High sGPA, low cGPA, aced MCAT - where do I stand

[GrapesofRath]

We really just dont know. These schools dont accept many 3.3 cGPAs, but they accept hoards of people with 3.85sGPAs(thats actually above avg for many schools) and that MCAT is at the 90th percentile or higher for almost all TX schools. We can't just really isolate one variable and say: they dont accept anybody with that one stat when they accept hoards of other people with his other stats. Many people get into medical school every year with a 3.3 cGPA: most of them dont hit a 37/38 on the MCAT.

The fact that gyngyn also doesnt have a great answer here is rather telling and just shows how unpredictable this process is and how hard it can be to find explanations.

To the OP what gyngyn said was worth noting about how these schools are open to re-applicants who remediate their prior issues. If you dont get any love from San Antonio, the door is hardly shut here. The focus rather should be on addressing what you think your weakest parts of your app are. More post-bacc courses could help. As could expanding upon on your ECs, changing the focus/theme of your application and revamping your essays/LORs completely.

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[Marcion]

I guess my question is what should I do moving forward?

cGPA repair would be a huge investment in time and money considering it took me 2 years and tens of thousands of dollars to get my cGPA up from 3.1 to 3.3 through post bacc work. I am 26 and I do not relish the idea of waiting another two years spinning my wheels trying to ramp up my GPA when I already killed the MCAT.

I can always improve my ECs. That seems like the highest-yield part of my app I can work on. My essays I think were pretty good if I say so myself. I had them reviewed by multiple people including professors and people who review this stuff for a living.

In wondering what people's opinions on the DO option are. Should I try for it this cycle or wait for the next one?

 

[GrapesofRath]

I guess my question is what should I do moving forward?

cGPA repair would be a huge investment in time and money considering it took me 2 years and tens of thousands of dollars to get my cGPA up from 3.1 to 3.3 through post bacc work. I am 26 and I do not relish the idea of waiting another two years spinning my wheels trying to ramp up my GPA when I already killed the MCAT.

I can always improve my ECs. That seems like the highest-yield part of my app I can work on. My essays I think were pretty good if I say so myself. I had them reviewed by multiple people including professors and people who review this stuff for a living.

In wondering what people's opinions on the DO option are. Should I try for it this cycle or wait for the next one?

a) An SMP could be a possibility. That techinically would be the highest yield thing you can do. Ace an SMP, youll generate tons of interest. You can start applying to them now(as in over winter break) and start one in August. Many SMPers apply to med school the same year they are in the SMP; if you do this and are successful you can be in med school come Fall 2017. Having said this, an SMP is also the riskiest thing and it is expensive. But it is a potential option.

b) Do research on the DO route and its differences from MD. And I mean a lot of it, hours on it over the course of several weeks. There are all kinds of factors to consider with the DO route, particularly with the merger coming up. Research all of it, look into limitations DOs face, sacrifices they often have to make etc. If you are content with this, DO is a good option. Furthermore, the DO route could easily allow you to get into med school sooner. For the vast majority of pre-meds, the chances to be a physician outweights not being one and a DO will allow you to be one. Again, I encourage you to do all your research on this on your own and come to your own decision as to whether youd rather take a stab at something like an SMP to boost your MD credentials or if the DO route is something that works for you.

c) It is rather late in the cycle for DOs and more importantly I'm not sure you want to rush into any decisions here and fire apps away. Really seriously only apply to DOs this late if you would take a DO and start next year as opposed to reapplying and taking another stab at MD. Dont make any decisions right away, think about it, look into the DO vs MD route etc. I can perfectly see the reasoning behind wanting to take another stab at MDs and have one more cycle(in fact in your sitaution I think I probably would be inclined to).

d) Your ECs can be improved but again thats not a short term type thing you just do in 3-4 months. In a reapplication situation you want to show real improvement from the first app and I'm not sure 5 months of ECs will be that improvement you need.

 

[Marcion]

Well, another month has passed and I've received 7-8 more rejections. Still in the running, theoretically, at Northwestern, Loyola, Baylor, Emory, Sinai, Einstein, V-Tech, Columbia (LOL), and Harvard (double LOL).

