Help! Please help me in choosing the right path to take

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DannySCR

DannySCR

Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost
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Hey Everyone,
I'm trying to figure out what I should do. I'm a Senior and I've already decided that I'm going to take a gap year due to a variety of factors, with the major one being I took the MCAT a bit too late and was hit off guard.

cGPA: 3.415 ( Hopefully I'll be able to hit the 3.5 mark by the time I graduate)
MCAT: 11/11/8= 30 ( I'm scheduled to take another MCAT in January and hopefully bump it up, if I'm not ready by not then I'll reschedule it and take the new MCAT
ECs:
Social Fraternity for 1 year ( I doubt I'm even gonna include this in my application)
National Society of Collegiate Scholars
President of a "Nationality's" Student Association
Some Shadowing : about 20-30 hours
Undergraduate Research: Been at it for 6 months already and will complete an year by graduation, should be published in 2-3 papers
I haven't done much Clinical Volunteering but I hope to do a fair amount my last semester, hopefully totalling over 50 hours

I'm a bit clueless as to which path I should take for my gap year , here are the one's I'm considering:
1) I stay where I am, continue doing research for another year, hopefully racking up papers while doing clinical volunteering and shadowing
2) I head into a Special Masters Program and show that I can compete at that level, get a Masters Degree, and hopefully have a solid Grad GPA
3) I go into a Post-Bacc program in an attempt to boost my Undergraduate GPA, I'm unsure as to how ADCOMs would react to this and I'm unsure as to whether or not it would really help me put my application at a higher level

I have no clue as to what I should do.

Thanks in advance! I really appreciate it
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it kind of depends on how much your current GPA will hold you back, and the impact of your GPA depends on your MCAT score, because they're often considered together.
In general, a 3.5 is on the low side, but shouldn't require a post bac/SMP
Have you already taken all your pre-med classes? If so, I would avoid the post-bac option, and only consider the SMP
Key to your future success is identifying and fixing the problems that caused you to get your current GPA and MCAT.
 
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karayaa said:
it kind of depends on how much your current GPA will hold you back, and the impact of your GPA depends on your MCAT score, because they're often considered together.
In general, a 3.5 is on the low side, but shouldn't require a post bac/SMP
Have you already taken all your pre-med classes? If so, I would avoid the post-bac option, and only consider the SMP
Key to your future success is identifying and fixing the problems that caused you to get your current GPA and MCAT.
Click to expand...
I have taken all the pre-med classes and I'm going to take BioChemistry next semester even though it's not required simply because some med schools recommend it. My problem with the MCAT is that I slacked a bit since my last MCAT and I'd have to regain the knowledge I acquired, albeit to a lesser amount. That and the fact that BS is the section that can have the fastest improvement.
 
DannySCR said:
Thanks. You don't think 11/11/8 is a bit on the low side?
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Wow, I'm observant today -__- . Yeah, the 8 isn't the best, but it shouldn't necessarily kill you either, especially for many DO programs. I'll let the experts weigh in.
 
Also wanted to know what you guys thought about potentially hiring a consultant like Judy Colwel?
 
100% agree. Applying strategically to MD schools can net an acceptance. MSAR Online is your friend.
Throw in some DO schools (for which you're highly competitive) and you'll be fine.
I don't think there's any need to retake the mCAT.


karayaa said:
it kind of depends on how much your current GPA will hold you back, and the impact of your GPA depends on your MCAT score, because they're often considered together.
In general, a 3.5 is on the low side, but shouldn't require a post bac/SMP
Have you already taken all your pre-med classes? If so, I would avoid the post-bac option, and only consider the SMP
Key to your future success is identifying and fixing the problems that caused you to get your current GPA and MCAT.
Click to expand...
 
Goro said:
100% agree. Applying strategically to MD schools can net an acceptance. MSAR Online is your friend.
Throw in some DO schools (for which you're highly competitive) and you'll be fine.
I don't think there's any need to retake the mCAT.
Click to expand...
Should I do a Post-Bacc or SMP? And regarding the MCAT, you don't think I could bump up that 8 in BS to potentially get 33+??

