MD/DO School List Help: 3.54 cgpa, 3.35 sgpa; 511 MCAT ORM

[Chidori_Nagashi]

1. AMCAS cgpa: 3.54, sgpa: 3.35
   1. Freshman Year: cgpa: 3.17, sgpa: 2.5
   2. Sophomore Year: cgpa: 3.56, spga: 3.16
   3. Junior Year: cgpa: 3.8, sgpa: 3.66
   4. Senior Year: 3.57, sgpa: 3.54
2. MCAT: 511 (128/126/127/130); taken May 2022
3. State of Residence: IL
4. Ethnicity/Race: Asian (Filipino-Chinese, Indonesian, Pakistani)
5. Clinical Experience: 500 hours as Behavioral Health Technician
6. Research Experience (no poster presentations or publications):
   1. 250 hours working in a psychology lab focusing on infant cognition
   2. 300 hours working in a psychology lab focusing on development of mental illness in youth
7. Shadowing: 50 hours in family medicine, pediatrics, and psychiatry
8. Non-clinical volunteering:
   1. 500 hours working with at-risk youth with emotional and behavioral challenges at a residential treatment center
   2. 50 hours as an ESL classroom assistant and one-on-one young adult mentor to refugees
9. Other extracurricular activities:
   1. Worked as an on-air Sideline Reporter and Play-by-Play announcer for a national sports television network for 4 years, covering college basketball, soccer, volleyball, and wrestling
   2. Freshman Seminar TA for 2 years, designed to familiarize and help first-year students transition into college
10. Earned an award for outstanding service as a TA
11. Lizzy M score: 66.40; WARS score: 58

MD School List:
UIC
Loyola
Rush
Rosalind Franklin
SIU
Jefferson
Albany
Drexel
Creighton
Quinnipac
Geisinger
George Washington
Georgetown
Temple
Medical College of Wisconsin
New York Medical College
Oakland
Tulane
Hackensack
Vermont

The AAMC GPA-MCAT grid shows that I have about a 47% likelihood of earning an MD acceptance. Based on the rest of my application, do I have a chance? I also need help generating a school list for DO schools. Thank you.

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[Faha]

Remove Geisinger since they have a regional/instate preference. You could add these schools:
Virginia Commonwealth
Eastern Virginia
Wake Forest
NOVA MD
TCU-UNT
For DO schools I suggest these:
CCOM
AZCOM
DMU-COM
MU-COM
KCU-COM
ATSU-KCOM
TUNCOM
UIWSOM
ACOM
WVSOM
CUSOM
PCOM
NYITCOM
Touro-NY
LECOM

 

[Chidori_Nagashi]

Remove Geisinger since they have a regional/instate preference. You could add these schools:
Virginia Commonwealth
Eastern Virginia
Wake Forest
NOVA MD
TCU-UNT
For DO schools I suggest these:
CCOM
AZCOM
DMU-COM
MU-COM
KCU-COM
ATSU-KCOM
TUNCOM
UIWSOM
ACOM
WVSOM
CUSOM
PCOM
NYITCOM
Touro-NY
LECOM

Thank you very much.

 

[Chidori_Nagashi]

@Goro @libertyyne

We had a discussion on my GPA a couple of years ago. I am disappointed with my MCAT score, as I was scoring a bit higher on practice exams. Along with the rest of my application, what are your thoughts and recommendations? I am planning to apply this cycle. Thank you.

 

[Chidori_Nagashi]

@chilly_md @Mr.Smile12 would love to get your opinions as well! Thank you.

 

[chilly_md]

I agree with Faha’s list. SIU only considers IL residents in that region. If you’re farther north, then it’s not worth the fee and time.

 

[Chidori_Nagashi]

I agree with Faha’s list. SIU only considers IL residents in that region. If you’re farther north, then it’s not worth the fee and time.

Thank you. I am from northern Illinois but attended undergrad and did extensive volunteering in central Illinois. Would that count?

And what do you make of the GPA trend? How bad will it affect my chances? Thank you again.

 

[chilly_md]

Thank you. I am from northern Illinois but attended undergrad and did extensive volunteering in central Illinois. Would that count?

And what do you make of the GPA trend? How bad will it affect my chances? Thank you again.

That should work then.

Chances are good at DO with a broad list. The small drop senior year is not ideal. The IL schools are your best chance of an interview for MD. It is a low sGPA but a service oriented school like Oakland (for an OOS example) may show interest. Being a sideline sports reporter is interesting and if I was deciding at SIU or Loyola, I would want to offer an interview (especially if you did it for an MVC team).

 

[Chidori_Nagashi]

That should work then.

Chances are good at DO with a broad list. The small drop senior year is not ideal. The IL schools are your best chance of an interview for MD. It is a low sGPA but a service oriented school like Oakland (for an OOS example) may show interest. Being a sideline sports reporter is interesting and if I was deciding at SIU or Loyola, I would want to offer an interview (especially if you did it for an MVC team).

I sincerely appreciate the advice. I had an extenuating family circumstance that contributed to the small dip senior year, and will try and communicate it as best as I can in my secondary essays.

I took 2 science classes from the same professor that year, and I earned a much better grade the second time around. He is writing my letter of recommendation. Would it be appropriate to have him mention my situation briefly, or is it better to not point out a flaw in my application?

With regards to the sideline reporting, it was for a Big Ten team. Hoping that stands out in my application as you said.

Thanks again.

 

[chilly_md]

I sincerely appreciate the advice. I had an extenuating family circumstance that contributed to the small dip senior year, and will try and communicate it as best as I can in my secondary essays.

I took 2 science classes from the same professor that year, and I earned a much better grade the second time around. He is writing my letter of recommendation. Would it be appropriate to have him mention my situation briefly, or is it better to not point out a flaw in my application?

With regards to the sideline reporting, it was for a Big Ten team. Hoping that stands out in my application as you said.

Thanks again.

I wouldn’t call more attention to the grades since you didn’t do poorly, just not as well to keep an upward trend.

 

[Chidori_Nagashi]

Remove Geisinger since they have a regional/instate preference. You could add these schools:
Virginia Commonwealth
Eastern Virginia
Wake Forest
NOVA MD
TCU-UNT
For DO schools I suggest these:
CCOM
AZCOM
DMU-COM
MU-COM
KCU-COM
ATSU-KCOM
TUNCOM
UIWSOM
ACOM
WVSOM
CUSOM
PCOM
NYITCOM
Touro-NY
LECOM

Do you also recommend applying to SUNY? And how many DO schools do you recommend applying to based on my stats?

 

[Faha]

Do you also recommend applying to SUNY? And how many DO schools do you recommend applying to based on my stats?

The SUNYs admit very few non residents with your stats and no connection to the state.

 

[Chidori_Nagashi]

The SUNYs admit very few non residents with your stats and no connection to the state.

Ok, thank you for the insight. And would 10 DO schools be sufficient to apply to based on my stats?

 

[Faha]

Ok, thank you for the insight. And would 10 DO schools be sufficient to apply to based on my stats?

Yes, 10 DO schools should be adequate.