Applying this cycle but ...

[blueberry11]

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So I'm kind of new here but thought I get advice from some fellow Med students or students going through the same process I am.

I'm a junior trying to apply this cycle with a steady 3.45 Gpa. MCAT 34. I graduate spring 2017 with 2 minors ( Spanish, criminal Justice ) and a BA in biology. I was suppose to graduate fall but I'm trying to take my time to raise my GpA. When I graduate 2017 I'll have a GpA of 3.71 ( my grades are a upstream ) but would that matter if Im already submittiting my App this cycle with the 3.45 GpA I have ?

I have 400+ hrs of volunteering in a hospital/other fundraiser !

200+ hrs of shadowing cardiologist, trauma surgeons and ED doctors.

Medical scribe for 2 yrs

1.5 yr member of a pre health organization in my uni, ( humitarian of the org. )

1 yr of research with one publication in route.

LOR from my research professor who's also one of my sconce professors , ED doctor and another science professor


Also I'm 20 turning 21, female and white
( don't know if it's important but I'm the secretary of a foundation that helps children in third world countries... I.e. We send out medication and doctors out there to help cure these children. Main reason why I want to become a doctor, so I can be like the many generous doctors who go to theses countries and help save lives of unfortunate people. )


So here you have it my story. I'm in the middle and would like some advice, regarding my low GPA. I know I can raise it but not before I submit my app this year ? How would schools view 3.45 GpA and a 34 MCAT.

Please don't tell me to apply to DOs because I'm trying to shoot for a MD right now, even low tier that's alright. Any suggestions on making my app stronger ? Or schools I should look into.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

Profile sounds similar to mine numerically. Only advice I have is that I wouldn't bother applying this cycle. Being a re-applicant sucks and with your current GPA you'll be selling yourself short. If you can get it up to even 3.6 your app like be significantly stronger. sGPA? Take the gap year it's fun and makes applying so much less stressful.

Also if you don't plan on applying DO, you'd better be OK with the very real possible situation of having 0 acceptances this year and needing to reapply...which sucks lol

 

[jih]

Agreeing with knife here. Your GPA is somewhat low, and a year of good grades would really help your chances at most schools. Also you should try to get LORs from science professors who taught you in a class (at last two) and one non-science one. Many schools strictly require these, and some won't accept any letters beyond these three.

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk

 

[asdfjkl2016]

Schools only see your AMCAS calculated GPA so your senior year grades won't count if you apply this cycle. However, you can update schools with new grades (assuming your stats make it past their original screening & you're app is still in contention when fall/spring grades come out).

 

[Catalystik]

I'm a junior trying to apply this cycle with a steady 3.45 Gpa. MCAT 34. I graduate spring 2017 with 2 minors ( Spanish, criminal Justice ) and a BA in biology. I was suppose to graduate fall but I'm trying to take my time to raise my GpA. When I graduate 2017 I'll have a GpA of 3.71 ( my grades are a upstream ) but would that matter if Im already submittiting my App this cycle with the 3.45 GpA I have ?

I have 400+ hrs of volunteering in a hospital/other fundraiser !

200+ hrs of shadowing cardiologist, trauma surgeons and ED doctors.

Medical scribe for 2 yrs

1.5 yr member of a pre health organization in my uni, ( humitarian of the org. )

1 yr of research with one publication in route.

LOR from my research professor, ED doctor and the senator of my state ( I helped with their campaign And was apart of all the meetings and all that fun political stuff )

Oh and I recently just published a young adult book ( it's 1/4 ) , (as if that would matter for Med school) but it's great because I love writing so the secondary essays would be a breeze 😉 i'a


Also I'm 20 turning 21, female and white
( don't know if it's important but I'm the secretary of a foundation that helps children in third world countries... I.e. We send out medication and doctors out there to help cure these children. Main reason why I want to become a doctor, so I can be like the many generous doctors who go to theses countries and help save lives of unfortunate people. )


So here you have it my story. I'm in the middle and would like some advice, regarding my low GPA. I know I can raise it but not before I submit my app this year ? How would schools view 3.45 GpA and a 34 MCAT.

Please don't tell me to apply to DOs because I'm trying to shoot for a MD right now, even low tier that's alright. Any suggestions on making my app stronger ? Or schools I should look into.

Wait a year.

A political LOR won't help you. Shadowing letters are rarely requested by MD schools.

A publication "in route" won't help you. If it's accepted by next year it will.

You still need letters from two science and one nonscience faculty who taught you to fulfill most schools' expectations.

 

[Catalystik]

Also, please don't cross-post in more than one forum. The Mods will frown and we like to keep them happy.

 

[Goro]

You should apply when you have the best possible app, even if it means skipping a cycle. Med schools aren't going anywhere.

So I'm kind of new here but thought I get advice from some fellow Med students or students going through the same process I am.

I'm a junior trying to apply this cycle with a steady 3.45 Gpa. MCAT 34. I graduate spring 2017 with 2 minors ( Spanish, criminal Justice ) and a BA in biology. I was suppose to graduate fall but I'm trying to take my time to raise my GpA. When I graduate 2017 I'll have a GpA of 3.71 ( my grades are a upstream ) but would that matter if Im already submittiting my App this cycle with the 3.45 GpA I have ?

I have 400+ hrs of volunteering in a hospital/other fundraiser !

