- Joined
- Jun 22, 2018
- Messages
- 79
- Reaction score
- 93
Hi all, thank you very much in advance for any input or feedback.
I have the pretty standard high MCAT/low GPA problem -- I'm below the 10th percentile GPA at almost every school, but above the 90th percentile MCAT, so I'm having a ton of trouble making a school list. To make matters worse, I actually have a downward trend in GPA. I took my first two years of classes at community college and did quite well in biochemistry prereqs. Unfortunately, I made the extremely bad decision in my junior year (first year at a 4-year school) to start the physics major, and add it to my biochem major. I did quite well in my junior year, including in my biochemistry classes (so hopefully adcoms can see high grades in 400 level biochem?). However, my GPA completely tanked my senior year. Each quarter, I was taking three or four separate 300 or 400 level physics classes at once, and my GPA was below 3.0 during this time. If you remove the physics classes, my GPA would be around 3.6. Sadly... you can't do that.
Also, I don't know if this will be taken into consideration, but I worked 20+ hours a week through the entirety of undergrad to fund the majority of my education, which definitely had an impact on my grades.
State: Not CA/TX/NY
Applicant: ORM
MCAT: 522 (130/130/131/131)
Science GPA: 3.35
Overall GPA: 3.40
Majors: Biochemistry, Physics
Research:
-600 hours in an undergraduate Biochem stem cell-focused lab. No pub. Presentation/poster at undergrad symposium.
Extra-curriculars:
-I graduated in 2017 and have worked full-time for the past two years at an analytical chemistry laboratory in a leadership role (manager)
-Worked two years at a restaurant to put myself through community college (20 hours a week during school, 40 during breaks)
-Worked four years after that at another restaurant, became a supervisor in my junior year of school (20 hours a week during school, 40 during breaks)
-Have written for a well-regarded sports blog for two and a half years (paid, average 3 posts a week, over 5000 views on each post)
-Honestly haven't done a ton else as far as clubs go. I hike, run, and play tennis, but I mostly worked to support myself through the entirety of college.
Clinical Volunteering:
-Extremely hands-on role at local children's hospital for over a year now, presently have 150 hours. Will continue for the next year and get another 150.
Non-Clinical Volunteering:
-Volunteered as a TA in a local high school chemistry class comprised of disadvantaged students - 100 hours
Shadowing:
-Oncology, 40 hours
Do I absolutely need a postbac to apply MD?
I have the pretty standard high MCAT/low GPA problem -- I'm below the 10th percentile GPA at almost every school, but above the 90th percentile MCAT, so I'm having a ton of trouble making a school list. To make matters worse, I actually have a downward trend in GPA. I took my first two years of classes at community college and did quite well in biochemistry prereqs. Unfortunately, I made the extremely bad decision in my junior year (first year at a 4-year school) to start the physics major, and add it to my biochem major. I did quite well in my junior year, including in my biochemistry classes (so hopefully adcoms can see high grades in 400 level biochem?). However, my GPA completely tanked my senior year. Each quarter, I was taking three or four separate 300 or 400 level physics classes at once, and my GPA was below 3.0 during this time. If you remove the physics classes, my GPA would be around 3.6. Sadly... you can't do that.
Also, I don't know if this will be taken into consideration, but I worked 20+ hours a week through the entirety of undergrad to fund the majority of my education, which definitely had an impact on my grades.
State: Not CA/TX/NY
Applicant: ORM
MCAT: 522 (130/130/131/131)
Science GPA: 3.35
Overall GPA: 3.40
Majors: Biochemistry, Physics
Research:
-600 hours in an undergraduate Biochem stem cell-focused lab. No pub. Presentation/poster at undergrad symposium.
Extra-curriculars:
-I graduated in 2017 and have worked full-time for the past two years at an analytical chemistry laboratory in a leadership role (manager)
-Worked two years at a restaurant to put myself through community college (20 hours a week during school, 40 during breaks)
-Worked four years after that at another restaurant, became a supervisor in my junior year of school (20 hours a week during school, 40 during breaks)
-Have written for a well-regarded sports blog for two and a half years (paid, average 3 posts a week, over 5000 views on each post)
-Honestly haven't done a ton else as far as clubs go. I hike, run, and play tennis, but I mostly worked to support myself through the entirety of college.
Clinical Volunteering:
-Extremely hands-on role at local children's hospital for over a year now, presently have 150 hours. Will continue for the next year and get another 150.
Non-Clinical Volunteering:
-Volunteered as a TA in a local high school chemistry class comprised of disadvantaged students - 100 hours
Shadowing:
-Oncology, 40 hours
Do I absolutely need a postbac to apply MD?
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