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Discover Your Odds of Getting into Medical School
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DO grade replacement is no longer a thing, so I would suggest applying to the newest schools assuming your MCAT will be >/= 500. If not, then I would say that you should try going to a past-baccalaureate program to repair your GPA and apply in a year or two. EC's are pretty solid. With a well written PS, I think it's possible to get an interview somewhere at a DO school. MD is sort of off the table at the moment.
 
Quackery445 said:
DO grade replacement is no longer a thing, so I would suggest applying to the newest schools assuming your MCAT will be >/= 500. If not, then I would say that you should try going to a past-baccalaureate program to repair your GPA and apply in a year or two. EC's are pretty solid. With a well written PS, I think it's possible to get an interview somewhere at a DO school. MD is sort of off the table at the moment.
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Hey!! thanks for responding, why did you choose post-bacc over SMP?
 
lisister said:
Hey!! thanks for responding, why did you choose post-bacc over SMP?
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You could do an SMP as well. I was just bringing the post-bacc up as an option. I would definitely have @Goro chime in to give you more specific advice as to the importance of either one in your situation though.
 
Do everything in your power to end that sGPA above a 3.0. From there, study your butt off for the MCAT. Depending on your score you may be good to go for newer DOs, but you will likely need an SMP if you want to pursue an MD.

lisister said:
Hey!! thanks for responding, why did you choose post-bacc over SMP?
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Your GPA is much too low for redemption via a postbacc, it would take multiple years to get to a more desirable GPA (~3.5) through that route. Thus, you make a good SMP candidate because the master's GPA is standalone on your AMCAS app and looked at separately from your undergrad GPA, but you will still want to end with a 3.0 undergraduate GPA minimum otherwise you may get screened out by schools based on min GPA cutoff alone. Note the intensity of the coursework and the price of SMP programs though, thus it may be more beneficial financially and stress-wise to do well enough on the MCAT to just apply broadly to DO.
 
lisister said:
Hi. Well this is my first post on this site but I really need some advice from someone who isn't a ****ty pre-health advisor or my parents who really don't know what they're talking about. Or just random friends giving completely different advice. please help me lol what I can do !! I'm super stressed

long story short: I am a senior and in my last semester, low GPA, haven't taken the MCAT yet but optimistic that I can score well if I put my mind to it... I'm considering doing an SMP

Here are my stats:
School: NJ - Rutgers, graduating May 2018
Major: Cell bio w/ minor in psych
cGPA: currently a 3.26 (expected a 3.36 if i get a 4.0 this last semester)
sGPA: 2.90 (only taking one science class this semester so it can only go up to 2.95... also I had to retake a D in orgo so my sGPA for grade replacement DO would be 3.01)

3.1, 2.97 freshman year. 3.0, 3.075 sophomore year. 3.3, 3.5 junior year, and 3.44, 4 (ideally... but I shouldn't have a problem getting a 4.0 since I'm only taking one science class).

So there is a slight upward trend, but in general I can do well if I enjoy a class and I do poorly if a class is not interesting to me... sigh. I don't know why I just have no excuse. For example last semester I got a C in this elective science on parasites, then an A in adv. cell bio class and a B+ in a genetics class. So I know that I am capable of getting A/B+ in hard sciences (kind of the reason why I'm not fully giving up on medical school just yet). I'm hoping that a 4.0 my last semester will at least prove to med school that if i try I can do it. I really have no excuse, of course things happened to me in my life, but nothing dramatic that can explain my grades. Can anyone else relate??

Research: tons. 3 years worth (maybe 1500 hours), presented at one symposium and will present at another. I will be published by May before I graduate. I also had an internship this summer doing research at Rutgers.
Shadowing: 40 hours / and I will be accumulating more. I am in the process of creating a shadowing schedule with a pediatric surgeon.
Volunteering: Leadership position at a hunger club (maybe 100? hours of non-clinical volunteering). Club tennis (maybe like 30 hours for fundraising etc) & Volunteered at hospital for a year (200 hours)
Work experience: administrative assistant since 2010. I also generated and managed my own tennis program over the summer where I teach tennis to kids at my local club (4 years now)
LOR: 1. PI #1 (lab for two years from sophmore-junior year) 2. PI #2 (summer internship + current lab I'm in and will be published in) 3. History teacher 4. Genetics professor (professor for this semester so have not asked yet) ... Another question is does a PI count as a science professor if I did the research for credit and had to submit a paper at the end for a grade? 5. one from pediatric surgeon I will shadow (not asked yet)
Ethnicity: Asian

SO I haven't taken my MCAT yet because I found it super difficult for me to balance studying for my MCAT while studying for my classes. I have registered for September 2018, I really don't know what path to take or what to do to help me get into medical school... any constructive criticism is welcome.

ONE OPTION: study for MCAT over the summer and take the MCAT September 2018. Apply to SMP..... rutgers, cincinnati, temple, drexel (? list isnt finalized yet... any advice??). While I am waiting for acceptance I can possibly work in a lab/ do some more volunteering/ medical scribe. Go to SMP for a year June/September 2019- May 2020 (2/3 semesters). Ideally get into medical school right away or i gotta reapply June 2020 for the Fall of 2021. I would most likely try to find a job for that gap year. SO this will be a 3 year process, with possibly two gap years. Con: 2 gap years, wasting my life and there is no guarantee if i get in. Pro: i mean if i get in, it'll all be worth it.

Another option: try to cram for GRE now, and rush a little to apply for SMP. (not even sure if this is feasible for other schools beside Rutgers) and go into SMP for Fall 2018. con: cramming to take a GRE, should be slightly more feasible to study for GRE than MCAT, cramming to get applications in because rolling

Last option: just try to right away for DO??

last last option: PT school maybe... however I would probably have to retake some prereq's because I got C's (lol hence the low sgpa)

Thanks guys and honestly if no one answers it felt good to type that all out to vent. Anyone else just feel super lost and alone while everyone seems kinda sure of everything??
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So what will you do if you find an atomi and Physiology uninteresting when you're in medical school?
 
Goro said:
So what will you do if you find an atomi and Physiology uninteresting when you're in medical school?
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I am embarrassed that I was so lazy in the past, and I really have no excuse. I'm about to graduate and I feel like I kind of had a breakdown where I knew that I would have to change/seek help (that's why I'm posting here). I know I'm capable of doing well, I just feel like now I've dug myself a hole and don't know if its even feasible to climb out of.
 
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