3.31 GPA, 3.1sGPA, 33 mcat -- any chance at MD?

[Gav133]

I know my GPA is a killer, but my dream is to go to be an MD and I'm doing everything I can to make that happen. I'm planning on applying for the 2014 application cycle.

I am an AZ resident. I graduated from a top-15 undergraduate university with a degree in Neuroscience.

GPA- 3.31
sGPA - 3.09

I have a decent upward trend. My first two years of college (27 graded science credits) left me with a 2.43 sGPA. For the second half of college (46 graded science credits) I earned a 3.47 sGPA. I had an overall GPA of 2.9 after my sophomore year of college and earned a 3.5 over the second half of college to come to my 3.31 overall GPA.

MCAT - 33 (12 BS, 11 PS, 10 VR)

I am currently working towards a Master's degree which I hope will show schools I can handle their science-heavy curriculum.

Extracurriculars:

- Summer research internship working on Alzheimer's
- Summer research Internship at the National Institute on Aging
- One year neuro research at my undergrad institution's affiliated medical school
- 50 hours volunteering in clinic for homeless
- 100 hours tutoring refugees
- Teaching assistant for upper-level neuroscience course
- Currently shadowing a neurologist, expecting ~50 hours total
- Currently volunteering at a clinic serving underrepresented patients, expecting ~100 hours total


Very premature list of schools I'm planning to apply to...I will also add DO school to the list eventually:

Albany Medical College
Rosalind Franklin
Drexel
EVMS
GWU
Georgetown
Jefferson Medical College
LSU
Loyola - Chicago
Medical College of Wisconsin
Michigan State
New York Medical College
Oregon H&S
Penn St.
Rush
Temple
Texas A&M
Toledo
Tulane
University of Colorado
University of Kansas
University of Arizona - Phoenix
University of Arizona - Tucson
University of Minnesota
University of Missouri
University of Nevada
University of New Mexico
University of Oklahoma
University of Tennessee
University of Utah
University of Vermont
Virginia Commonwealth
University of Wisconsin
Virginia Tech - Carilion


Please offer comments on what schools I could possibly add to/remove from my list, and overall chances or what I could do to improve my application.

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[Goro]

Absolutely none. Your GPAs are significantly below avg for ALL MD schools, even U AZ; when applying to OOS public schools in particular, you have to be above avg. too, because they favor the home kids.

I'm afraid that your upward trend won't rescue your GPAs.

You're fine for any DO program, including mine.

I know my GPA is a killer, but my dream is to go to be an MD and I'm doing everything I can to make that happen. I'm planning on applying for the 2014 application cycle.

I am an AZ resident. I graduated from a top-15 undergraduate university with a degree in Neuroscience.

GPA- 3.31
sGPA - 3.09

I have a decent upward trend. My first two years of college (27 graded science credits) left me with a 2.43 sGPA. For the second half of college (46 graded science credits) I earned a 3.47 sGPA. I had an overall GPA of 2.9 after my sophomore year of college and earned a 3.5 over the second half of college to come to my 3.31 overall GPA.

MCAT - 33 (12 BS, 11 PS, 10 VR)

I am currently working towards a Master's degree which I hope will show schools I can handle their science-heavy curriculum.

Extracurriculars:

- Summer research internship working on Alzheimer's
- Summer research Internship at the National Institute on Aging
- One year neuro research at my undergrad institution's affiliated medical school
- 50 hours volunteering in clinic for homeless
- 100 hours tutoring refugees
- Teaching assistant for upper-level neuroscience course
- Currently shadowing a neurologist, expecting ~50 hours total
- Currently volunteering at a clinic serving underrepresented patients, expecting ~100 hours total


Very premature list of schools I'm planning to apply to...I will also add DO school to the list eventually:

Albany Medical College
Rosalind Franklin
Drexel
EVMS
GWU
Georgetown
Jefferson Medical College
LSU
Loyola - Chicago
Medical College of Wisconsin
Michigan State
New York Medical College
Oregon H&S
Penn St.
Rush
Temple
Texas A&M
Toledo
Tulane
University of Colorado
University of Kansas
University of Arizona - Phoenix
University of Arizona - Tucson
University of Minnesota
University of Missouri
University of Nevada
University of New Mexico
University of Oklahoma
University of Tennessee
University of Utah
University of Vermont
Virginia Commonwealth
University of Wisconsin
Virginia Tech - Carilion


Please offer comments on what schools I could possibly add to/remove from my list, and overall chances or what I could do to improve my application.

 

[Gav133]

Absolutely none. Your GPAs are significantly below avg for ALL MD schools, even U AZ; when applying to OOS public schools in particular, you have to be above avg. too, because they favor the home kids.

I'm afraid that your upward trend won't rescue your GPAs.

You're fine for any DO program, including mine.

Thanks for your insight. I'm a little surprised by your response however, because according to the MCAT/GPA grid released by AAMC (which I'm sure you're aware of), 54% of students with a GPA between 3.2-3.39 and MCAT between 33-35 were accepted to a US Medical School. I understand the odds are stacked very heavily against me, but that statistic seems to indicate that I might have better than 0% chance, no?

