3.0 s/c GPA with a 3.3 Graduate GPA and 507 MCAT

[sharpieLIFE]

ORM
Thoughts? NJ Resident.

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[WedgeDawg]

Looks like DO is your best option.

 

[sharpieLIFE]

Can you comment on which DO schools you think I have a shot at?

 

[candbgirl]

Do some research and make a list. People will be glad to help you out then. How are your ECs?

 

[sharpieLIFE]

excellent EC's - lots of leadership and research

 

[NewHorizons]

excellent EC's - lots of leadership and research

A masters graduate should at least be a bit more explicit.

 

[sharpieLIFE]

Biophysics

 

[candbgirl]

There isn't a word limit on here so you can expand on your ECs. Are you apply this cycle or next?

 

[Lawpy]

Provided you have clinical experience and perhaps DO shadowing (and a DO letter), you will be fine for DO schools if you apply broadly. That GPA will hold you back but DO schools are more forgiving

 

[Free411]

ORM
Thoughts? NJ Resident.

Honestly, take everything people say on this site with the biggest grain of salt. Most of the people on this site have absolutely no clue what they are talking about when it comes to admissions. I fortunately had a few mentors t/o my undergraduate experience who gave me better information than SDN. I graduated with a 3.9 science GPA and scored a 507 on the MCAT (130 on the biology section). A little over a week after submitting my secondary application to the University of Rochester (a great medical school) I received an interview invite through email. Most people don't receive any interview options that early, especially submitting relatively late. The strength of my application though is not so much in my MCAT score (even though I was told the strong biology score helps and I didn't have the opportunity to study for an extended period of time) but in the diversity of my ECs. I've done research, volunteering, service to the homeless, worked as a CNA, but I also have a strong background in the arts, I played in a jazz band and played piano at the nursing home. That isn't the entire list of my ECs, but my mentors told me that having such a diverse and well-rounded background will help to make me a competitive candidate. Also, I was told that a 507 has the weight of about a 30/31 on the old MCAT, so it's not really a "bad" score. Now on the other side of that, I have to admit your gpa is a little low, but if you have the ECs and PS to strengthen your application, then shoot for MD but definitely keep DO in mind. I'm just tired of seeing all the scare tactics and false information on this website. I agree that it's absolutely important to be realistic, but don't sell yourself short either.

 

[gyngyn]

Honestly, take everything people say on this site with the biggest grain of salt. Most of the people on this site have absolutely no clue what they are talking about when it comes to admissions. I fortunately had a few mentors t/o my undergraduate experience who gave me better information than SDN. I graduated with a 3.9 science GPA and scored a 507 on the MCAT (130 on the biology section). A little over a week after submitting my secondary application to the University of Rochester (a great medical school) I received an interview invite through email. Most people don't receive any interview options that early, especially submitting relatively late. The strength of my application though is not so much in my MCAT score (even though I was told the strong biology score helps and I didn't have the opportunity to study for an extended period of time) but in the diversity of my ECs. I've done research, volunteering, service to the homeless, worked as a CNA, but I also have a strong background in the arts, I played in a jazz band and played piano at the nursing home. That isn't the entire list of my ECs, but my mentors told me that having such a diverse and well-rounded background will help to make me a competitive candidate. Also, I was told that a 507 has the weight of about a 30/31 on the old MCAT, so it's not really a "bad" score. Now on the other side of that, I have to admit your gpa is a little low, but if you have the ECs and PS to strengthen your application, then shoot for MD but definitely keep DO in mind. I'm just tired of seeing all the scare tactics and false information on this website. I agree that it's absolutely important to be realistic, but don't sell yourself short either.

I suppose you have noticed the big discrepancy between your gpa and OP's?

 

[Free411]

I suppose you have noticed the big discrepancy between your gpa and OP's?

