2013-2014 Underdawgs Thread ( Lets get it)

Started by Drrrrrr. Celty
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physicianguy said:
I volunteered in the hospital for 100 hours, worked in a research lab, and did basic community service. So nothing to stand out. I'm most worried about my non-existent shadowing. It's crunch time for me to do that.
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Sounds desperate, but a lot of us had to do this. Just beg to some doctors to shadow them essentially via email/phone/stop by their offices etc.
 
cGPA:3.88
sGPA 3.82
MCAT pending practice tests were 25-27 (verbal will def be lowest w/bio always 10-11)

Hospital work, interning/shadowing/non-hospital work experience/research. No DO letter as of yet though. Good luck guys.
 
novafan3000 said:
cGPA:3.88
sGPA 3.82
MCAT pending practice tests were 25-27 (verbal will def be lowest w/bio always 10-11)

Hospital work, interning/shadowing/non-hospital work experience/research. No DO letter as of yet though. Good luck guys.
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You're not an underdog. As a matter of fact, if your MCAT score creeps really close to a 30, I'd consider MD as well.
 
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bvo21 said:
I'd like to join you guys. 3.5 cgpa 3.27 sgpa and a 29 MCAT however, I think I am an underdawg considering that I have very poor LOR's and very little clinical experience and no shadowing. I am trying to start shadowing asap. Good luck everyone!
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I imagine you'll score interviews but you'll be asked to explain these deficiencies at that point.

ChineseKid said:
Hey guys

So feeling like asking here
As I previously mentioned
non-sGPA:3.43
sGPA:3.08
cGPA:3.18
MCAT:26 (retaken already, score out in June)
EC: volunteer at hospitals (~over 1000hr, over 5 year time), Lab (~2000hr), other involvements, such as club activities, World Vision, senior homes (couple hundred hrs)
Got LOR from the DO, science professors, hospital and other health professionals
Canadian

I am worried about the fact that I failed gross anatomy in my last term.
I am about to retake it as well. (that fail dropped my sGPA almost 0.2)
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Ouch... normally I wouldn't say a bad grade in a non-prereq would hurt, but it's recent and anatomy is one of the first classes you take. Get an A on the retake and I think you'll have some interviews though.
 
I agree with Coolingglasses. Failing anatomy, alone may raise some eyebrows. Are you planning on changing your study habits in medical school with this subject?
 
coolingglasses said:
I imagine you'll score interviews but you'll be asked to explain these deficiencies at that point.



Ouch... normally I wouldn't say a bad grade in a non-prereq would hurt, but it's recent and anatomy is one of the first classes you take. Get an A on the retake and I think you'll have some interviews though.
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Anicetus said:
I agree with Coolingglasses. Failing anatomy, alone may raise some eyebrows. Are you planning on changing your study habits in medical school with this subject?
Click to expand...

Failed it because of some personal issues. More or less.
Didn't retake it because was working to pay off student loan and read somewhere that I cannot grade replace pass/fail courses.
Thanks guys. Will delivery retake then.
Class starts tomorrow.

Another question then, should I wait till the new mark is out then? Before submitting my aacomas application?

Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk 2
 
novafan3000 said:
Really? I know the gpa is above avg but i thought for sure the no do letter and avg mcat wont exactly win me sone love.
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You said that you're averaging between 25 and 27. If you get a 27+, your score would make you an above average applicant given your GPA. Worst case scenario, a score of a 25 still makes you a competitive applicant, again, given your GPA. You must look at your stats as a whole ie MCAT, GPA, etc. Based on the info you provided, I don't think that you're an underdog.

A DO letter may disqualify you from some of the schools, but it's pretty quick and easy to get.
 
