2013-2014 Underdawgs Thread ( Lets get it)

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user3 said:
I would expect multiple interviews from DO.
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A low gpa with a lot of retakes and a low mcat even with URM is going to make the cycle difficult. If he's only submitting, now then it gets even more difficult and tricky.
 
serenade said:
A low gpa with a lot of retakes and a low mcat even with URM is going to make the cycle difficult. If he's only submitting, now then it gets even more difficult and tricky.
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I have only scored the exam once. I know my cumulative GPA is crap but at least my post-bac was decent enough. I have been complete at most schools since mid October and finished up my last batch of secondaries later in October and early this month. I even got a secondary from Charles Drew which has been my biggest accomplishment so far haha. I'm a decent writer and interviewer so I am hoping I get some love out there but I know it will most likely come later in the cycle. I'm relentless and I never give up. Boom
 
I was an underdog couple of years ago - I made it and doing pretty well in med school. Don't give up and you will be fine
 
I might be an underdog idk. 27 MCAT (10PS 6VR 11BS) and 3.95 cGPA/3.92 sGPA (undergrad) but 3.73 sGPA/3.81 cGPA (undergrad + grad).
I applied to ~ 20 DO schools, and received 11 interview invites. Most of my applciations were complete before July. However, during the summer I didn't have a job, so I had to either reschedule or cancel some interviews. In total, I attended only 4 interviews, and 2 already waitlisted me (Rowan and Touro-NY).
I'm praying Nova accepts me, and it's my #1 choice, but can't help but think the worst now.
I'm now regretting cancelling so many interviews. I'm just wondering why I'm getting waitlisted. I do have 2000+ hours worth of clinical and volunteer experiences, and I think I at least have average if not good LORs.

I'm waiting to hear back from NYCOM, WesternU-Pomona, MSU-COM, Ohio, and Oklahoma for ii....but I've been waiting 4 months.
Just hoping for Nova to show me some loveeeeee, that's all I need. 🙈
Do you guys think the 6 in verbal is keeping me from acceptance? :nailbiting:
 
sjingle said:
How long have you been complete? I've been complete for almost a month and a half everywhere and haven't heard anything yet. If you do this let us know how it turns out for you
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Other than one school, I have yet to hear a lot. I was officially placed on hold for another place
 
You're above average MCAT and way above average gpa. Not even close to an underdog numbers wise. Plus 11 II's? Can't be much more successful than that...
 
Elevencents said:
You're above average MCAT and way above average gpa. Not even close to an underdog numbers wise. Plus 11 II's? Can't be much more successful than that...
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Well, I agree with the OP that their mismanagement of interviews certainly puts them in a bit of a tight spot... but I agree with you that an acceptance is pretty likely out of 4 schools with those stats.
 
I know the following has been addressed (though somewhat unsatisfactorily) in this thread before, but it seems this year's underdog thread has been highjacked by people with average/above average stats. Just because someone feels insecure doesn't mean they qualify as a statistical underdog.

Years past, folks were participating with <3.4/3.5 GPA's and <27 MCAT scores. These are underdogs. It's insulting to read people commenting here with >3.5 and >27 MCAT scores. Probably the majority of people on SDN have a considerable amount of insecurity in general, but the underdog thread is reserved for those of us with good reason to feel insecure about our applications.

It probably wouldn't hurt to get some official "pat on the back" threads going on SDN, just to help people through their insecurities, and leave the underdog threads for actual underdogs.
 
Someone just got into NSU with 3.7/3.5/24(!!!). Yet there are people with 3.5+/27+ on here that are freaking out about getting in anywhere. Unbelievable.

DO schools may have made great strides in raising admission standards over the past decade, but there is still a very long way to go.

Anyone with 3.2/3.2/24+ or 3.0/3.0/27+ is NOT an underdog.
 
didymus said:
I know the following has been addressed (though somewhat unsatisfactorily) in this thread before, but it seems this year's underdog thread has been highjacked by people with average/above average stats. Just because someone feels insecure doesn't mean they qualify as a statistical underdog.

Years past, folks were participating with <3.4/3.5 GPA's and <27 MCAT scores. These are underdogs. It's insulting to read people commenting here with >3.5 and >27 MCAT scores. Probably the majority of people on SDN have a considerable amount of insecurity in general, but the underdog thread is reserved for those of us with good reason to feel insecure about our applications.

It probably wouldn't hurt to get some official "pat on the back" threads going on SDN, just to help people through their insecurities, and leave the underdog threads for actual underdogs.
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It's also been full of hostile "underdogs" who won't accept alternate explanations for why someone feels they are below average. I'm not saying you're one of them, but there have been a number.

