Do I have any chance?

[cannedBees]

Hello!

I hope you all are doing well.
I'm wondering about my chances of getting into any med school - Virginia Tech is my dream school, but I will literally go anywhere that'll take me.

I am a junior at a very """prestigious"""" college (in quotes because the school is basically a giant smokescreen, professors are usually a joke, and you learn primarily from undertrained TA's. you're better off learning from Kahn Academy most of the time). I was recruited as an athlete, but have since left the sport and focused on academics. However, since I was recruited as an athlete, the courses and academic rigor are constantly beyond my limitations, and I basically pull straight B's while scrambling to finish my biology degree.
So, my stats so far------

-a 3.1 overall GPA (thanks to 2 years of varsity sports and general horrible grades freshman year; I'm hoping to pull up to a 3.2 or 3.3 before graduation)
- over 100 hours "volunteering" for neurology research, and currently spending 9 hours a week helping out with MRI scans and studies (a lot of participant interaction) as a "volunteer" for now (hoping to get paid soon)
-PLENTY of prior job experience (everything from swim instructor to hospitality manager), and great employer recommendations (I've been working since 15)
-2 years of varsity athletics (and a national championship, whatever that's worth), with 8 years of training before that
-I'm a good writer. It doesn't show here, but I can write a good essay.
- I'm taking the MCAT next January. Haven't started studying yet.
-My grades have improved since last year- a couple A's, mostly B's (thanks, physics)

No one in my immediate family is a doctor, and can't really offer any support(although my brother's in dental school). I'm anxious just thinking about medical school and feel completely hopeless, especially since my peers are all doing incredible, brilliant things while I'm working my butt off just to "stay average".

Does anyone have an opinion on whether or not I should keep pursuing medical school? When do you quit? I need to know if this dream is out of reach so I can start developing alternative career paths.

Thanks, and best,

CB

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[frosted2]

Gotta get those grades up... medical schools expect A's and med school will be significantly harder than undergrad at a much quicker pace. What makes you want to pursue medicine? Are you doing it to "keep up with your peers?"

Redemption is definitely not impossible, but you need to make sure you are doing it for the right reasons!

 

[cannedBees]

Gotta get those grades up... medical schools expect A's and med school will be significantly harder than undergrad at a much quicker pace. What makes you want to pursue medicine? Are you doing it to "keep up with your peers?"

Redemption is definitely not impossible, but you need to make sure you are doing it for the right reasons!

I enjoy dissection and biology, I love people (would like to be a pediatrician), and I want to help others - also, my hands are extremely steady, and I can work under high-stake situations. It seems like a really good fit, and I've aimed to be in medicine since I was 6. Not really sure what the initial appeal was, but it's been a goal for a very long time, and I've already given up other passions and opportunities to pursue this. At this point, its starting to feel like the "only" thing I can do, since every aspect of my life has been geared towards it.

Thank you for your comment!

 

[Faha]

Where is your state of residence? Are you URM?

 

[DrStephenStrange]

If you don't mind going DO, you'd be competitive enough for most DO schools with a 3.3 GPA (assuming your science GPA is about 3.2+) and a 505+ MCAT

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[candbgirl]

We really can’t help you until you have a MCAT score. Don’t take it until you are consistently scoring at or above your goal/target score. Your GPA and projected GPA are pretty low for MD but you might have luck applying to
DO schools. Keep up with your ECs and let us know where you are with GPAs(s and c) after you get your MCAT score.

 

[cannedBees]

Where is your state of residence? Are you URM?

I'm in California (school-wise). I'm looking to get out as soon as possible.