Is my GPA going to do me in? (Ivy League, URM, TX resident)

[hematocrit]

I'm a rising Junior at a Top 10 school (URM if that matters). I'm planning on applying in June 2013, and I hope to go to a Texas school. I have yet to take my MCAT (signed up for April). But I'm getting a bit nervous about the whole process.

Current cGPA: 3.45 (sGPA 3.32)

A bit about my extracurriculars:
-200 hours volunteering at top 5 hospital
-habitat for humanity
-summer internship doing health disparities research
-multiple leadership positions
-shadowed 8 different specialities (many for 20+ hours)

Going forward, how are my chances looking? Should I defer a year?

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[red doctober]

I'm a rising Junior at a Top 10 school (URM if that matters). I'm planning on applying in June 2013, and I hope to go to a Texas school. I have yet to take my MCAT (signed up for April). But I'm getting a bit nervous about the whole process.

Current cGPA: 3.45 (sGPA 3.32)

A bit about my extracurriculars:
-200 hours volunteering at top 5 hospital
-habitat for humanity
-summer internship doing health disparities research
-multiple leadership positions
-shadowed 8 different specialities (many for 20+ hours)

Going forward, how are my chances looking? Should I defer a year?

You're fine. Just do well on the MCAT. Maybe do some research too if you can.

 

[PsychOut13]

I think it depends on what med school you want to go to. If you want to get into a top tier school, you may need to take time to get your science GPA higher and possibly do some more research (many highly ranked schools prefer applicants with a lot of research experience). If you do well on your MCAT I don't think you'll have a problem getting into a mid-tier school with your application as is.

 

[Anathema]

Your GPA is doable based on other Texas applicants. I think you'll get in somewhere, but it may not be your first choice and the emotional and financial burdens you'll face may be higher than you'd want. If you truly are a rising junior, you may be able to get that GPA up to 3.6 depending on how many credits you have. That increase would definitely help along with a good MCAT score. I'd personally defer a year and bring the GPA up and see where the MCAT lands you in May. If anything you can work on your application now and see if you want to submit it in or not.

Your ECs look pretty good though so I think you're set for that part.

 

[flodhi1]

OP, you're a URM and a Texas resident which are two features that will play a positive role in your application cycle. Your GPA is not stellar but assuming you have some form of upward trend and do reasonable on the MCAT (> 28) you should be open for interviews assuming the rest of your application is decent (ECs, LORs, apply early and broadly).

 

[phant0m0o0o]

Yea, definitely believe you won't have too many troubles as long as you get a half decent MCAT score. Texas + URM are definite pluses.

 

[MedPR]

I'm a rising Junior at a Top 10 school (URM if that matters). I'm planning on applying in June 2013, and I hope to go to a Texas school. I have yet to take my MCAT (signed up for April). But I'm getting a bit nervous about the whole process.

Current cGPA: 3.45 (sGPA 3.32)

A bit about my extracurriculars:
-200 hours volunteering at top 5 hospital
-habitat for humanity
-summer internship doing health disparities research
-multiple leadership positions
-shadowed 8 different specialities (many for 20+ hours)

Going forward, how are my chances looking? Should I defer a year?

3.32/3.45, TX, and URM? You're good.

 

[cyanide12345678]

3.32/3.45, TX, and URM? You're good.

Well not necessarily. He/she still needs a 28 ish on the mcat. Preferably a 30+ which would seal the deal.

 

[phant0m0o0o]

I dunno, I have a friend who is just one example who has fair extracurricular's, 22 mcat and near the same GPA and she got 5 interviews in texas. It's so random but URM/Texas status sure gives OP a real good bump.

 

[hematocrit]

Bump. On track to raise my cGPA to 3.5 and sGPA to 3.4. Practice MCAT Scores in the range of 30-32.

What schools should I be looking into on the East Coast?

 

[cest la vie]

With URM status and that GPA you'd be fine for any school in Texas assuming your MCAT is a 30+ (probably want 33+ for UTSW and Baylor).

