Re-applying after 2 years with 3.7 cGPA, 3.55 sGPA, 34 MCAT re-take

[diamond_dust]

Hey all, I just got back MCAT scores and would really appreciate help. I'll be re-applying to MD schools this summer, with an undergrad sGPA lower than I'd like it to be. How do I pitch this? I'm also concerned about what schools may think of my re-applicant status. I'm about to start my second gap year. My LORs are almost all in and should be good, as well as my essays.

AMCAS cGPA: 3.696
AMCAS sGPA: 3.545
1st MCAT, 6/22/2013: 31 (10PS/10VR/11BS)
2nd MCAT, 1/10/2015: 34 (10PS/11VR/13BS)

Field of study: Majored in Biology and minored in Philosophy at my state university.

Clinical ECs:
Currently looking into my local hospital for volunteering or work that involves patient contact.
200 hours clinical assisting and shadowing (local HCPs and an American OB/GYN) in rural Guatemala.
100 hours shadowing in internal med, emergency, OB/GYN, and various surgery specialties in Tanzania.
12 hours shadowing in US: primary care and dermatology.
3 years working support, administrative, and lab roles in my school clinic. No medical patient contact, but lots of patient exposure, interaction with physicians and nurses, and analyzing patient samples in the medical lab.

Non-clinical ECs:
Recently started volunteering as research assistant in cancer therapy lab.
Undergrad thesis on algal genetics, with multiple presentations and awards.
2900+ hours of student leadership throughout all four years of undergrad, primarily as founder and president of a major pre-health organization on campus.

--------------------
GPA Notes: In sophomore year, I tried to load on a whole bunch of ECs, increased work hours, and multiple advanced science classes. As opposed to my freshman 3.96 sGPA, my sophomore sGPA was a 2.95, and sunk my GPAs for the rest of undergrad. I had only strong upward GPA trends in my sGPA ever since, with oGPA staying consistent around 3.8-3.9ish. How much would this upward trend matter to med schools?

--------------------
In the 2014 cycle, I applied to 16 schools with 3.633 cGPA and 3.424 sGPA. I submitted most of my secondaries rather late (think October-December), and ended up only getting one interview at UConn (I went to undergrad here).
Schools for the 2014 cycle:

• Albany Medical College
• Boonshoft-Wright
• Drexel
• Jefferson Med
• NYMC
• Penn state
• Quinnipiac (in-state)
• Chicago Med - Rosalind Franklin
• Rush
• SUNY Upstate
• Temple
• UConn (in-state; I went to undergrad here)
• U Maryland
• UMDNJ NJMS
• UMDNJ RWJ
• VCU

I'm planning to re-apply to a couple of the same schools. Some of my new schools are geared toward URMs, but I put them on the new list because I'd like to go into primary care, possibly in underserved areas. Any schools that I should consider this time around, or maybe cross off?
Schools for the 2016 cycle (re-applications marked with *):

• Albany Medical College*
• Cooper-Rowan
• Drexel*
• George Washington (reach school)
• Georgetown (reach school)
• Howard
• Kimmel-Jefferson*
• Morehouse
• NYMC*
• Quinnipiac*(in-state)
• Rush*
• Tufts
• Tulane
• UConn* (in-state)
  
• VCU*
• Virginia Tech

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[Rainbow Zebra]

Hey all, I just got back MCAT scores and would really appreciate help. I'll be re-applying to MD schools this summer, with an undergrad sGPA lower than I'd like it to be. How do I pitch this? I'm also concerned about what schools may think of my re-applicant status. I'm about to start my second gap year. My LORs are almost all in and should be good, as well as my essays.

AMCAS cGPA: 3.696
AMCAS sGPA: 3.545
1st MCAT, 6/22/2013: 31 (10PS/10VR/11BS)
2nd MCAT, 1/10/2015: 34 (10PS/11VR/13BS)

Field of study: Majored in Biology and minored in Philosophy at my state university.

Clinical ECs:
Currently looking into my local hospital for volunteering or work that involves patient contact.
200 hours clinical assisting and shadowing (local HCPs and an American OB/GYN) in rural Guatemala.
100 hours shadowing in internal med, emergency, OB/GYN, and various surgery specialties in Tanzania.
12 hours shadowing in US: primary care and dermatology.
3 years working support, administrative, and lab roles in my school clinic. No medical patient contact, but lots of patient exposure, interaction with physicians and nurses, and analyzing patient samples in the medical lab.

Non-clinical ECs:
Recently started volunteering as research assistant in cancer therapy lab.
Undergrad thesis on algal genetics, with multiple presentations and awards.
2900+ hours of student leadership throughout all four years of undergrad, primarily as founder and president of a major pre-health organization on campus.

