MD 519 MCAT, 3.54 cGPA, 2.9 sGPA

[mango1300]

I'm a nontraditional student- I've been working for the past 2 years since finishing school as an ICU nurse. I was going to wait and apply next year when I can get my GPA up for MD level competition but my MCAT gave me a thread of hope. WAMC? (LizzyM score = 72.4)

1) cGPA: 3.54/ sGPA: 2.9 (fml)

I had a terrible first year, finished the last 2 years with just about straight A's in a Nursing Science degree; all my BCMPs were essentially in my first year hence the terrible sGPA.
I'm currently enrolled in prereq/science courses in order to bump my GPA for next year. If things go as planned, I could raise my stats up to a max of cGPA 3.6/ sGPA 3.24 this year alone.

2)
MCAT: 519
- C/P: 130
- CARS: 131
- Bio- 129
- Psych- 129

3) I'm a dual citizen as an Oregon resident but also Quebec resident

4) White

5)
ICU nurse x 2 years
Also work part time in a family practice clinic

6) Research: not much, did a qualitative project & conference presentation on nursing in homeless populations

7) Shadowing: Neurosurgery, Intensivists

8) Volunteering:
- Board Member for a cancer charity (plan fundraising, help with community support, create liasons with oncology nurses and other HCPS, giving presnetations to raise awareness, etc.) x 2 years
- Volunteer with Native Women's Shelter doing various chores/cooking/etc x 3 years
- Chairman of Nursing Undergrad for a healthcare professional alliance x 2 years
- Nursing fundraising coordinator for the undergrad council x 1 year

9) Worked as an RA in first year rez x 1 year

10) Graduated with distinction (honor roll)


Having a hard time determining my school list due to my unbalanced stats
Obviously OHSU but otherwise...?

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[Faha]

You need to increase your sGPA to over 3.0 if you are to have a chance for MD schools. Nebraska, U Washington and Hawaii accept few non residents with your stats and Chicago is a far reach. Consider these schools instead:
Tufts
Boston University
Quinnipiac
Vermont
New York Medical College
Einstein
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
GW
Georgetown
Eastern Virginia
Virginia Commonwealth
Oakland Beaumont
Medical College Wisconsin
Rosalind Franklin
St. Louis
Creighton
Tulane

 

[starspells]

I think if you raise your cumulative and science gpa to 3.6/3.3ish you stand a good shot at many of the schools on Faha's list. I would make sure your nursing courses count toward your science GPA. It is my understanding that most nursing courses wouldn't count toward the sGPA but check with AMCAS if you are unsure. You can also refer to this: https://aamc-orange.global.ssl.fast...ab328dc/amcas_course_classification_guide.pdf.

If you can I would focus on upper division BCPM courses these next two semesters. Good luck!

 

[mango1300]

@starspells none of my nursing courses will count towards the BCMP so I only have about 10-12 courses in my BCMP. Luckily this will make it easier to bump it up with classes from here on out
Thanks for your reply!

 

[mango1300]

@Faha thanks for the insight, will definitely be looking into this school list!

 

[Overthink]

I highly recommend VCU, Cincinnati, Emory, Albany, Loyola

 

[mango1300]

I'm trying to find ways to improve my application over the year in order to prepare for next year's applications.
I'm a nontraditional student with low GPA/high MCAT- I've been working for the past 2 years since finishing school as an ICU nurse.
(LizzyM score = 72.4)

1)
cGPA: 3.54/ sGPA: 2.9 (fml)

I had a terrible first year, finished the last 2 years with just about straight A's in a Nursing Science degree; all my BCMPs were essentially in my first year hence the terrible sGPA.
I'm currently enrolled in prereq/science courses in order to bump my GPA for next year. If things go as planned, I could raise my stats up to a max of cGPA 3.6/ sGPA 3.24 this year alone.

