Chances/ how can I improve my chances?

[MDB12]

Graduated with a 3.17 sGPA and 3.3 cGPA.
Currently in a formal post bac with an expected 3.32sGPA by this fall. Havent taken the MCAT yet.
Worked as a scribe with OBGYN and Ortho, medical assistant in OBGYN practice.
Volunteering hours from high school- 500+
Volunteered as a mentor in college - 50 hours
Geriatric department volunteer - 50 hours
Working on finding more volunteering

2 LOR from the doctors I worked for
1 LOR from Cell bio professor

What are my chances if I were to apply next cycle. I will be taking the MCAT once in March and once in May (as a backup)
What are some things I can be doing to improve my application?

Would it be worth it to stay in my post bac for another semester to bring my sGPA up from a 3.33 to 3.36 or should I study for MCAT full time?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

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[Saturday’s Child]

The volunteering hours from high school won’t count, unfortunately. So you need to find more volunteering (>150 hours each of clinical and nonclinical are recommended). Your scribe and MA work will count toward clinical, so you’re probably good there. Get non clinical volunteering with underserved/vulnerable groups. Shadow for 50+ hours, including some primary care if possible. Get at least one more LOR from a science professor and one from non-science.

Do not go into the MCAT with the mindset that you’ll take it twice. That may be ok for other standardized tests, but this is something you want to do once and do right. Obviously things happen and you may have to take it twice, but don’t bank on that. It won’t be the end of the world if you have to retake, but it will prolong your suffering and won’t help your chances of admission.

Due to your lower GPA, you’ll want to start looking into the DO path. If you do great on the MCAT, you’ll have a chance at MD, but start thinking about DO as well in case your score isn’t 510+. Study full time (I’d recommend 400+ hours, depending on what kind of studier you are), and you’ll improve your chances at MD more so than a 0.03 GPA bump would.

 

[MDB12]

The volunteering hours from high school won’t count, unfortunately. So you need to find more volunteering (>150 hours each of clinical and nonclinical are recommended). Your scribe and MA work will count toward clinical, so you’re probably good there. Get non clinical volunteering with underserved/vulnerable groups. Shadow for 50+ hours, including some primary care if possible. Get at least one more LOR from a science professor and one from non-science.

Do not go into the MCAT with the mindset that you’ll take it twice. That may be ok for other standardized tests, but this is something you want to do once and do right. Obviously things happen and you may have to take it twice, but don’t bank on that. It won’t be the end of the world if you have to retake, but it will prolong your suffering and won’t help your chances of admission.

Due to your lower GPA, you’ll want to start looking into the DO path. If you do great on the MCAT, you’ll have a chance at MD, but start thinking about DO as well in case your score isn’t 510+. Study full time (I’d recommend 400+ hours, depending on what kind of studier you are), and you’ll improve your chances at MD more so than a 0.03 GPA bump would.

Thank you for your reply! I will definitely be looking into both DO and MD schools increase my chances. I also sent some emails to volunteering groups so I hope I get that in line soon too!

Would you say that my stats are appropriate to get into DO school, assuming I do decent on the MCAT?

 

[Saturday’s Child]

I’m definitely not an expert on that, but I think you can for sure find info out there on the average stats for DO matriculants. My gut tells me that you would have a solid chance.

 

[candbgirl]

Your sGPA is awfully low. I’m afraid it will impact your MCAT score! Don't take the MCAT until you are scoring at or above your goal on several FL practice tests! The average cGPA for MD matriculants is 3.7 and sGPA is 3.6+. So your GPAS are well below average! DO has lower stats but you really wont know anything until you get your MCAT score! So work on your ECs and study for the test!