Brutal feedback needed + School List help: 3.39c/3.37s 34S nontrad

I've done this before but now that I'm closer to actually going through with this process, I'm requesting feedback about whether I should even bother applying this cycle or wait to raise my grades. I have way too many units for classes to raise c/s beyond a 3.45 or 3.48. SMP's are risky and I'd be putting my career on hold (I need to be realistic). Pre-med counselor is very hesitant about me applying with these grades.

SDN has really helped me in the past and I truly appreciate everyone's input.

Background
23 yrs old ORM from CA
Graduated May 2012 from a very tough school - BME, Business
cGPA: 3.39 (immaturity and stupidity; includes post-bacc)
sGPA: 3.37
Post-Bacc (10 upper division Biology units while working) - 4.0
MCAT: 34S (13PS, 11VR, 10BS)
upward trend from straight upper division coursework my Junior year
Love to work with kids + tried to show in activities.
5 LoRs - 3 science, 1 non-science, 1 PI

Current Activities
1. Consulting (client work, $MM deals, lead + take initiative, blah) - 1 yr
2. ER,ICU,CCU volunteering ~ 10 months/150 hrs by the time I submit my AMCAS on June 1st
3. Children's Shelter - 6 months, 1.5 hrs weekly.

Previous Activities:
Clinical
1. Shadowing - 40 hrs in a specialty pediatric dept.

Non-Clinical
1. Homeless Shelter - 2 yrs
2. Film making - Short film won awards
3. Random city cleanup stuff here and there - 16 hrs. Not even worth mentioning

Leadership
1. President of an Engineering Club - 1 yr
2. VP of a cultural club - 1 yr
3. Workplace committees - organize activities with execs, blah

Research
1. Poster abstract (dry lab) - 1.5 yrs

School List - This is the base list of schools I'm considering applying to. I'll add in a few mid to high reaches later. If I'm missing any new schools which I may have a better chance at, please let me know. I have no safety schools at this point.

Low Reaches(% OOS - Interviewed/Applied):
Albany - 8.26
Rosalind Franklin - 3.94
Howard - 5
Drexel - 8.3
Eastern Virginia - 7.56
Marshall - 7.64
South Carolina - 2.61
Michigan State - 3.86
NYMC - 10
SUNY Upstate - 5.47
TCMC - 5.47
Toledo - 7.65
Tulane - 5.3
Bethesda - 20
UoArizona - 5
UoArkansas - 4.72
UoHawaii - 4.57
UoIllinois - 5.27
UKansas - 4.77
UoKentucky - 8.76
UoNevada - 7.06
UoNMexico - 3.6
UoWashington - 1.6
VCU - 7.86
Virginia Tech Carilion - 4.89
Wake Forest - ?
UoMissouri - Low
UoArizona Phoenix - ?

.

Add temple. I had very similar stats/story and did just fine (though it would have been even better if I had applied early). One of my interviewers said how impressive it is for applicants to have higher science gpas. You will be great! Just be confident, build a cohesive story in your amcas and secondaries, and apply early!

somefun said:

add hofstra, it's the same difficulty as most schools on ur list

Click to expand...

Noted.

Weewee said:

Add temple. I had very similar stats/story and did just fine (though it would have been even better if I had applied early). One of my interviewers said how impressive it is for applicants to have higher science gpas. You will be great! Just be confident, build a cohesive story in your amcas and secondaries, and apply early!

Click to expand...

Will do. May 1st amcas opens up. I'll be sending the transcript request form and LoR forms out to writers and schools to send to amcas asap.

My biggest concern is whether I'm wasting time by applying now. What sort of feedback did you get from schools regarding your stats? Were they really as similar?

Kind of. I will pm you in a bit!

Since your grades won't change much even if you delayed a year, and your ECs look good, it's reasonable not to wait.

School list:
- As an ORM, don't apply to Howard unless your goals align with their mission.
- There are way too many OOS unfriendly schools that you would likely be wasting your money on: Marshall, South Carolina, MSU, Arkansas, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Nevada, New Mexico, Washington, Missouri.
- Look at EVMS, TCMC, and Virginia Tech's mission statements and make sure they align with yours since they have a regional focus.
- Consider adding the Jesuit schools Creighton, Loyola, Georgetown , and SLU because of your nonclinical volunteering.
- Consider VCU, Jefferson, Temple, MCW, OUWB, UVM, and Cincinnati.

Invest in an MSAR 🙂.

uphillBattle said:

I've done this before but now that I'm closer to actually going through with this process, I'm requesting feedback about whether I should even bother applying this cycle or wait to raise my grades. I have way too many units for classes to raise c/s beyond a 3.45 or 3.48. SMP's are risky and I'd be putting my career on hold (I need to be realistic). Pre-med counselor is very hesitant about me applying with these grades.

SDN has really helped me in the past and I truly appreciate everyone's input.

Background
23 yrs old ORM from CA
Graduated May 2012 from a very tough school - BME, Business
cGPA: 3.39 (immaturity and stupidity; includes post-bacc)
sGPA: 3.37
Post-Bacc (10 upper division Biology units while working) - 4.0
MCAT: 34S (13PS, 11VR, 10BS)
upward trend from straight upper division coursework my Junior year
Love to work with kids + tried to show in activities.
5 LoRs - 3 science, 1 non-science, 1 PI

Current Activities
1. Consulting (client work, $MM deals, lead + take initiative, blah) - 1 yr
2. ER,ICU,CCU volunteering ~ 10 months/150 hrs by the time I submit my AMCAS on June 1st
3. Children's Shelter - 6 months, 1.5 hrs weekly.