2)
MCAT: 519
- C/P: 130
- CARS: 131
- Bio- 129
- Psych- 129

3) State
Oregon Resident

4) Ethnicity
White

5) Work
ICU nurse x 2 years
Also work part time in a family practice clinic where I independently assess & counsel prenatal, pediatric, adolescent, psych, geriatric, and methadone pts. x 2 years

6) Research
Not much, did a qualitative project & national conference presentation on nursing in homeless populations

7)
Shadowing: Neurosurgery ~30 hours, Intensivists ~30 hours

8)
Volunteering:
- Board Member for Ovarian Cancer Canada (plan fundraising, help with community support, create liasons with oncology nurses and other HCPS, giving presentations to raise awareness, etc.) x 2 years
- Volunteer with Native Women's Shelter doing various chores/cooking/etc x 3 years
- Chairman of Nursing Undergrad for a healthcare professional alliance x 2 years
- Nursing fundraising coordinator for the undergrad council x 1 year
- Residence President x 1 year

9) EC others
Worked as an RA in first year rez x 1 year

10) Misc
Graduated with distinction (honor roll)
French Language Certification in Nursing

 

[Dagrimsta1]

damn son. Don't do anything, your making the other applicants look bad LOL.

 

[theonlytycrane]

Write a beautiful PS and experiences section. GPA is GPA, it happened and you have really developed as a student since your freshman year. Nice MCAT

 

[Skittsie13]

Are you Canadian? It can be really difficult to apply to US schools as a non-citizen or resident (and I've heard Canadian schools are very difficult to get into, even as a Canadian). Also, you may want to look into DO schools, as their grade replacement policy could really help your GPA. Your ECs look fantastic, though, as does your MCAT!

 

[JustAPhD]

Something to keep in mind is to not overstretch yourself this coming year with classes and work/other ECs. You really do need to do well and pull that sGPA up, as it's possible you may get prescreened out due to it. Great MCAT; good luck!

 

[GrapesofRath]

Outside of OHSU and maybe perhaps Rochester none of the few schools you listed(and you'll need more) are particularly great choices here.
This type of assymetry in stats with an MCAT above what commonly cited lower tiers target can always make it difficult to predict who will show interest
The sGPA repair really will be a major variable over the next year here. If all goes according to how you plan this app can certainly be consistent with success though.
You need a solid broad OOS list of schools most likely to target you being an Oregon app. It's a bit too early to start talking specific schools but as a general guideline get MSAR.
As a rough general guideline I'd look at OOS friendly schools that get <11k apps with an MCAT median around 34(ie Tulane, Dartmouth, Hofstra etc)

 

[premedicalstudent]

With THOSE extracurriculars and MCAT score, I don't see why you didn't decide to apply this cycle!

 

[gyngyn]

With THOSE extracurriculars and MCAT score, I don't see why you didn't decide to apply this cycle!

2.9 Sgpa.

 

[Overthink]

I remember reading the success of another nurse with very similar stats (low GPA/above avg MCAT). Maybe @cherubb3 can chime in?

 

[premedicalstudent]

2.9 Sgpa.

Oh.
But what about the upward trend in her grades?

 

[gyngyn]

Oh.
But what about the upward trend in her grades?

Sgpa is the single most important metric at many schools.

 

[premedicalstudent]

#optimism

 

[lexswift]

Sgpa is the single most important metric at many schools.

Fml.

 

[cherubb3]

Yeah, I had a very similar application to yours before completing my post-bacc and I had a successful cycle. You HAVE to knock the post-bacc outta the park - you have to show that you can do well in multiple hard science classes at the same time. Get letters of rec from your post-bacc science professors and try to get involved in some kind of research, then you should be good to go. Make sure you have more to your application than nursing and nursing-related activities. Be prepared to have a good answer for leaving nursing and not pursuing NP school. Good luck!

 

[freak7]

Fml.

Right there with you @lexswift

 

[Ismet]

Merging duplicate threads. Please do not cross-post.

 

[mango1300]

Something to keep in mind is to not overstretch yourself this coming year with classes and work/other ECs. You really do need to do well and pull that sGPA up, as it's possible you may get prescreened out due to it. Great MCAT; good luck!

This is something I'm mildly worried about. I'll be taking 3 classes/semester along with working about 20-25 hours/week... we'll see how that goes!

