What are my chances?

[Soulcal32]

Hey everyone,

Stats: 3.5c, 3.5s MCAT: 30 (10,10,10)
VA resident, also went to a VA school.
Ethnicity: Asian (Indian)

I have normal EC's and a year of research. I was wondering if I should consider a SMP or grad school. I plan on applying this coming up cycle. I have read a lot on the forums saying that most grad school viewed is not exactly a big + in the eye's of adcoms. I realize that I'm on the lower end of people who are accepted into medical school. Any advice is appreciated, especially on the school list.

Volunteering:
1 yr at a hospital
1 yr helping tutoring mentally challenged children for the GRE
1 yr at hospice
1 yr tutoring underprivileged kids

Shadowing:
100 hrs (Family practice,Ortho, EM)

Hobbies:
Lifting, Soccer, Basketball

School List:
USC (Major Reach)
Wake Forest (Parent did residency here)
UVA
EVMS
VCU
GWU
Gtown
Rush
MCW
Drexel
Jefferson
Temple
NYMC
Albany
Tulane
BU
Tufts
Rosalind Franklin
Loyola
Tulane
Cincinnati
Qunnipac
Hofstra
Penn State
WVU
VT
Creighton
Oakland
Miami
Howard

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[Catalystik]

Hey everyone,

Stats: 3.5c, 3.5s MCAT: 30 (10,10,10)
VA resident, also went to a VA school.
Ethnicity: Asian (Indian)

I have normal EC's and a year of research. I was wondering if I should consider a SMP or grad school. I plan on applying this coming up cycle. I have read a lot on the forums saying that most grad school viewed is not exactly a big + in the eye's of adcoms. I realize that I'm on the lower end of people who are accepted into medical school. Any advice is appreciated, especially on the school list.

Volunteering:
1 yr at a hospital
1 yr helping tutoring mentally challenged children for the GRE
1 yr at hospice
1 yr tutoring underprivileged kids

Shadowing:
100 hrs (Family practice,Ortho, EM)

Hobbies:
Lifting, Soccer, Basketball

School List:
USC (Major Reach)
Wake Forest (Parent did residency here)
UVA
EVMS
VCU
GWU
Gtown
Rush
MCW
Drexel
Jefferson
Temple
NYMC
Albany
Tulane
BU
Tufts
Rosalind Franklin
Loyola
Tulane
Cincinnati
Qunnipac
Hofstra
Penn State
WVU
VT
Creighton
Oakland
Miami
Howard

Since you don't have any DO schools on your application list, I think there is a high likelihood that you are fated to have a second application season if you apply this coming summer. I suggest you improve your numbers first and save the money. Besides engaging in GPA redemption, consider retaking the MCAT.

What year of school are you in?

Why is your GPA on the low side?

How long did you study for the MCAT?

What are your plans to beef up your ECs over the next year (think leadership-type stuff)?

 

[Goro]

You're a slightly below-avg student, numbers-wise, but there are some Ecs I really like so let's start by tossing the reach schools. You don't need an SMP, nor an MCAT retake. Howard is an HBC.


Goro's list

Wake Forest
UVA
EVMS
VCU
GWU
Gtown
Rush
MCW
Drexel
Jefferson
Temple
NYMC
Albany
Tulane
BU
Tufts
Rosalind Franklin
Loyola
Tulane
Qunnipac
Hofstra
Penn State
WVU
Creighton
Oakland
Miami
All other new MD schools
Any DO program (you have VCOM, PCOM, WVCOM, CampbellCOM all nearby)

 

[Soulcal32]

Since you don't have any DO schools on your application list, I think there is a high likelihood that you are fated to have a second application season if you apply this coming summer. I suggest you improve your numbers first and save the money. Besides engaging in GPA redemption, consider retaking the MCAT.

What year of school are you in?

Why is your GPA on the low side?

How long did you study for the MCAT?

What are your plans to beef up your ECs over the next year (think leadership-type stuff)?

I'm a senior and will be graduating in summer. I can potentially raise my gpa to a 3.60 but no higher for cumulative and science. The reason for my gpa dip is because I had about 5 family members pass away in a 2 year span as well as my house caught on fire so as you can imagine it was very hectic. Also, my father nearly died. And I was a business major up until beginning my junior year then switched to biology it was a rough adjustment. I studied the normal amount 3 months. I was planning on joining AmeriCorps and try to keep up my other volunteering. I have no research maybe try to get involved in that. Do you have any suggestions for Leadership type stuff?