I'm considering applying to an SMP. That seems like the way to address the biggest hole in my app. Also I am starting some volunteer work on a clinical study at Northwestern and will be working at a clinic for the homeless in my neighborhood. Trying to find some more doctors who will let me shadow them, particularly DOs.

Still waiting to hear back from San Antonio. Should know by the end of the month (fingers crossed).

I'm trying really hard not to be discouraged. I've gone from feeling on top of the world after getting my MCAT score to feeling like... I don't even know... a really accomplished loser? I really thought that score would be enough to get me some more love, combined with my better recent grades. But if it's not, maybe I just need to take another year or two off to jump through some more hoops.

Any advice for what I should look for in an SMP? If I attend one, would it help my application enough to get significantly more love in the 2017 cycle? Or should I try grinding out some more ECs and try for 2018 before my MCAT expires?
Not relishing the idea of being nearly 30 when I enter med school but I suppose these are the breaks. Do you think I would have a better shot at DO in 2017? I feel like they would claw over each other to get me when they seen my MCAT score, but then, I thought the same about the MD schools this cycle. Can you guys recommend some DO schools to apply to?

Also, to any of the adcoms on here, would you mind taking a look at my AMCAS and seeing if any red flags jump out at you? I figure my app can't be THAT bad, since I got the one interview, but maybe there's something that's very borderline?

 

[GrapesofRath]

Any advice for what I should look for in an SMP? If I attend one, would it help my application enough to get significantly more love in the 2017 cycle? Or should I try grinding out some more ECs and try for 2018 before my MCAT expires?

An SMP would certainly help your application if the end goal is MD. Your best bet is to look for those with the best reputation and track record of getting a significant portion of their grads into US MD programs. Cincinnati, Tufts, Georgetown immeadiately come to mind. Search through the post-bacc forum and in particular search through previous year threads for SMP applicants. Here is an example of what I'm talking about

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...ncinnati-m-s-in-physiology-2015-2016.1104970/

There are many threads like these eveyr year for each SMP program. I highly highly recommend you to go through all of them and each post for every program you are considering. Its also worth noting at SMPs historically designed to get you into that programs med school, the unofficial "linkage" has gone down considerably at programs known for this like Rosalind Franklin, Eastern Virginia and Toledo in the past few years. Again, another thing to look into to see what the "linkage" rates are for those programs now days. I personally tend to recommend sticking with some of the more repuatble SMP names like Cincinnati given the uncertainty of those programs like Toledo and EVMS and the changes they are going through. Programs like Cincinnati and Georgetown also tend to get hte majority of their grads into US MD programs.

Other consideration for SMPs is the cost and risk. It's 50+k a year. Its a risky endeavor; do poorly in one youve severely damaged your future chances. Success in one is often defined as consistently beating the MS1 class average in the med school classes you take. Not easy at all. Have an honest assessment of yourself to consider how capable you are of pulling this off,

Not relishing the idea of being nearly 30 when I enter med school but I suppose these are the breaks. Do you think I would have a better shot at DO in 2017?


Can you guys recommend some DO schools to apply to?

You are already a very competitive DO candidate. Apply broadly(start with TCOM) and you are very likely to receive interest. As for any MD vs DO discussion soome things to consider are a) what your goals in medicine are and how attainable they are with an MD vs DO b) the impact of the upcoming merger on DOs c) looking at the limitations/obstacles DOs still face and decide if this is a deterrent to you. Doing an SMP if you have a real interest in DO schools is foolish; youre already in great shape for them. An SMP would only be what I would consider if MD is your primary goal.

 

[Marcion]

I've been thinking a lot about plan B this week. I arranged to get some shadowing with a local DO in case I need a DO letter. One concern I have... If I'm possibly being yield protected at the non-elite MD schools, wouldn't DO schools be even more likely to yield protect me? After all I imagine they don't get all that many applicants with a 98th percentile MCAT. Is it possible I might have similar problems getting interview a from these schools? They might assume I'm using them as safeties.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

I've been thinking a lot about plan B this week. I arranged to get some shadowing with a local DO in case I need a DO letter. One concern I have... If I'm possibly being yield protected at the non-elite MD schools, wouldn't DO schools be even more likely to yield protect me? After all I imagine they don't get all that many applicants with a 98th percentile MCAT. Is it possible I might have similar problems getting interview a from these schools? They might assume I'm using them as safeties.

