3.30 GPA, 39N, major premed committee problems

[Rydia17]

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So I'm a dual degree in Biochemistry and Asian Studies with a minor in Physics at a good undergraduate school. My GPA a 3.30, probably 3.34 after summer classes, amd I have a 39N MCAT (14 P, 13 V, 12 B). My science GPA is 3.11.

I know my GPA isn't high, but my major problem is that my original premed advisor completely neglected to mention that I was supposed to apply to the premedical committee for a committee letter last year. Is it impossible for me to apply to medical schools now? I had planned all along on applying this year regardless, so I'm considering applying still and sending teacher LoRs instead with an extra letter explaining the situation.

Can I get some advice on what I can do in my situation to still apply and be competitive this year? Is my current plan valid? It just doesn't seem fair to me that my life should get derailed for a full year because of a bad advisor.

 

[gmcguitar4]

Here's the thing. If your school provides such a letter, med schools prefer that you get it. If your school offers it and you don't get it, they will want an explanation. Ultimately, it is YOUR responsibility to know when to apply to things and make sure that all parts of your application are submitted in a timely manner. It doesn't help that your adviser forgot to mention this, but I am sure this information that he/she forgot to provide can be found elsewhere. Blaming others will not get you far.

It's hard to say what would happen because your sGPA is in the bottom 10th percentile while your MCAT is in the 99th. Going to need some advice from the SDN elders on this.

 

[Geebeejay]

So I'm a dual degree in Biochemistry and Asian Studies with a minor in Physics at a good undergraduate school. My GPA a 3.30, probably 3.34 after summer classes, amd I have a 39N MCAT (14 P, 13 V, 12 B). My science GPA is 3.11.

I know my GPA isn't high, but my major problem is that my original premed advisor completely neglected to mention that I was supposed to apply to the premedical committee for a committee letter last year. Is it impossible for me to apply to medical schools now? I had planned all along on applying this year regardless, so I'm considering applying still and sending teacher LoRs instead with an extra letter explaining the situation.

Can I get some advice on what I can do in my situation to still apply and be competitive this year? Is my current plan valid? It just doesn't seem fair to me that my life should get derailed for a full year because of a bad advisor.

I could be wrong, but my understanding is that medical schools will expect undergrads to apply with a committee letter. You could of course try, but I'd say your odds are a lot better if you wait a year to really refine your application. Probably wouldn't hurt to try and do something about that GPA either, cause it's on the low side, but your MCAT is superb. You talk about your life being derailed for a year, but it's only a year...get a relevant job, get drunk and enjoy your free time, cause it's probably the last time you'll be able to for a long time.

 

[Rydia17]

Here's the thing. If your school provides such a letter, med schools prefer that you get it. If your school offers it and you don't get it, they will want an explanation. Ultimately, it is YOUR responsibility to know when to apply to things and make sure that all parts of your application are submitted in a timely manner. It doesn't help that your adviser forgot to mention this, but I am sure this information that he/she forgot to provide can be found elsewhere. Blaming others will not get you far.

It's hard to say what would happen because your sGPA is in the bottom 10th percentile while your MCAT is in the 99th. Going to need some advice from the SDN elders on this.

I have no interest in blaming my advisor in my applications to medical school. I was just trying to give SDN a background from which to understand why I don't have one. Ultimately, I do take responsibility, but I have no idea how I could've possibly known otherwise, so it's rather frustrating to me all the same. I had never even *heard* of such a thing as a premedical committee before my new advisor mentioned it this month. I just wish I could go back to last year and apply for it.

As for the low GPA, I suck at classes in general; I have a nasty habit of learning the material well but still managing to get a B in everything. I highly doubt I'd be able to pull it up. It's also incredibly frustrating, because I know I *know* the material; it just never shows in final grades.

I could be wrong, but my understanding is that medical schools will expect undergrads to apply with a committee letter. You could of course try, but I'd say your odds are a lot better if you wait a year to really refine your application. Probably wouldn't hurt to try and do something about that GPA either, cause it's on the low side, but your MCAT is superb. You talk about your life being derailed for a year, but it's only a year...get a relevant job, get drunk and enjoy your free time, cause it's probably the last time you'll be able to for a long time.

It's hard to think of it that way though. Part of me wants to say that I wouldn't want to be at a medical school that doesn't understand mistakes like this can happen, but part of me wants to have an ideal application before applying. See above about the GPA >.<.

 

[carnelian]

I would recommend waiting another year and getting the committee letter as well. It'll definitely strengthen your app, and your GPA will hopefully go up too. It's getting late into the cycle to apply this year anyway, so as might as well hold off.

 

[Davidasaurus]

It's true that your application will be strengthened in a years time, but that's the case for everyone (unless you stagnate and go couch potato status until next June).

That being said, although your chances of acceptance would be increased if you applied next cycle I wouldn't be surprised if you snagged an acceptance or two this cycle if you have everything else ready and submit ASAP. Secondaries for most schools have been released and posted on their respective topics in the school-specific sub-forum, so start working on those so you can flip your secondaries as fast as possible.

