WAMC 3.6cGPA, 512 MCAT ORM

[unsureme101]

I’m a longtime lurker at SDN reading other applicants’ profiles, but I thought I would now post mine to figure out my chances to see if I should apply this cycle or not.

State of residence: NY
School: T5 Ivy (junior)
cGPA/sGPA: 3.61/3.37 (AAMCAS calculated)
MCAT: 512
I’m ORM but SES disadvantaged (FLI)
Clinical hours: 1000 hours
Non-clinical hours: 700 hours
- Major aspect: I founded a community-based organization related to healthcare in the working class community I live.
Research hours: 2500+ hours
- I have over 8 research publications, including one that I’m the first author of. I’ve also co-authored some publications that went to some of the highest impact factor journals.
- Co-authored multiple abstracts and presented some (will present another one) at national and international conferences / won educational stipends for my first-authored abstracts being an undergraduate trainee
- PI will write me a strong LOR

I know my biggest red flag is my GPA and that is mostly because of family emergencies that came during COVID, and they were unavoidable issues. I’m the first in my family to even apply to med school, so I have no idea on what to do. What schools can I even apply to, if any, with this? I would appreciate any kind of advice and suggestions.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[chilly_md]

Are all of the 700 hours with the creation and running of the organization? If not, what were the other activities you did? Did you include high school hours?

What are your year by year sGPA trends? It might be worth it to wait for a year of grades if you have been doing better in order to show an upward trend.

 

[unsureme101]

Are all of the 700 hours with the creation and running of the organization? If not, what were the other activities you did? Did you include high school hours?

What are your year by year sGPA trends? It might be worth it to wait for a year of grades if you have been doing better in order to show an upward trend.

The 700 hours are not only from the organization but a good portion of it. I’ve also volunteered in local houses of worship for food distribution, as well as in food pantry for those facing good insecurity and others. These hours do not include any high school hours.

sGPA trend: ~3.6 -> 3.5 -> 3.4 (I’m taking most of the science classes this year)

 

[chilly_md]

The 700 hours are not only from the organization but a good portion of it. I’ve also volunteered in local houses of worship for food distribution, as well as in food pantry for those facing good insecurity and others. These hours do not include any high school hours.

sGPA trend: ~3.6 -> 3.5 -> 3.4 (I’m taking most of the science classes this year)

Wait another year. The family emergency during COVID is not likely to convince readers since you have gone down more this year compared to last (and last year wasn’t particularly strong either).

I ask about high school hours because you listed 4200 hours across all your activities, which is not really feasible if you have been a full time student for 3 years and had a period where there were some health problems with your family.

 

[unsureme101]

Wait another year. The family emergency during COVID is not likely to convince readers since you have gone down more this year compared to last (and last year wasn’t particularly strong either).

I ask about high school hours because you listed 4200 hours across all your activities, which is not really feasible if you have been a full time student for 3 years and had a period where there were some health problems with your family.

Hmm.. ok. I not think my sgpa will increase dramatically over the next year, maybe up to 3.4, because the rest of my classes are not in the sciences. If I apply this year, what schools would you recommend?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

If you are at an Ivy school, you have access to prehealth advising. What do they say?

 

[unsureme101]

If you are at an Ivy school, you have access to prehealth advising. What do they say?

They are going to write me a committee letter and they said they will mention my family hardships in that letter to clarify the situation. I believe they said for me to try and go for it this cycle given my ECs. Also my school has a pretty low sgpa average among matriculants.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I believe they said for me to try and go for it this cycle given my ECs

Go for it: which schools? There's generally encouragement and then there are specific suggestions.

Did you attend recruiting events to meet admissions staff? Connect with any affinity groups on campus or at the medical schools focused on FGLI or ORM groups?

I'm a little worried about accounting of community service. What you have described is more leadership development than alleviating other's distress, but you also blur the lines of your involvement that it is unclear where your motivation is in the 700 hours.

GPA isn't great but one needs to demonstrate more than academic competency. I'm not sure I get your mission fit from your description.

 

[chilly_md]

Hmm.. ok. I not think my sgpa will increase dramatically over the next year, maybe up to 3.4, because the rest of my classes are not in the sciences. If I apply this year, what schools would you recommend?

What about the math with the hours? For reference, it comes out to nearly 30 hours a week if it was the past 3 years. Even accounting for an extra year in high school, that’s at least 20.

 

[candbgirl]

What are the 1000 hours of clinical experiences? Any shadowing, especially some with a primary care doc?

 

[unsureme101]

What are the 1000 hours of clinical experiences? Any shadowing, especially some with a primary care doc?

Yes I have shadowed some attending doctors and some are from volunteering in the emergency dept

 

[candbgirl]

Yes I have shadowed some attending doctors and some are from volunteering in the emergency dept

And the 1000 of clinical,experiences? Are any of those “ attending” primary care?