MD & DO Chances? cGPA 3.05, BCPM GPA 3.50, MCAT 510

[md_101]

I know there's a huge discrepancy in my GPA. Long story short, I did't really know what I was doing with my life during my early college years. My grades from junior college are horrendous (a ridiculous amount of D's, F's and W's). However, my grades significantly improved after I decided to pursue a career in medicine. All A's in pre-reqs (bio, orgo, physics, etc.) and ~3.7 in the last 2-3 years. I started college in 2007 but didn't get by B.S. until 2014.

I'm not really sure if my background is considered a disadvantage. I am a first generation college graduate. Dad didn't finish high school and mom went to vocational school. I spent a majority of my life moving back and forth between the Philippines and the U.S. (Phil until 6y/o, US 7-9y/o, Phil 10-12y/o, US 13-14y/o, Phil 15-16y/o and finally stayed in the US 17y/o+). Needless to say, I did't really have a good educational structure and college was a confusing path for me. Anyways, please be brutally honest! So do I have a chance at getting into a MD or DO program? Any advice is greatly appreciated!

CA Resident, non-trad student, Filipino, Female
cGPA 3.05
bcpm AMCAS GPA 3.50
MCAT 510 (from June 2015)
Research: 400+ hrs
Clinical Volunteering: 320+ hrs
Tutoring: 4 years tutoring college level chemistry, biology, genetics and anatomy
E.C.: 2 officer positions for 2 student clubs
Employment history: Student Assistant for the Environmental Health & Safety Dept for 2 years, a couple of months working as a scribe

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[Faha]

You have a chance for interviews at some DO schools so consider applying to all these:
ACOM
ARCOM
ATSU-SOMA
BCOM
WCU-COM
LMU-DCOM
UP-KYCOM
WVSOM
UIWSOM
VCOM (all 3 schools)
NYIT-Arkansas
RVU-Utah
Apply no later than July and submit your secondaries by August. You may need a DO LOR for some schools.
For MD your chances are low but you could try these schools:
Loma Linda
Creighton
Loyola
St. Louis
Quinnipiac
New York Medical College
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
GW
Georgetown
Oakland Beaumont
Concentrate on your DO application since your best chances are the DO schools.

 

[md_101]

@Faha Thank you! Do you think it would be a complete waste of resources to apply to CA MD schools?

 

[md_101]

@Goro @gonnif any input? Please give me a feedback.

 

[Faha]

@Faha Thank you! Do you think it would be a complete waste of resources to apply to CA MD schools?

No, apply to them except Stanford and UCSF.

 

[Goro]

No, apply to them except Stanford and UCSF.

I'd rule out UCSD

 

[md_101]

So what do you guys think are my chances? Will schools take into account my upward trend? and how will they view several years of bad grades?

 

[ucsdfootball]

I'd rule out UCSD

And Riverside. My understanding is that they reserve half their seats for their own undergrads, as UCR's focus is on serving the Inland Empire.

 

[DocSomeDay22]

I'm not really sure if my background is considered a disadvantage. I am a first generation college graduate. Dad didn't finish high school and mom went to vocational school. I spent a majority of my life moving back and forth between the Philippines and the U.S. (Phil until 6y/o, US 7-9y/o, Phil 10-12y/o, US 13-14y/o, Phil 15-16y/o and finally stayed in the US 17y/o+). Needless to say, I did't really have a good educational structure and college was a confusing path for me. Anyways, please be brutally honest! So do I have a chance at getting into a MD or DO program? Any advice is greatly appreciated!

First gen college is considered environmentally/educationally disadvantaged as per AACOMAS. That science GPA is nice btw. Also, better than my moderate downward trend and I'm applying. I say give both DO and MD a shot.

 

[Goro]

So what do you guys think are my chances? Will schools take into account my upward trend? and how will they view several years of bad grades?

Rising trends are always good. There are MD schools that reward reinvention. To Faha's list, add Albany, EVMS, U Miami, Rosy Franklin and Tufts. Forget Lomoma Linda unless you are SDA or a very devout Christian.