3.5/27 is approximately the average for matriculants. I think it's fair for anyone with at least a few tenths below 3.5, a few points below 27, an extremely low MCAT section score, applying very late, reapplying, applying to too few schools, etc. to be considered an underdog. If people disagree on "underdog" status, that's fine... but it's no reason for people to be unpleasant. Considering there are no guidelines posted at the beginning of the thread, it is basically left up to each person to consider their chances independently. Some people know the DO admissions process better than others.

If you want a thread that is policed by your standards, then feel free to make one.
 
johnamo said:
...3.5/27 is approximately the average for matriculants. I think it's fair for anyone with at least a few tenths below 3.5, a few points below 27, an extremely low MCAT section score, applying very late, reapplying, applying to too few schools, etc. to be considered an underdog. If people disagree on "underdog" status, .

If you want a thread that is policed by your standards, then feel free to make one.
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I'm not trying to be a hater; this is my first post in this thread, I believe. I was merely venting here because SDN is notorious for insecure people with good--if not downright killer--stats. This insecurity permeates SDN already, so underdog threads exist for people with actually questionable stats. Frankly, peeps here should feel encouraged that they don't fit the underdog "generally accepted" criteria.

I may start a thread for actual underdogs, since the qualifications for the current thread have been nebulous to date. The way I understand it is that underdogs are those of us with 10th percentile stats or below, nationally, based upon MSAR reports.

Again: I'm not bashing anyone; I was just expressing frustration because these threads have provided a support group for people with a statistically unlikely chance of getting into a US medical school. They weren't meant as yet another thread to host more SDN neuroticism.
 
didymus said:
I'm not trying to be a hater; this is my first post in this thread, I believe. I was merely venting here because SDN is notorious for insecure people with good--if not downright killer--stats. This insecurity permeates SDN already, so underdog threads exist for people with actually questionable stats. Frankly, peeps here should feel encouraged that they don't fit the underdog "generally accepted" criteria.

I may start a thread for actual underdogs, since the qualifications for the current thread have been nebulous to date. The way I understand it is that underdogs are those of us with 10th percentile stats or below, nationally, based upon MSAR reports.

Again: I'm not bashing anyone; I was just expressing frustration because these threads have provided a support group for people with a statistically unlikely chance of getting into a US medical school. They weren't meant as yet another thread to host more SDN neuroticism.
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Hey, like I said, I wasn't trying to call you out for anything. Really, I'm just here to learn more about the application process and try to give advice where I feel qualified.

I like your idea of creating a "the bottom 10%" thread!
 
johnamo said:
Hey, like I said, I wasn't trying to call you out for anything. Really, I'm just here to learn more about the application process and try to give advice where I feel qualified.

I like your idea of creating a "the bottom 10%" thread!
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No worries! I understand that we are all just doing our best here trying to figure out this difficult process, and support of any kind is helpful for all of us.
 
user3 said:
Someone just got into NSU with 3.7/3.5/24(!!!). Yet there are people with 3.5+/27+ on here that are freaking out about getting in anywhere. Unbelievable.

DO schools may have made great strides in raising admission standards over the past decade, but there is still a very long way to go.

Anyone with 3.2/3.2/24+ or 3.0/3.0/27+ is NOT an underdog.
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That might be true for an URM--not an ORM.
 
didymus said:
I'm not trying to be a hater; this is my first post in this thread, I believe. I was merely venting here because SDN is notorious for insecure people with good--if not downright killer--stats. This insecurity permeates SDN already, so underdog threads exist for people with actually questionable stats. Frankly, peeps here should feel encouraged that they don't fit the underdog "generally accepted" criteria.

I may start a thread for actual underdogs, since the qualifications for the current thread have been nebulous to date. The way I understand it is that underdogs are those of us with 10th percentile stats or below, nationally, based upon MSAR reports.

Again: I'm not bashing anyone; I was just expressing frustration because these threads have provided a support group for people with a statistically unlikely chance of getting into a US medical school. They weren't meant as yet another thread to host more SDN neuroticism.
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My personal view is that someone who is either 1sd away from the mean in a catagory or has a red flag. A person with stats in the bottom 10%tile is better off doing a post-bacc or mcat prep course than wasting their money tbh.
 
