Applying to the "Right" Medical Schools

[NJD519]

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Hey All,

For those who have completed post-bac classes (for GPA repair), and have done well, how did you go about selecting medical schools in which your chances are realistic? I'm obviously going to apply to my state school.

Is the LizzyM School Selector a legit way to point you in the right direction?

cGPA: 3.0
Post-bac GPA (32 credits): 3.8
MCAT: Pending May

I appoligize if this topic was covered elsewhere, but I couldn't find it. I will buy you cupcakes.

 

[DrMidlife]

Unless you get a ridiculous MCAT, like a 36, I don't think you're ready to apply this year. Your cumulative overall is probably a 3.16. One year at a 3.8 doesn't wipe that away, truth be told.

Here's the basic problem with trying to choose schools with a low GPA: the schools that have lower averages get the most apps. You'll be a low stat app in a huge pile of low stat apps, where most of the apps have higher stats than you do. If you don't get extremely lucky, the year goes like this:
1. pay a bunch of money to apply to schools for which you have no enthusiasm (and your state school)...and the more schools to which you apply, the better your (still crappy) odds
2. pay a bunch more money to the 1/2 to 2/3 of schools that don't screen secondaries, and suffer greatly to compose thoughtful, compelling essays with something completely insincere yet not entirely trivial to say about why you're interested in each school
3. watch your status on school websites and agonize for months
4. feel like a sheep, when you're not feeling like a lemming
5. collect rejection letters
6. get interviewed by your state school
7. sit in their "consideration pool" or similar until August
8. collect your state school's rejection letter
9. In December, collect your Drexel rejection letter and their advertising for podiatry school

Debbie Downer, yes, but I'm also Debbie Did That. With 25 years of work experience, patents, research, solid everything, 3.1/31, killer interview skills and a great suit.

In your shoes, here's what I'd do:
1. Put everything you've got into the MCAT. Spend money. Do the best work of your life. Don't take it until you're ready to kill it.
2. See if you can take another postbac year, taking more hard science (microbio, genetics, immuno, biochem, neuro, phys, cell bio, etc). Get another 3.8. This gets you between 3.2 and 3.3, but probably with a competitive science GPA.
3. Figure out whether there's any instate advantage in your state. If you're in California or similar, either move or focus on DO. (Or go ahead and apply, and then either move or focus on DO.)
4. Go big. Think about doing the Peace Corps or otherwise demonstrating your unquestionable motivation to be of service. You still would have academic work to do (and probably an MCAT retake) before you could apply, but you'd be taken seriously.
5. Repace yourself. You can't compare your path to other premeds or med students. You're a GPA comeback; standard conventional advice doesn't apply to you.
6. SMP.

Best of luck to you.

 

[NJD519]

Thanks for the quick response DrMidlife. Although, now I am confused. You had responded to one of my earlier posts (still on page 45 of Official Low GPA thread) with a different response. I'm not sure if it's because it contained other information about my position?

 

[DrMidlife]

My advice looks consistent to me. Probably best to wait for somebody else to vote here.

Edit: ah, I see. The inconsistency is that my optimism is variable. Two opinions for the price of one. Also I didn't take the time to do math last time.

 

[common man]

Also I didn't take the time to do math last time.

soooo...now that you have taken the time to do the math you are less optimistic?

 

[DrMidlife]

soooo...now that you have taken the time to do the math you are less optimistic?

yeah, to summarize:

Case 1:
OP says "grr 3.0, yay 3.8 postbac, SMP?"
I probably think 2 year postbac, and say "hmm good MCAT? simul-apply!"

Case 2:
OP says "grr 3.0, yay 3.8 1yr postbac, simul-apply?"
I have no memory of case 1, but I do math, which reminds me I applied to 46 schools in '07-08, which makes it seem like a prudent gesture to share that pain thus I say "doom/gloom/death/taxes"

But somebody else vote on what NJD should do. I'll drive up the middle of my own blather: with a 34+ on the MCAT, imho it would be reasonable to apply to state MD schools and DO schools, see what happens and be ready to apply SMP. Lower than 34+, go straight to an SMP.

Bah. Getting too old for this.

 

[NJD519]

I hear ya DrMidlife...

My original plan, which began 2.5 years ago, was to finish my pre-requisites, and take upper-level science courses post-baccalaureate at HES. Then, take the MCAT, and apply to SMPs. Then, hope to god medical schools want me after performing well in said SMP.

Essentially, I am finished with stage 1. Now, I am scheduled for MCAT in May, and going to apply to SMPs thereafter. However, I figure if I do really well on my MCAT, then it is worthwhile to apply to MS in a fashion analogous to the projectiles of a shotgun blast.

Also, I feel I should mention that I have sufficient ER volunteering, 40 hrs of ER physician shadowing, excellent LORs lined up, student government EC, 2 years experience in clinical labs (Hematology, Microbiology, etc...), observed a few surgeries (not really a deal-breaker), and currently work full-time as a research coordinator, where I have direct patient contact almost daily.

Now, I clearly have not been down a path as agonizing as you have, but this is my story, and I'm trying to make the best of it, you know? But I definitely do appreciate your input, because it is reality. 🙂

 

[common man]

put extra effort to doing your best on the mcat & letters of recommendations and apply early to 18+ schools. probably continue to take hes courses in fall for fall update if you do well. it's worth taking a swing especially with a nice mcat that confirms your 3.8 at hes is the real you. by the way, if that 3.8 was with hes science courses + working - i'd be DAMN impressed. no worries if it wasn't 😀

browse through the amcas msar at your local pre-med office / library / book shop. i say browse and not buy because i'd hate to see you spend 22 bucks and feel it was a waste. the msar will show the 10th, 50th, and 90th percentile gpas for all the schools to get an idea of which schools have wider ranges. msar will also show the total % of applicants, interviews, and matriculants for both in state and out of state. this helped me realize just how much the in state / oos factors with some schools.

 

[NJD519]

Thanks for the input common.

And yeah, while taking the courses I worked full-time, volunteered on Sundays, and squeezed in ER shadowing on non-class nights. I've seen people do more, but that's beyond me...

 

[deleted248403]

I think you should stick to your original plan unless you've got about $5k to drop on applications. Your original plan sounds good and I think will allow you the best chance to succeed

 

[NJD519]

Yeah, I suppose.

However, now I'm thinking that if I do well on the MCAT in early May, then I could apply late to SMPs for this year's class, and essentially save a year. I figured it's worth a shot, in seeing how being a re-applicant puts you at no disadvantage (if I don't get in). Did you do SMP?

 

[deleted248403]

Re-applicants are at a disadvantage (in some sense) for med schools apps as you will have to have shown substantial improvement over your last application. That can be through an improved MCAT or better grades or better ECs. But if you don't have a great plan to substantially better your app, its much better to just apply once.

I know during my med school interviews I was asked about being a re-applicant, and at once school where I interviewed, but had no applied the first time - they point blank asked about "why didnt you apply here the first you applied? Were you not interested?"

My advice would be wait and apply once; better to have a rock-star application then hope on crushing the MCAT. Not many ppl crush it - something like the top 5% of takers get 35+. Just so you realize how hard it is to do.

And no I didnt do an SMP. I did an academic-enchancement program at UPenn (Special Sciences Program).

 

[NJD519]

I guess you're right.

However, I just don't know how "rock-star" I can get. Maybe I will just stick with the original plan, like you said, and apply broadly with a SMP for a contingency plan. Possibly even take another semester of classes in the interim. Thanks for the input.