Previous Activities:
Clinical
1. Shadowing - 40 hrs in a specialty pediatric dept.

Non-Clinical
1. Homeless Shelter - 2 yrs
2. Film making - Short film won awards
3. Random city cleanup stuff here and there - 16 hrs. Not even worth mentioning

Leadership
1. President of an Engineering Club - 1 yr
2. VP of a cultural club - 1 yr
3. Workplace committees - organize activities with execs, blah

Research
1. Poster abstract (dry lab) - 1.5 yrs

School List - This is the base list of schools I'm considering applying to. I'll add in a few mid to high reaches later. If I'm missing any new schools which I may have a better chance at, please let me know. I have no safety schools at this point.

Low Reaches(% OOS - Interviewed/Applied):
Albany - 8.26
Rosalind Franklin - 3.94
Howard - 5
Drexel - 8.3
Eastern Virginia - 7.56
Marshall - 7.64
South Carolina - 2.61
Michigan State - 3.86
NYMC - 10
SUNY Upstate - 5.47
TCMC - 5.47
Toledo - 7.65
Tulane - 5.3
Bethesda - 20
UoArizona - 5
UoArkansas - 4.72
UoHawaii - 4.57
UoIllinois - 5.27
UKansas - 4.77
UoKentucky - 8.76
UoNevada - 7.06
UoNMexico - 3.6
UoWashington - 1.6
VCU - 7.86
Virginia Tech Carilion - 4.89
Wake Forest - ?
UoMissouri - Low
UoArizona Phoenix - ?

Click to expand...

Don't waste your money on Howard if you're an ORM.

The schools bolded take a VERY small percentage of OOS students. In addition, the vast majority of OOS students they do accept have significant ties to the state or school (ie did research there, went to ugrad or grad school at the same institution as the med school, have family on the med school faculty, or grew up in the state but moved away as a teenager). If you have no major ties to the state your chances are slim. You'd have much better chances at private schools or more OOS friendly publics like Iowa, both AZ schools, UCF, USF, OSU, Cincinnati, SUNYs, etc...

Your GPA numbers are well below avg for OOS public schools. Howard should NOT be on your list because your're not a URM. Marshall shows high preference for those interested in rural medicine. USUHS is only for those truly interested in amilitary medical career, so re-think this.

Suggest adding Quinnipac, Rowan, Creighton and Temple. Also, you're fine for any DO program. TUCOM-CA and Western will accept you in a heartbeat.

I think you're have your best bet with these.

Low Reaches(% OOS - Interviewed/Applied):

Albany - 8.26
Rosalind Franklin - 3.94
Drexel - 8.3
NYMC - 10
Tulane - 5.3

Honestly, I think you have a chance at many good mid-tier schools. OOS publics, probably not, but your MCAT + post-bacc is impressive.

The biggest question is whether or not your u-grad GPA, with no post-bacc included, is above a 3.0, so that you avoid an auto-screenout at most schools.

anguisette said:

Since your grades won't change much even if you delayed a year, and your ECs look good, it's reasonable not to wait.

School list:
- As an ORM, don't apply to Howard unless your goals align with their mission.
- There are way too many OOS unfriendly schools that you would likely be wasting your money on: Marshall, South Carolina, MSU, Arkansas, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Nevada, New Mexico, Washington, Missouri.
- Look at EVMS, TCMC, and Virginia Tech's mission statements and make sure they align with yours since they have a regional focus.
- Consider adding the Jesuit schools Creighton, Loyola, Georgetown , and SLU because of your nonclinical volunteering.
- Consider VCU, Jefferson, Temple, MCW, OUWB, UVM, and Cincinnati.

Invest in an MSAR 🙂.

Click to expand...

Ok removing Howard and the OOS unfriendly schools. I compiled this list from the MSAR actually and the Low reaches are the schools where my gpa falls at the 10th percentile.

In my broader list, the schools that you mentioned are part of my mid-reach schools. Ugh, everything is a reach at this point.

alpinism said:

Don't waste your money on Howard if you're an ORM.
You'd have much better chances at private schools or more OOS friendly publics like Iowa, both AZ schools, UCF, USF, OSU, Cincinnati, SUNYs, etc...

Click to expand...

Appreciate it. Will remove the bolded schools.

Goro said:

Your GPA numbers are well below avg for OOS public schools. Howard should NOT be on your list because your're not a URM. Marshall shows high preference for those interested in rural medicine. USUHS is only for those truly interested in amilitary medical career, so re-think this.

Suggest adding Quinnipac, Rowan, Creighton and Temple. Also, you're fine for any DO program. TUCOM-CA and Western will accept you in a heartbeat.

I think you're have your best bet with these.

Low Reaches(% OOS - Interviewed/Applied):

Albany - 8.26
Rosalind Franklin - 3.94
Drexel - 8.3
NYMC - 10
Tulane - 5.3

Click to expand...

Appreciate the insight. I don't have anything against DO. It's just that I'd rather put the extra effort in to try for an MD if I can. Your points have been noted.

notbobtrustme said:

Honestly, I think you have a chance at many good mid-tier schools. OOS publics, probably not, but your MCAT + post-bacc is impressive.

The biggest question is whether or not your u-grad GPA, with no post-bacc included, is above a 3.0, so that you avoid an auto-screenout at most schools.

Click to expand...

Appreciate your feedback. Yea my ugpa is around the same range w/o the post-bacc. Tbh the post-bacc only bumped my gpa up by like .17 or something like that. I have some 200 credit hours all over the place. I've included the school list suggested by those above me. Figured I also might as well apply to reach schools which screen applicants.