I would estimate that with all the new schools, competitiveness begins at least around 3.0/3.0/27 and 3.2/3.2/24, if not lower. If you don't believe me, do some digging and look at the stats of people accepted. Not just to new schools, but anywhere.
 
user3 said:
I would estimate that with all the new schools, competitiveness begins at least around 3.0/3.0/27 and 3.2/3.2/24, if not lower. If you don't believe me, do some digging and look at the stats of people accepted. Not just to new schools, but anywhere.
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Oh hush already. I'm applying right now and having trouble landing an admission with stats far above that.
 
user3 said:
I would estimate that with all the new schools, competitiveness begins at least around 3.0/3.0/27 and 3.2/3.2/24, if not lower. If you don't believe me, do some digging and look at the stats of people accepted. Not just to new schools, but anywhere.
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When I see your posts, I am tempted to apply despite my low VR score... I wish I had a 1000 bucks to burn.
 
serenade said:
Oh hush already. I'm applying right now and having trouble landing an admission with stats far above that.
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I'm very sorry to hear that, but your stats cannot be the issue. 3.66/3.73/26 is above the matriculant average, in fact.
 
user3 said:
I'm very sorry to hear that, but your stats cannot be the issue. 3.66/3.73/26 is above the matriculant average, in fact.
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Actually it is, many places I called after tell me that their applicants simply have higher stats and for many schools that is the deciding factor.
 
Sorry I didn't mean to start this war, i just wanted some insight as to why the post-interview wait lists. I think my interviews went well..the only thing i can think of is that my LORs might be bland or mediocre. It would really suck to retake the MCAT again, and I dont want to be an old grandpa by the time I matriculate.
 
Thought I'd update some of the other underdogs to let you know it is very doable getting into med school as an underdog. I had a 3.9 undergrad GPA and a 3.7 graduate with a 22 MCAT. I've been accepted to U of A Phoenix MD, through their new scholar pathway (makes it 5 years though), LUCOM, CUSOM, and waiting to hear back on ATSU-SOMA (interviewed on Nov 1st.) So far no rejections anywhere. I turned down interviews at LMU-DCOM and Marian. Only applied to the one MD school. Looks like schools are focusing more on the person and not the stats these days...
 
superjock said:
Thought I'd update some of the other underdogs to let you know it is very doable getting into med school as an underdog. I had a 3.9 undergrad GPA and a 3.7 graduate with a 22 MCAT. I've been accepted to U of A Phoenix MD, through their new scholar pathway (makes it 5 years though), LUCOM, CUSOM, and waiting to hear back on ATSU-SOMA (interviewed on Nov 1st.) So far no rejections anywhere. I turned down interviews at LMU-DCOM and Marian. Only applied to the one MD school. Looks like schools are focusing more on the person and not the stats these days...
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Will you be attending the MD?
 
didymus said:
I know the following has been addressed (though somewhat unsatisfactorily) in this thread before, but it seems this year's underdog thread has been highjacked by people with average/above average stats. Just because someone feels insecure doesn't mean they qualify as a statistical underdog.

Years past, folks were participating with <3.4/3.5 GPA's and <27 MCAT scores. These are underdogs. It's insulting to read people commenting here with >3.5 and >27 MCAT scores. Probably the majority of people on SDN have a considerable amount of insecurity in general, but the underdog thread is reserved for those of us with good reason to feel insecure about our applications.

It probably wouldn't hurt to get some official "pat on the back" threads going on SDN, just to help people through their insecurities, and leave the underdog threads for actual underdogs.
Click to expand...
I feel the exact same way! LOL! There are peeps with 3.6 and above with 25s and over calling themselves underdogs? What happened to the applicants with gpas between 3.0 - 3.4 and MCAT scores between 20-27???? I am down for a new thread. Who wants to make the OFFICIAL Underdog Thread?????
 
hv92 said:
I feel the exact same way! LOL! There are peeps with 3.6 and above with 25s and over calling themselves underdogs? What happened to the applicants with gpas between 3.0 - 3.4 and MCAT scores between 20-27???? I am down for a new thread. Who wants to make the OFFICIAL Underdog Thread?????
Click to expand...

