What should I do?

[psychtx]

I haven't applied. I won't be applying until next summer. I messed up my first few years of college. My amcas cgpa (including this semester) is 3.05 and sgpa is 3.41. I have a few semesters left and I don't believe I will get a high enough gpa to apply, maybe to a 3.2. My current gpa is 3.8 for 4 semesters.

I was in the military for 4 years. I've been out for a year and a few months.
Non-traditional student. Texas resident. African American. For financial reasons, I want to stay in tx, if I were accepted at a DO school.
I'm a double major - Psych and Bio
I don't have clinical hours, but I start a program in the summer.
I'll be shadowing a doctor in a few weeks and hopefully a few more after, so I'll get shadowing experience.
No research, but I'm considering doing it over the summer if I have time. I work, so it's difficult to go to school and complete EC's. No clinical hours and no research probably makes me seem worse!

Do I have a chance of being accepted, if I boost my gpa and receive a high MCAT score? Or do a post-bacc? I know my chances are slim and I don't have a chance right now. I'm interested in advice of how I can potentially be accepted. Any advice would be great.

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[babyface10111]

If you're going to get clinical experience and if you can fit research in your schedule, I think you have a chance! Your sGPA is not too low and it seems you have an upward trend. I think being in the military is a plus in that it makes you a unique candidate.
But you should really study for the MCAT and try to get a 31+ score. (or if you're taking the new one,.... don't know how the scoring works for that).

If your overall GPA is going to be 3.2 maybe you can take some post-bacc classes to get that up.

But either way, I think you have a shot at it.

 

[psychtx]

If you're going to get clinical experience and if you can fit research in your schedule, I think you have a chance! Your sGPA is not too low and it seems you have an upward trend. I think being in the military is a plus in that it makes you a unique candidate.
But you should really study for the MCAT and try to get a 31+ score. (or if you're taking the new one,.... don't know how the scoring works for that).

If your overall GPA is going to be 3.2 maybe you can take some post-bacc classes to get that up.

But either way, I think you have a shot at it.

I'm not to sure being in the military will make up for a poor gpa. I'm hoping I get a good score on the new MCAT. I've already started studying. Thnx for the advice, I hope I do have a shot in the future.

 

[Boolean]

I'm not to sure being in the military will make up for a poor gpa. I'm hoping I get a good score on the new MCAT. I've already started studying. Thnx for the advice, I hope I do have a shot in the future.

Military service + URM + Tx resident will play out in your favor. Consider a post-bacc?

 

[Goro]

Keep doing well, get int he right mix of ECs and do decent on MCAT and you're in.

And many thanks for your service to our country.

I haven't applied. I won't be applying until next summer. I messed up my first few years of college. My amcas cgpa (including this semester) is 3.05 and sgpa is 3.41. I have a few semesters left and I don't believe I will get a high enough gpa to apply, maybe to a 3.2. My current gpa is 3.8 for 4 semesters.

I was in the military for 4 years. I've been out for a year and a few months.
Non-traditional student. Texas resident. African American. For financial reasons, I want to stay in tx, if I were accepted at a DO school.
I'm a double major - Psych and Bio
I don't have clinical hours, but I start a program in the summer.
I'll be shadowing a doctor in a few weeks and hopefully a few more after, so I'll get shadowing experience.
No research, but I'm considering doing it over the summer if I have time. I work, so it's difficult to go to school and complete EC's. No clinical hours and no research probably makes me seem worse!

Do I have a chance of being accepted, if I boost my gpa and receive a high MCAT score? Or do a post-bacc? I know my chances are slim and I don't have a chance right now. I'm interested in advice of how I can potentially be accepted. Any advice would be great.

I think posted in the wrong thread..

 

[psychtx]

Military service + URM + Tx resident will play out in your favor. Consider a post-bacc?

Yes, I've considered doing a post-bacc program. I'm thinking that will probably be the best thing to do. It's just more money lol. I can pay for school now, not so sure if I will be able to for a post-bacc without a lot of loans. If I were accepted to DO school being in tx I would have the Hazelwood to pay for tuition. ... Do you think a post-bacc will really help, considering my past gpa?

 

[Boolean]

Yes, I've considered doing a post-bacc program. I'm thinking that will probably be the best thing to do. It's just more money lol. I can pay for school now, not so sure if I will be able to for a post-bacc without a lot of loans. If I were accepted to DO school being in tx I would have the Hazelwood to pay for tuition. ... Do you think a post-bacc will really help, considering my past gpa?

I think it could help. The way I look at the logic behind a postbacc, you may be shelling out a couple thousand, but that is a couple thousand that could give you the chance at making many more down the road.

 

[psychtx]

Thank you, Goro! I'm focusing on ecs and the mcat, but I've been told tx is really competitive.

 

[psychtx]

I think it could help. The way I look at the logic behind a postbacc, you may be shelling out a couple thousand, but that is a couple thousand that could give you the chance at making many more down the road.

You're right, that makes a lot of sense, thank you for the advice. I'm going to start looking into post-bacc programs.

 

[Goro]

For non-Texans, yes. For natives, less so, especially with one new medical school coming on line, and you being a veteran. We Adcoms have soft spots for veterans. You're competitive for the TX MD schools too.

Thank you, Goro! I'm focusing on ecs and the mcat, but I've been told tx is really competitive.