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I had a C in Biochem and also a C in O chem 1. Not really a red flag as long as they don't bring your gpa down too far. The only comment I have had about those grades was an interviewer telling me how tough O chem was for him as well. I definitely would not freak out about it. Getting in to medical school is a big numbers game. Most schools don't seem to care about the details they only really want to see the final product (cum gpa and science gpa). If you are really worried about it.. rather than taking a different upper level course just do grade replacement for that C. Replacing 3 hours of a C with an A/B would be a much greater benefit than taking a different class.

Looking at your stats, your science gpa looks to be fine. I haven't read through all the pages of the forum to see if you have retaken your mcat but that should be your number one priority. Try to score a 24 or a 25 and you have a really good chance. Hopefully I am not coming off as a know it all but this is just advice I can give after spending a year doing a masters program at an osteopathic school.

*looked on the first page and saw your mcat looked good other than that 4 in verbal. In my opinion, verbal is probably the hardest section on the mcat but easiest section to improve on. I went from a 6 to an 11 in 2 months by taking a full length verbal once a week and doing passages every night before bed. Good luck on your application
 
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Lost Vagus said:
I had a C in Biochem and also a C in O chem 1. Not really a red flag as long as they don't bring your gpa down too far. The only comment I have had about those grades was an interviewer telling me how tough O chem was for him as well. I definitely would not freak out about it. Getting in to medical school is a big numbers game. Most schools don't seem to care about the details they only really want to see the final product (cum gpa and science gpa). If you are really worried about it.. rather than taking a different upper level course just do grade replacement for that C. Replacing 3 hours of a C with an A/B would be a much greater benefit than taking a different class.

Looking at your stats, your science gpa looks to be fine. I haven't read through all the pages of the forum to see if you have retaken your mcat but that should be your number one priority. Try to score a 24 or a 25 and you have a really good chance. Hopefully I am not coming off as a know it all but this is just advice I can give after spending a year doing a masters program at an osteopathic school.

*looked on the first page and saw your mcat looked good other than that 4 in verbal. In my opinion, verbal is probably the hardest section on the mcat but easiest section to improve on. I went from a 6 to an 11 in 2 months by taking a full length verbal once a week and doing passages every night before bed. Good luck on your application
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot. I was freaking out after getting these assessments from other members. I only have two Cs in science classes. Biochem and microbiology...Everything else are As and Bs...

I am retaking the MCAT in July and have been working very hard in VR. I have been doing TPRH and EK101 (3+ passages/ day and one VR FLs/week). My scores have been 7-9 but I had a 6 on my first AAMC#3 FL (10/6/8)...I am gonna keep working hard until I got that stuff down. Thanks again for your reassurance.
 
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hey guys, should my upper level science class be my priority for retakes or the classes that have the lowest GPA and potentially make a bigger impact on my cGPA if I retake them?
 
So apparently I should've entered my failed P/F class as N
After doing so, my
non-sGPA: 3.43
sGPA: 3.18
cGPA:3.26

Would you guys still think I should retake the gross anatomy course I failed (as P/F) last term?
I cannot list it as repeat or grade replace the P/F
Personally, I think it would rise a few eyebrows if I have a non-pass for gross anatomy.

Thanks in advance
 
ChineseKid said:
So apparently I should've entered my failed P/F class as N
After doing so, my
non-sGPA: 3.43
sGPA: 3.18
cGPA:3.26

Would you guys still think I should retake the gross anatomy course I failed (as P/F) last term?
I cannot list it as repeat or grade replace the P/F
Personally, I think it would rise a few eyebrows if I have a non-pass for gross anatomy.

Thanks in advance
Click to expand...

Could you retake it and put it down as a class in progress so they dont see your grade?
 
ChineseKid said:
So apparently I should've entered my failed P/F class as N
After doing so, my
non-sGPA: 3.43
sGPA: 3.18
cGPA:3.26

Would you guys still think I should retake the gross anatomy course I failed (as P/F) last term?
I cannot list it as repeat or grade replace the P/F
Personally, I think it would rise a few eyebrows if I have a non-pass for gross anatomy.