I'll thrown down and start a new thread for the next application cycle since that's the one I'll be in. Too soon as of now, though.
 
hv92 said:
I feel the exact same way! LOL! There are peeps with 3.6 and above with 25s and over calling themselves underdogs? What happened to the applicants with gpas between 3.0 - 3.4 and MCAT scores between 20-27???? I am down for a new thread. Who wants to make the OFFICIAL Underdog Thread?????
Click to expand...
👍
 
user3 said:
Will you be attending the MD?
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no because it's an extra year, and i don't see any big advantage of md over do to add another year. i sent in my deposit to cusom, but it atsu-soma i may go there since i already live in arizona...
 
didymus said:
I'll thrown down and start a new thread for the next application cycle since that's the one I'll be in. Too soon as of now, though.
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You have to come up with new criteria as to what stats you will be considered as underdog stats. I was going to volunteer to do it for next cycle but since you volunteer first, I think you should do it.
 
superjock said:
Thought I'd update some of the other underdogs to let you know it is very doable getting into med school as an underdog. I had a 3.9 undergrad GPA and a 3.7 graduate with a 22 MCAT. I've been accepted to U of A Phoenix MD, through their new scholar pathway (makes it 5 years though), LUCOM, CUSOM, and waiting to hear back on ATSU-SOMA (interviewed on Nov 1st.) So far no rejections anywhere. I turned down interviews at LMU-DCOM and Marian. Only applied to the one MD school. Looks like schools are focusing more on the person and not the stats these days...
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Wow! You must have an amazing story.
 
Temperature101 said:
You have to come up with new criteria as to what stats you will be considered as underdog stats. I was going to volunteer to do it for next cycle but since you volunteer first, I think you should do it.
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Good call. Earlier I suggested that those applying in the 10th percentile for stats according to MSAR or lower would be underdogs. I'm open to other input. My opinion at the moment is that it should be strictly stats-based. None of this "I'm not confident in my interview skills, therefore I'm an underdog" stuff.
 
didymus said:
Good call. Earlier I suggested those applying in the 10th percentile stats according to MSAR or lower would be underdogs. I'm open to other input. My opinion at the moment is that it should be strictly stats-based. None of this "I'm not confident in my interview skills, therefore I'm an underdog" stuff.
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Exactly! Maybe certain things that will have impact on an application such as DO shadowing vs MD shadowing could be included. Up to you though! I'll definitely be on the lookout for the new thread. 🙂
 
NurWollen said:
Yeah, keep your head up. It's still way early. It seems like most of my classmates didn't get accepted until well after the new year.
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True enough, admittedly I did after my 3rd interview send applications to like 4 more schools including primaries to Campbell & VCOM. So hopefully those add some more possibility to this year. But yah, I do know the school I got second quarted in has pretty decent movement, so I may be fine there too. But meh, I'll keep my head up and try to figure out better answers to some major interview questions.
 
hv92 said:
Exactly! Maybe certain things that will have impact on an application such as DO shadowing vs MD shadowing could be included. Up to you though! I'll definitely be on the lookout for the new thread. 🙂
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Very good suggestion. I guess if someone comes in talking about having decent grades and MCAT but <20 hrs. shadowing, no solid science LOR's, only having started volunteering in the current semester, etc., they could qualify as well. I guess it just needs to be people will quantifiably low stats that are such that their accepter to medical school is statistically unlikely.

Thoughts?
 
Temperature101 said:
You have to come up with new criteria as to what stats you will be considered as underdog stats. I was going to volunteer to do it for next cycle but since you volunteer first, I think you should do it.
Click to expand...

To me I'd say any GPA <3.5 and MCAT <25 is an underdog

Pretty much everyone on the official list mets that criteria, although there tends to be plenty of people posting on here who have way above it.
 
superjock said:
no because it's an extra year, and i don't see any big advantage of md over do to add another year. i sent in my deposit to cusom, but it atsu-soma i may go there since i already live in arizona...
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Tbh, a year is nothing.
 
hv92 said:
I feel the exact same way! LOL! There are peeps with 3.6 and above with 25s and over calling themselves underdogs? What happened to the applicants with gpas between 3.0 - 3.4 and MCAT scores between 20-27???? I am down for a new thread. Who wants to make the OFFICIAL Underdog Thread?????
Click to expand...
Maybe you should look at the official list on the first page. That's where they are
 
didymus said:
Very good suggestion. I guess if someone comes in talking about having decent grades and MCAT but <20 hrs. shadowing, no solid science LOR's, only having started volunteering in the current semester, etc., they could qualify as well. I guess it just needs to be people will quantifiably low stats that are such that their accepter to medical school is statistically unlikely.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