 

[psychtx]

I'm currently shadowing two doctors over my break and volunteering at a nursing home with hospice patients. Any advice of how many hours I should have? Most likely I will not get a ton of hours or not as many as others I've seen post on this site. Will this hurt my chances even with an upward trend?

 

[psychtx]

Any advice? ... Thanx

 

[Doug Underhill]

The average applicant has 150 hours of clinical volunteering and extra non-clinical volunteering. The best answer to your question is "as much as possible".

 

[gyngyn]

Thank you, Goro! I'm focusing on ecs and the mcat, but I've been told tx is really competitive.

TX is among the most generous states to its own applicants. 90% of matriculants to public MD schools must be TX residents. 36.6% of IS Texans matriculate in TX (and this does not include those in their large DO school!).
Compare this to CA where only 14.7% get to stay IS.
Yes, medical school is competitive everywhere, but TX is among the better states from which to apply.

 

[Glazedonutlove]

TX is among the most generous states to its own applicants. 90% of matriculants to public MD schools must be TX residents. 36.6% of IS Texans matriculate in TX (and this does not include those in their large DO school!).
Compare this to CA where only 14.7% get to stay IS.
Yes, medical school is competitive everywhere, but TX is among the better states from which to apply.

This applies to Baylor too?

 

[gyngyn]

This applies to Baylor too?

Their requirement is lower as they are private.
They matriculated 47 OOS. Class size is 186.
Their $300 deposit is nonrefundable!

 

[psychtx]

The average applicant has 150 hours of clinical volunteering and extra non-clinical volunteering. The best answer to your question is "as much as possible".

Thank you. I have a lot of hours for non-clinical volunteering. I just wasn't sure of how many I needed for clinical hours, but I will be volunteering at this nursing home for a while. Should my shadowing hours be similar to my clinical hours? I'm not sure of how many hours I need. One of the doctors I'm shadowing advised a few hours is fine.

 

[psychtx]

TX is among the most generous states to its own applicants. 90% of matriculants to public MD schools must be TX residents. 36.6% of IS Texans matriculate in TX (and this does not include those in their large DO school!).
Compare this to CA where only 14.7% get to stay IS.
Yes, medical school is competitive everywhere, but TX is among the better states from which to apply.

I thought it was possibly competitive because they all required high stats. I was told this by a few professors. I've researched a few and I think my professors may have been exaggerating, but I'm aware no med school is easy to get into. When applying (in a few years) should I only apply to only tx schools? This is my plan, I'm hoping I receive a good score on the new MCAT.

 

[gyngyn]

I thought it was possibly competitive because they all required high stats. I was told this by a few professors. I've researched a few and I think my professors may have been exaggerating, but I'm aware no med school is easy to get into. When applying (in a few years) should I only apply to only tx schools? This is my plan, I'm hoping I receive a good score on the new MCAT.

With a good score this will work. If your MCAT is above about the 70th%, you would be a candidate for scholarship at some very fine OOS schools (including mine).

 

[bonedoc82]

I haven't applied. I won't be applying until next summer. I messed up my first few years of college. My amcas cgpa (including this semester) is 3.05 and sgpa is 3.41. I have a few semesters left and I don't believe I will get a high enough gpa to apply, maybe to a 3.2. My current gpa is 3.8 for 4 semesters.

I was in the military for 4 years. I've been out for a year and a few months.
Non-traditional student. Texas resident. African American. For financial reasons, I want to stay in tx, if I were accepted at a DO school.
I'm a double major - Psych and Bio
I don't have clinical hours, but I start a program in the summer.
I'll be shadowing a doctor in a few weeks and hopefully a few more after, so I'll get shadowing experience.
No research, but I'm considering doing it over the summer if I have time. I work, so it's difficult to go to school and complete EC's. No clinical hours and no research probably makes me seem worse!

Do I have a chance of being accepted, if I boost my gpa and receive a high MCAT score? Or do a post-bacc? I know my chances are slim and I don't have a chance right now. I'm interested in advice of how I can potentially be accepted. Any advice would be great.

I think posted in the wrong thread..

Hey man, I was in the military also and in residency in Texas now for Orthopedic Surgery. Im not sure how much more you can boost your GPA but I think if you aim for a 26+ on MCAT, you may have a chance. If not, never give up. Apply for post bacs's/grad programs to show the admissions committee that you can handle the rigors of medical school curriculum.

Antonio J.Webb, M.D.
www.antoniowebbmd.com
www.amazon.com/author/antoniowebbmd

 

[bonedoc82]

I'm currently shadowing two doctors over my break and volunteering at a nursing home with hospice patients. Any advice of how many hours I should have? Most likely I will not get a ton of hours or not as many as others I've seen post on this site. Will this hurt my chances even with an upward trend?

There is no set amount of hours required. And don't compare how many hours you have to someone else. Dosent sway the admission committee either way just because someone has more hours than someone else.

Antonio J.Webb, M.D.
www.antoniowebbmd.com
www.amazon.com/author/antoniowebbmd

 

[bonedoc82]

Military service + URM + Tx resident will play out in your favor. Consider a post-bacc?

I agree. Post bac will help you tremendously!

 

[psychtx]

With a good score this will work. If your MCAT is above about the 70th%, you would be a candidate for scholarship at some very fine OOS schools (including mine).

That's good to know! A scholarship will help a lot. Hopefully I score in that range, so I have more options.

 

[psychtx]

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