Dark horse - advice needed

[laxgirl06]

Hi everyone, so I wanted to give some updates on my tentative application and ask for 'last-minute' insight/advice. (This is what my application is set to look like at the time of application)

MAIN Questions:
Would volunteering at a women's center be considered clinical or non-clinical volunteering?
Is it worth it to start shadowing a DO now? I have one I could shadow.
I wanted to have a very light courseload for the Spring in order to leave extra time for MCAT studying. Is it a good idea to take a J-term course (3 credits) and a full courseload (16 credits) but relatively easy classes to get my cGPA up to 3.57 or should I just stick with 10-13 credits to leave room for studying?
In terms of ECs, am I lacking? I have things that I do that are my passions but don't necessarily DIRECTLY relate to medicine? Thoughts on those? Thanks.

Applicant Demographics:
Female URM, non-first generation
Middle-class
College institution is not in the top 100

GPA/MCAT
cGPA - 3.57 --- question below
sGPA- unknown (~3.5)
MCAT Goal: 520
GPA trends: Roughly:
Freshman year
Fall 3.5 Spring 3.5
Sophomore year
Fall 3.0 (worst semester) Spring 3.5
Junior year
Fall 3.7 Spring - 3.33 (unfortunate situation w/ elective course -C)
Senior year
Fall 4.0 Spring 4.0

Work/Activities
Work - no work experience
Activities-3 yr leadership position (founder), musical group member, one year leadership position(treasurer), fictional composition (novel writing, poetry, etc.)
"Special skills"
Play an instrument, intermediate Spanish speaker
Volunteering
Non-clinical = 50 hours
Clinical = 20 hours
* See above
Research
2 semesters - microbiology, one poster session
2 semesters- biology, several poster sessions
also pursuing departamental honors in bio (senior research project, etc.)
Primary care research - 1 summer
Translational research - 1 summer
Shadowing
20 hours, MD, neuro
4 hours, MD, ER
4 hours, MD, onco
8 hours, MD,ENT
4 hours, MD, GP
4 hours, MD, onco
Working on starting DO shadowing - LOR may be received

Patient Contact
ER volunteer position, shadowing?
Summer Internships
3 (by the end of this summer, 2/3 would have been at Ivy-league institutions)
Letters of Evaluation
Non-science (covered)
Science (covered)
DO LOR- currently working on it* See above

Essay
Will not be a problem
Projected Interview Performance
Will not be a problem

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[ScreenName23]

Would volunteering at a women's center be considered clinical or non-clinical volunteering?
Is it worth it to start shadowing a DO now? I have one I could shadow.
I wanted to have a very light courseload for the Spring in order to leave extra time for MCAT studying. Is it a good idea to take a J-term course (3 credits) and a full courseload (16 credits) but relatively easy classes to get my cGPA up to 3.57 or should I just stick with 10-13 credits to leave room for studying?
In terms of ECs, am I lacking? I have things that I do that are my passions but don't necessarily DIRECTLY relate to medicine? Thoughts on those? Thanks.

1)If you are interacting with patients, it is definitely clinical.
2) Start shadowing a DO now if you are interested in going to DO school and have the time while taking classes.
3)I did the same thing for my first MCAT (took fewer courses in the spring to study) found that it was NOT enough time to study. Also given your GPA it could be beneficial to just focus on doing well in class rather than also studying for the MCAT (not that you don't have a good GPA, because you do, just that it could be better to focus on keeping that up rather than adding the MCAT especially if you are trying to improve your GPA)
4) Your ECs look good though it's hard to know without knowing what they were exactly. Service to those less fortunate than yourself is always a good thing in your nonclinical volunteering...

MCAT Goal: 520

That's pretty hard to predict! Although it's great to aim high, only ~2% of test takers get that score so if that's your goal, just studying during spring semester may not be enough (but who knows? I'm sure you'll do great when the time comes!).

 

[JibsGuy52]

Come back with your MCAT score. 520 is a very difficult score, albeit, not impossible.

