So I was planning on applying this june but I'm not feeling so confident about my numbers, if I was to apply this june my cgpa would be a 3.57 and sgp3.45. MCAT is 26 (ps8, vr7, bs 11). i really don't want to retake the mcat but I'm thinking about retaking it now. but I'm also debating if i should do a postbac to raise my science gpa and cgpa. please any advise will be appreciated. oh I'm also an URM(AA). so i'm also planning to apply to the HBC'S.
SHOULD I DO A POST BAC??
- Thread starter ADAUC
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No need for postbacc... You will most likely get multiple interviews since you are an URM(AA).
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It would be helpful to know if you have any low grades in the prerequisites (and what they were), what your year by year GPA has been (I'm looking for an upward grade trend), and if these are your maximum projected numbers by the end of year term (and if not, what will they be). Then a better answer can be given to your question.
It would also be nice to hear about your ECs.
freshmen year I got a D+ IN the last calc class, but i retook it for a B+. but thats the only bad grade. i've just been getting a lot of B's and A- thats where i feel like my GPA is lower. I had 3.4 freshmen year, 3.48 soph, 3.5 junior year, and this school looks like it will end with a 3.8 those are all cgpa. for science 3.27, 3.4, 3.5, 3.8.
sadly these will be my maximum gpa's.
volunteering at free clinic for past three years,
100hrs research assisant
worked as student advisor for 1 yr
shadowed for 20hrs so far
had 2 volunteer activity that i've done but can't name them cause i want to remain anonymous, but they both deal with fixing the health disparity issues among AA women
danced for a year
two leadership experience(not that big)
100hr volunteer at ER.
Thanks for replying!!
sadly these will be my maximum gpa's.
volunteering at free clinic for past three years,
100hrs research assisant
worked as student advisor for 1 yr
shadowed for 20hrs so far
had 2 volunteer activity that i've done but can't name them cause i want to remain anonymous, but they both deal with fixing the health disparity issues among AA women
danced for a year
two leadership experience(not that big)
100hr volunteer at ER.
Thanks for replying!!
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Your ECs are pretty nice (with excellent clinical experience), except you need more shadowing.
I think that's great that you were proactive and have already repeated the Calc class. The upward grade trend is promising and is just what I'd hoped to see. Does your BCPM GPA also show the upward trend? Are you taking any upper-level Bio or Biochem during this academic year? If yes to these two questions, then I don't know that you'll necessarily need a postbac, though it wouldn't hurt to go ahead and apply while doing one.
I'd prefer to see you raise your MCAT score, but I have to be honest that your chances are better than decent for an acceptance somewhere, even if you don't retake it for a higher score with more balance in the subscores. If you do retake, it might make a difference in your getting in somewhere, vs getting into a school where you'd really love to go. How ambitious are you?
yes my BCPM GPA also has a similar upward trend. last semester i took a few bio classes (human endocrinology A+, another physiology class on the cardiovascular system A, this quarter i'm taking Immunology (i'm projecting an A+), Microbio ( also projecting an A), and Biochem( but I'm most likely going to get a B here).
how many more hours of shadowing do you think i should get?
I'm really open to any US MD school. my biggest goal is to get in somewhere!
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1) Well done! It's good you're taking difficult classes relevant to med school and doing well. I think adcomms will be reassured on looking at your transcript that you have what it takes to survive med school. Keep trying hard to nail the Biochem, too, though (not that a B is so terrible).
2) I'd recommend about 30 more, to include a primary care doc, as 50 is about the average that applicants list. Does any of the time in the free clinic cover this?
I guess I could include the times I've shadowed doctors at the clinic but I didn't because they've never really been longer than fifteen minutes when i'm with them when they are seeing a patient although we all practically work together the whole day. but i don't know if I should include that. the 2o hrs is from a family medicine physician, and i will be shadowing an ob/gyn in march so that should give at least 10 more hours. I'll start making contact with other physicians to see if they will let me shadow them.
but if i apply to schools that are within my range do you think I have a decent chance of getting in somewhere? the only reason im not 100 percent on the postbac is due to the cost. so i don't want to do it unless I absolutely have to.
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Fifteen minutes per shadowing event adds up if there are enough of them. You might mentally put together all that time and see if it amounts to anything worth mentioning. If it does, be sure not to double count the hours when you describe the time spent volunteering at the clinic.
Historic odds of success for AA MD applicants in the past three years with a 3.57/26 have been about 83%: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...with-your-cgpa-and-mcat.888650/#post-12108063
The strength and duration of your volunteer activities addressing health disparities in AA women will be important to your consideration at the HBCs, as they are mission driven rather than stats oriented.
Historic odds of success for AA MD applicants in the past three years with a 3.57/26 have been about 83%: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...with-your-cgpa-and-mcat.888650/#post-12108063
The strength and duration of your volunteer activities addressing health disparities in AA women will be important to your consideration at the HBCs, as they are mission driven rather than stats oriented.
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Good luck with your decision making. 
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Nope. For a URM, your numbers are fine. I would re-take the MCAT, though.
SHOULD I DO A POST BAC??
SHOULD I DO A POST BAC??
I'm considering a possible retake in june, but that would make my app a little late. do you think a 27-29 would increase my chances significantly?
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29 yes; 27 maybe. You can always apply in June, take the test and then update the schools with your newer (and hopefully better) grade.
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If you are an AA with 80%+ chance of getting accepted to M.D. with current stats, why would you retake the MCAT? There is always a possibility one can score lower on that test... I would NOT retake even if my chances of getting in were in 70%...
You have a point about my score decreasing. I guess even though it says I have an 80% chance, you can never be really sure I might be the 20% that don't get in with my stats. lol.
I'm praying that won't be the case.
