Advice on how to improve and where to apply

[premeddude123]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hi SDN,

I am a semi-longtime SDN lurker who has become a new poster looking for some advice. Here are my overall stats:

Graduated from undergrad at top 35 US public school with cUGPA of about 3.1 with breakdowns of sUGPA of about 3.0 and nonsciGPA of 3.2 with mol bio major. Linear upward GPA trend of +0.3 GPA units every year from freshman to senior with primarily As and high Bs coming from my upper division courses ending with a 3.8 in ugrad. I blame my low GPA on a few Cs in undergrad prereqs. 😡 However, I was able to enroll in a Masters of Sci. in biochem at similar ugrad institution with cgradGPA of 3.85ish.

MCAT: 28R (PS11 VR6 BS11) Took commercial prep class
Retaking this upcoming May studying using Sn2ed's study schedule (bless that guy 🙂 ) Just started taking AAMC FL and got 32 on AAMC#3 with PS11 VR10 BS11 so hopefully that trend continues to follow for verbal. *fingers crossed*

ECs: Volunteered at local med center for past 4yrs. Have about 4 yrs of research experience counting ugrad and grad school. Also was able to get valuable teaching experience working as a TA teaching science. Also have a DO physician letter of rec.

Can anyone give me any advice on how I can improve my odds as best as possible with regards to school choices (I'm willing to go pretty much anywhere) or if I should consider any GPA improvement using AACOMAS grade replacement policy? Would the M.S. in a "hard science" help me demonstrate any perceived science faults I may have? I was planning on applying this upcoming cycle.

Thanks a lot in advance SDN and best of luck to those who are applying!! 🙂

 

[JacksonsDad]

Balancing your MCAT score out will go a long way. Lots of practice tests will help you not hurry through the VR! My first MCAT VR score was 6, retook and bumped it to a 10.

Now after 6 years of life craziness, I am retaking the MCAT in a couple weeks and applying this cycle!


EDIT: Where are you from, that can help get a list of options together?

 

[premeddude123]

Thanks for the tip. I am actually reapplying with that VR score solely in mind and congrats on that VR score bump. To answer your question I am actually a CA native which is good in that there are the two DO schools I am considering Touro and Western but sorta bad in that there are so many other CA natives. Any ideas on school options?

 

[JacksonsDad]

Thanks for the tip. I am actually reapplying with that VR score solely in mind and congrats on that VR score bump. To answer your question I am actually a CA native which is good in that there are the two DO schools I am considering Touro and Western but sorta bad in that there are so many other CA natives. Any ideas on school options?

I know of several OOSers with similar GPAs that got into DO schools in the Midwest - I will put their approx GPA and MCATs with the school.
KCUMB (KC Missouri) (3.1 - 28O 10V,10B,8P)
Des Moines U (Iowa) (3.2 - 26N 10B,8V,8P)
WV SOM (Lewisburg WV) (3.3 - 25R 9B,8V,8P)


What are your EC's like?

 

[Goro]

I think that if you can get >32 on the MCAT with your re-take, that yoru strong upward trend might make you competetive for some of the lowest of the low-tier MD schools, like NYMC or Rosy Franklin, plus, possibly, your state MD schools.

But your best bet will be with DO programs. Even strong upwrad trneds and storng MCATs might not be able to save a low GPA, and so it's best to cover all your bases.

Hi SDN,

I am a semi-longtime SDN lurker who has become a new poster looking for some advice. Here are my overall stats:

Graduated from undergrad at top 35 US public school with cUGPA of about 3.1 with breakdowns of sUGPA of about 3.0 and nonsciGPA of 3.2 with mol bio major. Linear upward GPA trend of +0.3 GPA units every year from freshman to senior with primarily As and high Bs coming from my upper division courses ending with a 3.8 in ugrad. I blame my low GPA on a few Cs in undergrad prereqs. 😡 However, I was able to enroll in a Masters of Sci. in biochem at similar ugrad institution with cgradGPA of 3.85ish.

