Help with medical school list + improving my app
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goldfishdoc
Full Member
You have to pass that 3.0 benchmark otherwise you would be getting autorejections
I would suggest looking at DO schools as well. You may have some luck with HBCU medical schools, but your EC's and MCAT need to be great. If you're set on MD, maybe look into a post-bac program to improve your GPA if it doesn't go up substantially over the next year. Good luck!
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I agree with the above about increasing GPA and applying to some DO too. Might be hard to really comment on your school list due to no MCAT yet. My only other comment is to definitely get some more clinical hours! I know you’re trying to do something less common, but the reason those are so common are because they’re easily obtainable during a gap year without too much extra schooling/training/time. Unique things I’ve seen usually have been for several gap years. Those common things may not be unique, but how you talk about it and what experience you get can be!
Continue to Ace everything from now on, to show that the poor grades were fluke. Then report back with your MCAT score and we can properly advise.
Good luck!
Thank you! I will definitely be trying to achieve the highest MCAT score possible, but is there an ideal mcat that you think I should reach? I’ve seen posts suggesting that I should have a 515+ to have any chance of acceptance.
would take Georgetown and North Dakota off your list
Nail the MCAT (shoot for 515+), as Goro said, ace the remaining classes to show a very strong upward trend; pre-write your personal statement now, apply day 1, have strong LORs
as for finding something to do during your gap year, I can assure you in the 8+ years I've been here and on other premed/non-trad forums, I have seen everything except:
Former PoTUS applying (or former VPoTUS)
Former US Diplomats/Senators/Representatives
But have seen everything from Armed Forces decorated with purple hearts to Olympians to Div 1 athletes to Julliard trained musicians, actors; and I think there was a former actor on a different forum from a series
Be you. Be 100% authentically you and that will be sufficient to stand out.
EDITED TO ADD BECAUSE YOU POSTED BEFORE MINE DID
A 515 is NOT required for any school. However, a 515+ DOES make an applicant stand out and can help augment a low GPA. That said, many schools have auto cut-offs for GPA and won't ever see the MCAT score...
I am shooting for a 515+ and am not sure I can get there (GPA for prereqs is about 3.9). It's a LOT of work to get that high of a score so please, do not underestimate that.
To me, the Goro advice is spot on.
Nail the MCAT (shoot for 515+), as Goro said, ace the remaining classes to show a very strong upward trend; pre-write your personal statement now, apply day 1, have strong LORs
as for finding something to do during your gap year, I can assure you in the 8+ years I've been here and on other premed/non-trad forums, I have seen everything except:
Former PoTUS applying (or former VPoTUS)
Former US Diplomats/Senators/Representatives
But have seen everything from Armed Forces decorated with purple hearts to Olympians to Div 1 athletes to Julliard trained musicians, actors; and I think there was a former actor on a different forum from a series
Be you. Be 100% authentically you and that will be sufficient to stand out.
EDITED TO ADD BECAUSE YOU POSTED BEFORE MINE DID
A 515 is NOT required for any school. However, a 515+ DOES make an applicant stand out and can help augment a low GPA. That said, many schools have auto cut-offs for GPA and won't ever see the MCAT score...
I am shooting for a 515+ and am not sure I can get there (GPA for prereqs is about 3.9). It's a LOT of work to get that high of a score so please, do not underestimate that.
To me, the Goro advice is spot on.
The higher the better, but given that we need URM doctors, a 510+ will be fine.
Why do you suggest taking those 2 schools off of my list?
ND because it heavily favors IS and those from MN or SD
Georgetown because it's very low yield to begin with, and for someone with a low GPA, low volunteering hours, low clinical exposure it's a donation
Have you used Wedgedawg's calculator thing to get a school list? I mean, your list looks fine for a start but it might help you as well
Georgetown because it's very low yield to begin with, and for someone with a low GPA, low volunteering hours, low clinical exposure it's a donation
Have you used Wedgedawg's calculator thing to get a school list? I mean, your list looks fine for a start but it might help you as well
Okay thanks, I’ll remove them. And no I haven’t used wedgedawgs, I will look it up and give it a try.
I would shoot for at least a 510 (no guarantees, of course). I will no longer be at Wake come June 14, so it will be up the next Admissions Dean/ COA.
Thank you!
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Would also love any suggestions from you regarding this post @candbgirl
It is too early to make a school list until you know your MCAT score and final sGPA. You should focus your efforts on increasing your sGPA to 3.0 . Post your MCAT score here when available.
@prairiemusic heres my post!
@AnatomyGrey12 I’d really like your opinion if you have the time!
Make sure you understand the pluses/minuses of formal postbaccalaureate programs v. DIY ("do it yourself") postbaccalaureate programs. Look at each and see if you can get admitted into/afford a formal postbaccalaureate program that has linkages to medical schools such as Bryn Mawr's and Columbia's.
Understand that grad level courses taken after you receive a bachelor's will not count toward your undergrad GPA but that undergrad courses taken after you receive a bachlor's will count.
Understand how SMP's with linkages work and whether those grades count toward bolstering your undergrad GPA; I believe they don't.
