applying broadly

[yas710]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I'm reposting this because i didnt get any good replies.

i'm determined to apply to 40+ MD schools and all of the 29 DO schools, but i'm trying to see if i can save some money, by applying to certain schools. or focusing on a few # of schools.


Can someone please tell me which schools are appropriate for me to apply to? I want to apply broadly, but I'm having difficulty determining how much is "broad" enough.
Stats are on the low end, hence my desperate question.
cGPA and sGPA around 3.09ish. MCAT pending, hoping for a 30 or more. I will reschedule if I feel that i cant get a 30 just yet. currently scheduled for july 2nd.
pretty good EC's, including research, summer enrichment program at my school (is this helpful?) volunteering with my Campus Ministry (such as church runs, food runs, etc) volunteering was never really consistent with only 1 org, but a lot of hours nonetheless.
i also have around 1400 hours of working as an emergency room medical scribe in 3 hospitals in the underserved areas of Milwaukee. (attending Marquette btw, which i feel was my first mistake but whatever, too late to dwell). Also I should mention that i have been on an upward trend ever since my 1st semester of freshmen year. every school that i talked to says that its promising but never really go beyond that. I KNOW My chances at MD schools are slim to none, I acknowledge that, but which ones approach applicants from a holistic perspective? I know tulane does. but thats about it. maybe Oakland?
i have the online version of the 2014 MSAR, and i basically applied to all of the low-GPA med schools in the US, not Puerto rico.

basically, which MD & DO schools are worth me applying to? also disadvantaged status, middle eastern (and african descent).

also i do have many unique things to share on my personal statement and strong LOR's, so i would hate to apply to a school that would just screen me off due to my low GPA.
Thank you.

 

[Goro]

Well, this is easy. Your GPAs are NOT competetive for any MD school. Your ECs won't balance out your GPA even if you had a Nobel Prize (well, maybe the money that went with it).

You're fine for most DO programs, although you're at the low end of competetive. An MCAT of 30+ will help there.



i'm determined to apply to 40+ MD schools and all of the 29 DO schools, but i'm trying to see if i can save some money, by applying to certain schools. or focusing on a few # of schools.

Can someone please tell me which schools are appropriate for me to apply to? I want to apply broadly, but I'm having difficulty determining how much is "broad" enough.
Stats are on the low end, hence my desperate question.
cGPA and sGPA around 3.09ish. MCAT pending, hoping for a 30 or more. I will reschedule if I feel that i cant get a 30 just yet. currently scheduled for july 2nd.
pretty good EC's, including research, summer enrichment program at my school (is this helpful?) volunteering with my Campus Ministry (such as church runs, food runs, etc) volunteering was never really consistent with only 1 org, but a lot of hours nonetheless.
i also have around 1400 hours of working as an emergency room medical scribe in 3 hospitals in the underserved areas of Milwaukee. (attending Marquette btw, which i feel was my first mistake but whatever, too late to dwell). Also I should mention that i have been on an upward trend ever since my 1st semester of freshmen year. every school that i talked to says that its promising but never really go beyond that. I KNOW My chances at MD schools are slim to none, I acknowledge that, but which ones approach applicants from a holistic perspective? I know tulane does. but thats about it. maybe Oakland?
i have the online version of the 2014 MSAR, and i basically applied to all of the low-GPA med schools in the US, not Puerto rico.

basically, which MD & DO schools are worth me applying to? also disadvantaged status, middle eastern (and african descent).

also i do have many unique things to share on my personal statement and strong LOR's, so i would hate to apply to a school that would just screen me off due to my low GPA.
Thank you.[/QUOTE]

 

[yas710]

I just want to make sure, who are you? PM me your credentials please. thanks.

Well, this is easy. Your GPAs are NOT competetive for any MD school. Your ECs won't balance out your GPA even if you had a Nobel Prize (well, maybe the money that went with it).

