Medical Do I have a chance at medical school and what should I do to strengthen application?

[Goro]

Hello, I am interested in applying to medical school next year and was wondering if someone would be able to provide feedback concerning my current stats and answer some of the additional questions I have below. I would greatly appreciate any assistance.

Nontraditional Student:
Undergrad GPA: 3.098 (BS Biology)
Would AMCAS/AACOMAS calculate my GPA when I enter my information?
If not, would my application be flagged if I listed my undergrad GPA as a 3.1?

Science undergrad GPA:3.18 (includes courses from both my undergrad institution and CC)
MCAT: 495


Post Grad Activities:
Primary Care Clinic for underserved residents: ~250 hours
Medical Scribe: 6 months, (2-3 days/week)
Food and Clothing Volunteer at my local community food bank: 10 months (2-3x/month 4-5hrs/shift; probably close to 100hrs)

Grad School Activities:
Current gGPA: 3.5 (16 credits so far)
Pre-Healthcare Student Organization (Spring 2020): students interested in careers in the healthcare field participate in projects in the local community and provide medical assistance during service trips abroad.

Food Prep Volunteer: (June 2020-August 2020; 30 hours completed so far): Help prepare and distribute meals to children in summer camps and the community.

My questions:
1. Do you have any recommendations as to how I can enhance my stats for next year besides boosting my MCAT score, maintaining/increasing my GPA, searching for more clinical and nonclinical volunteer opportunities, and finding shadowing opportunities?

2. What should I do to introduce myself to the medical schools that I am interested in applying to next year?
I’ve noticed some students in the pre-med forums were advised to reach out to the clubs/organizations (ex: SNMA) at their schools of interest in order to get acquainted with the current students.

3. Based on my current stats, would it have been recommended to at least try applying this cycle and see what would have happened?

4. What GPA & MCAT score should I aim for in order to be competitive applicant at MD and DO schools?

1) You need to ace another 16 or so credits in upper level science courses. AND, if needed, retake and ace any pre-reqs where you got a C- or worse.
2) I think my wise colleagues @Mr.Smile12 or @lord999 can better answer that than I can
3) 3.7+ gGPA for MD, 3.5+ for DO
MCAT:
513+ for MD
510 for your state MD school(s)
505+ for DO

Read this:

• Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention

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[Mr.Smile12]

2) I think it's a great idea to connect with current students at the schools where you are most interested in through recruitment fairs, on-campus open houses, and conferences where prehealth students can interact with current students. They will be your future peers and colleagues throughout your professional career.

 

[Goro]

With regards to retaking courses in which I received a C- or below, I retook a D in Organic Chem 1 and received a C and took Orgo 2 and received C+. Would you advise retaking a full year of Organic Chem to help average out these grades?

Yes. When you retake a course, you're expect to do a lot better. Going from a D to a C shows that you are barely competent int he material. Doesn't bode well for MCAT


Otherwise, my only other C-/below grade was in Developmental Biology. Instead of retaking this course, should I look for other upper level bio courses to take such as Immunology or Genetics?

No, just do better in other upper level courses.

How are W's, C's, and audited courses on grad transcripts viewed? I have one W and no C's so far. I'm assuming additional Ws will not look good to the admissions committee when I apply next year as this might communicate that I have trouble handling the rigor of medical school courses (my grad program consists of courses that students would take in their professional programs).

Nobody cares about audited courses.

A sea of scattered Ws in a transcript telegraph that one is engaging in GPA protection. An entire semester of Ws implies a life event and the student is doing exactly what the Ws are meant for.

Cs early in your academic career imply that you weren't ready for college. Cs late in your career imply that you still have trouble with challenging coursework, and are a risky candidate for med school.