Fixing a GPA - Need advice on next moves (DIY or SMP)

[Mosis Jones]

Hi all. I am a recent undergraduate who graduated from a top ~20 school and needed some advice on my next steps in the med school process. I am aiming mainly for MD but would be open to a few DO options as well.

Here are my stats:
ORM
521 MCAT, I crammed for only a month, so I feel like I can bring this up if needed
3.25 cGPA, 3.2 sGPA. Mostly an upward trend: Had 3.8-4.0 past 2 semesters, but had to take leave of absence on account of death in family the last semester and finished with a 3.0 the last semester.
C's in Organic Chem II and Calc II. Lot's of B's in other science classes unfortunately.
Good amount of research (~400 hours), publication coming soon hopefully
Good volunteering hours (~200 in hospital, 400 in hospice care)
Shadowed in liver ICU for a semester

I was admitted to the Tufts MBS Post Bac as well as BU MAMS. I sent a deposit to Tufts but due to financial struggles am not sure if this is the best choice (it's 70K+ and I'm from a first generation immigrant family). The main thing I need to fix in my application is my GPA and was thinking of staying in my undergraduate city, continuing paid research and volunteering at hospitals, and doing a DIY post bac at the state university. What do you guys think? Which option should I pursure, the MBS or the DIY? And if I do DIY what classes should I take/retake?

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[Goro]

EDIT:
I apologize, OP, I didn't read your post thoroughly. I should stop reading SDN when I'm walking the stupid dog.

That last semester will be lethal to your chances. Undulating GPAs trends are not good..what they tell Adcoms is that you'll struggle in med school.

Were you not able to withdraw that last semester? Why did you try to bulldoze your way through? This raises the specter of judgement issues as well.

So, now, read this:
Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention

And work on coping skills.

 

[frog301]

mcat is good, but gpa is a bit low for mid-high tier MD programs; perhaps they'll forgive you for the upward trend? definitely competitive for majority of DO schools

 

[tekkenman11]

Post bac is probably better for you. Just apply broadly and also to a couple of DOs.

 

[M1i]

I suggest the following:
Case
BU
Duke
Pitt
Mayo
Hofstra
Tufts
U Miami
Tulane
The Philly Triplets
Gtown
Wayne State
U VM
EVMS
Your state schools
GWU
SLU
Creighton
MCW
Nova MD
Wake
Dartmouth
Rochester
Western MI
U WV
VCU
Oakland B
Any DO program. I can't recommend Touro-NY, Nova, Wm Carey, LUCOM, for different reasons. MSUCOM? Read up on Larry Nasser and you decide.

Hey Goro, Just out of curiosity, I’ve seen posts with similar GPA’s solicit a different response. One that includes post back or smp. What about the OPs application makes you suggest otherwise?

 

[DrStephenStrange]

Hey Goro, Just out of curiosity, I’ve seen posts with similar GPA’s solicit a different response. One that includes post back or smp. What about the OPs application makes you suggest otherwise?

These are probably MD schools that are more forgiving when they see an upward trend aka reinvention. But OP is competitive for all DO schools upward trend or not though.

Sent from my SM-G950U using SDN mobile

 

[Goro]

Hey Goro, Just out of curiosity, I’ve seen posts with similar GPA’s solicit a different response. One that includes post back or smp. What about the OPs application makes you suggest otherwise?

I've edited my post. The list I had was my list of schools I know that reward reinvention. OP had a nice Nike swish-shaped trend until that last lethal semester.

 

[M1i]

I've edited my post. The list I had was my list of schools I know that reward reinvention. OP had a nice Nike swish-shaped trend until that last lethal semester.

But are you implying that an upward trend would have salvaged OP’s application, despite his\her GPA? Had it not been for that final semester

 

[Goro]

But are you implying that an upward trend would have salvaged OP’s application, despite his\her GPA? Had it not been for that final semester

Yes. Rising trends are always good