I want to maximize my chances of getting into a really solid Med school and I keep seeing 30 as the very lowest margin possible
 
Oh yeah then your MCAT is fine. GPA is 1 standard deviation below Florida matriculants, so if you can get that up, you'll be fine academically. Also, every school takes many people below their median MCAT/GPA. You just have to convince them that you match their school's mission.

The whole process is really weird. I was rejected by a school where my LizzyM was 9 points above their median and given an interview at a school that has a higher GPA and MCAT median than me. You won't be prescreened by any school. Just try to tailor your secondaries as much to the school's mission statement and once you get an interview, it will be all up to you.
 
I have noticed one thing. I'm a Texas resident and I've been watching the Texas residents post and there are plenty of people with 30 MCATs getting much success, but there are some people with 34 MCATs and good GPA not get much success. High stat applicants stand out because of their numbers, but you can stand out when your numbers are average with good essays, letters of recommendation, etc.
 
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Dropbox1 said:
Oh yeah then your MCAT is fine. GPA is 1 standard deviation below Florida matriculants, so if you can get that up, you'll be fine academically. Also, every school takes many people below their median MCAT/GPA. You just have to convince them that you match their school's mission.

The whole process is really weird. I was rejected by a school where my LizzyM was 9 points above their median and given an interview at a school that has a higher GPA and MCAT median than me. You won't be prescreened by any school. Just try to tailor your secondaries as much to the school's mission statement and once you get an interview, it will be all up to you.
Click to expand...
I know what you mean. I'm really trying to get into some of the schools in Boston and NY such as BU, Tufts, and NYU. Those are the schools I'm really wanting to target. do you still think I'm competitive then?
 
DannySCR said:
I know what you mean. I'm really trying to get into some of the schools in Boston and NY such as BU, Tufts, and NYU. Those are the schools I'm really wanting to target. do you still think I'm competitive then?
Click to expand...

I would say no because your GPA/MCAT are their 10th percentile or below that. I feel that most of the time, those 10th percentile people have everything else in order, like a 3.9+ GPA with a 30 MCAT and are accomplished otherwise. However, I did see someone post on last year's threads with a 32 MCAT and get interviews at Harvard/Stanford, but that person had a 3.9 GPA. If you want to be competitive for those schools, you need a higher GPA/MCAT to stand a more realistic chance. You are definitely free to apply and maybe someone likes you enough to give you an interview, but it will be hard to convince them why they should interview you over the 35+ MCAT person with a 3.9 GPA. If you have a life story, now is the time to use it.
 
Dropbox1 said:
I would say no because your GPA/MCAT are their 10th percentile or below that. I feel that most of the time, those 10th percentile people have everything else in order, like a 3.9+ GPA with a 30 MCAT and are accomplished otherwise. However, I did see someone post on last year's threads with a 32 MCAT and get interviews at Harvard/Stanford, but that person had a 3.9 GPA. If you want to be competitive for those schools, you need a higher GPA/MCAT to stand a more realistic chance. You are definitely free to apply and maybe someone likes you enough to give you an interview, but it will be hard to convince them why they should interview you over the 35+ MCAT person with a 3.9 GPA. If you have a life story, now is the time to use it.
Click to expand...
Exactly... it's disheartening but that's the scenario I'm looking at, and that's why I asked about the Post Bacc stuff. Idk how much higher I could get my MCAT if I retook it, but I don't like seeing both my mcat and gpa in the 10th percentile
 
Start doing a lot of clinical volunteering NOW and apply to med schools in June.
 
allenlchs said:
Start doing a lot of clinical volunteering NOW and apply to med schools in June.
Click to expand...
Until January I probably can't due to preparing for that MCAT and other factors, but I do intend to send in my app the day they open so that it can work in my favor! What do you think I should do in the gap year?
 
You just have to convince them that you match their school's mission.
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AVe201
 
I'm unfamiliar with what makes a successful applicant at the FL schools so I'm not sure which path would make you most likely to succeed but I do know that clinical experience is essential. Until you have that, you should not even think about applying. Even if it takes a year of employment and applying in June 2016, it is more worrisome than the "8" although you should also correct that as well.
 