You're fine for most DO programs, although you're at the low end of competetive. An MCAT of 30+ will help there.



i'm determined to apply to 40+ MD schools and all of the 29 DO schools, but i'm trying to see if i can save some money, by applying to certain schools. or focusing on a few # of schools.

Can someone please tell me which schools are appropriate for me to apply to? I want to apply broadly, but I'm having difficulty determining how much is "broad" enough.
Stats are on the low end, hence my desperate question.
cGPA and sGPA around 3.09ish. MCAT pending, hoping for a 30 or more. I will reschedule if I feel that i cant get a 30 just yet. currently scheduled for july 2nd.
pretty good EC's, including research, summer enrichment program at my school (is this helpful?) volunteering with my Campus Ministry (such as church runs, food runs, etc) volunteering was never really consistent with only 1 org, but a lot of hours nonetheless.
i also have around 1400 hours of working as an emergency room medical scribe in 3 hospitals in the underserved areas of Milwaukee. (attending Marquette btw, which i feel was my first mistake but whatever, too late to dwell). Also I should mention that i have been on an upward trend ever since my 1st semester of freshmen year. every school that i talked to says that its promising but never really go beyond that. I KNOW My chances at MD schools are slim to none, I acknowledge that, but which ones approach applicants from a holistic perspective? I know tulane does. but thats about it. maybe Oakland?
i have the online version of the 2014 MSAR, and i basically applied to all of the low-GPA med schools in the US, not Puerto rico.

basically, which MD & DO schools are worth me applying to? also disadvantaged status, middle eastern (and african descent).

also i do have many unique things to share on my personal statement and strong LOR's, so i would hate to apply to a school that would just screen me off due to my low GPA.
Thank you.

[/QUOTE]

 

[Salaam]

I agree. I would be pretty surprised if you got any MD interviews. Your going to probably need above a 30 to get any DO attention. Have you looked into any SMP or masters programs to get your GPA up?

 

[GypsyHummus]

Goro is ADCOM at a DO school. I would listen to his advice if I were you, student doctor network is very fortunate to have someone like him. He is one of the people who gets to decide who is going to be a doctor, and if you want to be one, listen, dont talk.

 

[deleted480308]

Goro is adcom....and also correct. You are wasting your money applying with a 3.0-3.1 to md schools, it's low even for DO. If you can get a 30 you will have a chance at DO, but there are probably a few classes you can retake if you don't get in this cycle.

 

[candbgirl]

I just want to make sure, who are you? PM me your credentials please. thanks.

[/I]

[/QUOTE]

I cannot believe you had the nerve to ask that question and request credentials. Too funny. Do a search and find out all of the good advice Goro has shared. And as a FYI don't ask the same thing if Lizzy M or Catalyst replies to your thread. Just take their sage advice. They too know what they are talking about.

 

[SixStringPsych]

I cannot believe you had the nerve to ask that question and request credentials. Too funny. Do a search and find out all of the good advice Goro has shared. And as a FYI don't ask the same thing if Lizzy M or Catalyst replies to your thread. Just take their sage advice. They too know what they are talking about.

All this being said, it's important to realize that admissions are different at every school.

LizzyM is an admissions officer at a Top 10-20 school if I'm not mistaken, and I'm not sure about Cat. They can offer some great advice of course, but many schools these days are known for being more holistic in their admissions process and would look favorably upon an applicant with an upward trend and a high MCAT, even if their GPAs were low. The GPA ranges found in the MSAR are really all the data you need to realize that even someone with a 3.0-3.1 GPA MIGHT have a chance.

 

[deleted480308]

Google (aamc table 25, i used the "white" applicant table) a few years ago someone with. 3.0 had to have a 30mcat to stand a 30% chance of getting in...frankly if you have a 3.0, the odds of getting a 30 are slim. Take the practice test 3 on the mcat site to give you an idea where you stand

If you land a 29 your odds drop to 20%.

