3.4 GPA/3.8 Science GPA

[Arazi]

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I am a Texas resident and I know they prefer high GPA over anything in general. However in my case, I started out pretty bad (2.3 cumalitive was my lowest) and have gotten it up to a 3.37 cumalitive. I have at least a 3.8 science GPA and will hopefully graduate with a 3.5 cumalitive since I have not yet completed my degree hours. I feel strongly about my science courses. I will also have about 100+ hours in shadowing a physician when I turn in my application. What are my chances if I score a 30+ on the MCAT of being accepted into a Texas medical school? I will have a 3.4 when I apply and hopefully 3.5 when I graduate. Thanks!

 

[Catalystik]

The only grades considered are those already earned when you submit your application. Your strong upward trend will be viewed positively. Your high BCPM is very helpful. If you also had strong ECs, I'd feel more comfortable saying you had a decent chance, but . . . I can't.

Maybe you have more ECs you haven't specified. I'd consider 100 hours of shadowing to be fine, but where is your clinical experience, research, teaching, leadership, and community service?

Honestly, if that's all you have, I'd wait a year to boost the GPA, beef up your activities, and apply in 2011 so your application dollars have a better chance of a good return.

 

[Arazi]

The only grades considered are those already earned when you submit your application. Your strong upward trend will be viewed positively. Your high BCPM is very helpful. If you also had strong ECs, I'd feel more comfortable saying you had a decent chance, but . . . I can't.

Maybe you have more ECs you haven't specified. I'd consider 100 hours of shadowing to be fine, but where is your clinical experience, research, teaching, leadership, and community service?

Honestly, if that's all you have, I'd wait a year to boost the GPA, beef up your activities, and apply in 2011 so your application dollars have a better chance of a good return.

I apologize, I did not specify. Although it is not much, I have been a teaching assistant for a year, been in our pre-med club for a year and constantly volunteer for our organization. We always play intramurals I do not have much community service except that through which I did through my organization. How much time would you consider as strong EC on an application of leadership and community service?

 

[Catalystik]

I think a 1.5 years of regular community service is good. For leadership, it is fine if you have a regular position, like president of an organization or do briefer stints like running a fund raiser, getting friends to clean up campus or collect food for a food pantry or homeless shelter, mange the set up of some health fairs, etc. A "strong" experience would cover multiple years.

For clinical experience, where you have face to face interactions with sick people, about 1.5 year is average. I'd consider a year the minimum. Applicants may get in with less, but that is not to be relied on. Shadowing, being a passive observership, is not included in clinical experience.

 

[Arazi]

I think a 1.5 years of regular community service is good. For leadership, it is fine if you have a regular position, like president of an organization or do briefer stints like running a fund raiser, getting friends to clean up campus or collect food for a food pantry or homeless shelter, mange the set up of some health fairs, etc. A "strong" experience would cover multiple years.

For clinical experience, where you have face to face interactions with sick people, about 1.5 year is average. I'd consider a year the minimum. Applicants may get in with less, but that is not to be relied on. Shadowing, being a passive observership, is not included in clinical experience.

Thank you very much🙂 Are you a med student? I would like to see if I could maybe get a little more insight. I will also appreciate some more opinions from others. What should I/can I do to feel comfortable about getting an interview at a couple schools. I don't really feel comfortable about it at all and I will apply to schools abroad. I do have 5 C's and 3 D's my freshman/sophomore year in non-science classes but my qualifications will be as follows when I turn in my application. I do not necessarily feel qualified, I know I need a lot of work on my application to garner the attention of in-state med schools, so what would you all recommend?

3.4cGPA
3.81sGPA
1 year TA for Chemistry
1 year Pre-med Club
1 year American Chemical Society
Volunteering and participating in organizations
Sports Intramurals
100+ hours shadowing
Strong LOR's from Science Professors
Upward trend of GPA from 2.4 to 3.4
30+ MCAT

 

[TheMightySmiter]

I honestly think your stats themselves would be fine to apply this year. Getting your cGPA up to a 3.5 would be great, but with an upward trend and your strong sGPA I do not think your GPA is much of a problem provided you have a decent MCAT. however, your clinical experience looks limited. The shadowing is good, but what about patient interaction? Has your volunteer work included patient contact? If it hasn't, I think that would be a very good reason to delay your application by a year. Start getting some clinical volunteering immediately and you would have 1.5 years' worth by the time you apply. You would also have that GPA boost and would be a much stronger applicant all around.