Being a borderline MD applicant in Texas.

[swivelj]

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Just received my MCAT score back today, and have been waiting to ask this question.

EC's are fine just need to shadow my mom's PC doc who is a DO.

cGPA: 3.65 sGPA: 3.6 something MCAT: 30 (2.6 points below my average; FL 9, 10, 11 were 33,33,33 )

* This is my GPA without considering 23 hrs of retakes as well.

I know that the consensus on this site is that stat wise, I have a decent shot at Texas MD schools. However, from lurking the school specific threads the last two years I think, along with the rest of the US schools the numbers are rising.

My fear is that I have a realistic shot at Tech schools, A&M, TCOM and everything else would be a reach. I have no issues with applying DO and would love to have an acceptance at TCOM.

I don't want to just bank on getting an acceptance in Texas, and my girlfriend is really only going to be competitive for out of state DO schools, so that is another huge factor to consider, and also why I want to apply to out of state DO schools.

I guess my question is...... being a borderline MD applicant in Texas I feel like a lot of the out of state DO schools will not take me seriously because they know if I do get accepted in Texas...... I won't attend because of the huge difference in tuition.

If there will be hesitation from the OOS DO schools to interview me or offer acceptances....are there any specific schools that would be more receptive to my app?

Also, I have a seat for the Jan 23rd MCAT (in Ohio unfortunately) should I just take another shot? I feel this is risky and probably only makes me more competitive if I hit a 33.

 

[Mavs88]

I don't really have a concrete answer for your question....but I'm a TX resident and our GPAs are damn close... w/o replacement I'm going to be (3.65/3.59)...with replacement will be (3.84, 3.88). Taking the MCAT soon, would be thrilled to get the 30 you have.

I would apply to as many OOS DO as you can afford and that are realistic shots, especially considering your gf is applying as well. I have not heard of a hesitation like this. Typically they hesitate if you apply super late since they think you're doing it just because you're out of other options.

 

[AM508]

being a borderline MD applicant in Texas I feel like a lot of the out of state DO schools will not take me seriously because they know if I do get accepted in Texas...... I won't attend because of the huge difference in tuition.

If there will be hesitation from the OOS DO schools to interview me or offer acceptances....are there any specific schools that would be more receptive to my app?

Also, I have a seat for the Jan 23rd MCAT (in Ohio unfortunately) should I just take another shot? I feel this is risky and probably only makes me more competitive if I hit a 33.

First, I would not retake a 30 unless you are 100% you can do better. You have a lot to lose and very little to gain, especially if you appropriately prepared for this exam when you got the 30 (meaning that the score was not due to a lack of prep). While I am not from Texas, my stats were very similar to yours (~3.7, 31) and I got 12 interview invites from DO schools (none from MD schools, though I did not apply as inclusively/strategically as I did with DO). The point being that I do not think OOS DO schools are going to "not take you seriously", I think the case will be quite the opposite and you will get a lot of interview invites.

 

[Jbirdski]

I feel like you have a very realistic shot at a Texas school. I have many pre-med friends who had similar stats to you and have gotten multiple interviews each from all over TX. Just apply early, write a good PS and kill your interviews. If you want to throw out some DO application to OOS I'd say it's a smart move but those stats shouldn't keep you from getting Interview Invites in Texas. I'm also assuming you are a texas resident.

 

[TXdoc18]

I'm also a borderline applicant and have pretty similar stats to you, though higher GPA/lower MCAT, and had the same fear you do. I'm a TX resident and applied to the 8 TMDSAS schools as well as 8 OOS DO schools and received interviews at 5 Texas schools (3 prematch acceptances) and 7 out of 8 OOS DO schools, so I definitely think that DO schools will still take you seriously even though you're a Texas resident. I applied pretty early and if I could go back and do it again, or give my biggest piece of advice, I would apply the first day the application opens. Even as a borderline applicant, I had already interviewed at 3 Texas MD schools by mid August (first interviews are usually the first week of August), and it clearly wasn't bc of my average stats haha, good luck!

 

[Goro]

DO schools do not apply the "this applicant will most likey get into TX schools so let's not give him an II." attitude that MD schools do.

We get a fair amount of candidates from TX...most of them end up in TCOM, but it's not for our lack of trying.

Just received my MCAT score back today, and have been waiting to ask this question.

EC's are fine just need to shadow my mom's PC doc who is a DO.

cGPA: 3.65 sGPA: 3.6 something MCAT: 30 (2.6 points below my average; FL 9, 10, 11 were 33,33,33 )

* This is my GPA without considering 23 hrs of retakes as well.

I know that the consensus on this site is that stat wise, I have a decent shot at Texas MD schools. However, from lurking the school specific threads the last two years I think, along with the rest of the US schools the numbers are rising.

My fear is that I have a realistic shot at Tech schools, A&M, TCOM and everything else would be a reach. I have no issues with applying DO and would love to have an acceptance at TCOM.

I don't want to just bank on getting an acceptance in Texas, and my girlfriend is really only going to be competitive for out of state DO schools, so that is another huge factor to consider, and also why I want to apply to out of state DO schools.

I guess my question is...... being a borderline MD applicant in Texas I feel like a lot of the out of state DO schools will not take me seriously because they know if I do get accepted in Texas...... I won't attend because of the huge difference in tuition.

If there will be hesitation from the OOS DO schools to interview me or offer acceptances....are there any specific schools that would be more receptive to my app?

Also, I have a seat for the Jan 23rd MCAT (in Ohio unfortunately) should I just take another shot? I feel this is risky and probably only makes me more competitive if I hit a 33.

 

[swivelj]

I'm also a borderline applicant and have pretty similar stats to you, though higher GPA/lower MCAT, and had the same fear you do. I'm a TX resident and applied to the 8 TMDSAS schools as well as 8 OOS DO schools and received interviews at 5 Texas schools (3 prematch acceptances) and 7 out of 8 OOS DO schools, so I definitely think that DO schools will still take you seriously even though you're a Texas resident. I applied pretty early and if I could go back and do it again, or give my biggest piece of advice, I would apply the first day the application opens. Even as a borderline applicant, I had already interviewed at 3 Texas MD schools by mid August (first interviews are usually the first week of August), and it clearly wasn't bc of my average stats haha, good luck!

Sent you a PM

 

[swivelj]

DO schools do not apply the "this applicant will most likey get into TX schools so let's not give him an II." attitude that MD schools do.

We get a fair amount of candidates from TX...most of them end up in TCOM, but it's not for our lack of trying.

I figured..... I really didn't wanna come off as that neurotic pre-med alarmist.... Thanks as always Goro!