 

[cest la vie]

Bump. On track to raise my cGPA to 3.5 and sGPA to 3.4. Practice MCAT Scores in the range of 30-32.

What schools should I be looking into on the East Coast?

If you hope to go to school in Texas then I wouldn't waste money on OOS apps. It might be worth applying OOS if you have connections to some particular school or really can think of a school that's attractive to you.

 

[hematocrit]

My advisor is telling me that I should I apply to at least 10 schools outside of Texas. Would it be too far of a reach to apply to some schools in Boston/NYC/DC? (ie. Georgetown, Mt. Sinai, Tufts)

 

[NickRiviera MD]

My advisor is telling me that I should I apply to at least 10 schools outside of Texas. Would it be too far of a reach to apply to some schools in Boston/NYC/DC? (ie. Georgetown, Mt. Sinai, Tufts)

depends on your MCAT

 

[Knocked Up]

Bump. On track to raise my cGPA to 3.5 and sGPA to 3.4. Practice MCAT Scores in the range of 30-32.

What schools should I be looking into on the East Coast?

Numerically, you are fine at really any school. Remember being a URM gives you about a 7 point boost in MCAT scores and a .5 boost in GPA. 20-30% of each ADCOM meeting is devoted to minority applicants.

 

[DrCaliBoy]

Numerically, you are fine at really any school. Remember being a URM gives you about a 7 point boost in MCAT scores and a .5 boost in GPA. 20-30% of each ADCOM meeting is devoted to minority applicants.

I think you may be overreacting a bit. I HIGHLY doubt that the boost is that big.

 

[Goro]

Nope, you're golden.

I'm a rising Junior at a Top 10 school (URM if that matters). I'm planning on applying in June 2013, and I hope to go to a Texas school. I have yet to take my MCAT (signed up for April). But I'm getting a bit nervous about the whole process.

Current cGPA: 3.45 (sGPA 3.32)

A bit about my extracurriculars:
-200 hours volunteering at top 5 hospital
-habitat for humanity
-summer internship doing health disparities research
-multiple leadership positions
-shadowed 8 different specialities (many for 20+ hours)

Going forward, how are my chances looking? Should I defer a year?

 

[DokterMom]

My advisor is telling me that I should I apply to at least 10 schools outside of Texas. Would it be too far of a reach to apply to some schools in Boston/NYC/DC? (ie. Georgetown, Mt. Sinai, Tufts)

Why? I' being completely serious here -- why?
(Hint: "Everybody knows you need to apply broadly..." is not a good enough reason.)

There are three main reasons why TX residents stay in (or return to) TX for medical school:

1 - Cost. Going to an OOS school will likely cost you $150-250K MORE than going to a Texas medical school.

2 - Admissions preference. TX public schools are required by law to admit 90% TX residents; ~70% for Baylor. So there's a strong in-state bias that really helps.

3 - A great selection of really good schools, with schools at every stat level, strong hospital affiliations, and good places to live.

In fact, can think of only a few good reasons why you would choose to go to an OOS medical school when you are a TX resident:

1a - Your stats are THAT good and Harvard / Hopkins is a realistic possibility, AND either
1b - the difference between Harvard / Hopkins and Baylor / UTSW is THAT ($250K) important/immaterial to you, or
1c - you're so amazing that Harvard / Hopkins throws big scholarship money at you.

2 - You really hate Texas and want to see and live in a different part of the world. (But TX is a pretty big place, and ElPaso is not like Houston is not like Galveston is not like San Antonio is not like Dallas...)

3 - You can't get into a school in Texas. (Except with your stats, you can. And if your stats were that low, why would you think you could get in anywhere else?)


You've got to do the AMCAS app. anyway for Baylor. But otherwise... Why bother?

 

[hematocrit]

My AMCAS cGPA/sGPA went up to a 3.52/3.5, but my TMDSAS cGPA/sGPA is a 3.44/3.4. I'm wondering how this will affect my chances at in-state schools versus out of state schools.

This is in addition to good ECs/shadowing. 29 < MCAT < 33

Anyone offer some advice/opinions? I was aiming for UTH/UTSW, but looking at the MSAR...