Denied Committee Letter

[SodaApplePeel]

Hello everyone,

A few months ago I posted about my options, whether or not I should apply DO or take an SMP and the resounding answer was apply DO.

Anyway, so I talked to my schools committee chair and they denied me a committee letter due to my low GPA.

Here are my stats

CGPA: 3.25
SGPA: 3.0
MCAT: 508

Extra-Curriculars:

* 300 hours as a state certified EMT for my University
*600 hours tutoring low-income & minority kids, in partnership with a government program
* 300 hours volunteering at a free health clinic, for those without health insurance. Our goal was to serve low-income and under-served populations.
*60 hours introducing STEM to high school students in poorer areas.
*50 hours volunteering for a safe housing organization, for low-income areas.
* 100 hours volunteering in an Emergency Departments
* 300 hours working in a lab on fuel cells
I don't know if this should be included on my app. aswell but i was an RA for two years. I can talk about how it lead to a growth in leadership and social skills but don't know if its relevant.
&
* 50 hours shadowing an EM MD physician
* 20 hours shadowing a DO Internal Medicine physician


Should I apply regardless of the committee letter? Or does this force me to go the postbacc/SMP route?

Thanks!

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[Goro]

DO schools aren't anal about committee LORs as are MD schools. thus, just collect individual LORs. If you can get a LOR from a DO, that will really help you. I have to warn you, you'd be autorejected from a number of DO schools, including mine. The sGPA is worrisome.

 

[Faha]

You could try some of the newer DO schools so consider all these:
ACOM
ARCOM
BCOM
WCU-COM
LMU-DCOM
UP-KYCOM
WVSOM
LUCOM
VCOM (all 3 schools )
UIWSOM
NYIT-Arkansas
RVU-Utah

 

[topsoil municipio]

why's ur gpas so low

 

[infectiousdisease101]

Have you heard of a LizzyM score? It combines your GPA and MCAT to see where you stand. Your LizzyM only makes the 34th percentile of all applicants and 14th percentile of matriculants. You should have gotten a 519 to offset your GPA. Keep in mind, I set my standards at the 75th percentile of all applicants, which a 519 would have gotten you.

IMO, do a Master's would it better because you'd have a thesis defense, and a dissertation under your belt. Also, keep in mind a lot of postbacc programs are meant to be career changers, not second chances. I know some that won't even consider science majors unless it's been a while since they've graduated.

 

[workaholic181]

Hello everyone,

A few months ago I posted about my options, whether or not I should apply DO or take an SMP and the resounding answer was apply DO.

Anyway, so I talked to my schools committee chair and they denied me a committee letter due to my low GPA.

Here are my stats

CGPA: 3.25
SGPA: 3.0
MCAT: 508

Extra-Curriculars:

* 300 hours as a state certified EMT for my University
*600 hours tutoring low-income & minority kids, in partnership with a government program
* 300 hours volunteering at a free health clinic, for those without health insurance. Our goal was to serve low-income and under-served populations.
*60 hours introducing STEM to high school students in poorer areas.
*50 hours volunteering for a safe housing organization, for low-income areas.
* 100 hours volunteering in an Emergency Departments
* 300 hours working in a lab on fuel cells
I don't know if this should be included on my app. aswell but i was an RA for two years. I can talk about how it lead to a growth in leadership and social skills but don't know if its relevant.
&
* 50 hours shadowing an EM MD physician
* 20 hours shadowing a DO Internal Medicine physician


Should I apply regardless of the committee letter? Or does this force me to go the postbacc/SMP route?

Thanks!

I was not denied a committee letter, but rather went about gathering my own and this is what I would recommend.
The most stringent DO LOR reuirements I have come across are:
-2 Science Professor LORS
-1 NON science LOR
-1 DO LOR

Most schools do not require a DO LOR but some do; IMO, most of the schools I applied to did require the 2 science lors and 1 non science lor. Getting these is up to you; hopefully you have had positive relationships with professors who could substantiate a good letter for you.

Good luck OP!

 

[Mwooster]

Have you heard of a LizzyM score? It combines your GPA and MCAT to see where you stand. Your LizzyM only makes the 34th percentile of all applicants and 14th percentile of matriculants. You should have gotten a 519 to offset your GPA. Keep in mind, I set my standards at the 75th percentile of all applicants, which a 519 would have gotten you.

IMO, do a Master's would it better because you'd have a thesis defense, and a dissertation under your belt. Also, keep in mind a lot of postbacc programs are meant to be career changers, not second chances. I know some that won't even consider science majors unless it's been a while since they've graduated.

Terrible take. The idea that a 519 is needed to "offset" his low GPAs are more in line with applications to MD schools. DO schools are more forgiving. His 508 is okay for DO, but like Goro said his sGPA is very worrisome.

A thesis-based master's would be a subpar option, especially for DO schools. OP would be better off to do a DIY post-bac to increase his sGPA or perhaps an SMP. There are plenty of special master's programs (SMPs) that are tailored for people who majored in the sciences seeking redemption/2nd chances who do not have ideal stats. Georgetown SMP is a famous and popular example.