3.4 GPA, 3.0 sGPA, MCAT TBD... chances?

[trojan4lyfe]

Just finished my junior year. Those are my stats, applying this cycle. Taking my MCAT on August 16, so far been faring 33-37ish on practice ones. Two Ws on my transcript, a few Cs. CA resident.

Grades took a solid thrashing sophomore year due to a family emergency and eventual death; as a result, fell into a state of depression for a couple of month and the grades nosedived.

My ECs:
- Research at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (6 months)
- Resident Advisor (RA) (2 years)
- Volunteering at a hospital (2 years)
- Shadowing a doctor
- Student government: research funding committee (2 years)
- President of a club that does peer and local education about preventing sexual abuse (2 years)
- Taught local elementary, middle, and high school students about science (3 years)
- Participated in an alternative break trip to work with Native Americans suffering from mental disabilities on a reservation (1 year)
- Producing music/DJing

Any advice on how to apply, where to apply, where I could get in?

So far my list: USC, UCI, UCD, UCLA (random act of god school), Loma Linda, Commonwealth, Cincinnati, Wisconsin, Rush, Rosalind Franklin, SUNY Downstate/Stony Brook, Albany, Vermont.

Much appreciated and thank you! Good luck to everyone else.

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[Ironmandoc]

You have almost no business applying for MD programs with a 3.4cgpa and a 3.0sgpa

 

[ucsfstudents]

OP, you definitely have a chance at getting into a medical school. Strive to do your best on the MCAT, and talk to real life medical students (you can connect with some through the admissions office at the med school nearest you) to help you get your whole application ready. There's more than your GPA and MCAT that goes into the application process. Yes, it's harder to get in to California schools with low GPA and/or MCAT scores, but you still have a chance, moreso at schools outside california. And your GPA and MCAT score is not going to determine your success as a doctor, so don't give up. Good luck!

 

[octupus]

Just finished my junior year. Those are my stats, applying this cycle. Taking my MCAT on August 16, so far been faring 33-37ish on practice ones. Two Ws on my transcript, a few Cs. CA resident.

Grades took a solid thrashing sophomore year due to a family emergency and eventual death; as a result, fell into a state of depression for a couple of month and the grades nosedived.

My ECs:
- Research at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (6 months)
- Resident Advisor (RA) (2 years)
- Volunteering at a hospital (2 years)
- Shadowing a doctor
- Student government: research funding committee (2 years)
- President of a club that does peer and local education about preventing sexual abuse (2 years)
- Taught local elementary, middle, and high school students about science (3 years)
- Participated in an alternative break trip to work with Native Americans suffering from mental disabilities on a reservation (1 year)
- Producing music/DJing

Any advice on how to apply, where to apply, where I could get in?

So far my list: USC, UCI, UCD, UCLA (random act of god school), Loma Linda, Commonwealth, Cincinnati, Wisconsin, Rush, Rosalind Franklin, SUNY Downstate/Stony Brook, Albany, Vermont.

Much appreciated and thank you! Good luck to everyone else.

I wouldn't start compiling a list until your MCAT comes back. Given your subpar GPA, you really need to hit the higher end of your practice scores to have the slightest chance at the UCs. If you hit below 34, I suggest adding DO schools to be safe (that is if you won't drop your offer to do SMP instead). Otherwise, apply MD wisely, hope for the best, but prepare to apply to SMPs in case things don't work out.

 

[alexrgross]

An applicant like you has a fairly good chance given you score MCAT > 32, especially double digits in PS and BS. I am guessing 30-40 percent are admitted, nice ECs and very interesting. Great work, I like that you write "Cedars-Sinai" because it is not very well known outside LA, or CA...I shadowed there, and would not mind coming back to practice there latter.

An applicant like you who applies late, as in MCAT scores received in September, fares much worse in the admissions game. I happened to fall into this latter group, not with a late MCAT, but submitting June 21 and only finishing secondaries in late August.

I'd say to roll the dice and submit now if youre comfortable that you have a strong application. Also I would not worry too much if we saw you applying in June 2013.

