Have I done enough?

[SML67]

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nsGPA- 3.38
sGPA-2.96
cGPA-3.23

MCAT1- 24Q
MCAT2- 26Q

ECs:
- hosted college radio show for 4 years
- played DIII Baseball
- work on the weekends at a home for the developmentally disabled since '08
- work during the week in materials management for surgery centers since March
- trained as both sterilization technician and surgical technician
- dispatcher for volunteer ambulance corps, taking EMT course this summer to begin responding
- undergrad research in cancer cell biology lab
- plan to shadow a DO

I know my GPA numbers are probably below average, just wanted to get a feel for my chances of getting into DO school. I feel good about my EC's and on my 2nd MCAT, by PS and BS scores each incresed by 2 points while my VR score dropped by 2 points. It is what it is. Really would prefer not to take the MCAT again unless it was absolutely necessary, but I feel I have a fighting chance. Would love to hear thoughts.

 

[SML67]

Also wanted to mention that I double majored in Jewish Studies and Psychology and minored in Biology. I had a very rough start in my first semester due to a poor transition after a year of studying abroad(GPA was 2.7 after my first semester and rose every semester after that).

 

[seap3]

What's the breakdown of your mcat? If one section was below a 7, you might get screened out of some schools. Your gpa looks ok to make it past the screening, unless there are some that also screen the sgpa. Some schools screen at 3.0, some are lower.

Do you have any clinical experience yet? You said you trained as a tech, but I don't know if that meant you had actual patient contact or just the training. Clinical experience with patient contact is really important to most DO schools.

Can you retake any courses to increase your gpa? Since AACOMAS has grade replacement, that might help a lot.

I'd say it's possible you could get in somewhere, but maybe not a real strong chance right now. If you added clinical experience, shadowing, and can get strong LORs you'd probably have a fairly good chance if you applied broadly.

 

[SML67]

Breakdown of my MCATs:

1st: 9V, 8B, 7P
2nd: 7V, 10B, 9P

No clinical experience yet, hoping to get some in this summer.

 

[seap3]

Breakdown of my MCATs:

1st: 9V, 8B, 7P
2nd: 7V, 10B, 9P

No clinical experience yet, hoping to get some in this summer.

The mcat is about average for DO schools, and it's good you don't have any sections below a 7.

Are you planning to apply this cycle or next cycle? It may be best to work on improving your app this year with shadowing & clinical experience and then apply early next cycle. That would probably give you a good shot at lower-mid tier DO schools. You'd have an even better shot if you could retake a couple science classes to get that sgpa above 3.0.

 

[SML67]

I am applying for the fall of 2011. I might be able to take some classes in the meantime to raise my GPA but what would the deadline be for submitting those scores?

 

[seap3]

I am applying for the fall of 2011. I might be able to take some classes in the meantime to raise my GPA but what would the deadline be for submitting those scores?

If you are applying this cycle, you won't have time to retake any classes.

I think you may want to consider waiting a cycle. Sometimes a lot of clinical experience can make up for a lower gpa, but you don't have any clinical experience or shadowing yet. I know you are planning it, but by the time you have a solid amount, it is going to be very late in the app cycle. It'll also look like you just threw it in there at the last minute to adcoms. With your stats, you might have had a slim shot if you had applied very early (like June).

 

[Catalystik]

I don't think you need to retake the MCAT again, but you do need to raise your sGPA with some high grades in upper-level science and in repeat classes where you did poorly the first time. Ideally, your AACOMAS transcript would show a year-by-year improvement in your grades, ending with your best performance.

I'd have concerns that adcomms won't be impressed with last minute acquisition of patient experience and shadowing, when your application should reflect some reasonable longevity in testing medicine as a career. Further, you don't mention any community service, which could also hurt you, being one of those "unwritten" expectations.

I know you're itching to submit. And maybe you'll get an acceptance, though I'm thinking that's iffy right now. Another year of work would open more doors for you, giving you more choices. I recommend that you wait a year, but if you choose to proceed, begin to plug all the holes mentioned, informing schools of your pertinent activities and new grades through update letters hoping to sway them in your favor. If worse comes to worst and you end up reapplying, you'll be in a stronger position a year from now.

And you do have some interesting ECs.