Medical Are MD programs out of my reach?

[GoSpursGo]

I am a reapplicant this cycle after not receiving a single interview invite last cycle. Last year I applied with an sGPA of 3.01 and cGPA of 3.14 from a respected state school along with a 510 MCAT; at the time, I was in an SMP.

I finished the SMP with a 3.64 GPA and increased my MCAT to a 516. My first CARS score was actually better than my second (128 vs. 127), so in a way, my MCAT "super score" is a 517, but I am not sure what that's worth. I did some volunteering during my SMP year, which is pretty much the only other addition to my application this cycle. I changed my personal statement pretty drastically and re-wrote all of my most meaningful activities as well as some of the others.

I have snooped around on SDN before and read a few of the things you had to say and found them very helpful which is what brings me here. You just answered my question regarding my <3.7 SMP GPA but >513 MCAT on your reinventors thread saying that it is school-specific which is understandable.

Many of the schools I dream of attending, including Dartmouth (am OOS), are on many of the lists I have seen regarding MD schools that are kind to "reinventors." I have applied to many MD programs already but I am admittedly dragging my feet a little when it comes to DO's and now I am concerned that I haven't completely reinvented myself. Am I being too optimistic thinking that my new MCAT and GPA will carry me to some MD interview invites, or should I put a lot more focus on DO?

My advisor in the SMP said my application looked "pretty solid" except for my undergraduate GPA, and the application consult that I paid said something relatively similar, except he wasn't familiar with the SMP and greatly discouraged me from applying to any MD's (although this was before I retook my MCAT).

You almost certainly aren’t going to Dartmouth. You should focus on state schools and DO

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[Mr.Smile12]

Your postbac work is decent but doesn't guarantee anything. You should check out DO programs, but I guess I need more information (WAMC) to see if there's still something missing.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

Would focus on state schools and DO. Your SMP is ok but doesn’t knock it outta the park.

 

[GoSpursGo]

Just out of curiosity, is there any way to gauge how I compare to other former SMP students in my program who are also applying to the linked medical school this cycle? Does my GPA help or hurt me? Did my MCAT improve enough? Or is there no good way to know how my application to the linked medical school will be viewed?

Honestly your SMP advisor would likely have better insight than us. As stated above... you did well enough to help, but not so well that it totally negates your uGPA. Which is why you're receiving advice to focus on state schools and DO schools. Probably worth at least applying to the linked medical school as well since you have that direct connection, but it's hard to give a realistic list of MD schools outside of that.