Next cycle or gap year?!

[cavalier329]

I am deciding whether to apply at the end of next year or wait a year, boost the GPA higher and then go for broke. What do you all think? And could you suggest some schools for me as well that you think id be in at?

NY resident

Here are my predicted stats--these are very conservative numbers, so as long as I don't become a drug addict or something I will have these-theres no reason why I wouldnt

White male, top 30 university, history major, chem minor

cGPA: 3.57 (some serious upward trend)
sGPA: 3.37
MCAT: havent taken but i expect 30-32 very even...hopefully but lets just use this for now since this is what my practices say and I still have another year.

EC's...this is kindve where I shine.

-EMS experience since 2002, EMT since 2006
-3 paid, part time EMT jobs-still employed
-Volunteer EMS agency since 2002
Resulting EMS awards: county award for actions resulting in the delivery of a baby girl, agency award for commendable service, fundraising committee member (would have raised $5,000 for our new building), youth squad co-adviser, will have approximately 3,000 hours of riding hours and over 500 calls

Other clinical experience: 1 year of radiology research, 2 years IR shadowing, 2 years shadowing cardiothoracic surgery, 2 years shadowing chief surgeon of the NYPD (chief of the medical division)

I founded an public health and safety organization-working for it to become the university's first rescue squad

Other EC's: Crisis Hotline volunteer, New Student liason volunteer (I visit HS's and answer questions in the admissions office), Intern for honor and ethics course x 2 years

LOR's-2 science, 2 history, 1 philosophy, 2 doctors (1 is the chair of the angio dept. and 1 is the chief surgeon of the NYPD) all will be outstanding

if there is anything else you need, let me know

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[cavalier329]

ideas anyone?

 

[cavalier329]

maybe this will help:

im looking to apply to:

SUNY Buffalo
SUNY Upstate
SUNY Downstate
NYMC
SUNY Albany
SUNY Stony Brook
Einstein
Mt. Sinai---hey, cant hurt right? haha

VCU
UVa
Drexel
Penn State
University of Maryland
USUHS
Wake Forest
Umass
Boston U
UMDNJ (both)
Temple

 

[NTF]

I think you are good to apply. You have good experience. The EMT thing is really attractive. 30-32 MCAT will make you competitive at lower tier/mid tier schools. Just make sure you apply early. So if you are talking about 2009 cycle you've really hurt yourself by not taking the MCAT earlier. I won't say that this will keep you out or anything, but for mid tier and borderline candidates it becomes much more crucial to apply early. Take your MCAT in April or earlier so your scores will already be uploaded by the time your send your primary. Get your secondaries out pronto.

If you do apply this year (and I do think you have a decent shot at getting in somewhere), it never hurts to spend sometime at some point thinking about the chance that you might not get in. Remember many people don't find out whether they are in before the next application cycle is upon them. So spend some time thinking about how you can improve next year's application.

Take some classes - boost that GPA.
Get more inpatient contact experience.
Get some outpatient contact experience.
Volunteer more.
Shadow physicians in many specialties.
Do some biomedical research.
Do some teaching/tutoring.

 

[cavalier329]

thanks...my only hesitation is that i could wait a year and boost my gpa and give myself a better shot? what do you think?

i dont know if i want to go into it trying to go ANYWHERE and then wonder if i couldve done better if i brought my GPA up my 4th year. Then, if I don't choose to take an acceptance and I reapply, I would be praying the same schools accept me again...

this is my dilemma because i feel like im at that point where i could be on the fence with some of the higher tier schools with some work on my GPA

 

[abcabc1]

I think you received less responses than usual since you don't have MCAT scores and imply that it will be another year until you have them. It's hard for us to comment, especially since your GPA figures are also subject to change.

When you do apply, keep in mind that your numbers are not going to be competitive for OOS public schools and very competitive privates. I recommend eliminating from your list: AECOM, Sinai, VCU, UVa, PSU, Maryland, UMDNJ (2x) and Temple.

 

[NTF]

thanks...my only hesitation is that i could wait a year and boost my gpa and give myself a better shot? what do you think?

i dont know if i want to go into it trying to go ANYWHERE and then wonder if i couldve done better if i brought my GPA up my 4th year. Then, if I don't choose to take an acceptance and I reapply, I would be praying the same schools accept me again...

this is my dilemma because i feel like im at that point where i could be on the fence with some of the higher tier schools with some work on my GPA

For upper tier schools, honestly, your science GPA is a hurdle regardless even with the extra year of coursework. How much realistically do you think you can bring up your 3.37 scGPA? May be to a 3.5? 3.6? That still puts you at a disadvantage at top 30 schools where GPA's are in the 3.7 - 3.8 range. As long as your recent science coursework is in the 3.7-3.8 range (meaning in the last 2 years) than I don't really see an advantage as far as top 30 schools go. What taking an extra year can do though is give you time to add some more diverse patient contact. You have alot of specialty experience like surgery, radiology, and emergency services, but you may consider adding some outpatient primary care contact and inpatient/outpatient medicine specialties like cardiology, oncology, or infectious diseases. This would round out your application nicely and also allow you to tailor your apps to each individual school. But you can mull forever about how you could have "improved" your chances at top tier schools. Let's face it, those schools are awash with "great" candidates. You can take forever tacking things on trying to distinguish yourself in that crowd. I say apply and hope for an interview. Once you're interviewed (especially if you get you apps out early, early, early - this means no late MCAT, primary's out by mid-June, secondaries by July, and letters in by early August) that's where you'll distinguish yourself. I think with your record as long as you decent on MCAT (shoot for 33+ at least if you can) you can easily get on or two interviews (at least) at top 30 schools. Then your maturity and diverse background should let you shine above those 4.0gpa/40mcat who may not have the best social skills.

 

[cavalier329]

additional opinions?

 

[abcabc1]

You can add some schools to your list, including: RFUMS, Tulane, GW, Loyola, Saint Louis, Jefferson and MC Wisconsin.

 

[cavalier329]

would it make sense to work on my GPA a year or do I have a good chance of getting into a place like USUHS, GW, or a SUNY? Maybe even UVa?