Do what you want with those numbers but understand that odds are, you are osteopathic.....that's not an insult (I'm in largely the same boat) but it is what it is

 

[LizzyM]

You are a fool to apply to >30 schools. Until you know your MCAT score you can't even determine whether you have a prayer or if you need to go back to school and remediate your gpa (and perhaps prepare and retake the MCAT).

Too many applications is going to take too much time (never mind money) and whatever else you are doing (senior year classes??) will suffer. There is someone this year dealing with a senior GPA < 3.0 (down from over 3.7) because of too much time devoted to secondaries during first semester senior year.



Also, keep in mind the US Census definitions of race when/if you self-identify yourself on your application.

The U.S. Census Bureau must adhere to the 1997 Office of Management and Budget (OMB) standards on race and ethnicity which guide the Census Bureau in classifying written responses to the race question:

White – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.

Black or African American – A person having origins in any of the Black racial groups of Africa.

American Indian or Alaska Native – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America) and who maintains tribal affiliation or community attachment.

Asian – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.

The 1997 OMB standards permit the reporting of more than one race.

If you identify as a person having origins in a Black racial group of Africa, then you might have a chance at one or more of the historically Black medical schools but there are only a handful of them ... add 10 more schools that take students with lower stats and who are friendly to OOS students, and add the publicly funded schools of your state of residence and call it a day. (Plus the osteopathic schools in places you'd be willing to live.)

 

[GypsyHummus]

Google (aamc table 25, i used the "white" applicant table) a few years ago someone with. 3.0 had to have a 30mcat to stand a 30% chance of getting in...frankly if you have a 3.0, the odds of getting a 30 are slim. Take the practice test 3 on the mcat site to give you an idea where you stand

If you land a 29 your odds drop to 20%.

Do what you want with those numbers but understand that odds are, you are osteopathic.....that's not an insult (I'm in largely the same boat) but it is what it is

He is really low for DO schools. People need at least a 3.2 science and cumilative to be considered in the running (asked a nearby new DO school).

OP, you are gonna have to retake a few classes to bump up your GPA to a 3.2

 

[yas710]

I agree. I would be pretty surprised if you got any MD interviews. Your going to probably need above a 30 to get any DO attention. Have you looked into any SMP or masters programs to get your GPA up?

Thank you Salaam. I feel that my EC's, and personal statement and hopefully my LOR's will get DO school's attention as well, other than the MCAT, if it doesn't turn out as great as I want it to be.

Goro is ADCOM at a DO school. I would listen to his advice if I were you, student doctor network is very fortunate to have someone like him. He is one of the people who gets to decide who is going to be a doctor, and if you want to be one, listen, dont talk.

Thank you GypsyHummus. Although I acknowledge that your aggressiveness is meant to show your discontent with my question, I feel it is not necessary. From past SDN experiences, I found out that it is best to know the credentials of someone, who's advice you will be taking, and leading to a great decision in my life.

I cannot believe you had the nerve to ask that question and request credentials. Too funny. Do a search and find out all of the good advice Goro has shared. And as a FYI don't ask the same thing if Lizzy M or Catalyst replies to your thread. Just take their sage advice. They too know what they are talking about.

Thank you candbgirl for letting me know who the adcoms are. I really appreciate it. Although I feel that it is necessary to be patient with questions that may sound foolish to you. Patience, my friend, is an essential virtue to being a physician.

You are a fool to apply to >30 schools. Until you know your MCAT score you can't even determine whether you have a prayer or if you need to go back to school and remediate your gpa (and perhaps prepare and retake the MCAT).

Too many applications is going to take too much time (never mind money) and whatever else you are doing (senior year classes??) will suffer. There is someone this year dealing with a senior GPA < 3.0 (down from over 3.7) because of too much time devoted to secondaries during first semester senior year.



Also, keep in mind the US Census definitions of race when/if you self-identify yourself on your application.



If you identify as a person having origins in a Black racial group of Africa, then you might have a chance at one or more of the historically Black medical schools but there are only a handful of them ... add 10 more schools that take students with lower stats and who are friendly to OOS students, and add the publicly funded schools of your state of residence and call it a day. (Plus the osteopathic schools in places you'd be willing to live.)

