Improving?

[BrontoPronto]

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[Faha]

You could receive interviews at DO schools with a MCAT of at least 500. If you raise your GPA to 3.5 MD schools are also possible. In you situation you would be better off to apply after your senior year.

 

[Goro]

Hi everyone! I've been reading sdn for a while now, just decided to join I know to take this resource with a grain of salt, as everyone and every situation is different, but I'd like some opinions on my situation, sorry for the length :[

I'll be a junior this fall, and my current GPA is a 3.32, with a strong upward trend (first semester of college was a 2.7, I ended this spring with a 4.0). First year was difficult for me due to health concerns, and some family financial troubles. I walked into college not knowing what I was doing so HS-college transition was a massive fail.

I spent year 2 improving weaknesses and working my butt off to get back on track, but I had a few rough patches during that year as well but I survived with more B's than A's (not great but hey, I could have failed). This spring however, I ended up with all A's.

Extracurriculars:

No-pay assistant at a research lab for a year (nationally ranked research hospital). Just got my name on a publishing - 7th in a line of 11 authors, just specifying that I actually did stuff to get it I was lucky to find a mentor who actually taught me how to work in a lab. I learned much during my time there (I'd spend 9-12 hours a week). Currently mentor is helping me put together a presentation on my contribution and the data results and wants me to present at one of his conferences.

I've been volunteering at a hospital for 4 years now, 600+ hrs. I established ambulatory care as a new unit (previously unavailable) for junior volunteers because I was the only volunteer at the time (I specifically asked to volunteer there, it wasn't available otherwise) and the old patients really enjoyed having someone to talk to during their 8-hour infusions. I also train volunteers. I volunteer to tutor elementary school kids in a failing/underprivileged school, it's something valuable to me- I could write plenty about the hospital/tutoring experiences. I started clinical shadowing this summer with a fetal surgeon.

I have not taken the mcat yet and am planning to do so next summer.
My issue is that I recently talked to my pre-med advisor who gave me a lecture on how I should try to direct my interests elsewhere because from everything I've got currently, I would be a "weak applicant". I know numbers are important but I've got improvement to show and I know I'll have a not-too-embarrassing standing (around 3.5) by the end of my junior year, and meaningful LOR's.

Does anyone with a similar story have words of advice? Is my trend going in the right direction? I'm too headstrong to just quit without even trying for what I want (or am stupid enough to take a potentially fruitless risk?). Thanks!

Read this:
Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention

 

[BrontoPronto]

Read this:
Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention

Thank you so much for this advice!!