 

[candbgirl]

Your ECs are very weak. What happens at the Women's Center? It's hard to determine if it's medically related without this information. But even if it isn't clinical it would be volunteering -nonclinical. So you need to figure out what the Women's Center is and then find another opportunities to cover the gaps. Most people have around 50 hours of shadowing, so again 20 hours is low. Set up shadowing with the DO ASAP. What URM group do you represent? When are you planning to apply? Have you considered a GAP year? You have much to do activity wise in addition to studying for the MCAT and finishing your degree. This is kind of a lot to do in a few months(assuming you plan to apply in June 2017). A 520 MCAT is a pretty lofty goal. I'm all for pushing yourself and expecting the best of yourself but try to be realistic so you aren't disappointed. And remember don't apply until you have the best application possible. Even if that means you take a Gap year or two. You only really want to apply once with the best and strongest application possible. Good luck.


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[laxgirl06]

Your ECs are very weak. What happens at the Women's Center? It's hard to determine if it's medically related without this information. But even if it isn't clinical it would be volunteering -nonclinical. So you need to figure out what the Women's Center is and then find another opportunities to cover the gaps. Most people have around 50 hours of shadowing, so again 20 hours is low. Set up shadowing with the DO ASAP. What URM group do you represent? When are you planning to apply? Have you considered a GAP year? You have much to do activity wise in addition to studying for the MCAT and finishing your degree. This is kind of a lot to do in a few months(assuming you plan to apply in June 2017). A 520 MCAT is a pretty lofty goal. I'm all for pushing yourself and expecting the best of yourself but try to be realistic so you aren't disappointed. And remember don't apply until you have the best application possible. Even if that means you take a Gap year or two. You only really want to apply once with the best and strongest application possible. Good luck.


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So you are saying I should start new activities now? Just to put on my application?
It is focused on helping sexual assault survivors and women in general. Do you mean 50 hours of volunteering? Because I have 65 of shadowing up to date(forgot to update). African-American, June 2017, I'm taking one gap year, and yes, I am doing the work to reach the goal.

 

[candbgirl]

I'm not telling you to do anything. You asked for"last minute insight/advice"! You also asked about volunteering at a Women's Center and if you should start shadowing a DO. So it seems to me that you knew you would " ...start new activities now? Just to put on your application?" . But whatever. It's your application. You need way more hours in the areas of clinical and non clinical. I think the Women's Center would be great for nonclinical volunteering. It doesn't sound clinical to me but what a wonderful opportunity to help women in need. So that leaves you with 20 clinical hours which, whether you want to hear it and accept it, just isn't enough.


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[laxgirl06]

I'm not telling you to do anything. You asked for"last minute insight/advice"! You also asked about volunteering at a Women's Center and if you should start shadowing a DO. So it seems to me that you knew you would " ...start new activities now? Just to put on your application?" . But whatever. It's your application. You need way more hours in the areas of clinical and non clinical. I think the Women's Center would be great for nonclinical volunteering. It doesn't sound clinical to me but what a wonderful opportunity to help women in need. So that leaves you with 20 clinical hours which, whether you want to hear it and accept it, just isn't enough.


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So then yes, you are telling me to add more clinical hours and volunteering hours just for my application. I can tell that you obviously misunderstood/made assumptions. Working at the women's center is something I am passionate about. The nature of the clinical opportunities available to me at the moment are not something I enjoyed doing or was passionate about. That's what I meant by 'just for my application.' I'm not passionate about becoming a DO, etc. But from my understanding you value hours more than passion so I guess that's all I needed to hear from you. Yes, a 520 is an extremely lofty goal, but when you make an internal resolve to accomplish a goal, and your vision is so clear and compelling that you wake up every morning eager to work towards it, nothing can stop you, not skepticism, not "the odds," nothing. Good luck to you, too.

 

[JustaDO]

So much passive aggression, but still a classic example of asking for advice, only to already have decided what you wanted to hear already.

You are aiming for a 98 percentile score on the MCAT and projecting 4.0's for your senior year due to internal resolve?

