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- Apr 27, 2011
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Hey everyone, I would love your input.
I graduated from a top 30 college last year, with several additional classes taken post-bac at a different institution since. My overall GPA as of this moment is 3.63, BCPM is 3.54 with my second MCAT score being 38Q (14ps, 10v, 14bs). I scored a 29Q (11ps, 8v, 10bs) my first time last year.
This will be my second time applying, which I am aiming to do this coming cycle. My first try was last summer to only MD schools. My secondaries were completed around late august/early september (late, I know).
What is bugging me is my GPA and having taken the MCAT twice. On first glance, my GPA looks decent, but my senior year science GPA was 3.35 (a bunch of B+ classes). I was hitting 3.6 or higher from Freshman year till beginning Senior year. Since graduating, I took several more upper-lvl science courses at another 4-year institution and have a 4.0 sGPA in every one. I am pretty worried about how this dip in my senior year sGPA will look to an adcom and how that will affect my chances at good research oriented MD schools. Lets have you're 2-cents. I will be applying early, to DO schools and more broadly to lots of MD schools. At the same time, I do want to know what schools would be too much of a reach.
Here is a short list of upper tiered schools I would also love to apply to this time around, but were out of reach my first time applying with my lower MCAT score. Please tell me what you think my chances are. I want to keep my hopes in check about my chances in getting into more difficult programs, since I did take the MCAT twice and I do have academic skeletons. (oh, I'm an Oregon resident). Feel free to recommend others!
University of Chicago
Stanford
USC
OHSU
Darthmouth
NYU
Boston U
Tufts
U of Rochester
U of Washington
My EC list:
Volunteered 4 years at local hospital at several departments. (3 years HS with 400+ hours, returned for another 1 year post college at the same hospital for another 100 hours)
150 hours of shadowing over several specialties and PCP. My pops is also a PCP.
2 years research. 15hours/week helping mentor and running own side project. No publications.
3 years tutoring experience at tutor center for disadvantaged students. 15 hours/week
80+ hours food bank volunteer
Work at a doctors office doing administrative stuff, front desk work and such for last year.
Went on a Vietnam medical mission in summer 2009. 2 week long trip where we did 5 clinic days treating over 700 locals. The trip was hosted by a student group founded that same school year and everything was planned and executed by my fellow students and I. Trip itself is typical: Gather patient health background, triage, shadow doctors, dispense medicine. Continuing to work with group this year in fundraising and planning next trip. But will not participate in actual mission.
Actively participated in cultural student group on campus. Elected treasurer during Junior year, advisor senior year. During my year as an executive board member, our group raised over $8k for charity through a student pageant that a group of 12 (including me) planned and hosted. Also a planning staff member for the national parent version of this cultural group. Worked in several committees to plan and execute an annual leadership conference. Returned as staff for this year's conference.
I graduated from a top 30 college last year, with several additional classes taken post-bac at a different institution since. My overall GPA as of this moment is 3.63, BCPM is 3.54 with my second MCAT score being 38Q (14ps, 10v, 14bs). I scored a 29Q (11ps, 8v, 10bs) my first time last year.
This will be my second time applying, which I am aiming to do this coming cycle. My first try was last summer to only MD schools. My secondaries were completed around late august/early september (late, I know).
What is bugging me is my GPA and having taken the MCAT twice. On first glance, my GPA looks decent, but my senior year science GPA was 3.35 (a bunch of B+ classes). I was hitting 3.6 or higher from Freshman year till beginning Senior year. Since graduating, I took several more upper-lvl science courses at another 4-year institution and have a 4.0 sGPA in every one. I am pretty worried about how this dip in my senior year sGPA will look to an adcom and how that will affect my chances at good research oriented MD schools. Lets have you're 2-cents. I will be applying early, to DO schools and more broadly to lots of MD schools. At the same time, I do want to know what schools would be too much of a reach.
Here is a short list of upper tiered schools I would also love to apply to this time around, but were out of reach my first time applying with my lower MCAT score. Please tell me what you think my chances are. I want to keep my hopes in check about my chances in getting into more difficult programs, since I did take the MCAT twice and I do have academic skeletons. (oh, I'm an Oregon resident). Feel free to recommend others!
University of Chicago
Stanford
USC
OHSU
Darthmouth
NYU
Boston U
Tufts
U of Rochester
U of Washington
My EC list:
Volunteered 4 years at local hospital at several departments. (3 years HS with 400+ hours, returned for another 1 year post college at the same hospital for another 100 hours)
150 hours of shadowing over several specialties and PCP. My pops is also a PCP.
2 years research. 15hours/week helping mentor and running own side project. No publications.
3 years tutoring experience at tutor center for disadvantaged students. 15 hours/week
80+ hours food bank volunteer
Work at a doctors office doing administrative stuff, front desk work and such for last year.
Went on a Vietnam medical mission in summer 2009. 2 week long trip where we did 5 clinic days treating over 700 locals. The trip was hosted by a student group founded that same school year and everything was planned and executed by my fellow students and I. Trip itself is typical: Gather patient health background, triage, shadow doctors, dispense medicine. Continuing to work with group this year in fundraising and planning next trip. But will not participate in actual mission.
Actively participated in cultural student group on campus. Elected treasurer during Junior year, advisor senior year. During my year as an executive board member, our group raised over $8k for charity through a student pageant that a group of 12 (including me) planned and hosted. Also a planning staff member for the national parent version of this cultural group. Worked in several committees to plan and execute an annual leadership conference. Returned as staff for this year's conference.
Overall, awesome job.