 

[Ironmandoc]

Super low gpa coupled with a very late application usually adds up to a disappointing cycle. Just trying to give you a reality check.

 

[Goro]

That low sGPA will really really hurt you. Your cGPA is at the near bottom of acceptable for the low tier schools, so you you can definitely cross UC and the SUNYs off your list. UCI and UCLA? Waste of money there. Please do yourself a favor and do not engage in magic thinking.

Rock the MCAT and Rosy Franklin and NYMC might be possible, state school also, depending upon the state, of course. I've see it done

Just finished my junior year. Those are my stats, - Resident Advisor (RA) (2 years)

Any advice on how to apply, where to apply, where I could get in?

So far my list: USC, UCI, UCD, UCLA (random act of god school), Loma Linda, Commonwealth, Cincinnati, Wisconsin, Rush, Rosalind Franklin, SUNY Downstate/Stony Brook, Albany, Vermont.

Much appreciated and thank you! Good luck to everyone else.

 

[803]

Hate to tell you.... making an excuse for why you had poor grades does you no benefit

 

[trojan4lyfe]

Hate to tell you.... making an excuse for why you had poor grades does you no benefit

I figured that much, not looking to get sympathy or a shoulder to bawl on. Just explaining some circumstance. I've taken full ownership for my screwup. I think it's only fair to include that in my application as well, but not in a pity light but more in a 'hey, I ****ed up and I accept what I did as being wrong. I'm not ignoring that as I apply.'

 

[MedPR]

Just finished my junior year. Those are my stats, applying this cycle. Taking my MCAT on August 16, so far been faring 33-37ish on practice ones. Two Ws on my transcript, a few Cs. CA resident.

Grades took a solid thrashing sophomore year due to a family emergency and eventual death; as a result, fell into a state of depression for a couple of month and the grades nosedived.

My ECs:
- Research at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (6 months)
- Resident Advisor (RA) (2 years)
- Volunteering at a hospital (2 years)
- Shadowing a doctor
- Student government: research funding committee (2 years)
- President of a club that does peer and local education about preventing sexual abuse (2 years)
- Taught local elementary, middle, and high school students about science (3 years)
- Participated in an alternative break trip to work with Native Americans suffering from mental disabilities on a reservation (1 year)
- Producing music/DJing

Any advice on how to apply, where to apply, where I could get in?

So far my list: USC, UCI, UCD, UCLA (random act of god school), Loma Linda, Commonwealth, Cincinnati, Wisconsin, Rush, Rosalind Franklin, SUNY Downstate/Stony Brook, Albany, Vermont.

Much appreciated and thank you! Good luck to everyone else.

URM + 33-37 MCAT = in.

Non URM = not in, especially since you're a CA resident. Look at DO.

 

[hali01]

You have the option of writing to your choice of medical school about why your grades went down in a certain semester.

 

[Ironmandoc]

You have the option of writing to your choice of medical school about why your grades went down in a certain semester.

 

[MedPR]

That low sGPA will really really hurt you. Your cGPA is at the near bottom of acceptable for the low tier schools, so you you can definitely cross UC and the SUNYs off your list. UCI and UCLA? Waste of money there. Please do yourself a favor and do not engage in magic thinking.

Rock the MCAT and Rosy Franklin and NYMC might be possible, state school also, depending upon the state, of course. I've see it done

OP is a CA resident.

 

[Luvahgilahsa]

That low sGPA will really really hurt you. Your cGPA is at the near bottom of acceptable for the low tier schools, so you you can definitely cross UC and the SUNYs off your list. UCI and UCLA? Waste of money there. Please do yourself a favor and do not engage in magic thinking.

Rock the MCAT and Rosy Franklin and NYMC might be possible, state school also, depending upon the state, of course. I've see it done

LOL you're funny, she/he is from California and you're contradicting yourself much?

 

[MedPR]

LOL you're funny, she/he is from California and you're contradicting yourself much?

Goro just didn't see that the person was from CA. Also, Goro = Adcom.