MCAT: 28R (PS11 VR6 BS11) Took commercial prep class
Retaking this upcoming May studying using Sn2ed's study schedule (bless that guy 🙂 ) Just started taking AAMC FL and got 32 on AAMC#3 with PS11 VR10 BS11 so hopefully that trend continues to follow for verbal. *fingers crossed*

ECs: Volunteered at local med center for past 4yrs. Have about 4 yrs of research experience counting ugrad and grad school. Also was able to get valuable teaching experience working as a TA teaching science. Also have a DO physician letter of rec.

Can anyone give me any advice on how I can improve my odds as best as possible with regards to school choices (I'm willing to go pretty much anywhere) or if I should consider any GPA improvement using AACOMAS grade replacement policy? Would the M.S. in a "hard science" help me demonstrate any perceived science faults I may have? I was planning on applying this upcoming cycle.

Thanks a lot in advance SDN and best of luck to those who are applying!! 🙂

 

[gyngyn]

Your best bets are OOS unless you have a spectacular MCAT and a compelling story (or come from the inland empire and want to practice there). There is also Loma Linda if you are devout and get at least a 30.

 

[jitothe10]

Regarding AAMC #3, it is the easiest AAMC out there. I don't want to burst your bubble but also don't believe in false hope. Keep going at that verbal hard. Im sure if you bump it up, you can grab a DO spot.

 

[premeddude123]

Regarding AAMC #3, it is the easiest AAMC out there. I don't want to burst your bubble but also don't believe in false hope. Keep going at that verbal hard. Im sure if you bump it up, you can grab a DO spot.

Thanks for the input. I am continuing to work at that verbal. However, I'm curious now. With regards to AAMC difficulty, is there really a unanimous decision that the lower numbered FL tests are easier than the higher numbered? I just finished AAMC 4 and so far I don't really believe there is any distinction with regards to difficulty.

 

[Goro]

Suggest retaking any science classes with a grade of C or less, and make use of AACOMAS grade replacement policy. Your numbers are currently not competitive for MD schools, and barely competitive for DO programs (mine would not give you an interview).


Another possibility would be to take a 1 year SMP, preferably one given by a medical school. Doing well in one of these (and scoring >32 on the MCAT) will greatly improve your chances at some, not all, MD schools. There are plenty of these programs out there...Drexel, BU, PCOM, are a few that come to mind.

Hi SDN,

I am a semi-longtime SDN lurker who has become a new poster looking for some advice. Here are my overall stats:

Graduated from undergrad at top 35 US public school with cUGPA of about 3.1 with breakdowns of sUGPA of about 3.0 and nonsciGPA of 3.2 with mol bio major. Linear upward GPA trend of +0.3 GPA units every year from freshman to senior with primarily As and high Bs coming from my upper division courses ending with a 3.8 in ugrad. I blame my low GPA on a few Cs in undergrad prereqs. 😡 However, I was able to enroll in a Masters of Sci. in biochem at similar ugrad institution with cgradGPA of 3.85ish.

MCAT: 28R (PS11 VR6 BS11) Took commercial prep class
Retaking this upcoming May studying using Sn2ed's study schedule (bless that guy 🙂 ) Just started taking AAMC FL and got 32 on AAMC#3 with PS11 VR10 BS11 so hopefully that trend continues to follow for verbal. *fingers crossed*

ECs: Volunteered at local med center for past 4yrs. Have about 4 yrs of research experience counting ugrad and grad school. Also was able to get valuable teaching experience working as a TA teaching science. Also have a DO physician letter of rec.

Can anyone give me any advice on how I can improve my odds as best as possible with regards to school choices (I'm willing to go pretty much anywhere) or if I should consider any GPA improvement using AACOMAS grade replacement policy? Would the M.S. in a "hard science" help me demonstrate any perceived science faults I may have? I was planning on applying this upcoming cycle.

Thanks a lot in advance SDN and best of luck to those who are applying!! 🙂