I feel screwed after DO grade replacement policy change

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Chromatic543

Chromatic543

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So I was always unmotivated in High School and the beginning of college, and did really poorly off the bat because of lack of motivation and my maturity level.

I ended up getting a 3.0 cGPA and 3.10 sGPA, but saw the chance to use grade replacement and got myself to a 3.48 cGPA/3.32 sGPA and got really happy. Now that I got the devastating message that grade replacement will no longer work (even for May 1 applications), I will fall to a 3.03 cGPA/3.25 sGPA. I feel like I won't pass the cutoffs and if I somehow do, then I will be rejected. My GPA is just TOO saturated!

I feel so devastated and lost now. I don't know what to do. I feel like my dreams are being taken away, and I just don't know what to think. I was planning on applying to all the new DO schools, and almost all the DO schools.

MCAT: 126-124-126-126 (502 TOTAL)
Volunteering: 700 Hours Total (400 Hospital and 300 patient home)
Academic Senate Member
Chess Club
Global Medical Brigades member
Orphanage Volunteering
MD Internal Medicine Shadowing
DO Internal Medicine Shadowing
2 Professor LORs
1 MD LOR
1 DO LOR
 
Sorry guys! I meant to post this in the Pre-Osteopathic forum!
 
Chromatic543 said:
So I was always unmotivated in High School and the beginning of college, and did really poorly off the bat because of lack of motivation and my maturity level.

I ended up getting a 3.0 cGPA and 3.10 sGPA, but saw the chance to use grade replacement and got myself to a 3.48 cGPA/3.32 sGPA and got really happy. Now that I got the devastating message that grade replacement will no longer work (even for May 1 applications), I will fall to a 3.03 cGPA/3.25 sGPA. I feel like I won't pass the cutoffs and if I somehow do, then I will be rejected. My GPA is just TOO saturated!

I feel so devastated and lost now. I don't know what to do. I feel like my dreams are being taken away, and I just don't know what to think. I was planning on applying to all the new DO schools, and almost all the DO schools.

MCAT: 126-124-126-126 (502 TOTAL)
Volunteering: 700 Hours Total (400 Hospital and 300 patient home)
Academic Senate Member
Chess Club
Global Medical Brigades member
Orphanage Volunteering
MD Internal Medicine Shadowing
DO Internal Medicine Shadowing
2 Professor LORs
1 MD LOR
1 DO LOR
Click to expand...
If you want the best shot, try to get that MCAT up. The best argument for low GPA admission is a high MCAT because you can demonstrate that you're capable of handling the material.
 
In all seriousness, would you be interested in pursuing podiatry at all?

Do you HAVE TO go the DO route?
 
I don't think you're in that bad of shape for some new schools :/. I think an actual person with eyes on your application will appreciate the semesters of As in your post-bac, despite it not replacing your previous grades. If you were sub 3.0, then it would be a different story.
 
I'd give it a shot for sure. Worse case scenario is say they no especially if you're heart is set on it. There are a lot of new schools opening up so if you have a compelling story and app, there is absolutely no reason why you can't get in. Good luck, I think you'll be fine
 
I'm really sorry you're in this position. All I can say is consider doing a masters program such as one with a linkage to a DO school or retake the mcat and do really well and either go for a SMP or apply to DO schools.
 
I don't know man, I am seeing a ton of students waitlisted with sub 3.2s in the forums with just average MCAT scores.

This whole grade replacement change is a pain in the booty. Im surprised they are not giving a 1 year notice or a grandfathered in clause associated with it.
 
Chromatic543 said:
So I was always unmotivated in High School and the beginning of college, and did really poorly off the bat because of lack of motivation and my maturity level.

I ended up getting a 3.0 cGPA and 3.10 sGPA, but saw the chance to use grade replacement and got myself to a 3.48 cGPA/3.32 sGPA and got really happy. Now that I got the devastating message that grade replacement will no longer work (even for May 1 applications), I will fall to a 3.03 cGPA/3.25 sGPA. I feel like I won't pass the cutoffs and if I somehow do, then I will be rejected. My GPA is just TOO saturated!