LizzyM said:
I'm unfamiliar with what makes a successful applicant at the FL schools so I'm not sure which path would make you most likely to succeed but I do know that clinical experience is essential. Until you have that, you should not even think about applying. Even if it takes a year of employment and applying in June 2016, it is more worrisome than the "8" although you should also correct that as well.
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You don't think I could do that in my spring semester and immediately following graduation?
 
DannySCR said:
You don't think I could do that in my spring semester and immediately following graduation?
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If you were to start in January and apply in June, it looks like a very short "box check". Why did you take all the pre-reqs and prep for the MCAT without having any hands on experience in health care setting? How do you know this is the right career for you? Some adcoms fear that applicants put the cart before the horse and don't really know what this career entails.
 
I consider SMPs, especially those given at med schools, to be beter because they mimic a med school curriculum. they're your back door into Medicine.

A DIY post-bac can be cheaper, though, and mostly accomplish the same thing.

What if retake an only get a one point increase? Most retakers either go down or stay the same. Do not retake unless you're sure you can fix that VR deficit and do as well int he other categories. I'm not a fan of magic thinking.

DannySCR said:
Should I do a Post-Bacc or SMP? And regarding the MCAT, you don't think I could bump up that 8 in BS to potentially get 33+??

I want to maximize my chances of getting into a really solid Med school and I keep seeing 30 as the very lowest margin possible
Click to expand...
 
Goro said:
I consider SMPs, especially those given at med schools, to be beter because they mimic a med school curriculum. they're your back door into Medicine.

A DIY post-bac can be cheaper, though, and mostly accomplish the same thing.

What if retake an only get a one point increase? Most retakers either go down or stay the same. Do not retake unless you're sure you can fix that VR deficit and do as well int he other categories. I'm not a fan of magic thinking.
Click to expand...
I'm confident i can fix that BS score and hopefully push my total score to atleast a 33. Im having trouble finding info on SMPs and which ones are the best. I feel like i could get into a solid one with my current scores. Do you know which are good?
 
LizzyM said:
If you were to start in January and apply in June, it looks like a very short "box check". Why did you take all the pre-reqs and prep for the MCAT without having any hands on experience in health care setting? How do you know this is the right career for you? Some adcoms fear that applicants put the cart before the horse and don't really know what this career entails.
Click to expand...
I see what youre saying. does the shadowing go towards anything?
 
I also wanted to take this chance to thank you guys for all the help!!!
 
You might need to relocate. But these types of programs are a dime-a-dozen. Drexel has two, PCOM, TUNCOM, Mt Sinai, Georgetown, Rosy Franklin are a few that come to mind.


DannySCR said:
I'm confident i can fix that BS score and hopefully push my total score to atleast a 33. Im having trouble finding info on SMPs and which ones are the best. I feel like i could get into a solid one with my current scores. Do you know which are good?
Click to expand...
 
Shadowing is clinical experience...

one warning about the SMP. You have to hit it out of the park so be ready to do that if you enroll. Graduates of most of those programs have no marketable skills coming out if they don't get in due to a good but not great SMP GPA. (Who hires someone with an MS in anatomy?)
 
LizzyM said:
Shadowing is clinical experience...

one warning about the SMP. You have to hit it out of the park so be ready to do that if you enroll. Graduates of most of those programs have no marketable skills coming out if they don't get in due to a good but not great SMP GPA. (Who hires someone with an MS in anatomy?)
Click to expand...
That's the thing that's been really worrying me. I basically need to be perfect if I do that compared to others who do that program. If that happens would it be a perk on my application? At the end of the day what do you recommend? SMP or just staying pat and doing clinical volunteering and research
 
Goro said:
You might need to relocate. But these types of programs are a dime-a-dozen. Drexel has two, PCOM, TUNCOM, Mt Sinai, Georgetown, Rosy Franklin are a few that come to mind.
Click to expand...
That's true. I feel like I might have the scores to be able to get into a really top one. yes?
 
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