Chances for upcoming cycle?

[subjectivelogic]

Edit

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[MedPR]

My stats are: 3.45 cGPA / 3.56 sGPA / MCAT 25P (physics 7, verbal 9, biology 9)

Extracurriculars: 100+ hours at a hospital ED and 50+ hours at a free clinic. I have a few other more minor non-clinical volunteering experiences but they required only three months of service.
Shadowing: 0 hours but I just recently found a DO to shadow beginning next month.
Research: I have around 50 hours of "research" aka data entry at a private medical practice.

Thanks for your help.

Your MCAT is on the low end and your ECs are pretty bland. Consider a retake imo.

 

[BestDoctorEver]

My stats are: 3.45 cGPA / 3.56 sGPA / MCAT 25P (physics 7, verbal 9, biology 9)

Extracurriculars: 100+ hours at a hospital ED and 50+ hours at a free clinic. I have a few other more minor non-clinical volunteering experiences but they required only three months of service.
Shadowing: 0 hours but I just recently found a DO to shadow beginning next month.
Research: I have around 50 hours of "research" aka data entry at a private medical practice.

Thanks for your help.

Chances are pretty good... You will get in somewhere if you applied early and broadly. Shadow that DO so you can get a LOR from him/her and you will be ok for schools that specifically require a DO LOR.

 

[BestDoctorEver]

Your MCAT is on the low end and your ECs are pretty bland. Consider a retake imo.

OP's mcat is 1 point less from average of matriculated students. That is NOT low end. I agree that OP should beef up his/her ECs a little bit more.

 

[smccreery86]

OP's mcat is 1 point less from average of matriculated students. That is NOT low end. I agree that OP should beef up his/her ECs a little bit more.

It may not be low end, but it is average. And with average ECs, an above average MCAT would be a good thing I think.

 

[smccreery86]

My stats are: 3.45 cGPA / 3.56 sGPA / MCAT 25P (physics 7, verbal 9, biology 9)

Extracurriculars: 100+ hours at a hospital ED and 50+ hours at a free clinic. I have a few other more minor non-clinical volunteering experiences but they required only three months of service.
Shadowing: 0 hours but I just recently found a DO to shadow beginning next month.
Research: I have around 50 hours of "research" aka data entry at a private medical practice.

Thanks for your help.

I am just wondering what does your employment history look like? Were you working a fair amount while obtaining your undergrad?
Also, if you can find the time and money to do so, I would try to retake the MCAT. Don't underestimate the power of a good MCAT score.

 

[subjectivelogic]

I have others ECs but I'm too short on time at the moment to list them. I didn't work in undergrad, but I did begin the pre-med course work at the last minute my junior year. Thank you everyone for the advice.

 

[subjectivelogic]

I am just wondering what does your employment history look like? Were you working a fair amount while obtaining your undergrad?
Also, if you can find the time and money to do so, I would try to retake the MCAT. Don't underestimate the power of a good MCAT score.

I meant to reply to you but I accidently put my comment lower in the thread. I'm sttill trying to figure out this site despite having lurked on it for some time. I have other ECs but I don't really have time to list them all. I didn't work in undergrad, but because I started all of the pre-med coursework my junior year I didn't have much time on my hands.

 

[as1212559]

Need more ECs. Shadow, volunteer, etc. Need DO LOR. GPAs okay. Higher MCAT would help.

 

[user3]

disagree with most replies...chances are great. Only EC lacking is shadowing.

 

[MedPR]

OP's mcat is 1 point less from average of matriculated students. That is NOT low end. I agree that OP should beef up his/her ECs a little bit more.

1 point below average matriculant isn't on the low end of competitive? Ok.

And also, the average is closer to 27 IIRC.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile

 

[as1212559]

People people people. A 25 can get you into a DO school, absolutely. But why would you not want to score higher? OP, if you feel like taking that sucker again, go out and get a 28+ and you will be very competitive at all DO schools, not just "around the average for matriculants".

You are looking good for sure though. Solid GPAs. My advice in previous post stands.

 

[user3]

People people people. A 25 can get you into a DO school, absolutely. But why would you not want to score higher? OP, if you feel like taking that sucker again, go out and get a 28+ and you will be very competitive at all DO schools, not just "around the average for matriculants".

You are looking good for sure though. Solid GPAs. My advice in previous post stands.

why retake and risk going down when you are already competitive? They will get more interviews than they will know what to do with. The lower tier schools seem to admit even as far down as the ~3.0/3.0/23 range.

 

[MedPR]

why retake and risk going down when you are already competitive? They will get more interviews than they will know what to do with. The lower tier schools seem to admit even as far down as the ~3.0/3.0/23 range.

If you're at risk to get lower than 25 on a retake you should probably take a second look at your academic ability.

Getting in the high 20s is not difficult at all.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile

 

[MedPR]

I think a 25 with a good GPA (3.5+) is enough to give you a good chance at getting in somewhere.

Screw me, right?