Thanks in advance
Click to expand...

Since you already have it on your transcript, it would be beneficial to you to retake it and show you can handle it, even if you can't get a repeat.
 
If its your only really poor mark, your trend will make up for it, and that you retook the mcat to do better. Save your time since it wont increase your stats, just a subjective measure.
 
Anicetus said:
Could you retake it and put it down as a class in progress so they dont see your grade?
Click to expand...
.. I cannot believe I actually never thought of that lol...
HMM

coolingglasses said:
Since you already have it on your transcript, it would be beneficial to you to retake it and show you can handle it, even if you can't get a repeat.
Click to expand...

advair250 said:
If its your only really poor mark, your trend will make up for it, and that you retook the mcat to do better. Save your time since it wont increase your stats, just a subjective measure.
Click to expand...
Hmm what you define as really poor mark?
That year (2 semesters), I had all As except that F
Other than there, I have a few C and C+ in my 5 year of undergrad

Man. Confusing. Both sides got good and legitimate reasons :scared:
Arg this is driving me nuts 🙁
 
ChineseKid said:
.. I cannot believe I actually never thought of that lol...
HMM




Hmm what you define as really poor mark?
That year (2 semesters), I had all As except that F
Other than there, I have a few C and C+ in my 5 year of undergrad

Man. Confusing. Both sides got good and legitimate reasons :scared:
Arg this is driving me nuts 🙁
Click to expand...

In my opinion a poor mark would be anything below a B. I think what advair is trying to say is that if you had a B- or something, one class is not going to make a huge difference on the cGPA and that a upward trend will make up for it. Also, I think I read somewhere (in this thread?) that if you take a class as a P/F, you can't grade replace it but I could be wrong.
 
ChineseKid said:
Hmm I see.
It's just that it is gross anatomy and it was something recent (the last semester of my undergrad career).
If I put F for it, my sGPA drops 0.14ish.

http://www.students.ubc.ca/coursesreg/registering-courses/credit-d-fail/
We call it credit/d/fail
The more I read into it, the more it makes me wonder if it's considered P/F
If it is P/F, you're right. I cannot grade replace it.
Click to expand...

I think that is a P/F class...If they think it is an F, they will correct it
 
ChineseKid said:
Hmm I see.
It's just that it is gross anatomy and it was something recent (the last semester of my undergrad career).
If I put F for it, my sGPA drops 0.14ish.

http://www.students.ubc.ca/coursesreg/registering-courses/credit-d-fail/
We call it credit/d/fail
The more I read into it, the more it makes me wonder if it's considered P/F
If it is P/F, you're right. I cannot grade replace it.
Click to expand...

Yea I read it too, its a little unusual for me since my school just do credit/no credit. It seems like your school has a in between grade. Regarding the F dropping your gpa, I don't think that is suppose to happen since your anatomy class is like a P/F. Those classes aren't suppose to have a gpa with them, if you pass you get credit and if you fail you don't. There is no grade point with them. Isn't there a fail selection in the AACOMAS app? I think that is what you should put down and not F which has a gpa with it.
 
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Temperature101 said:
I think that is a P/F class...If they think it is an F, they will correct it
Click to expand...

nightowl0721 said:
Yea I read it too, its a little unusual for me since my school just do credit/no credit. It seems like your school has a in between grade. Regarding the F dropping your gpa, I don't think that is suppose to happen since your anatomy class is like a P/F. Those classes aren't suppose to have a gpa with them, if you pass you get credit and if you fail you don't. There is no grade point with them. Isn't there a fail selection in the AACOMAS app? I think that is what you should put down and not F which has a gpa with it.
Click to expand...

In the AACOMAS application
there's either a F or no-pass.
Not quite sure which one is it this case

For UBC (my school), the credit/D/fail option isn't calculated into our GPA either. But it's the presence of the D that makes me wonder if it's classified under pass/fail for AACOMAS.
If it's not considered as P/F, then I should be able to grade replace it by retaking the course.
Hmm I seriously dunno what to do with this F lol
Am I worrying too much?
 