Great job on the MCAT, having scored in the 99.9 percentile will definitely raise eyebrows and off-set your low GPA to some extent.

If you do decide to take a year off, that gives you an extra year to further raise your GPA's, if you take more classes in your year off you can send updated transcripts to schools after the fall/spring semesters as well. Not sure how your EC's line up, but more volunteering/research/shadowing/etc. surely wouldn't hurt either. You'd also be able to have the committee letter under your belt as well.

Best of luck!

 

[Geebeejay]

I have no interest in blaming my advisor in my applications to medical school. I was just trying to give SDN a background from which to understand why I don't have one. Ultimately, I do take responsibility, but I have no idea how I could've possibly known otherwise, so it's rather frustrating to me all the same. I had never even *heard* of such a thing as a premedical committee before my new advisor mentioned it this month. I just wish I could go back to last year and apply for it.

As for the low GPA, I suck at classes in general; I have a nasty habit of learning the material well but still managing to get a B in everything. I highly doubt I'd be able to pull it up. It's also incredibly frustrating, because I know I *know* the material; it just never shows in final grades.


It's hard to think of it that way though. Part of me wants to say that I wouldn't want to be at a medical school that doesn't understand mistakes like this can happen, but part of me wants to have an ideal application before applying. See above about the GPA >.<.

It's not about "mistakes can happen" but that there are plenty of applicants who these mistakes didn't happen to, and they're gonna get in before you (in theory, probably not in practice). Your "I know the material/mistakes happen" rationale is reasonable, but probably going to be unacceptable to many medical schools.

 

[UrshumMurshum]

If I were you just go to your premed committee and just try to convince someone to write that letter for you.

Honestly a year in advance is really unreasonable, just explain your situation, they're human it only takes like a day to write a letter.

 

[Rydia17]

If I were you just go to your premed committee and just try to convince someone to write that letter for you.

Honestly a year in advance is really unreasonable, just explain your situation, they're human it only takes like a day to write a letter.

The bigger problem here is that I don't know anyone on my premed committee. My new advisor is the only person who's met me in person, and my old advisor has left the school. Since I didn't know a committee even *existed* at my school, I had no reason to seek out those on the committee to get to know me. It only takes a day to write a letter, but it takes a lot longer to get to know someone 😳

 

[ILuvScience]

The heck? A year in advance for committee letter? Is this the norm? If so, I better make a phone call tomorrow


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[TheShaker]

I'm actually in the same situation and I have contacted the schools that I am planning to apply to about their committee letter requirements. Here is the thread I made, I hope it helps.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=931457

Your GPA is low so they might put you under heavier scrutiny. For example, did this guy bypass his school's committee because of academic problems? Maybe there's some kind of institutional action that he's trying to hide...? Still though, I don't think any schools will care after they see that sexy beast of an MCAT score.

Other schools that list no preference: Medical College of Wisconsin, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, Drexel, URochester, Wayne State.

 

[Rydia17]

I'm actually in the same situation and I have contacted the schools that I am planning to apply to about their committee letter requirements. Here is the thread I made, I hope it helps.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=931457

Your GPA is low so they might put you under heavier scrutiny. For example, did this guy bypass his school's committee because of academic problems? Maybe there's some kind of institutional action that he's trying to hide...? Still though, I don't think any schools will care after they see that sexy beast of an MCAT score.

Wow...this post was incredibly helpful; thank you so much!!! I've been stressing about this for like, 2 weeks and you made me feel a lot better! We only share one school in common, but I'm glad to hear that a lot of schools don't mind as much. That gives me a lot of relief. I've had abs no institutional problems and my academic "problems" are already there for the world to see in my GPA and/or transcript in my incessant rush of B's. I probably will apply then this year, and I'll just apply for the committee if I have a low # of resultant interviews.

 

[ur2l8]

Hi OP, I have the same Mcat (diff writing letter) and once had the same gpa as you. Applying next year hopefully w 3.65

I would stay in school and calculate how many hours you need left to get a certain gpa (ie 3.5), I think you'd be golden w a 3.5 and 39. You could stay in school until your mcat expires, but look into it. Good luck

 

[Goro]

STRONGLY concur with this post. Don't worry about knowing or not knowing the people on the committee. from what I've seen from committee letters, they take your LORs and summarize what people have written about you, your transctips, your files, and your interview with them.

I am concerned about what you wrote here:

As for the low GPA, I suck at classes in general; I have a nasty habit of learning the material well but still managing to get a B in everything. I highly doubt I'd be able to pull it up. It's also incredibly frustrating, because I know I *know* the material; it just never shows in final grades.

There is a big disconnect between your MCAT score and your GPA. You might simply be a good standardized test taker (yes, there are such people). One of our Clinical education people has some indirect data that such a disconnect actually correllates with an inability to match residencies, or poor national boards performance.

So, don't fret, you still have a year to clean things up. An SMP or post-bac might be in order to show AdComs that you really can handle medical school. good luck!

I would recommend waiting another year and getting the committee letter as well. It'll definitely strengthen your app, and your GPA will hopefully go up too. It's getting late into the cycle to apply this year anyway, so as might as well hold off.