No, I noticed it. I agree DO should be a priority, but I wouldn't tell him/her to not go MD either. As we all know academic metrics are highly important. But who knows this guy may have started a school or organization in some underdeveloped country or invented some type of diagnostic tool to better diagnose some physiological condition. The point I'm trying to make is w/o him/her giving us the whole picture of his/her application, no one can seriously and accurately give this kid advice on where he/she should apply. So @sharpieLIFE should really give more information, rather than just posting numbers then asking for thoughts.

 

[gyngyn]

No, I noticed it. I agree DO should be a priority, but I wouldn't tell him/her to not go MD either. As we all know academic metrics are highly important. But who knows this guy may have started a school or organization in some underdeveloped country or invented some type of diagnostic tool to better diagnose some physiological condition. The point I'm trying to make is w/o him/her giving us the whole picture of his/her application, no one can seriously and accurately give this kid advice on where he/she should apply. So @sharpieLIFE should really give more information, rather than just posting numbers then asking for thoughts.

This subforum is called "What are my Chances?"
As such, given whatever information the OP feels comfortable sharing, we respond (or not).
They can verify, query or completely disagree with any comment.

 

[Free411]

This subforum is called "What are my Chances?"
As such, given whatever information the OP feels comfortable sharing, we respond (or not).
They can verify, query or completely disagree with any comment.

But you can you really predict the chances without the full picture? Imagine if I was some poster who said I scored a 25 or 498 on the MCAT, what are my chances of MD? You would tell me not to apply MD, only go DO, or consider another route. But what if I just didn't get the opportunity to study for the MCAT or what if I had some insanely innovative invention that was medicine related, but didn't list it? Or what if this guy/girl has done a ton of service across the world? Those are things that can be redeeming and give students the sensitivity to be a great physician and also impress admissions. Now this might not apply to this person, but if he/she was asking me this question, I would personally tell them that until you post more than an MCAT score and GPA, I really can't give you any meaningful advice.

I've seen Duke publish a range of scores, where the lowest was a 24. I know that's the exception, but unless people paint a full picture of themselves, then any one giving advice is drawing conclusions from incomplete premises, which to me if very unscientific. (if you don't acknowledge that its a speculation until given all the facts)

 

[Goro]

We can give reasonable estimate based upon the data poster give us. This why I can say that someone is in 'striking distance" for a particular school based upon their numbers.

You example of poor study prep -> poor MCAT outcome is irrelevant. Lots of people say "I know I can do better". Maybe they can. But we need proof of that. Words are easy, doing harder.

None of us can say if someone is going to get accepted. The posters might be non-emotive robots in real life. All we can predict is the likelihood of getting an II. After that, it's on the OP.

But we CAN go the other way and tell when someone is completely not competitive for med school, or for DO schools only. Even then, people who live ina "lucky" state like lA or FL might have a fighting chance at their state schools. That's we often give qualifiers.

And yes, I'm an AdCom member. SDN asks us for proof of that when we join.

The OP's cGPA is NOT competitive for MD schools because it's well below the 10th %ile for them. Even for DO schools, s/he'd would be reject bait mine and several others. The suboptimal MS GPAs isn't helpful...applicants are expected to demonstrate that they can handle a med school curriculum, and OP hasn't done that.

So stop engaging in the sin of solipsism. Your case is different from the OP's and others.

But you can you really predict the chances without the full picture? Imagine if I was some poster who said I scored a 25 or 498 on the MCAT, what are my chances of MD? You would tell me not to apply MD, only go DO, or consider another route. But what if I just didn't get the opportunity to study for the MCAT or what if I had some insanely innovative invention that was medicine related, but didn't list it? Or what if this guy/girl has done a ton of service across the world? Those are things that can be redeeming and give students the sensitivity to be a great physician and also impress admissions. Now this might not apply to this person, but if he/she was asking me this question, I would personally tell them that until you post more than an MCAT score and GPA, I really can't give you any meaningful advice.

I've seen Duke publish a range of scores, where the lowest was a 24. I know that's the exception, but unless people paint a full picture of themselves, then any one giving advice is drawing conclusions from incomplete premises, which to me if very unscientific. (if you don't acknowledge that its a speculation until given all the facts)

 

[Free411]

We can give reasonable estimate based upon the data poster give us. This why I can say that someone is in 'striking distance" for a particular school based upon their numbers.

