Continue research or increase volunteer hours - low gpa URM

[medgal98]

With my cGPA = 3.2 and sGPA =2.7 as well as being an African American woman, I understand that my best chance of acceptance is at schools that are more service based than research based.

By the time I apply next year, I am set to have 150 clinical volunteering hours ( hospital ED and hospice) and 150 non clinical volunteering hours (food bank/soup kitchen)
I was a research assistant in a psychology lab last semester which I’ve continued into this summer.

My question is this - for my senior year, should I drop the psychology lab and instead dedicate that time to clinical or non clinical volunteering to boost one of the two up to 300 hours by the time I apply?

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[907914]

With my cGPA = 3.2 and sGPA =2.7 as well as being an African American woman, I understand that my best chance of acceptance is at schools that are more service based than research based.

By the time I apply next year, I am set to have 150 clinical volunteering hours ( hospital ED and hospice) and 150 non clinical volunteering hours (food bank/soup kitchen)
I was a research assistant in a psychology lab last semester which I’ve continued into this summer.

My question is this - for my senior year, should I drop the psychology lab and instead dedicate that time to clinical or non clinical volunteering to boost one of the two up to 300 hours by the time I apply?

You are correct, you will be better off with a service oriented schools. If you can do more volunteering, I would say make it clinical to get the clinical experience.

Also, you didn’t list shadowing so just to make sure - you have shadowing too, right?

 

[deleted804295]

With my cGPA = 3.2 and sGPA =2.7 as well as being an African American woman, I understand that my best chance of acceptance is at schools that are more service based than research based.

By the time I apply next year, I am set to have 150 clinical volunteering hours ( hospital ED and hospice) and 150 non clinical volunteering hours (food bank/soup kitchen)
I was a research assistant in a psychology lab last semester which I’ve continued into this summer.

My question is this - for my senior year, should I drop the psychology lab and instead dedicate that time to clinical or non clinical volunteering to boost one of the two up to 300 hours by the time I apply?

Your GPA is in sticky territory. My cGPA was pretty low my Freshman year and I dropped all but two ECs my sophomore year so that I could focus on my GPA- best decision I've made in college.

I would suggest a gap year. Low GPAs are hard to counteract. If you could get that GPA to the 3.45-3.6 range you would have a lot more cushion space. As important as research is, a lot of research is only a make or break at research intensive t10 schools. Since your GPA is not in that range service related ECs would benefit you especially if you work with the underserved.

Try getting volunteering with underserved up to 1000s, if research isn't your thing and if you're not gunning for T10 I would drop it so you can place focus on service related ECs and your GPA

 

[907914]

up to 1000s

Eh this is pretty excessive. 200+ is more than sufficient.

Also, OP is African American female, her GPA is not make-or-break if her MCAT is >508.

Not saying that GPA repair wouldn’t be a good thing, but she may not need it with sufficient MCAT

 

[ppushpak]

I don't think your application is ready for next year with a 3.2 cGPA/2.7 sGPA even if you're URM. Instead of focusing on getting hours, focus on doing well in school. If you can't succeed in undergrad how will you succeed in medical school. You will likely need to do well your senior year (3.7+ GPA) and do well (3.7+) in a gap year where you take upper level at a CC or 4-yr University.

 

[907914]

I don't think your application is ready for next year with a 3.2 cGPA/2.7 sGPA even if you're URM. Instead of focusing on getting hours, focus on doing well in school. If you can't succeed in undergrad how will you succeed in medical school. You will likely need to do well your senior year (3.7+ GPA) and do well (3.7+) in a gap year where you take upper level at a CC or 4-yr University.

Eh, I change my mind. I concur.

 

[deleted804295]

Eh this is pretty excessive. 200+ is more than sufficient.

Also, OP is African American female, her GPA is not make-or-break if her MCAT is >508.

I don't give future advice based on race. It would be a disservice to OP by asking her to aim low and have her miss the mark rather than to tell her to aim high and have her make the mark.

 

[907914]

I don't give future advice based on race. It would be a disservice to OP by asking her to aim low and have her miss the mark rather than to tell her to aim high and have her make the mark.

Agreed. Mind changed!

