Help creating a DO school list

[confusedoctobe]

Hi all!
I am starting the application process for 2018 matriculation and am confused by how to create a list of schools.
Bit about me:
-NY resident
-mcat 508; gpa 3.44 sgpa 3.29/3.02 (do/md) (ivy, not sure if that makes a difference)
-shadowed MD, gastro, primary care, OR time (trying to find a DO)
-a lot of volunteering work, research, etc...
-Looking at mostly DO schools and will apply to NY MD programs, maybe other MD programs as well, although not competitive

I am having trouble finding rankings and match rate scores for all DO schools and am not sure of which MD schools I'd have a chance at.

Anyone that is in the same boat or has already made a list, any advice is more than appreciated! I'd love to know:
-advice on DO schools to apply to/more info about differences in schools
-number of schools to apply
-any inspiring anecdote or words of wisdom

edit: recalculated my gpa with a more accurate method: DO sgpa went up! and the rest went down :'( Thank you all for the advice!

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[Dr. Rafiki]

You split your sgpa to account for DO/MD, so I assume you're not aware that grade replacement is gone? Your numbers should be exactly the same for both. As far as rankings go... there is no "official" ranking, though if you browse the pre-osteopathic down a little further you'll see several debate threads that likely ended in the ban hammer for our precious troll spacehamsterboo.

I'll say this: your sgpa will get you screened out of some schools(KCU, CUSOM) and I'm sure others. Best bet is to research where you won't get screened out, write a killer personal statement, SHADOW A DO, and you'll be fine to score at least some IIs.

Edit: that's a good MCAT and will certainly help your cause

 

[confusedoctobe]

You split your sgpa to account for DO/MD, so I assume you're not aware that grade replacement is gone? Your numbers should be exactly the same for both. As far as rankings go... there is no "official" ranking, though if you browse the pre-osteopathic down a little further you'll see several debate threads that likely ended in the ban hammer for our precious troll spacehamsterboo.

I'll say this: your sgpa will get you screened out of some schools(KCU, CUSOM) and I'm sure others. Best bet is to research where you won't get screened out, write a killer personal statement, SHADOW A DO, and you'll be fine to score at least some IIs.

Edit: that's a good MCAT and will certainly help your cause

Thank you! The science split is because of the different classes counting in MD vs. DO science gpas (correct me if I am wrong!)

 

[Dr. Rafiki]

You're welcome. The all-knowing @Goro can be much more helpful than I can, though.

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[DO2015CA]

You're correct in that DOs don't count math in the sgpa but they do count kinesiology. These are the two differences from when I applied.

 

[JB50]

You're correct in that DOs don't count math in the sgpa but they do count kinesiology. These are the two differences from when I applied.

+1. They can be different without grade replacement. My sGPA for DO was 3.59, MD was 3.42. Pretty big difference.

 

[Marrowist]

You need a DO letter. Apply early, apply broad. I would apply to every school you can afford, starting with the newer schools and NYITCOM.

 

[Goro]

Your sGPA is lethal for all MD schools and many DO as well (like mine).
Best to apply braodly to DO, especially the newest schools: ACOM, VCOM (all three), NYITCOM-AR, ARCOM, RVU-UT, LMU, Wm Carey.

But I advise against any school with mandatory lecture attendance (see the Allo forum for why).

Hi all!
I am starting the application process for 2018 matriculation and am confused by how to create a list of schools.
Bit about me:
-NY resident
-mcat 508; gpa 3.45 sgpa 3.26/3.05 (do/md) (ivy, not sure if that makes a difference)
-shadowed MD, gastro, primary care, OR time (trying to find a DO)
-a lot of volunteering work, research, etc...
-Looking at mostly DO schools and will apply to NY MD programs, maybe other MD programs as well, although not competitive

I am having trouble finding rankings and match rate scores for all DO schools and am not sure of which MD schools I'd have a chance at.

Anyone that is in the same boat or has already made a list, any advice is more than appreciated! I'd love to know:
-advice on DO schools to apply to/more info about differences in schools
-number of schools to apply
-any inspiring anecdote or words of wisdom

Not for DO; both numbers are great. Even for MD, the sGPA won't be lethal with a rising grade trend and a strategic school list.

+1. They can be different without grade replacement. My sGPA for DO was 3.59, MD was 3.42. Pretty big difference.