--------------------
GPA Notes: In sophomore year, I tried to load on a whole bunch of ECs, increased work hours, and multiple advanced science classes. As opposed to my freshman 3.96 sGPA, my sophomore sGPA was a 2.95, and sunk my GPAs for the rest of undergrad. I had only strong upward GPA trends in my sGPA ever since, with oGPA staying consistent around 3.8-3.9ish. How much would this upward trend matter to med schools?

--------------------
In the 2014 cycle, I applied to 16 schools with 3.633 cGPA and 3.424 sGPA. I submitted most of my secondaries rather late (think October-December), and ended up only getting one interview at UConn (I went to undergrad here).
Schools for the 2014 cycle:

• Albany Medical College
• Boonshoft-Wright
• Drexel
• Jefferson Med
• NYMC
• Penn state
• Quinnipiac (in-state)
• Chicago Med - Rosalind Franklin
• Rush
• SUNY Upstate
• Temple
• UConn (in-state; I went to undergrad here)
• U Maryland
• UMDNJ NJMS
• UMDNJ RWJ
• VCU

I'm planning to re-apply to a couple of the same schools. Some of my new schools are geared toward URMs, but I put them on the new list because I'd like to go into primary care, possibly in underserved areas. Any schools that I should consider this time around, or maybe cross off?
Schools for the 2016 cycle (re-applications marked with *):

• Albany Medical College*
• Cooper-Rowan
• Drexel*
• George Washington (reach school)
• Georgetown (reach school)
• Howard
• Kimmel-Jefferson*
• Morehouse
• NYMC*
• Quinnipiac*(in-state)
• Rush*
• Tufts
• Tulane
• UConn* (in-state)
  
• VCU*
• Virginia Tech

I would add University of Miami (Miller School of Med). Private, not a state school. University of Toledo may be a good bet (get instate tuition after first year).

good luck to you.

 

[TheSummit]

you probably have to extend your school list a bit more. drexel, gwu, georgetown receive tons of apps every year and might not be worth it. Are you URM? morehouse and howard aim to fulfill their class with URM even if you are primary care focused. Also would recommend oakland and western michigan (newer MD).

Your choice of schools are also a bit weird. I'm not going to go in detail, but for example - why tufts but not BU? rush but not RFU? drexel/jeff but not temple

 

[Faha]

Unless you are a NJ resident your odds at Cooper are very low. Also Howard and Morehouse accept mainly URM. Apply to more schools such as Hofstra, Commonwealth (PA), Temple, BU, Rosalind Franklin, Oakland Beaumont, Western Michigan, Loyola, St. Louis, Creighton. Your late completion of your secondaries may have decreased your chances last time so apply in June and submit all your secondaries by July. Also consider applying to several DO schools since there is no guarantee you will receive a MD acceptance.

 

[candbgirl]

What have you done to beef up your application since you last applied? Are any of your ECs current or are they all or mostly from your last app cycle? You really should rethink applying to the HBCs. They are very mission focused.

 

[diamond_dust]

Thanks for the replies, everyone! I'm non-URM, so I'll definitely re-think Howard and Morehouse. These are all some great suggestions. I'll look into their MSAR entries. I'm especially worried that the high average GPAs of entering classes will work against me.

I applied to RFU and Temple two years ago, and not only have their GPA standards gone up since then, but also Temple informed me that I was at a disadvantage because of my being non-URM. So re-application to those schools seems iffy at best.

A bit more on the space between my last cycle and this one: I got waitlisted at UConn, my state school, and didn't hear back from them until late June, when starting a new application for the 2015 cycle would have already put me in a late wave. So I took 2 months to plan out what I was going to do next, aiming for the 2016 cycle.
In terms of ECs: I've been assisting in a cancer research lab since last September, am scheduled to start volunteering in my local hospital within the next 2 weeks, and recently got a job interview for administrative support in the same local hospital's ED. (Fingers crossed that they don't reject me for the job...) I've mostly been continuing my undergrad research/clinical volunteering combination in a post-bacc context.
The numbers story: This is where my new app is the most enhanced. In the 2014 cycle, I had a cGPA of 3.63 (now 3.69) and sGPA of 3.43 (now 3.55). So my GPA has seen quite an improvement thanks to senior year, which continued my upward grades trend. MCAT went from 31 to 34. I'm really happy about raising my numbers, but concerned that the difference won't be enough.

 

[Vain Brother]

honestly your original list looks pretty good, you've definitely done your MSAR research. i applied with roughly similar stats (3.4/34) with a school list that is VERY similar to yours and have gotten 5 interviews and a couple of acceptances so far. and i'm also a uconn alum! i have some unique ECs that definitely worked in my favor but i think with the improved MCAT and applying EARLY next cycle i'd be pretty surprised if you didn't get some interviews. provided that your ECs are good and you've been productive with your time off

 

[razzmatazz87]

Your MCAT is good, your GPA is ok. Maybe PS and volunteer experiences, just beef it up!