Quite frankly yes you will most likely be yield protected at almost all DO programs because so few people with a 520 ever end up going. Having said that I think you could get away with applying to just the "top" programs if you wanted, such as DMU, KCU, PCOM, CCOM, etc (do some research). This cycle I have a buddy with a 3.9 GPA and a 516 who only applied to DMU for DO as a back up (has 7 MD interviews) and was accepted 2 days after his interview. I think the higher programs will take shots at high stat applicants on the off chance they slip through the MD cracks.

But at most of the DO programs you will most likely be passed over for yield protection. Unfortunately you are probably seeing this at the mid/low tier MD schools right now. Hopefully you just get into SA and none of this will matter. Goodluck! We are all pulling for you

 

[Marcion]

Didn't match at UTHSCA I guess I'm gonna have to try for Cycle Two then.

 

[Marcion]

So, the PI at the clinical study I've started part-time volunteering on last month apparently likes me enough that he was saying there might be an opportunity to bring me on as a full-time research assistant in a few months.

I am wondering how much having a full-time job like that (and maybe taking a couple advanced bio courses on the side) might help my app versus going into an SMP? My pre-med advisor was talking up jobs like that like it would make me hot stuff but I was a bit skeptical based on what I've seen on SDN.

Still not formally rejected from UT San Antonio yet, so I think I'm on the waitlist per what the guy on the phone told me. Axed from Einstein today though.... that hurt, they're one of the only schools still interview. I think Loyola is the only school I'm really alive at now....

 

[Marcion]

Hey all,

If anyone's paying attention to this thread still, I'd like some help with my school choices for next cycle. As I have been working in Illinois this year in naive anticipation of being accepted somewhere, I have probably lost my TX residency. In which case the TX schools may be low yield for me now. What would be good candidates to replace them? I am thinking I need a more realistic app this cycle so I'm looking for some suggestions for lower tier schools that might be friendly to non-trads.

 

[gyngyn]

Hey all,

If anyone's paying attention to this thread still, I'd like some help with my school choices for next cycle. As I have been working in Illinois this year in naive anticipation of being accepted somewhere, I have probably lost my TX residency. In which case the TX schools may be low yield for me now. What would be good candidates to replace them? I am thinking I need a more realistic app this cycle so I'm looking for some suggestions for lower tier schools that might be friendly to non-trads.

Have you looked at the new MSAR? If you are you an IL resident start with all IS schools.

 

[Marcion]

Have you looked at the new MSAR? If you are you an IL resident start with all IS schools.

There's only two state schools in IL though, UIC and SIU. And IIRC, SIU gives special preference to downstaters so I wouldn't have much of an advantage there.

 

[gyngyn]

There's only two state schools in IL though, UIC and SIU. And IIRC, SIU gives special preference to downstaters so I wouldn't have much of an advantage there.

Even the private schools in IL have a preference for IS applicants.

 

[GrapesofRath]

Rosalind Franklin gives out IIs at a higher proportion to IS applicants compared to OOS. I dont know if you really fit Rush's mission but that's another school where the % of applicants who get IIs instate is higher than OOS as is Loyola. All of them are worth a shot.

Considering your list was largely TX schools and top 20 privates, there are many OOS schools you wont be a reapplicant that are worth an application. Go through MSAR and you can start to find them. It's probably best to focus on schools which are OOS friendly, get <10k apps a year and where your cGPA is closest to their 10th percentile. Cincinnati is one example of this. Hofstra another.

 

[Marcion]

Even the private schools in IL have a preference for IS applicants.

Oh, that's great. That may help me this go-around. I'm going to be a re-applicant at most of them, though, which does put me at a disadvantage. I'm trying to pinpoint more schools I haven't applied to yet that might also be friendly to someone in my position.