that base is covered.

EDIT: Just keep up hope.

 

[TriagePreMed]

Disregard the people who keep wanting to flaunt the GPA and 3.0 issue.

You've already mentioned DOs so that base is covered.

EDIT: Just keep up hope.

The reason why people keep "flaunting" the 3.0 is because many schools have an automatic cutoff where they don't even get to see the application unless it's a 3.0 or above. We want to save this person's money and give them the chance to choose among more colleges. Please don't confuse things.

 

[Xypathos]

The reason why people keep "flaunting" the 3.0 is because many schools have an automatic cutoff where they don't even get to see the application unless it's a 3.0 or above. We want to save this person's money and give them the chance to choose among more colleges. Please don't confuse things.

There is no confusion, people consistently get in with less stats than the OP's.

To say he has 0% of acceptance is a lie.

 

[FSUchess99]

You hopefully have already seen this on-line information to get an idea of what schools are out there: http://www.aacom.org/resources/bookstore/cib/Documents/2012cib/2012cib-whole.pdf

yes thank you, I have this, I just wanted the updated one before I apply.

I'm interested in Nova because its close to home, the older private schools like C and PCOM, and the publics like MSU and OSU. Of course, I plan to read about every DO school and look for MDs that might give me a shot, I don't want my preconceptions to eliminate a star before I decide to not apply.

On another note, nobody's lying here, and 0% is probably not accurate. Thems fightin' words! Some schools will absolutely cut me off and forget me, and apparently some will take a look first.

If anyone has a recommendation for an MD school like Wayne St that appreciates the last 40-50 credits, please let me know.

 

[Goro]

People get in with GPAs of less than 3.0 because they're relatives of, or friends of either the Dean, or a significant donor to the school.. I've had to deal with such applicants myself, and they do get shoved down our throats. then they crash and burn because (surprise!) they're not capable of dealing with medical school.

I'm not saying the OP is like that; it looks like OP is turning his/her life around.

People win the Lotto too, but the difference between "possible" and "likely" is a still huge. One must always temper optimism with realism.

There is no confusion, people consistently get in with less stats than the OP's.

To say he has 0% of acceptance is a lie.

 

[TriagePreMed]

There is no confusion, people consistently get in with less stats than the OP's.

To say he has 0% of acceptance is a lie.

I think most reasonable people would have concluded that my comment wasn't literal but an expression that chances, for practical purposes, almost don't exist.

https://www.aamc.org/download/157958/data/table25-mcatgpa-grid-white-0911.pdf

About 22% chance according to this, BUT take into account that certain schools have Southern Illinois University whose 10th percentile is 3.1 (the lowest) and have extremely heavy regional bias. Other schools like this: Ponce (Puerto Rico), San Juan Bautista (PR), and East Carolina University. If you factor all this in AND what Goro said about people with connections, saying "0%" is close to reality. Don't kid yourself.

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

MD is near to 0% It's just that you won't make the "screening." The schools can't just go over 6000+ apps before extending interviews without some sort of separation between the applications.. Save your money and apply to DO. You have a great chance of getting in due to your comeback.

 

[FSUchess99]

Hi everyone, looking for a little help with my school selection.

recap:

sGPA 3.73
cGPA 3.19

post-bacc: 60 hrs at 3.833 GPA
32P mcat

1.5 yrs research, 95 hrs shadowing Emergency and Neurosurgery, 200 hrs volunteering in the last few months... about 20 a week at a primary care clinic plus a few with a recreation program for disabled adults. I know its not as good as an extended commitment but at least it's something.

My basic question: Is 15 schools broad enough? Or do I need to apply to schools I'm not really all that interested in?

KCOM
ATSU-Soma
AZCOM midwestern U
CCOM
DMU
KCUMB
LECOM
LECOM-B (only because I'm floridian and it's [relatively] inexpensive... visited and wasn't impressed)
NYCOM
NOVA
OSU
PCOM
UMNDJ
UNECOM
MSU

thanks. In case it went unnoticed, I picked publics and schools that have put out a few decades of graduates. And two inexpensive schools.

 

[TriagePreMed]

That's probably a longer list than necessary. About 10 Osteopathic schools should be more than enough. I'd personally get rid of UNECOM (regional bias) and MSU (more expensive than you can believe).

 

[FSUchess99]

yeah I was thinking of the OOS scholarship. And I like the school. I'll think about it some more. I didn't realize UNECOM was regionally selective.

I don't think I'll cut any schools because I do have the money to apply, but I don't have the money to wait a year.

I'm also applying to the MD school where I work. I know a few people who are willing to push for me, and happen to know another who could snap his fingers and I'd be in. Just have to figure out how to get them to snap.