3.34 sGPA/3.49 cGPA Math Ed Major

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Want2BDrJ

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I've got a 3.34 sGPA and 3.49 cGPA following graduating with a Math Education degree. If you remove theoretical math and a bad student teaching grade (thanks to an advising teacher who hated me, which the university agreed on), my sGPA jumps to a much more competitive 3.74 while my cGPa is a 3.77. I also took Honors Calculus II and Honors Diff Equations. I am currently back in school taking pre-reqs.

I am a somewhat non-traditional student (23M, have a wife and upcoming baby) that has worked hard to get where I am, but I am not sure how to communicate that to an admissions board. I am starting clinical volunteering very soon, but have zero hours as of today.

Possibly relevant things:
Have not taken the MCAT yet (plan to August 2015).
Worked two summers in leadership at a children's camp in Columbus, TX (Pine Cove). Did get paid but not very much. Served as head of lifeguards.
100+ hours of volunteering at church while in high school.
Have been a worship pastor at a small church in Columbus, MS for 2.5 years.
Currently am the youngest Baptist Student Union director in the state of Mississippi, overseeing activities on two separate campuses. Also paid, but not much.
Completed student teaching rotation (which may qualify as volunteering?).
Tutored a group of kids in Algebra and ACT for a year.
Currently hold two part-time jobs in ministry, two side jobs, taking Physics II and Chem II at Mississippi State, and will begin volunteering shortly.
Will apply broadly, but would prefer to go to UMMC in Jackson, MS.

I have heard that many schools throw out applications from people with low GPAs and I really feel like mine does not tell my entire academic story. So my main question is how do I overcome those very tough classes I took for my math degree?

What are my chances?

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Without an MCAT score its really a toss-up, but I'll give my two cents.

I feel your lack of clinical experience will kill your app faster than your GPA.

I would not apply this cycle based on your lack of clinical experience. A semester of clinical volunteering with zero shadowing hours is unlikely to convince admissions you want to be a physician.

Take another year to finish your pre-reqs which should help repair your GPA. Getting A's in all of your pre-reqs will help overcome your bad math teaching grades. Give sufficient time for your MCAT and continue building greater clinical experience.

Finally, keep in mind most activities prior to high school graduation are not really considered for admissions into medical school. Its not an absolute rule and there are exceptions, but 100 hours volunteering while in high school is probably not one of them.
 
Thanks for the honesty! I believe I will do that.
 
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No patient contact experience? Come back when you have about 100+ hrs of that, plus ~30-50 hours of physician shadowing.

You can't throw out poor grades, alas....BUT once you get those ECs in, your GPAs are actually competitive for U MS. below avg., yes, but still in striking distance for a home team kid.

MCAT will make or break you. Aim for high 20s.

Don't forget about Wm Carey University, or ACOM next door.

I've got a 3.34 sGPA and 3.49 cGPA following graduating with a Math Education degree. If you remove theoretical math and a bad student teaching grade (thanks to an advising teacher who hated me, which the university agreed on), my sGPA jumps to a much more competitive 3.74 while my cGPa is a 3.77. I also took Honors Calculus II and Honors Diff Equations. I am currently back in school taking pre-reqs.

I am a somewhat non-traditional student (23M, have a wife and upcoming baby) that has worked hard to get where I am, but I am not sure how to communicate that to an admissions board. I am starting clinical volunteering very soon, but have zero hours as of today.

Possibly relevant things:
Have not taken the MCAT yet (plan to August 2015).
Worked two summers in leadership at a children's camp in Columbus, TX (Pine Cove). Did get paid but not very much. Served as head of lifeguards.
100+ hours of volunteering at church while in high school.
Have been a worship pastor at a small church in Columbus, MS for 2.5 years.
Currently am the youngest Baptist Student Union director in the state of Mississippi, overseeing activities on two separate campuses. Also paid, but not much.
Completed student teaching rotation (which may qualify as volunteering?).
Tutored a group of kids in Algebra and ACT for a year.
Currently hold two part-time jobs in ministry, two side jobs, taking Physics II and Chem II at Mississippi State, and will begin volunteering shortly.
Will apply broadly, but would prefer to go to UMMC in Jackson, MS.

I have heard that many schools throw out applications from people with low GPAs and I really feel like mine does not tell my entire academic story. So my main question is how do I overcome those very tough classes I took for my math degree?

What are my chances?
 
Yeah I know that patient contact is non-existent. My journey has only just begun so I am starting from zero. I will be doing a few hours a week until May. Then the way my job is scheduled, I will have around a month off and I plan to volunteer and shadow pretty much that entire time. That should help to catch me up. Thank you for your advice!
 
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