You example of poor study prep -> poor MCAT outcome is irrelevant. Lots of people say "I know I can do better". Maybe they can. But we need proof of that. Words are easy, doing harder.

None of us can say if someone is going to get accepted. The posters might be non-emotive robots in real life. All we can predict is the likelihood of getting an II. After that, it's on the OP.

But we CAN go the other way and tell when someone is completely not competitive for med school, or for DO schools only. Even then, people who live ina "lucky" state like lA or FL might have a fighting chance at their state schools. That's we often give qualifiers.

And yes, I'm an AdCom member. SDN asks us for proof of that when we join.

The OP's cGPA is NOT competitive for MD schools because it's well below the 10th %ile for them. Even for DO schools, s/he'd would be reject bait mine and several others. The suboptimal MS GPAs isn't helpful...applicants are expected to demonstrate that they can handle a med school curriculum, and OP hasn't done that.

So stop engaging in the sin of solipsism. Your case is different from the OP's and others.

Well the whole argument about the low score was me trying to say that sometimes people with low scores have other redeeming factors in their application. I know an Asian girl (I know her case may not apply to this person, but I don't really know anything about the OP) who got into Michigan State College of Human Medicine with a 22-23 on her MCAT. Is that considered a "poor" score? Absolutely. But she also had a ton of altruistic activities and MSU loves that stuff. I know b/c I've talked to their admissions and the guy pretty much told me that if you haven't worked or volunteered in health care settings then you pretty much have zero shot of getting in. (Funny b/c I know a kid that scored a 35 and got rejected at MSU). I'm not trying to anchor my argument on my own case, I'm just using myself as a convenient example. I know you'll say the Asian girl is an exception. Well maybe this person is an exception also. W/o more information though you can't know that. Without knowing her ethnic background, work history, activities, etc. then you're potentially steering people away from a potential opportunity.

On the other side of that, I'm not delusional and think it's ok to tell people with sub-optimal scores to just throw money at all the top or mid-tier MD schools. I think advising DO (or any other alternative route) is perfectly fine, but I think they should also receive a disclaimer from people like yourself and gyngyn saying that your advice is based on incomplete information, which lets certain people know (those OPs who take everything at face value) that they should either provide more information or use your information and compare it to alternative sources.

 

[piii]

Honestly, take everything people say on this site with the biggest grain of salt. Most of the people on this site have absolutely no clue what they are talking about when it comes to admissions. I fortunately had a few mentors t/o my undergraduate experience who gave me better information than SDN. I graduated with a 3.9 science GPA and scored a 507 on the MCAT (130 on the biology section). A little over a week after submitting my secondary application to the University of Rochester (a great medical school) I received an interview invite through email. Most people don't receive any interview options that early, especially submitting relatively late. The strength of my application though is not so much in my MCAT score (even though I was told the strong biology score helps and I didn't have the opportunity to study for an extended period of time) but in the diversity of my ECs. I've done research, volunteering, service to the homeless, worked as a CNA, but I also have a strong background in the arts, I played in a jazz band and played piano at the nursing home. That isn't the entire list of my ECs, but my mentors told me that having such a diverse and well-rounded background will help to make me a competitive candidate. Also, I was told that a 507 has the weight of about a 30/31 on the old MCAT, so it's not really a "bad" score. Now on the other side of that, I have to admit your gpa is a little low, but if you have the ECs and PS to strengthen your application, then shoot for MD but definitely keep DO in mind. I'm just tired of seeing all the scare tactics and false information on this website. I agree that it's absolutely important to be realistic, but don't sell yourself short either.

A 507 would be equivalent to a 29.

 

[Free411]

A 507 would be equivalent to a 29.

Ok? I was just going off what I was told by an actual medical school admissions officer and not the typical routine information on the internet. If that's the case, then I stand corrected and recognize I was told wrong.