 

[DO2015CA]

@Goro which thread in allo

 

[Dr. Rafiki]

Isn't VCOM mandatory lecture attendance? I toured there(VA campus) > 1 year ago and I thought that's what they said

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[confusedoctobe]

You split your sgpa to account for DO/MD, so I assume you're not aware that grade replacement is gone? Your numbers should be exactly the same for both. As far as rankings go... there is no "official" ranking, though if you browse the pre-osteopathic down a little further you'll see several debate threads that likely ended in the ban hammer for our precious troll spacehamsterboo.

I'll say this: your sgpa will get you screened out of some schools(KCU, CUSOM) and I'm sure others. Best bet is to research where you won't get screened out, write a killer personal statement, SHADOW A DO, and you'll be fine to score at least some IIs.

Edit: that's a good MCAT and will certainly help your cause

Can you point me in the direction of science gpa cut-offs for DO schools. From what I have found on here and on school websites, the highest cutoff was 3.25 and most of them are lower than that.
Thank you!

 

[Dr. Rafiki]

Can you point me in the direction of science gpa cut-offs for DO schools. From what I have found on here and on school websites, the highest cutoff was 3.25 and most of them are lower than that.
Thank you!

I am not aware of any above 3.25 for DO schools. Are you positive of your 3.26? Have you verified your app and that's what it shows? Or is that your own calculation. I only ask because both my gpas were lower than my own calculations, and despite much fighting with AACOMAS, they only raised a little.

As goro said, the 3.05 would be lethal for all MD schools, and although you'd make the cutoff for DO schools at 3.26, the more competitive schools like his would still have a hard time considering you. Best to apply to all the new schools and see what happens. I had a lower cgpa AND sgpa than you and still scored an II. Your MCAT is great, should make up for everything else, so long as you write a very compelling personal statement and can secure influential LORs.

TL; DR - you should barely make the cutoff for all DO schools but will have the most success applying to newer schools due to sgpa.

 

[DO2015CA]

I'd also applying to established ones because you do meet the cut off and still got a 508 that's a decent score for DO schools

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

the more competitive schools like his would still have a hard time considering you

Eh with a 508 OP will be competitive everywhere outside of maybe CCOM. Even then you never know who will invite you for an interview. I agree with everything you said though, just wanted to point this out for OP.

 

[confusedoctobe]

I am not aware of any above 3.25 for DO schools. Are you positive of your 3.26? Have you verified your app and that's what it shows? Or is that your own calculation.

I redid the calculation more clearly and my sgpa raised, see edit.

I am from the northeast, so I will probably apply to most if not all schools there (NYIT, PCOM, LECOM, Touro...) I am definitely hoping that my mcat will help my poor sgpa a bit and I have a lot of faith in the rest of my application

 

[margs999]

I know this is a dumb question, but is there a way to verify your gpa before you apply? Im just barely over 3.0 and want to make sure ill get past screens :/

 

[Dr. Rafiki]

I know this is a dumb question, but is there a way to verify your gpa before you apply? Im just barely over 3.0 and want to make sure ill get past screens :/

Only one way: to complete and verify your AACOMAS application. This is usually done by selecting only 1 school to send the app to (a throwaway school, one you'd never go to) and pay that fee and send it in. AACOMAS then verifies your gpa by calculating it themselves and what they calculate is what is shown. I highly recommend OP does this as their gpa may very well be different than what he thought. And for a borderline candidate that could be a death sentence.

Once you do that you can go back and add more schools to send to whenever you want. Once it's verified, however, you cannot edit any grades or experiences. You can add new stuff, but not change old stuff.

 

[brew]

Only one way: to complete and verify your AACOMAS application. This is usually done by selecting only 1 school to send the app to (a throwaway school, one you'd never go to) and pay that fee and send it in. AACOMAS then verifies your gpa by calculating it themselves and what they calculate is what is shown. I highly recommend OP does this as their gpa may very well be different than what he thought. And for a borderline candidate that could be a death sentence.

Once you do that you can go back and add more schools to send to whenever you want. Once it's verified, however, you cannot edit any grades or experiences. You can add new stuff, but not change old stuff.

Why not apply to a single school the poster wanted to apply to that doesn't have screens or the screen is 2.75 c/sGPA instead?

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

The highest GPA screen I've seen floating around is 3.25 and as long as you have an upward grade trend in your sciences I think you'll be okay because you've also got a good MCAT.

IMO, as long as you have an upward trend, you can probably apply to any DO school you'd like to.

Like others have said, the whole "ranking" system for DO schools has been debated a lot on here.. But I think everybody generally agrees the state-affiliated schools (MSU, OSU, OUH) and the original 5 DO schools (KCU, ATSU-KCOM, PCOM, CCOM, DMU) are all great programs.