Ironically, Candbgirl had almost the exact same response to your previous drama.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/emergency-pre-med-advice-applying-next-year.1194282/

Good luck with your multiple application cycles.

 

[darknecrosforte]

Saw "Dark Horse" and thought you were affiliated with 3rd Battalion 5th Marines -_-

 

[candbgirl]

So much passive aggression, but still a classic example of asking for advice, only to already have decided what you wanted to hear already.

You are aiming for a 98 percentile score on the MCAT and projecting 4.0's for your senior year due to internal resolve?

Ironically, Candbgirl had almost the exact same response to your previous drama.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/emergency-pre-med-advice-applying-next-year.1194282/

Good luck with your multiple application cycles.

Some things never change. That's the thing about SDN. People ask for help, others come and give it based on experience and the people asking really don't want good advice. Rather they want affirmation from someone, anyone really, that what they have already decided is just fine. And then they get nasty when they don't get it. Oh well...


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[laxgirl06]

So much passive aggression, but still a classic example of asking for advice, only to already have decided what you wanted to hear already.

You are aiming for a 98 percentile score on the MCAT and projecting 4.0's for your senior year due to internal resolve?

Ironically, Candbgirl had almost the exact same response to your previous drama.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/emergency-pre-med-advice-applying-next-year.1194282/

Good luck with your multiple application cycles.

Hahahaha, thanks for your support but trust me, my fate is not determined by any one of you. You never know the future. No one on this earth does. You may look down upon people today, but be ashamed for doing so tomorrow. I am not one to accept people's limitations as my fate, but I wanted to see if there was a rationale person who could answer some things I had. Nothing more and nothing less.There are greater forces at play which are more powerful than the negativity ones you are possessed by. Your voices mean nothing compared to that voice. You, candbgirl, etc. good luck in life. If you were so self-fulfilled you wouldn't feel the need to try to kill someone else's dream or mock it. No one's fate is determined on anyone on this Earth. No one has that power. Have a blessed day.

 

[JustaDO]

No one knows the future, but you are positive that you are going to make a 520 on a exam you haven't taken yet. I see.

If it seems like everyone else is wrong, more then likely, there's something you are missing. My recommendation: a jacket as the world can get quite cold

 

[Lawpy]

My recommendation: a jacket as the world can get quite cold

That's actually one of the deepest recommendations i have read on SDN. Well said

 

[Mclovin0351]

Saw "Dark Horse" and thought you were affiliated with 3rd Battalion 5th Marines -_-

Such a disappointment right

 

[Mclovin0351]

For some actual advice. I think your best bet is to focus on school in your senior year and try to bump that gpa up. Obviously continue as much research and EC's as possible but focus on classes. Graduate, take the summer off and study hardcore for the MCAT for 2-4 months. When your practice exam scores are consistently 505+ (some people never reach that), take the MCAT. I also recommend at least 10 full lengths before taking the real deal.

Take the rest of the gap year to WORK and add some volunteering, then get your app in day one. Your app is already really strong just beef up that gpa and get a decent MCAT score. Wouldn't be surprised to see some top 20 love if you crush the MCAT.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

but when you make an internal resolve to accomplish a goal, and your vision is so clear and compelling that you wake up every morning eager to work towards it, nothing can stop you, not skepticism, not "the odds," nothing. Good luck to you, too.

This is a myth that only exists in fairytales and sports movies. Next spring we will see a thread with the words "MCAT 498 where should I apply? MD ONLY" followed by a school list of mainly top 20s. Do you think you are so special that you will be the only student to ever want a 520 and study to hit that every day?

 

[shopsteward]

So then yes, you are telling me to add more clinical hours and volunteering hours just for my application. [...] The nature of the clinical opportunities available to me at the moment are not something I enjoyed doing or was passionate about.

This is the most troubling part of OP's posts to me: being picky about being in a clinical situation when still a pre-med seems a poor indicator for long-term success in future clinical situations. OP should be sure not to put "I didn't volunteer much because I didn't like the clinical opportunities available to me" on applications.