Time best spent to strengthen application?

[JeepMD]

Hey all... long time reader first time poster.

Anyways, after an unsuccessful '08 application cycle (where I applied to 3 schools total), I find myself looking at having to apply again for 2009. I guess first I will give a brief rundown of stats.

MCAT: 08/2006- 09V/10P/10B/S = 29S
......... 01/2007- 10V/12P/09B/S = 31S

GPA: UG GPA of 3.53 total, 3.34 BCPM. Grades started well in Freshman year, dipped in sophomore year (around a co-op job quarter, where I hated the job and changed majors upon my return), and then climbed again for Junior and Senior years. Also, many of the BCPM courses were taken as University Honors level courses. (Fresh Bio courses were replaced w/ AP credits).

EC's: I have 4 years of volunteer work coaching a local grade school soccer team. Also a year and half of clinical research assistant work in the ED of the local hospital. Other than that, I was a T.A. for an Honors Freshman Intro class. Also some tutoring here and there.

As I perceive it, my biggest problem is my BCPM GPA, which is a bit low at 3.34. Also, while my MCAT score is satisfactory, I believe it could be several points higher (my studying the first 2 times around was perhaps not as rigorous as it should have been... I studied on my own both times in lieu of throwing exorbitant amounts of cash at a test company). Finally, I finished undergrad in June '06, and apart from taking the MCAT again in Jan '07, I have not done a ton to really bolster my application. I've been working 2 part time jobs to make money to pay off UG debt, however neither is medically/research related. Obviously this didn't work for me this time around, and so now I am willing to do whatever it takes to improve my application and get in to med school.

I have already lined up a weekly volunteering position at a local urban community clinic. That will allow for patient interaction as well as immersion in the medical environment. I also want to take some upper level undergraduate courses to bolster that BCPM GPA, however the summer course selection at the local colleges is pretty slim. One big question I have is if I were to take the Bio101/02/03/11/12/13 and use that in lieu of AP credits (essentially an easy bolster to BCPM GPA), will this be acceptable (especially given that some schools actually do not take AP credits, and the 9 on the MCAT in bio sciences)? Or will schools basically see it as grubbing for a few tenths of a point on my BCPM GPA (which it may or may not be, I guess)? The alternative would be a course in medical terminology (which is no help to BCPM), and 2 graduate level courses in Teratology and Intro to Clinical Embryology (doesn't help UG BCPM).


Please help with any suggestions!! And sorry to be so verbose in my first ever post... just trying to get all the facts/aspects on the table.

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[arlingtondoc]

where do you live?
i agree your GPA can be the stumbling block. some suggestions....

option 1. if you able to travel, harvard in greater boston has a great post-bacc program and offers a ton of varied classes. some can even be taken online. i am sure there are other schools around that offer great things too if you poke around. you need to find some better undergraduate science class options.

option 2.other options would include a masters in science to prove you can do better in medical sciences. they are all around 1 or 2 years...

option 3. your GPA numbers are also pretty good for DO schools, particularly the MCAT. that is another option.

(i recommend harvard because the classes are great and 800 or so each. boston also has a ton of hospitals that need research assistants and volunteers. just a thought. i lived down the street but classmates moved upto 3000 miles for classes.)

 

[hippiedoc13]

The problem is that you only applied to three schools this year. That is certainly not enough. I will repeat the common refrain around here...apply early and broadly. Absolutely, think about what can be done to improve your app (recent clinical experience, new personal statement, etc) but your numbers are not really the problem. I strongly suggest you speak with a pre-med advisor, read some of the related topics on here about selecting an appropriate number and "range" of schools to apply to, and apply to far more than 3 schools in the next round. I wouldn't consider a costly post-bac or SMP just yet.

 

[JeepMD]

Thanks for the advice so far... anyone else that can chime in I would GREATLY appreciate any/all input. I am also thinking about retaking the MCAT with a review course this time around, as I think that will make me crack down and study to my fullest potential.

ArlingtonDoc: I live in Southwest Ohio. I am not sure if traveling for the classes is an option. I would certainly like to take classes that are more challenging to me and more appealing to adcom's (and online would be even better!), however I'm just not sure what is around.
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HippieDoc: I also agree that I certainly didn't apply nearly as early or broadly as I should have. Problem is that I applied ED to one school (kicking myself for that) and so was not able to send AMCAS to other 2 until later. Also I only applied to geographically appealing schools, and so I am definitely going to apply more broadly this time around.
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Finally, I really would like to apply again this year (as opposed to waiting another year). If I apply early/broadly, will it be effective if I send in a new MCAT score and an update w/ any additional grades to the schools after they have my AMCAS already? I am afraid that my application hasn't changed much for the 3 schools I applied to this past cycle, and so if I send them the same thing w/ not much changed I will automatically be discarded. Any thoughts/advice on this matter? Thanks again!