 

[Soulcal32]

You're a slightly below-avg student, numbers-wise, but there are some Ecs I really like so let's start by tossing the reach schools. You don't need an SMP, nor an MCAT retake. Howard is an HBC.


Goro's list

Wake Forest
UVA
EVMS
VCU
GWU
Gtown
Rush
MCW
Drexel
Jefferson
Temple
NYMC
Albany
Tulane
BU
Tufts
Rosalind Franklin
Loyola
Tulane
Qunnipac
Hofstra
Penn State
WVU
Creighton
Oakland
Miami
All other new MD schools
Any DO program (you have VCOM, PCOM, WVCOM, CampbellCOM all nearby)

Thanks for the help Goro, any other advice for me?

 

[Goro]

Invest in MSAR Online and apply strategically: apply to those schools whose median numbers are close to your own. Find an EC that you love doing and has a strong service component. Think outside the box...be a Big Brother/Sister; work at a camp for sick/disabled children; you've done this with your hospice work, which I admire.

Thanks for the help Goro, any other advice for me?

 

[Soulcal32]

Invest in MSAR Online and apply strategically: apply to those schools whose median numbers are close to your own. Find an EC that you love doing and has a strong service component. Think outside the box...be a Big Brother/Sister; work at a camp for sick/disabled children; you've done this with your hospice work, which I admire.

Thanks for advice appreciate it!

 

[Catalystik]

I'm a senior and will be graduating in summer. I can potentially raise my gpa to a 3.60 but no higher for cumulative and science. The reason for my gpa dip is because I had about 5 family members pass away in a 2 year span as well as my house caught on fire so as you can imagine it was very hectic. Also, my father nearly died. And I was a business major up until beginning my junior year then switched to biology it was a rough adjustment. I studied the normal amount 3 months. I was planning on joining AmeriCorps and try to keep up my other volunteering. I have no research maybe try to get involved in that. Do you have any suggestions for Leadership type stuff?

Keeping in mind that the averages for those accepted to MD schools are 3.69/3.63/31.3 and for DO med schools are 3.5/3.38/26.87, I'd think that applying with a 3.6/3.6/30 would give you a decent chance at MD and a solid chance at DO. If you don't have solid senior year grades (meaning showing an upward grade trend for at least 2 terms) wait until you have shown consistent academic excellence. It may help that you live in a state with a lenient med school.

Americorps is an excellent gap year opportunity, and might help compensate for weak or no research at some schools. From what I've read, most (not all) sites are accepting of the need to travel for interviews.

Leadership implies taking responsibility to be sure a job is done correctly by others, designating tasks, training, organizing, etc. Perhaps you already unknowingly have some: have you trained new wait staff, eg? Have you recruited and scheduled others for your tutoring activities. Could you initiate, organize, recruit, and run a food drive for a local food pantry, or do the same to gather toiletries for a local men's shelter? Have you organized a benefit for one of the organizations you care about?

 

[Soulcal32]

Keeping in mind that the averages for those accepted to MD schools are 3.69/3.63/31.3 and for DO med schools are 3.5/3.38/26.87, I'd think that applying with a 3.6/3.6/30 would give you a decent chance at MD and a solid chance at DO. If you don't have solid senior year grades (meaning showing an upward grade trend for at least 2 terms) wait until you have shown consistent academic excellence. It may help that you live in a state with a lenient med school.

Americorps is an excellent gap year opportunity, and might help compensate for weak or no research at some schools. From what I've read, most (not all) sites are accepting of the need to travel for interviews.

Leadership implies taking responsibility to be sure a job is done correctly by others, designating tasks, training, organizing, etc. Perhaps you already unknowingly have some: have you trained new wait staff, eg? Have you recruited and scheduled others for your tutoring activities. Could you initiate, organize, recruit, and run a food drive for a local food pantry, or do the same to gather toiletries for a local men's shelter? Have you organized a benefit for one of the organizations you care about?

Hey Catalystik would it be better for me to do Americorps during my gap year or get a research job at NIH?

 

[Catalystik]

Hey Catalystik would it be better for me to do Americorps during my gap year or get a research job at NIH?

If the purpose is to boost your appeal to med schools, Americorps, IMO.