Yeah sounds good. I'm still in my post-bac so I'll hopefully add myself to the "actual" Underdog thread once I rape my MCAT during the next year. Hopefully I can join you next year but nevertheless, this thread seems to be more of the "Overdog" thread. (that was pretty lame but go with it). 😉
 
didymus said:
Good call. Earlier I suggested those applying in the 10th percentile stats according to MSAR or lower would be underdogs. I'm open to other input. My opinion at the moment is that it should be strictly stats-based. None of this "I'm not confident in my interview skills, therefore I'm an underdog" stuff.
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Let me suggest some criteria:
1) If you MCAT is 28+ and your c/sGPA are 3.0+, you are NOT an underdog due to many new schools opening these days
2) For people with low cGPA and high sGPA (i.e 3.1 cGPA and 3.5+ sGPA), you should average them out.
3) Applicants with 3.2+ c/sGPA and 26+ MCAT are NOT underdogs
4) URM AA with 3.0+ c/sGPA and 24+ MCAT are NOT underdogs
5) People with high c/sGPA 3.7+ and MCAT 23-24 are NOT due to reason given on # 1
6) You reserve some discretion on stats you will consider as being underdog stats.

These would have been my criteria if I was the one doing the underdog thread next cycle.
 
Temperature101 said:
Let me suggest some criteria:
1) If you MCAT is 28+ and your c/sGPA are 3.0+, you are NOT an underdog due to many new schools opening these days
2) For people with low cGPA and high sGPA (i.e 3.1 cGPA and 3.5+ sGPA), you should average them out.
3) Applicants with 3.2+ c/sGPA and 26+ MCAT are NOT underdogs
4) URM AA with 3.0+ c/sGPA and 24+ MCAT are NOT underdogs
5) People with high c/sGPA 3.7+ and MCAT 23-24 are NOT due to reason given on # 1
6) You reserve some discretion on stats you will consider as being underdog stats.

These would have been my criteria if I was the one doing the underdog thread next cycle.
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I'm cool with that. Maybe we can more fully hash out specifics at that time. I was thinking March-ish would be a reasonable time to start the thread. That's midpoint for final semester stuff, and a couple months before AMCAS and AACOMAS open up. Maybe someone will get eager and start it before then, but that's the time I was feeling good about.
 
didymus said:
I'm cool with that. Maybe we can more fully hash out specifics at that time. I was thinking March-ish would be a reasonable time to start the thread. That's midpoint for final semester stuff, and a couple months before AMCAS and AACOMAS open up. Maybe someone will get eager and start it before then, but that's the time I was feeling good about.
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I think March/April should be a reasonable time... Since you will do the underdog, I think I will do "DO Class of 2019". I think 'Darklabel' has done an excellent job in keeping the 'DO class of 2018' together.
 
kaidou1412 said:
Thank you very much. I didn't expect this quick response!

I know I will have very small chance for MD..and I personally like the concept of Osteopathic Medicine too. I'm still undecided from my two choices (go to pharmacy school to become class of 2018 or challenge medical school to become class of 2019) but recently my heart told me to go try med school.

yes, I really appreciate DO schools' grade replacement policy..or I would've not made 3.0 for sGPA. =/
Click to expand...

Try LUCOM...http://www.liberty.edu/lucom/index.cfm?PID=28396
 
Temperature101 said:
Let me suggest some criteria:
1) If you MCAT is 28+ and your c/sGPA are 3.0+, you are NOT an underdog due to many new schools opening these days
2) For people with low cGPA and high sGPA (i.e 3.1 cGPA and 3.5+ sGPA), you should average them out.
3) Applicants with 3.2+ c/sGPA and 26+ MCAT are NOT underdogs
4) URM AA with 3.0+ c/sGPA and 24+ MCAT are NOT underdogs
5) People with high c/sGPA 3.7+ and MCAT 23-24 are NOT due to reason given on # 1
6) You reserve some discretion on stats you will consider as being underdog stats.

These would have been my criteria if I was the one doing the underdog thread next cycle.
Click to expand...

Again, are you qualifying non-underdogness based on the notion of having above a 20% shot of getting in or something?

And again, in some ways my original criteria was a more laxed version of your criteria in someways. That being said if you can become an underdog even with stats above that...
 
Temperature101 said:
Let me suggest some criteria:
1) If you MCAT is 28+ and your c/sGPA are 3.0+, you are NOT an underdog due to many new schools opening these days
2) For people with low cGPA and high sGPA (i.e 3.1 cGPA and 3.5+ sGPA), you should average them out.
3) Applicants with 3.2+ c/sGPA and 26+ MCAT are NOT underdogs
4) URM AA with 3.0+ c/sGPA and 24+ MCAT are NOT underdogs
5) People with high c/sGPA 3.7+ and MCAT 23-24 are NOT due to reason given on # 1
6) You reserve some discretion on stats you will consider as being underdog stats.

These would have been my criteria if I was the one doing the underdog thread next cycle.
Click to expand...
I have taught you well.
 
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