DECIDING WHAT TO DO: cGPA 3.4, sGPA 3.0, MCAT 27T

[BigDreams113]

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Hi!

I need some honest, real advice (feel free to be as brutal as you wish, considering the 3.0 sGPA, which I am very aware is a huge red flag).

Here are my stats:
Major in human biology.
Minor in classics.
CA resident.
cGPA: 3.4
sGPA: 3.0 (no D's or F's, just 1 C and a bunch of B-'s and B's)
Definitely didn't do as well as I should have my first two years; the second two years my quarter GPA's did not drop below 3.5.

Served on executive board (president of one) of two clubs.
Internship teaching underprivileged youths about health and sciences.
Research for 2 years (no publications).
Chancellor's Service Award for excellence in community work.
No DO shadowing (yet), plan on doing this soon.
LORs from 1 hardcore science professor, 1 liberal arts professor, have more options in both areas.
Hundreds of hours volunteering in hospital, at camps for children with terminal illness, etc.
Applying June 2014 (for the fall of 2015).

What I am doing now:
Working as veterinary assistant during time off (thought it would be fun to try something new!)
Retaking MCAT in September
Retaking 2-3 science courses between Jan-May 2014 at a community college (for financial reasons).

What do you think my chances are for DO school in the June 2014 cycle? I'm hoping to boost that GPA and MCAT score a bit. The schools I'm really gunning for are WUCOM and LECOM, but I'm at a loss in terms of confidence, and I would appreciate some school recommendations as well.

Any advice on what do to in terms of my time off? What I should focus on/look into/strengthen? (Obviously the sGPA).

Any and all advice would be SO, SO APPRECIATED! THANK YOU!!

 

[GypsyHummus]

Lol, we are like stat buddies. From what everyone on the forums say, that 3.0 sGPA needs to be 3.2 to have a decent shot. Lucky for all of us, DO schools do grade replacement. Add to that the fact you have a solid MCAT score (I would NOT retake it), good Extra curricula's, and a upward trend, I see no reason a DO school would not take a chance on you.

Good luck!

Hi!

I need some honest, real advice (feel free to be as brutal as you wish, considering the 3.0 sGPA, which I am very aware is a huge red flag).

Here are my stats:
Major in human biology.
Minor in classics.
CA resident.
cGPA: 3.4
sGPA: 3.0 (no D's or F's, just 1 C and a bunch of B-'s and B's)
Definitely didn't do as well as I should have my first two years; the second two years my quarter GPA's did not drop below 3.5.

Served on executive board (president of one) of two clubs.
Internship teaching underprivileged youths about health and sciences.
Research for 2 years (no publications).
Chancellor's Service Award for excellence in community work.
No DO shadowing (yet), plan on doing this soon.
LORs from 1 hardcore science professor, 1 liberal arts professor, have more options in both areas.
Hundreds of hours volunteering in hospital, at camps for children with terminal illness, etc.
Applying June 2014 (for the fall of 2015).

What I am doing now:
Working as veterinary assistant during time off (thought it would be fun to try something new!)
Retaking MCAT in September
Retaking 2-3 science courses between Jan-May 2014 at a community college (for financial reasons).

What do you think my chances are for DO school in the June 2014 cycle? I'm hoping to boost that GPA and MCAT score a bit. The schools I'm really gunning for are WUCOM and LECOM, but I'm at a loss in terms of confidence, and I would appreciate some school recommendations as well.

Any advice on what do to in terms of my time off? What I should focus on/look into/strengthen? (Obviously the sGPA).

Any and all advice would be SO, SO APPRECIATED! THANK YOU!!

 

[NavyDoc23]

I agree with the above. You GPA is kinda a red flag, but you won't get auto-screened out. So do well in your next year classes! Your MCAT is fine for DO, so you wouldn't have to retake it, unless you really think you can improve by at least 3. Also, make sure you get that shadowing in. Try getting a rec letter from that DO as well.

 

[Temperature101]

Hi!

I need some honest, real advice (feel free to be as brutal as you wish, considering the 3.0 sGPA, which I am very aware is a huge red flag).

Here are my stats:
Major in human biology.
Minor in classics.
CA resident.
cGPA: 3.4
sGPA: 3.0 (no D's or F's, just 1 C and a bunch of B-'s and B's)
Definitely didn't do as well as I should have my first two years; the second two years my quarter GPA's did not drop below 3.5.

Served on executive board (president of one) of two clubs.
Internship teaching underprivileged youths about health and sciences.
Research for 2 years (no publications).
Chancellor's Service Award for excellence in community work.
No DO shadowing (yet), plan on doing this soon.
LORs from 1 hardcore science professor, 1 liberal arts professor, have more options in both areas.
Hundreds of hours volunteering in hospital, at camps for children with terminal illness, etc.
Applying June 2014 (for the fall of 2015).