 

[gyngyn]

Thanks for your insight. I'm a little surprised by your response however, because according to the MCAT/GPA grid released by AAMC (which I'm sure you're aware of), 54% of students with a GPA between 3.2-3.39 and MCAT between 33-35 were accepted to a US Medical School. I understand the odds are stacked very heavily against me, but that statistic seems to indicate that I might have better than 0% chance, no?

Many of the OOS Public Schools on your list have a strong preference for IS or in region applicants. For example U MO Columbia only matriculated 14/1238 OOS applicants. I presume that this is the UM to which you applied because almost all of the OOS students at KC are from their Bac MD program (or so I'm told).

Your OOS privates are not bad choices.

 

[TwinsFan]

I have similar stats, (slightly higher MCAT, much higher sgpa, much lower cgpa), am not an URM, but have a giant upward trend (4.0 postbacc) and have a good previous career/life story etc.

I have multiple MD invites already.

I'm not trying to argue with goro but you do not have a 0% chance.


However, I would shadow in primary care and a DO and get a letter. This is your best shot. Do not bank on MD. I would bet that most of the lower stat people who go MD have connections/are veterans/are nontrads like myself with a successful previous careers/have giant upward trends/get into state schools/have outstanding interviews and so on. You don't really have a track record of service, your upward trend is okay but not great (you really want to be 3.7+ to finish), and your exposure to medicine is average at best, and masters degrees typically don't prove much academically unless they are SMPs.

-get 20+ hrs in primary care shadowing
-shadow a DO and get a LOR
-apply to 6-8 DO schools (non state affiliated) as these will be your best shot
-add more clinical exposure (EMT/hospice/free clinic ect.)
-ace your masters... and good luck!

 

[gyngyn]

I would shadow in primary care and a DO and get a letter. This is your best shot. Do not bank on MD.[/B]
-get 20+ hrs in primary care shadowing
-shadow a DO and get a LOR
-apply to 6-8 DO schools (non state affiliated) as these will be your best shot
-add more clinical exposure (EMT/hospice/free clinic ect.)
-ace your masters... and good luck!

I agree.

 

[Goro]

Those stats are highly misleading; they're skewed by residents of states with lower avgs getting into their state schools (like U KS or LSU), or have some ultra-compelling story, or are also from a pool we call "specials" or "legacies". They're related to Deans, faculty, donors, or alumni, or have large donation checks in hand.

OK, your chances are <10%, based upon the ranges of the U AZ schools, and the low tiers, but I consider those chances to be essentially 0 because you're probably not in the above demographic. I'm trying to be realistic, not ruthless, and I know you didn't come here for hugs and kisses.

Thanks for your insight. I'm a little surprised by your response however, because according to the MCAT/GPA grid released by AAMC (which I'm sure you're aware of), 54% of students with a GPA between 3.2-3.39 and MCAT between 33-35 were accepted to a US Medical School. I understand the odds are stacked very heavily against me, but that statistic seems to indicate that I might have better than 0% chance, no?



This.

I have similar stats, (slightly higher MCAT, much higher sgpa, much lower cgpa), am not an URM, but have a giant upward trend (4.0 postbacc) and have a good previous career/life story etc.

I have multiple MD invites already.

I'm not trying to argue with goro but you do not have a 0% chance.


However, I would shadow in primary care and a DO and get a letter. This is your best shot. Do not bank on MD. I would bet that most of the lower stat people who go MD have connections/are veterans/are nontrads like myself with a successful previous careers/have giant upward trends/get into state schools/have outstanding interviews and so on. You don't really have a track record of service, your upward trend is okay but not great (you really want to be 3.7+ to finish), and your exposure to medicine is average at best, and masters degrees typically don't prove much academically unless they are SMPs.

-get 20+ hrs in primary care shadowing
-shadow a DO and get a LOR
-apply to 6-8 DO schools (non state affiliated) as these will be your best shot
-add more clinical exposure (EMT/hospice/free clinic ect.)
-ace your masters... and good luck!

 

[Gav133]

Those stats are highly misleading; they're skewed by residents of states with lower avgs getting into their state schools (like U KS or LSU), or have some ultra-compelling story, or are also from a pool we call "specials" or "legacies". They're related to Deans, faculty, donors, or alumni, or have large donation checks in hand.

OK, your chances are <10%, based upon the ranges of the U AZ schools, and the low tiers, but I consider those chances to be essentially 0 because you're probably not in the above demographic. I'm trying to be realistic, not ruthless, and I know you didn't come here for hugs and kisses.

Thanks for your insight. I'm a little surprised by your response however, because according to the MCAT/GPA grid released by AAMC (which I'm sure you're aware of), 54% of students with a GPA between 3.2-3.39 and MCAT between 33-35 were accepted to a US Medical School. I understand the odds are stacked very heavily against me, but that statistic seems to indicate that I might have better than 0% chance, no?



This.

So...you're saying there's a chance?

That's not what I wanted to hear, but I can't argue with logic. TwinsFan, thank you for the very helpful post, I will do those things and apply to DO schools in conjunction with low-tier MDs and AZ schools.

Going to work my hardest towards those things that are in my control (apps, EC's, MS program) and let the chips fall where they may. I posted my stats to make sure my expectations were in congruence with reality, and I think I have achieved that now. Thanks again to all who commented.