Thank you very much for your advice. I plan on reducing my number of schools to 20. Do you, by any chance, know which schools will be to review more than just my GPA and look at my EC's, personal statement, and LOR's? I feel that I have much to offer more than numbers. This reminds me of my process on becoming a scribe. It took me almost year to get the job because the first interview didn't go so well. You get an interview 3-4 months after applying. I was just told to visit my career center for interview skills, although i feel that i did not have interview flaws. I wasn't told exactly what I was lacking, so I rewrote my personal statement, my resume and tried to improve my interview skills. A few months later, I reapplied, got another interview, and almost fell to the same fate, but the interviewer saw that it was my second time interviewing and decided to give me a chance with heavy observation from my supervisors (meaning if they weren't satisfied, to just fire me immediately after 2 weeks). I turned out to be one of the best scribes out of the team of 80 people. I worked 40+ hours (as part time), worked any and every shift including overnights and sacrificing my sleep, although I feel this really contributed to compromising my grades. Many of the physicians have said great things to me. Many of them also offered to write me LOR's prior to me asking. My main point is that once I can pass that first threshold point, I will prove myself to be the best. This analogy might be a stretch, but I think of it like a chemical rxn, or maybe an action potential in a neuron. once I pass that threshold, I'll be soaring high. or when ventricular pressure surpasses aortic pressure for systole to occur. Ok I'll stop, I'm getting too carried away. sorry.

He is really low for DO schools. People need at least a 3.2 science and cumilative to be considered in the running (asked a nearby new DO school).

OP, you are gonna have to retake a few classes to bump up your GPA to a 3.2

Again, this is a very general and vague statement that worries me when I hear people say "people need a 3.2," are those "people" similar to me regarding experiences and among other things? I don't mean to sound arrogant or anything, but I believe that every individual offers something unique, even if their GPA is lower.

All this being said, it's important to realize that admissions are different at every school.

LizzyM is an admissions officer at a Top 10-20 school if I'm not mistaken, and I'm not sure about Cat. They can offer some great advice of course, but many schools these days are known for being more holistic in their admissions process and would look favorably upon an applicant with an upward trend and a high MCAT, even if their GPAs were low. The GPA ranges found in the MSAR are really all the data you need to realize that even someone with a 3.0-3.1 GPA MIGHT have a chance.

I really hope that schools give my application a chance to look past my GPA. If I would have known that I could have gotten a 4.0 at my state school, I would have went. But that is too late now to dwell on anything.

Goro is adcom....and also correct. You are wasting your money applying with a 3.0-3.1 to md schools, it's low even for DO. If you can get a 30 you will have a chance at DO, but there are probably a few classes you can retake if you don't get in this cycle.

Google (aamc table 25, i used the "white" applicant table) a few years ago someone with. 3.0 had to have a 30mcat to stand a 30% chance of getting in...frankly if you have a 3.0, the odds of getting a 30 are slim. Take the practice test 3 on the mcat site to give you an idea where you stand

If you land a 29 your odds drop to 20%.

Do what you want with those numbers but understand that odds are, you are osteopathic.....that's not an insult (I'm in largely the same boat) but it is what it is

Thank you. Never will I consider my aspirations to osteopathic medicine to be an insult, or "a back up plan," like what many might presume. I truly appreciate the holistic and philosophical approach of osteopathic medicine. I feel that it is great for someone like me, who is spiritual and has religious faith, not to put down allopathic medicine which also appreciates the same values. I think it really depends on the person in the end. I have worked with many MD's and DO's and it ultimately depends on the person and their speciality. Emergency physician who are DO's are not really much different than emergency MD's. The cardiologist that i shadowed is an MD, and has very much adopted the holistic and priestly approach to medicine (even if being an MD cardiologist might make you think they are more towards the engineering model of medicine).