What I am doing now:
Working as veterinary assistant during time off (thought it would be fun to try something new!)
Retaking MCAT in September
Retaking 2-3 science courses between Jan-May 2014 at a community college (for financial reasons).

What do you think my chances are for DO school in the June 2014 cycle? I'm hoping to boost that GPA and MCAT score a bit. The schools I'm really gunning for are WUCOM and LECOM, but I'm at a loss in terms of confidence, and I would appreciate some school recommendations as well.

Any advice on what do to in terms of my time off? What I should focus on/look into/strengthen? (Obviously the sGPA).

Any and all advice would be SO, SO APPRECIATED! THANK YOU!!

You should be ok for low tier DO... Apply to ACOM, LMU-DCOM, CUSOM, WVSOM, VCOM, SOMA ....

 

[user3]

You should be ok for low tier DO... Apply to ACOM, LMU-DCOM, CUSOM, WVSOM, VCOM, SOMA ....

MUCOM, LECOM's, WCU, NSU, KCOM and TOURO ny are good choices too.

You are fine, quit fussing and start applying. Shadow and get letter from DO ASAP.

 

[Underdog2013]

I agree with the above post. You're fine for a DO school statswise. Anything above a 3.0 is fine to be honest. As you are now, the schools will wonder why you want to be a DO when you have no experience with DOs-- That would be a red flag, they may think you're just going DO because you think your stats aren't good enough for MD (if that's the case, then you can still be an MD if you want to. Don't think you have to be a DO). So if you shadow and really get to know a DO and get a letter of rec from them (as most DO schools require) you'll be good to go. RVUCOM would also be a good one to apply to.

 

[Goro]

Get your MCAT up to into the high 20s+, and you'll be fine for the next app cycle.

Hi!

I need some honest, real advice (feel free to be as brutal as you wish, considering the 3.0 sGPA, which I am very aware is a huge red flag).

Here are my stats:
Major in human biology.
Minor in classics.
CA resident.
cGPA: 3.4
sGPA: 3.0 (no D's or F's, just 1 C and a bunch of B-'s and B's)
Definitely didn't do as well as I should have my first two years; the second two years my quarter GPA's did not drop below 3.5.

Served on executive board (president of one) of two clubs.
Internship teaching underprivileged youths about health and sciences.
Research for 2 years (no publications).
Chancellor's Service Award for excellence in community work.
No DO shadowing (yet), plan on doing this soon.
LORs from 1 hardcore science professor, 1 liberal arts professor, have more options in both areas.
Hundreds of hours volunteering in hospital, at camps for children with terminal illness, etc.
Applying June 2014 (for the fall of 2015).

What I am doing now:
Working as veterinary assistant during time off (thought it would be fun to try something new!)
Retaking MCAT in September
Retaking 2-3 science courses between Jan-May 2014 at a community college (for financial reasons).

What do you think my chances are for DO school in the June 2014 cycle? I'm hoping to boost that GPA and MCAT score a bit. The schools I'm really gunning for are WUCOM and LECOM, but I'm at a loss in terms of confidence, and I would appreciate some school recommendations as well.

Any advice on what do to in terms of my time off? What I should focus on/look into/strengthen? (Obviously the sGPA).

Any and all advice would be SO, SO APPRECIATED! THANK YOU!!

 

[BigDreams113]

I'm going to apply to lower tier MDs and DOs for the next cycle. Even with the retakes, though, do you think that MD is even worth applying to? I'm a bit torn; MD has always been what I aimed for, but I learned a ton of stuff about DOs my final year in school (and fell in love with the LECOM admissions counselors who I spoke to), and I delved into the DO world after that.

What do you think? Thanks for all the advice!

 

[iWillOneDay]

I agree with the above post. You're fine for a DO school statswise. Anything above a 3.0 is fine to be honest. As you are now, the schools will wonder why you want to be a DO when you have no experience with DOs-- That would be a red flag, they may think you're just going DO because you think your stats aren't good enough for MD (if that's the case, then you can still be an MD if you want to. Don't think you have to be a DO). So if you shadow and really get to know a DO and get a letter of rec from them (as most DO schools require) you'll be good to go. RVUCOM would also be a good one to apply to.

Don't listen to this guy.

 

[user3]

I'm going to apply to lower tier MDs and DOs for the next cycle. Even with the retakes, though, do you think that MD is even worth applying to? I'm a bit torn; MD has always been what I aimed for, but I learned a ton of stuff about DOs my final year in school (and fell in love with the LECOM admissions counselors who I spoke to), and I delved into the DO world after that.

What do you think? Thanks for all the advice!

You are FINE for DO if you apply BROADLY this cycle. Someone with similar stats to you got 7 interviews last year, in fact. Someone even got an interview from NSU with 3.08/3.05/27 this year. Just find a DO to shadow and you should be set.