Should I stay in high hopes?

[Lightworks]

Major: Biology; Minor: Public Health

-cGPA: 3.52
-BCPM: 3.41

Clinical and Research Experience:

-Nurse Assistant in Outpatient Services at local hospital (2 1/2 years - present)
-Research Assistant at local hospital affiliated with medical school (1 year - present)
-Two research projects conducted currently in progress for possible publication
-Have shadowed numerous physicians at my time working in the hospital.

ECs:

-Golden Key Honors Society (Associate Vice President)
-Club Baseball Team at university (1 year member)
-Continuously play in adult baseball leagues outside of school

Classes Left:

-Organic Chemistry 2 and Physics 2 (lecture and lab for both classes) left to take.
-One core Biology class left to take for major
-Few easy gen eds left

Questions:

-MCAT not taken, but have started studying. With everything on my resume so far, should I apply this cycle...or wait till next years cycle?
-Good idea to take a couple of other upper level biology courses for a boost...or no?
-I have taken Cell Biology, Microbiology, Immunology, Biochemistry, Anatomy & Physiology (400 level course). Have gotten A's in all these classes. (except B in part 1 A&P)

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[Catalystik]

Major: Biology; Minor: Public Health

-cGPA: 3.52
-BCPM: 3.41

Clinical and Research Experience:

-Nurse Assistant in Outpatient Services at local hospital (2 1/2 years - present)
-Research Assistant at local hospital affiliated with medical school (1 year - present)
-Two research projects conducted currently in progress for possible publication
-Have shadowed numerous physicians at my time working in the hospital.

ECs:

-Golden Key Honors Society (Associate Vice President)
-Club Baseball Team at university (1 year member)
-Continuously play in adult baseball leagues outside of school

Classes Left:

-Organic Chemistry 2 and Physics 2 (lecture and lab for both classes) left to take.
-One core Biology class left to take for major
-Few easy gen eds left

Questions:

-MCAT not taken, but have started studying. With everything on my resume so far, should I apply this cycle...or wait till next years cycle?
-Good idea to take a couple of other upper level biology courses for a boost...or no?
-I have taken Cell Biology, Microbiology, Immunology, Biochemistry, Anatomy & Physiology (400 level course). Have gotten A's in all these classes. (except B in part 1 A&P)

What will you list as an activity demonstrating that you give back to your community? Regular (weekly or twice monthly) long-term service to those in need will give a boost to your application.

Teaching also strengthens an application and could be combined with the above.

How will you describe your leadership role? Are you making a difference?

What will your GPA be in 16 months if you continue to demonstrate strong academics?

When would you expect your publications to be accepted? What number author will you be?

Nice job on the upper-level bio/biochem classes. What brought your GPAs down?

 

[Lightworks]

Giving back to community: I have been actively involved in an humanitarian organization established at my mosque for the country of Pakistan.

Teaching: I have continuously thought about coaching Little League, but the time is the issue unfortunately. I am hoping I may be able to coach after I graduate this coming December.

Leadership Role: I have just been elected as Associate VP and hope to make a major impact this coming spring semester.

GPA: If I continue to do well this coming Spring semester, Summer classes, and also in the Fall, I should raise my cGPA to around a 3.60 and BCPM between 3.45 and 3.50. (estimate only)

Publications: One is my own writing, a literature review. The other I will be a coauthor..I have aided my mentor in quite a bit of lab work.

The fallout of my GPA was due to a relationship. My GPA hasn't dropped since that semester. So would applying this cycle still be feasible with all this said? Is it necessary to take one or two more upper level Bio courses?

And I hope to take the MCAT by this coming summer (June or July).

 

[Catalystik]

When I say "give back to your community" I mean the community you live in (home or campus area), ideally providing hands-on assistance, and not fund raising. Isn't there an opportunity to help the poor elderly in your mosque with yard cleanup, driving to appointments, childcare, or somesuch, on a weekly basis? If not, start such an initiative and do some good.

Acting as a little league coach on a volunteer basis could also help with the deficit referred to in paragraph #1. Six months worth will be kinda skimpy, though.

Having a GPA over 3.6 would be very helpful. I'm surprised that your BCPM won't rise more.

As your leadership role will be short-term if you apply in 6 months, act quickly to demonstrate your leadership talents. I do not refer to co-chairing meetings.

You might be fine with a steep upward grade trend, if it's been 3-4 semesters of excellent academics, provided your MCAT score is stronger than average to compensate for the lower cGPA.

 

[Lightworks]

I guess I will give that a try then. The highest my BCPM can go is a 3.50...given I do well in Organic 2, Physics 2, and my last Biology class. My cGPA at best will go to around 3.63. That is why I want to know if it is worth it to take another upper level Biology course to give my GPA an extra boost...

What would you do in this situation? Go all out this semester? Or add more to the resume to give a boost...but then wait another year to apply?

In addition, I have had one withdrawal and one retaken class to add on my transcript. (the retaken class is taken into consideration with the cGPA and BCPM). Would that impact me heavily?

The retaken class was Genetics (C+ first time, B second time)...unfortunately. But to counter this, the research topic I am currently working with is Immunogenetics. Does this weigh to my benefit?

The withdrawal was Organic Chemistry 1 lecture and lab...i ended up with a C+ and B respectively. (the C+ in both classes were in my bad semester)

I did extremely well in Biochemistry...and I know I can continue that in Organic Chemistry 2. Given this...would admission still consider the retaken and withdrawal as negative?

 

[Catalystik]

I guess I will give that a try then. The highest my BCPM can go is a 3.50...given I do well in Organic 2, Physics 2, and my last Biology class. My cGPA at best will go to around 3.63.

1) That is why I want to know if it is worth it to take another upper level Biology course to give my GPA an extra boost...

2) What would you do in this situation? Go all out this semester? Or add more to the resume to give a boost...but then wait another year to apply?

3) In addition, I have had one withdrawal and one retaken class to add on my transcript. (the retaken class is taken into consideration with the cGPA and BCPM). Would that impact me heavily?

4) The retaken class was Genetics (C+ first time, B second time)...unfortunately. But to counter this, the research topic I am currently working with is Immunogenetics. Does this weigh to my benefit?

5) The withdrawal was Organic Chemistry 1 lecture and lab...i ended up with a C+ and B respectively. (the C+ in both classes were in my bad semester)

6) I did extremely well in Biochemistry...and I know I can continue that in Organic Chemistry 2. Given this...would admission still consider the retaken and withdrawal as negative?

1) It's not worth it if you overload yourself and compromise your cGPA for the term. If you can handle the load, and you get great grades, it would reflect well. Meh grades, not so much.

2) You have enough weaknesses that I would be in favor of your waiting another year to beef up certain activities as we discussed and to improve the GPAs further.

3) Only in that your cGPAs are below the averages for those accepted and that you didn't do a great job with retaking.

4) Only in that you have a Research activity to list, unless the PI was your teacher and expresses glowing sentiments about your academic prowess.

5) If you get an A/A- in OChem II, it will be redeemed.

6) The A in Biochem definitely reflects well.