 

[mango1300]

With THOSE extracurriculars and MCAT score, I don't see why you didn't decide to apply this cycle!

I got my results back sept. 7 and felt it was too late to apply at that point with my cGPA/sGPA. I definitely went back and forth on it though!

 

[mango1300]

Yeah, I had a very similar application to yours before completing my post-bacc and I had a successful cycle. You HAVE to knock the post-bacc outta the park - you have to show that you can do well in multiple hard science classes at the same time. Get letters of rec from your post-bacc science professors and try to get involved in some kind of research, then you should be good to go. Make sure you have more to your application than nursing and nursing-related activities. Be prepared to have a good answer for leaving nursing and not pursuing NP school. Good luck!

You mean you were successful after completing your post-bacc?
I'm nervous for the courses this year but optimistic as well; I've become a much better student and I know what I have to prove here.
Thanks for all the feedback!

 

[mango1300]

Are you Canadian? It can be really difficult to apply to US schools as a non-citizen or resident (and I've heard Canadian schools are very difficult to get into, even as a Canadian). Also, you may want to look into DO schools, as their grade replacement policy could really help your GPA. Your ECs look fantastic, though, as does your MCAT!

I'm a dual citizen but I would prefer to do my schooling in the states
Thanks

 

[LabTech12]

Hey @mango1300!

If you can get your sGPA to a 3.3 I think you have a great shot. I have similar stats, 3.5/3.3/519 with 4 years working for a hospital and I have been pretty successful this cycle (at least with II)

I also recommend searching high MCAT/low GPA threads to get an idea of a school list, there are several SNDers out there whose threads have lots of comments from the wonderful adcoms on how to approach the discrepancy

 

[mango1300]

@LabTech12 Thanks for the info, I'll definitely check that out!
It's good to hear about your success because browsing these forums can get pretty discouraging!

 

[Red Lobster Actual]

Nice job on the MCAT OP.

Just a Plan B to consider if raising your sGPA is not enough to matriculate you by next year. Drop 50k-70k on a Special Master's Program taking 1st year medical school courses (Preferably a program with linkage into their native medical school). Destroy the medical student's bell curve and you should be just fine after that.

Tandem to Plan B is to consider DO route as well and check those application boxes. Unbalanced stats are still coin flip odds on matriculating and it is best to be prepared.

I have a similar background with ~3.0 gpa and a 38 on mcat. Took me a long time to get in.

 

[cherubb3]

You mean you were successful after completing your post-bacc?
I'm nervous for the courses this year but optimistic as well; I've become a much better student and I know what I have to prove here.
Thanks for all the feedback!

Yeah after I completed my post-bacc I applied and got into medical school (MD) my first cycle.

 

[mango1300]

Update: after some post-bacc GPA repair, my sGPA will now be somewhere between 3.24-3.3 depending on how generous AMCAS is with course classifications.
Still low but better than the previous sub 3.
Hoping this is enough!

 

[LabTech12]

Update: after some post-bacc GPA repair, my sGPA will now be somewhere between 3.24-3.3 depending on how generous AMCAS is with course classifications.
Still low but better than the previous sub 3.
Hoping this is enough!

I think it will help tremendously!

 

[mango1300]

UPDATE!
Accepted to Brown, Pitt, OHSU, McGill, and waitlisted at Nebraska
Dreams really do come true
Thanks everyone

 

[neuro tic]

UPDATE!
Accepted to Brown, Pitt, OHSU, McGill, and waitlisted at Nebraska
Dreams really do come true
Thanks everyone

Congratulations!
Do you mind telling me if you have Quebec residency? McGill has so few out of province spaces.

 

[precisiongraphic]

UPDATE!
Accepted to Brown, Pitt, OHSU, McGill, and waitlisted at Nebraska
Dreams really do come true
Thanks everyone

Excellent - very nicely done!

 

[mango1300]

Congratulations!
Do you mind telling me if you have Quebec residency? McGill has so few out of province spaces.

Yes I do!

 

[precisiongraphic]

Yes I do!

So...where are you going to go?