ChineseKid said:
In the AACOMAS application
there's either a F or no-pass.
Not quite sure which one is it this case

For UBC (my school), the credit/D/fail option isn't calculated into our GPA either. But it's the presence of the D that makes me wonder if it's classified under pass/fail for AACOMAS.
If it's not considered as P/F, then I should be able to grade replace it by retaking the course.
Hmm I seriously dunno what to do with this F lol
Am I worrying too much?
Click to expand...

TBH I would go with the no pass because Cr/D/F has no gpa with it, at the same time we want it to be a F with a gpa so you can replace it hahaha. Your school just have a different system and I agree the D is confusing lol. I am really not sure where to go from here, maybe someone else can chime in (cough* hallowmann :laugh: )
 
It looks like its just a different way of saying pass/fail. If aacomas already told you that you can't replace it, you have your answer. If you can, retake one of your C's.
 
Hmm ok.
So one last time, I would be wasting my time if I retake anatomy?

Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk 2
 
ChineseKid said:
.. I cannot believe I actually never thought of that lol...
HMM




Hmm what you define as really poor mark?
That year (2 semesters), I had all As except that F
Other than there, I have a few C and C+ in my 5 year of undergrad

Man. Confusing. Both sides got good and legitimate reasons :scared:
Arg this is driving me nuts 🙁
Click to expand...

If it's me, I just play it safe and retake it. Because...

Temperature101 said:
I think that is a P/F class...If they think it is an F, they will correct it
Click to expand...

AACOMAS will change your grade as they see fit according to your transcripts. But really, since you have other Cs, you could go either way and retake some of those instead.
 
All they will mostly care about is the overall marks, if you can replace another c with something else do that.
 
Now that the semester is over, I guess I'll jump into this thread too.

3.22 cGPA, 3.16 sGPA, 3.31 nsGPA, with a very obvious upward trend the last 3 semesters

28O MCAT

Applying to 13 schools and currently enrolled in PCOM's MSBS program, beginning this August
 
swinsh01 said:
Now that the semester is over, I guess I'll jump into this thread too.

3.22 cGPA, 3.16 sGPA, 3.31 nsGPA, with a very obvious upward trend the last 3 semesters

28O MCAT

Applying to 13 schools and currently enrolled in PCOM's MSBS program, beginning this August
Click to expand...

You've got a very very very good shot.
 
swinsh01 said:
Now that the semester is over, I guess I'll jump into this thread too.

3.22 cGPA, 3.16 sGPA, 3.31 nsGPA, with a very obvious upward trend the last 3 semesters

28O MCAT

Applying to 13 schools and currently enrolled in PCOM's MSBS program, beginning this August
Click to expand...

you should have plenty of interviews
 
My list (as of right now) is: CCOM, DMU, VCOM, PCOM (both campuses), LECOM, LECOM-B, NYCOM, NOVA, RVCOM,UNECOM, KYCOM, and WVSCOM.

I'm really hoping to get interviews. Although I'm sure med school interviews are a whole new beast, I'm a strong interviewer (from lots of ECs) so I think that will help.
 
swinsh01 said:
My list (as of right now) is: CCOM, DMU, VCOM, PCOM (both campuses), LECOM, LECOM-B, NYCOM, NOVA, RVCOM,UNECOM, KYCOM, and WVSCOM.

I'm really hoping to get interviews. Although I'm sure med school interviews are a whole new beast, I'm a strong interviewer (from lots of ECs) so I think that will help.
Click to expand...

Should be able to get into one of those for sure.
 
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Guess I'll jump in this thread too, hopefully I have a shot, gonna go ahead and apply broadly.


cGPA- 3.21
sGPA- 3.0
MCAT- 32M

Also a URM
 
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