200+ hrs of shadowing cardiologist, trauma surgeons and ED doctors.

Medical scribe for 2 yrs

1.5 yr member of a pre health organization in my uni, ( humitarian of the org. )

1 yr of research with one publication in route.

LOR from my research professor, ED doctor and the senator of my state ( I helped with their campaign And was apart of all the meetings and all that fun political stuff )

Oh and I recently just published a young adult book ( it's 1/4 ) , (as if that would matter for Med school) but it's great because I love writing so the secondary essays would be a breeze 😉 i'a


Also I'm 20 turning 21, female and white
( don't know if it's important but I'm the secretary of a foundation that helps children in third world countries... I.e. We send out medication and doctors out there to help cure these children. Main reason why I want to become a doctor, so I can be like the many generous doctors who go to theses countries and help save lives of unfortunate people. )


So here you have it my story. I'm in the middle and would like some advice, regarding my low GPA. I know I can raise it but not before I submit my app this year ? How would schools view 3.45 GpA and a 34 MCAT.

Please don't tell me to apply to DOs because I'm trying to shoot for a MD right now, even low tier that's alright. Any suggestions on making my app stronger ? Or schools I should look into.

 

[blueberry11]

Here's the thing. I moved states so moved Unis and I've only been at this current uni for a year with the 3.45 GpA. At my other uni I have a 3.75 ( stayed two years with lots of summer classes ). I've heard from many medical school calculates both to get an overall GpA ? Is that true ?

Ps. My research professor is also one of my science professor, I have another science professor in mind so I can change my LORs. That's really not the issue. And thanks for the inputs so far.

 

[Toutie]

They will use every college level class you have even taken.

Honestly, there seems to much about the application process you do not understand. You should seriously reconsider applying this cycle. If for no other reason than to educate yourself on the whole process.

 

[Pagan FutureDoc]

Don't apply this cycle...you look marginal this year...you could be a solid candidate next year. Better to put it off a year and have an easier time getting accepted

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

Yea they look at every college class you've ever taken, even stuff like high school dual enrollment and such.

If you plan on applying this cycle you should get your letters locked down fast, but I'm not gonna lie it looks like you should sit this one out and apply next cycle. You'll have a much stronger app and will stand a way better shot at getting accepted to more competitive schools.

also consider that if you apply and get accepted to ANY medical school you will be expected to go...you can't decline an acceptance of you decide you want to apply again next year with a higher GPA.

 

[LizzyM]

What is your GPA if you count both (or all??) school you have attended? If it is greater than 3.49, I'd say go for it this year because that MCAT 34 is going to expire and it would be a shame to need to take the MCAT again. However, you seem to need some time to get your ducks in a row. Start with the stickies at the top of the forum. Also buy the MSAR (well worth every penny) for more helpful information about the application process.

 

[Catalystik]

Here's the thing. I moved states so moved Unis and I've only been at this current uni for a year with the 3.45 GpA. At my other uni I have a 3.75 ( stayed two years with lots of summer classes ).

It looks like your application cGPA will be higher than I originally assumed, however, the downside is that you have a recent downward grade trend that will not reflect well. This will be even more true if your BCPM GPA also took a dive while at the new school.

 

[GrapesofRath]

What is your GPA if you count both (or all??) school you have attended? If it is greater than 3.49, I'd say go for it this year because that MCAT 34 is going to expire and it would be a shame to need to take the MCAT again. However, you seem to need some time to get your ducks in a row. Start with the stickies at the top of the forum. Also buy the MSAR (well worth every penny) for more helpful information about the application process.

Many, if I had to guess even more than half, of MD schools will accept an old MCAT for the 2017-18 cycle( the link the AAMC has of schools MCAT policies isn't working at the moment though)

OP the best move is to wait a year here. Don't make things harder on yourself applying with a downward trend and an app that just isn't ready yet. Only exception I might make is if you are in a really good state for MD admission( ie AL, AR, WV etc)

 

[blueberry11]

It looks like your application cGPA will be higher than I originally assumed, however, the downside is that you have a recent downward grade trend that will not reflect well. This will be even more true if your BCPM GPA also took a dive while at the new school.

My first semester was shaky since I was still in the process of moving but my currently semester consist of As and one B. So it's still a upward trend. If I add up both gpa's I would be a 3.67.

Yeah in in NV. Resident of Az

 

[LizzyM]

Correcting the GPA as it will appear on the application:

Junior, 3.67 GPA. MCAT 34. BA in biology, minors in Criminal Justice and Spanish.
I have 400+ hrs of volunteering in a hospital/other fundraiser !

200+ hrs of shadowing cardiologist, trauma surgeons and ED doctors.

Medical scribe for 2 yrs

1.5 yr member of a pre health organization in my uni, ( humitarian of the org. )

1 yr of research with one publication in route.

LOR from my research professor who's also one of my science professors , ED doctor and another science professor


Also I'm 20 turning 21, female and white, Arizona resident in school in Nevada
I'm the secretary of a foundation that helps children in third world countries... I.e. We send out medication and doctors out there to help cure these children.


I'd say you are good to go for your state school(s) and some OOS mid-tiers that are friendly to OOS students (avoid California or Washington).

 

[WedgeDawg]

Closing due to duplicate post.

Please continue discussion in this thread: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/applying-this-cycle-before-graduating.1198052/