 

[Goro]

With my cGPA = 3.2 and sGPA =2.7 as well as being an African American woman, I understand that my best chance of acceptance is at schools that are more service based than research based.

By the time I apply next year, I am set to have 150 clinical volunteering hours ( hospital ED and hospice) and 150 non clinical volunteering hours (food bank/soup kitchen)
I was a research assistant in a psychology lab last semester which I’ve continued into this summer.

My question is this - for my senior year, should I drop the psychology lab and instead dedicate that time to clinical or non clinical volunteering to boost one of the two up to 300 hours by the time I apply?

With a 2.7 sGPA, unless you have a steep rising GPA trend, no med school is going you any favors when you haven't shown that you can handle med school. You're < 10th %ile even at the three oldest HBCs, alas.

I suggest aceing a DIY post-bac or SMP.

 

[MyOdyssey]

With my cGPA = 3.2 and sGPA =2.7 as well as being an African American woman, I understand that my best chance of acceptance is at schools that are more service based than research based.

By the time I apply next year, I am set to have 150 clinical volunteering hours ( hospital ED and hospice) and 150 non clinical volunteering hours (food bank/soup kitchen)
I was a research assistant in a psychology lab last semester which I’ve continued into this summer.

My question is this - for my senior year, should I drop the psychology lab and instead dedicate that time to clinical or non clinical volunteering to boost one of the two up to 300 hours by the time I apply?

Focus on academics (GPA) and the MCAT. With your sGPA < 3.0, you are at risk of bombing the MCAT, which will include the topics covered in your premed prerequisites along with material in those subjects that your courses probably did not cover and the MCAT will test your knowledge at a high conceptual level in those subjects.

 

[medgal98]

You are correct, you will be better off with a service oriented schools. If you can do more volunteering, I would say make it clinical to get the clinical experience.

Also, you didn’t list shadowing so just to make sure - you have shadowing too, right?

Yes, so far I have about 25 hours of shadowing 2 pediatricians in a private practice. I am working on shadowing more primary care physicians and should hit 100 hours by application time

 

[medgal98]

Your GPA is in sticky territory. My cGPA was pretty low my Freshman year and I dropped all but two ECs my sophomore year so that I could focus on my GPA- best decision I've made in college.

I would suggest a gap year. Low GPAs are hard to counteract. If you could get that GPA to the 3.45-3.6 range you would have a lot more cushion space. As important as research is, a lot of research is only a make or break at research intensive t10 schools. Since your GPA is not in that range service related ECs would benefit you especially if you work with the underserved.

Try getting volunteering with underserved up to 1000s, if research isn't your thing and if you're not gunning for T10 I would drop it so you can place focus on service related ECs and your GPA

I am already set to take a gap year since I’m not applying until my senior year ends. Are you suggesting 2 gap years instead?

 

[medgal98]

I don't think your application is ready for next year with a 3.2 cGPA/2.7 sGPA even if you're URM. Instead of focusing on getting hours, focus on doing well in school. If you can't succeed in undergrad how will you succeed in medical school. You will likely need to do well your senior year (3.7+ GPA) and do well (3.7+) in a gap year where you take upper level at a CC or 4-yr University.

For a gap year taking upper level science courses, how many credits would you suggest?

 

[Goro]

For a gap year taking upper level science courses, how many credits would you suggest?

30

 

[medgal98]

Thank you all so much for your advice! @MemeLord @Sunbodi @ppushpak @Goro @MyOdyssey

 

[ppushpak]

I am already set to take a gap year since I’m not applying until my senior year ends. Are you suggesting 2 gap years instead?

I suggest you take two gap years (apply 2021-2022). Even with a 4.0 GPA in your senior year, your application seems very sparse

 

[gyngyn]

Yes, so far I have about 25 hours of shadowing 2 pediatricians in a private practice. I am working on shadowing more primary care physicians and should hit 100 hours by application time

You don't need more than 40 (even 30 hours in primary care is good). Use those extra hours for service.

 

[medgal98]

I have another post with more details on my application : Help with medical school list + improving my app
Please take a look and let me know if there’s anything else you suggest along with the 2 gap years!