3.2cgpa 2.9sgpa strong EC's. Chances/Input?

[acs3838]

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First post. Ill keep it short. Thank you in advance for all of your input!

Opinions for both MD and DO chances please.

Hispanic, Fully Bilingual, English Major, Latin American Studies Minor, Born in Venezuela, top 30 undergrad inst.

3.2 cgpa
2.9 sgpa
MCAT: scheduled to take it in April, my practices so far 27, but Im mid way through my study plan (sdn 4month plan)

(*not my complete list of EC's)

-Assistant Editor for Pediatric Research Newsletter
-2 years Research with Patient interaction.
-Tibet-Abroad volunteer trip.
-Shadowed a team of cardiologists (excellent LOR from one)
-Volunteer with migrant worker children, english/reading.
-Worked for four years in a clinic.

I can take some more sciences this summer to up the sgpa, but is it worth applying later?

Thanks again in advance!

(nervous for these responses )

 

[deleted248403]

3.2 and a potentially so far sub-30 MCAT? Very bad for allopathic.

You are a long way from competitive if you get a 27 with a 3.2 GPA. You are 0.45 below avg cGPA and if you get a 27, you'd be 4 pts below avg accepted student. Thus you are substantial below par for both criteria and none of your ECs are particularly dazzling enough to make up for the other deficits

You may even be screened out with a sub 3.0 sGPA.
If you look in the MSAR, i think you'll find no-one (essentially) gets into med school with a sub3.0 sGPA.

You would have a shot at DO but not really for MD

 

[J ROD]

MD is not there....

DO..maybe.

need a stronger MCAT or use the fact DO schools will replace grades and retake a bunch of the classes you did poorly in.

It can raise the GPA really fast..

 

[Catalystik]

Well, I'm dazzled by some of your ECs. But I think your application would benefit by waiting another year to raise your GPAs further so you can show a strong consistent upward grade trend in upper-level science classes. Adcomms of both MD and Do schools would like to see this. With the extra time, you might also consider getting in a leadership experience and maybe shadowing a primary care doc for a few days, too.

 

[deleted248403]

Well, I'm dazzled by some of your ECs

Don't get me wrong - they are good ECs but not enough to make up for well below avg GPA and projected (thus far) below avg MCAT.

You'd need some serious EC to get over that

 

[Catalystik]

Don't get me wrong - they are good ECs but not enough to make up for well below avg GPA and projected (thus far) below avg MCAT.

4 years of clinical experience when average is 1.5, 2 years clinical research when average is 1 year, asst editor of a research pub, tutoring migrant kids in reading/English (unspecified time, tho)+ overseas mission (=frosting on the cake) results in me being impressed.

Agreed it won't make up for other weaknesses, but OP could be in a much worse position without them.

 

[J ROD]

Don't get me wrong - they are good ECs but not enough to make up for well below avg GPA and projected (thus far) below avg MCAT.

You'd need some serious EC to get over that

Cure cancer...😀

 

[acs3838]

Thank you all for your responses/input.

Trust me when I say that I am PAINFULLY aware that my grades are low and cannot be "made up" by my EC's. I really appreciate your honesty, and Im working on that cancer thing 😛 MCAT studying is really slowing me down.

I am definitely interested in the DO route, for many reasons, obviously one of them being my low sGPA. With my stats would an MCAT 30-32 be enough for DO?

 

[mspeedwagon]

If you are comfortable enough in Spanish to attend medical school in Spanish, definitely consider the University of Puerto Rico. The physician I worked with at Stanford attended school there.

I actually think you have a decent shot at a few M.D. programs (looks at mdapplicants website and you'll see a few people matriculating with your stats into M.D. programs).

You should no problem with D.O. admission.

Good luck.

Thank you all for your responses/input.

Trust me when I say that I am PAINFULLY aware that my grades are low and cannot be "made up" by my EC's. I really appreciate your honesty, and Im working on that cancer thing 😛 MCAT studying is really slowing me down.

I am definitely interested in the DO route, for many reasons, obviously one of them being my low sGPA. With my stats would an MCAT 30-32 be enough for DO?

 

[Catalystik]

With my stats would an MCAT 30-32 be enough for DO?

Consider that average acceptee DO stats are 3.45 and 25.5, so a 3.2 and a 28 MCAT give you a good shot at DO.

consider the University of Puerto Rico.

Other Puerto Rican med schools take a higher percentage of OOSers: Ponce (15/65), Bautista (21/60), UCC (15/65).

UPR took only 3/108. An MSAR can give you a relative idea of how selective these schools are. Bautista looks to be the most in line with your current stats.