I applied this past cycle and am currently waitlisted at one MD school (also only got this one II). My MCAT and GPA are both low, but I went ahead and applied anyway because I've been out of school for almost 3 years.
MCAT: 27 (9/8/10.. took in October 2014)
cGPA: 3.6
sGPA: 3.4
I immigrated here in high school and went straight to a CC to complete my prereqs. I successfully transferred to a top UC with a 3.9 GPA but everything went downhill after I transferred. I had to go to numerous appointments for a breast lump during my first semester because of family history of breast cancer. Trying to adjust to a new environment, taking full course load, and going though extensive testing weren't all that was going on. Back home, my teenage sister was abusing drugs and alcohol and my parents would call me everyday for help. My parents have sacrificed a lot for us to move here to have a better education. They speak minimal English and was helpless when my sister was going down the wrong path. I barely finished my first semester and got my first C on the transcript. The second semester I had the surgery to remove the lump and my sister was doing worse (almost got arrested), so I decided to withdraw from school to move back home to help my parents and sister. I took my sister to counseling and therapy, and she was able to recover after six months. So I returned to school in hopes of recovering from the bad first year at the UC. However, nothing was the same anymore. I struggled so much academically, getting mostly Bs and Cs in my upper division science classes.
My downward trend in GPA and my low MCAT were the red flags in this past cycle.
My question is: If I apply to only DO schools this year, do I have a chance? I don't have a LOR from a DO but have two LORs from MDs.
Or should I do a SMP (Drexel?) or post-bac to raise my GPA and retake the MCAT and apply next year? Doing this I won't start school until 2018 and that's if everything goes well. I understand this process is not a race but I'm 25 already...
My ECs:
1500 hrs ED Tech (direct patient care and interact with a lot of doctors, PAs, and nurses)
2000 hrs EMT on ambulance
1500 hrs biochemistry research with one publication (400 hrs HHMI summer research program)
300 hrs food bank volunteer
400 hrs ED volunteer
400 hrs tutoring experience
150 hrs soup kitchen volunteer
100 hrs high school SAT tutor/mentor
100 hrs service trip to an Indian reservation in Arizona
20 hrs shadowing a general surgeon
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!
MCAT: 27 (9/8/10.. took in October 2014)
cGPA: 3.6
sGPA: 3.4
I immigrated here in high school and went straight to a CC to complete my prereqs. I successfully transferred to a top UC with a 3.9 GPA but everything went downhill after I transferred. I had to go to numerous appointments for a breast lump during my first semester because of family history of breast cancer. Trying to adjust to a new environment, taking full course load, and going though extensive testing weren't all that was going on. Back home, my teenage sister was abusing drugs and alcohol and my parents would call me everyday for help. My parents have sacrificed a lot for us to move here to have a better education. They speak minimal English and was helpless when my sister was going down the wrong path. I barely finished my first semester and got my first C on the transcript. The second semester I had the surgery to remove the lump and my sister was doing worse (almost got arrested), so I decided to withdraw from school to move back home to help my parents and sister. I took my sister to counseling and therapy, and she was able to recover after six months. So I returned to school in hopes of recovering from the bad first year at the UC. However, nothing was the same anymore. I struggled so much academically, getting mostly Bs and Cs in my upper division science classes.
My downward trend in GPA and my low MCAT were the red flags in this past cycle.
My question is: If I apply to only DO schools this year, do I have a chance? I don't have a LOR from a DO but have two LORs from MDs.
Or should I do a SMP (Drexel?) or post-bac to raise my GPA and retake the MCAT and apply next year? Doing this I won't start school until 2018 and that's if everything goes well. I understand this process is not a race but I'm 25 already...
My ECs:
1500 hrs ED Tech (direct patient care and interact with a lot of doctors, PAs, and nurses)
2000 hrs EMT on ambulance
1500 hrs biochemistry research with one publication (400 hrs HHMI summer research program)
300 hrs food bank volunteer
400 hrs ED volunteer
400 hrs tutoring experience
150 hrs soup kitchen volunteer
100 hrs high school SAT tutor/mentor
100 hrs service trip to an Indian reservation in Arizona
20 hrs shadowing a general surgeon
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!