Advice

[HopefulSlav]

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I'm on my sixth semester with a bad GPA (~3.00).

I'm leaning towards getting my masters for two reasons:
1) I know I probably won't get in.
2) I never got a chance to actually get away for college; I lived at home with my parents going to a junior college and a branch campus university.
3) I want to avoid DO at all costs.

Should I even bother with the MCAT at this point? Would it be more beneficial to just hold off?

 

[Ace-Co-A]

Post-bacc. is not an option?

 

[Oso]

I'm on my sixth semester with a bad GPA (~3.00).

I'm leaning towards getting my masters for two reasons:
1) I know I probably won't get in.
2) I never got a chance to actually get away for college; I lived at home with my parents going to a junior college and a branch campus university.
3) I want to avoid DO at all costs.

Should I even bother with the MCAT at this point? Would it be more beneficial to just hold off?

I see three reasons?

If you want to do med, then you really need to improve your GPA, be it a post bacc or masters.

Your application will also depend on your MCAT and your activities, but those will not make up for a very low GPA. Also, if you really want to be a physician, then I would strongly consider DO. The average GPA/MCAT are lower, and if you retake classes they will do grade replacement

 

[HopefulSlav]

I see three reasons?

If you want to do med, then you really need to improve your GPA, be it a post bacc or masters.

Your application will also depend on your MCAT and your activities, but those will not make up for a very low GPA. Also, if you really want to be a physician, then I would strongly consider DO. The average GPA/MCAT are lower, and if you retake classes they will do grade replacement

I thought of the DO thing at the last minute haha.

 

[HopefulSlav]

I see three reasons?

If you want to do med, then you really need to improve your GPA, be it a post bacc or masters.

Your application will also depend on your MCAT and your activities, but those will not make up for a very low GPA. Also, if you really want to be a physician, then I would strongly consider DO. The average GPA/MCAT are lower, and if you retake classes they will do grade replacement

Nothing against DO's, but having that title rather than MD is like being on third string.

 

[Oso]

Nothing against DO's, but having that title rather than MD is like being on third string.

Ok well I would still consider it if you want to be a doctor, because if you only consider MD, then you may not get in -- and then you're not on the team at all.

 

[Lucca]

Honestly, the general consensus on SDN is that having DO schools on your application list are always good even if it's just to have a nice balance or a sense of security on the lower end of the stats spectrum.

Nothing against DO's, but having that title rather than MD is like being on third string.

Oh god. Inb4 flamewar.

 

[HopefulSlav]

Ok well I would still consider it if you want to be a doctor, because if you only consider MD, then you may not get in -- and then you're not on the team at all.

The state school I'm looking at has been known to take people with 3.25 GPA. I'd consider DO more if the circumstances were different.

 

[Life Sucks]

Nothing against DO's, but having that title rather than MD is like being on third string.

It's still a doctor, so who cares. If I was you, I would see if I could retake some classes or do a post-bacc. But there are several threads of low GPA's getting into med schools from DO to MD. But try to really study for the MCAT. That's your saving grace, and I hope you have good EC'S.

 

[HopefulSlav]

It's still a doctor, so who cares. If I was you, I would see if I could retake some classes or do a post-bacc. But there are several threads of low GPA's getting into med schools from DO to MD. But try to really study for the MCAT. That's your saving grace, and I hope you have good EC'S.

About 60 hours in the OR. I'm getting lined up with another surgeon.

 

[Oso]

The state school I'm looking at has been known to take people with 3.25 GPA. I'd consider DO more if the circumstances were different.

You don't have to decide on schools now (although when the time comes, I'd say still consider some DO).

For now just take/retake more classes and improve your GPA, do well on the MCAT, keep up the activities. Come back afterwards and we'll gauge your competitiveness and come up with a list of schools.

 

[Mt Kilimanjaro]

Nothing against DO's, but having that title rather than MD is like being on third string.

Who plays second string?

 

[TheWeeIceMan]

Who plays second string?

Janitors

 

[Life Sucks]

Janitors

I was a janitor once, and I played cleaning up people's piss off the wall sonata on C string.

 

[TheWeeIceMan]

In additon to keeping up your shadowing, volunteering, etc. I'd say you have 3 options.

1. Do an SMP and pray that you kill it and it makes up for your low gpa.
2. Do a post-bac until your gpa is in low MD territory. Knock the MCAT out of the park.
3. Do a post-bac focusing on grade replacement until you are in DO territory. Get a repectable score on the MCAT.

I'd say option 3 is your best bet here. Option 2 will take considerably longer and option 1 is very risky.

 

[Catalystik]

In additon to keeping up your shadowing, volunteering, etc. I'd say you have 3 options.

1. Do an SMP and pray that you kill it and it makes up for your low gpa.
2. Do a post-bac until your gpa is in low MD territory. Knock the MCAT out of the park.
3. Do a post-bac focusing on grade replacement until you are in DO territory. Get a repectable score on the MCAT.

I'd say option 3 is your best bet here. Option 2 will take considerably longer and option 1 is very risky.

Another option would be to do an hitch in the active military, which seems to add about a 5 MCAT point equivalent to a candidate's consideration.