Yes, getting in somewhere. If you're anything like me, you'll go from just wanting to be in somewhere (anywhere) to wanting specific schools. And a 3.5/25 isn't a good place to be when you go through that transition.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile

 

[MedPR]

Yeah but for obvious reasons, there's no need to be greedy when it comes to med school admissions.

Have you applied yet? If you have multiple acceptances or even multiple interviews it's hard not to have a preference.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile

 

[smccreery86]

I meant to reply to you but I accidently put my comment lower in the thread. I'm sttill trying to figure out this site despite having lurked on it for some time. I have other ECs but I don't really have time to list them all. I didn't work in undergrad, but because I started all of the pre-med coursework my junior year I didn't have much time on my hands.

The reason I asked was to gauge how your ECs will look to Adcoms. My ECs were kind of lacking, but I worked a considerable amount at a hospital while doing my undergrad, so the ECs were explainable due to that. Just trying to give you an idea of the ways in which Adcoms think and analyze things.

 

[as1212559]

They will get more interviews than they will know what to do with.

This is a bit presumptuous.

It totally depends on where they apply. If they apply to ACOM, MUCOM, CUCOM, WCU, KYCOM, PCOM-GA, VCOM-CC, LMU etc. etc. then yes, they will get plenty of interviews.

If the OP's goal is a school like AZCOM, KCUMB, CCOM, DMU, PCOM or any of the state schools, then they need to consider a retake.

And believe me, MedPR is right. It is really easy to pick favorites once you interview. OP could get interviews at all the new schools and get accepted. But if even one of the more established schools gives OP an interview, and OP loves it there but doesn't get accepted... then OP may well regret not retaking. OP has already got a respectable score and improving two or three points even should be doable and could make all the difference.

I understand being happy with what you've got but we really shouldn't blanket statement "don't retake a 25 for DO" without knowing what OPs goals are, because frankly, it is not competitive for all DO schools.

 

[TriagePreMed]

My stats are: 3.45 cGPA / 3.56 sGPA / MCAT 25P (physics 7, verbal 9, biology 9)

Extracurriculars: 100+ hours at a hospital ED and 50+ hours at a free clinic. I have a few other more minor non-clinical volunteering experiences but they required only three months of service.
Shadowing: 0 hours but I just recently found a DO to shadow beginning next month.
Research: I have around 50 hours of "research" aka data entry at a private medical practice.

Thanks for your help.

I'm not sure data entry will be seen as acceptable research. Be careful of labeling it as such.

 

[user3]

This is a bit presumptuous.

It totally depends on where they apply. If they apply to ACOM, MUCOM, CUCOM, WCU, KYCOM, PCOM-GA, VCOM-CC, LMU etc. etc. then yes, they will get plenty of interviews.

If the OP's goal is a school like AZCOM, KCUMB, CCOM, DMU, PCOM or any of the state schools, then they need to consider a retake.

And believe me, MedPR is right. It is really easy to pick favorites once you interview. OP could get interviews at all the new schools and get accepted. But if even one of the more established schools gives OP an interview, and OP loves it there but doesn't get accepted... then OP may well regret not retaking. OP has already got a respectable score and improving two or three points even should be doable and could make all the difference.

I understand being happy with what you've got but we really shouldn't blanket statement "don't retake a 25 for DO" without knowing what OPs goals are, because frankly, it is not competitive for all DO schools.

But are they really THAT much better to justify a retake? It's kind of a bird in the hand situation to me.

 

[as1212559]

But are they really THAT much better to justify a retake? It's kind of a bird in the hand situation to me.

That's a question for the OP. My answer would only apply to me.

 

[as1212559]

Yeah I'd be totally cool with the schools you listed. If you just want to get in somewhere (most people), I'd say a 3.5/25 is pretty good. It isn't worth the risk in that case.

If you are 100% open to the idea of attending any DO school then yeah a 3.5/25 should do the trick. If you have more specific goals, you may need to rethink that.

 

[MedPR]

But are they really THAT much better to justify a retake? It's kind of a bird in the hand situation to me.

Yes, considering retaking a 25 is high reward and very low risk.

 

[Mehd School]

1) How do you know you want to be a doctor if you've hardly seen one in action?

A question that adcoms will ask, and I always wonder myself.

 

[JGimpel]

A verbal of 9 is actually pretty good. If you were to want to shoot for MD at all costs, you'd have to make the other sections 10/11 points to make it worthwhile to take the MCAT again, so you're done with that department if you decide to go DO. You really need to show a commitment to hard science and medicine to compete in the EC department these days and I'd balance the rest of your undergrad studies with time invested in them at least 8 hours a week, with 16 being ideal. If you can't ramp it up with items to set you apart, take the MCAT again and apply broadly to the DO schools. At that point, you should definitely hit this cycle hard and look at the location of the school along with the rest as the ones more likely to admit you may be in the middle of nowhere, but will offer you a great education. I don't agree with the whole "tiering" thing for DO schools as the education and emphasis has been very different from what I've seen. Go where your best fit is. As always, n=1 but I've seen quite a few students come across my way in the last few years.