Ideas for school and advice needed

[allied32]

1. cGPA- 3.44
2. sGPA-3.46
3. MCAT score- have not taken yet, but expected to get 510+
4. State of residence- IL
5. Ethnicity and/or race- Caucasian
6. Undergraduate institution or category- private, liberal arts
7. Clinical experience (volunteer and non-volunteer)- hands on experience with mentally disabled 14 months, hospice volunteer for 1.5 hours a week for a year
8. Research experience and productivity- semester long research project on body composition and cognition so no lab work, not published
9. Shadowing experience and specialties represented- 25 hours with pediatrics and 15 with general surgery
10. Non-clinical volunteering- big brothers big sisters for 3 hours a week for a year
11. Other extracurricular activities (including athletics, military service, gap year activities, leadership, teaching, etc)- NCAA III athlete, blue key honor society, pre health society, NIU honor society for a year if that means anything.

But now I need some advice. I was offered two jobs with the same company, and I get to choose what I want to be. I can either continue what I'm doing with the mentally disabled and gain more hands on experience, or become a manager and basically be in charge of 16 residents and staff and oversee their behavior plans. What do you think would look the best on my application? I wouldn't mind doing either, but I can't do both! I'm also taking online classes to bump up my GPA because it is kinda low.

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[piii]

Just curious, why do you expect to get a 510+? Have you been taking practice tests?

48% of applicants with your GPA and a 510-512 get accepted each year
https://www.aamc.org/download/321518/data/factstablea24-4.pdf

I would continue your work with the mentally disabled. Schools like commitment and dedication.

The best part of your app is your volunteering: hospice and BBBS. I would focus on staying committed to volunteering and using your experience of service to drive your desire to serve others as a physician. Try to have a leadership role in the volunteering. Also military service, especially if you were in combat.

Listing all the societies/honor societies won't really mean squat unless you have leadership roles in them.

Increase your shadowing experience.

What online classes are you taking? Is it a post bacc? Make sure it'll actually bump up your GPA.

Spend $25 dollars and buy MSAR.

 

[PooshBag]

Getting a 510+ isn't easy. Please do not have such an expectation unless you seriously have been scoring that on practice tests or have some other form of solid evidence suggesting a 510+.

You can't just say "I expect to get a 510+". The MCAT is very difficult.

And I too am curious why you did not include military service on your past WAMC post..?

 

[allied32]

This is considered a positive addition to an application. Although its a little strange you didn't mention serving in the military in your previous WAMC http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/so-do-i-stand-a-chance-at-md-or-do.1119794

I was never in the military, I just copy and pasted that information to include the necessities. I just forgot to erase the part in parentheses.

 

[Goro]

Invest in MSAR Online and target schools whose median stats are closest to your own. You should be > their 10th %ile, and pay very careful attention to the Acceptance Information pages.

Start with your state schools, and also add any DO school.

1. cGPA- 3.44
2. sGPA-3.46
3. MCAT score- have not taken yet, but expected to get 510+
4. State of residence- IL
5. Ethnicity and/or race- Caucasian
6. Undergraduate institution or category- private, liberal arts
7. Clinical experience (volunteer and non-volunteer)- hands on experience with mentally disabled 14 months, hospice volunteer for 1.5 hours a week for a year
8. Research experience and productivity- semester long research project on body composition and cognition so no lab work, not published
9. Shadowing experience and specialties represented- 25 hours with pediatrics and 15 with general surgery
10. Non-clinical volunteering- big brothers big sisters for 3 hours a week for a year
11. Other extracurricular activities (including athletics, military service, gap year activities, leadership, teaching, etc)- NCAA III athlete, blue key honor society, pre health society, NIU honor society for a year if that means anything.

But now I need some advice. I was offered two jobs with the same company, and I get to choose what I want to be. I can either continue what I'm doing with the mentally disabled and gain more hands on experience, or become a manager and basically be in charge of 16 residents and staff and oversee their behavior plans. What do you think would look the best on my application? I wouldn't mind doing either, but I can't do both! I'm also taking online classes to bump up my GPA because it is kinda low.