I feel so devastated and lost now. I don't know what to do. I feel like my dreams are being taken away, and I just don't know what to think. I was planning on applying to all the new DO schools, and almost all the DO schools.

MCAT: 126-124-126-126 (502 TOTAL)
Volunteering: 700 Hours Total (400 Hospital and 300 patient home)
Academic Senate Member
Chess Club
Global Medical Brigades member
Orphanage Volunteering
MD Internal Medicine Shadowing
DO Internal Medicine Shadowing
2 Professor LORs
1 MD LOR
1 DO LOR
Click to expand...
First off, it looks like you have some decent EC's. nice job on that. MCAT isn't too shabby either.

At this point, it would be in your best interest to do two things:
1) Figure out how many courses you'd have to take (and do well in) to get that cGPA to 3.25 to avoid cutoffs. If it's just too many, skip to #2
2) SMP! Preferably one that has guaranteed acceptance into the medical school. You'd really need to ace this.

Tbh, I don't think you'd need to retake the MCAT if you aced the SMP. Might need to retake if GPA is <3.4-3.5 or so.

Don't feel like you dreams are being taken away. You'll be a doctor just like the rest of us. May just take some time to get there.

Best of luck to you OP.
 
I am so sorry. That is absolutely horrible. I know I would not have been accepted to medical school if it was not for the grade replacement policy.

So 2 things, your gpa isn't so bad that it can't be overcome by a good MCAT. But you are going to need to retake it.
Another option is to a master's program or postbac or a program with a linkage to med school. But be careful, usually you need amazing grades here or you are screwed.
 
I am really looking at Touro CA's MSMHS-COM post-bacc, which says I can get a guaranteed interview. I live only an hour away. So what do you guys think about me applying there and a few lower/newer DO schools, and do the post-bacc while waiting on the Medical School apps?
 
Oh yeah, when you do apply, apply as early as possible and get secondaries in as early as possible. Apply broadly to lots of new schools and do research before randomly applying (dont make the mistake of applying to schools with high instate rates) Make sure to do research into which schools have a fast secondary/interview turnover rate and finish those secondaries first.
Some schools start interviewing very early while others take their sweet time sending out secondaries or interview invites.

For example- LECOM interviewed me in August
Places like VCOM took their sweet time sending out secondaries and interview invites.

And do not just apply to supposedly easier to get into schools. If I remember correctly, I got waitlisted at MUCOM but got into DMUCOM (which imho is a better school and supposedly harder to get into)
 
Are you sure you are calculating your cGPA correctly? If you brought your sGPA from a 3.10 to a 3.25, surely your cGPA would have gone up higher than a 3.03 from a 3.0. Regardless of the calculation, I think you might need a higher MCAT to balance out a schools maltriculant stats. If a school is going to accept you and bring their GPA stats down, they will probably need you to bring their MCAT stats up. From last years DO maltriculant stats, your cGPA is 2 standard deviations below the mean. For your MCAT to balance that, you would need an MCAT 2 standard deviations above the mean (513). Your sGPA is just a bit below the mean (1 standard deviation). Obviously those stats are going to be lower for newer schools. Your GPA isn't going to be improved much anytime soon but your MCAT absolutely could. Before going the SMP route, try studying for the MCAT for the next two months and see if you can get your AAMC practice test above a 510. I think that would be your easiest path to DO. The common theme in the underdogs tread is either high MCAT or high SMP GPA, I haven't seen any posts in there of low (500-505) MCAT and low GPA.
 
bears1992 said:
Are you sure you are calculating your cGPA correctly? If you brought your sGPA from a 3.10 to a 3.25, surely your cGPA would have gone up higher than a 3.03 from a 3.0. Regardless of the calculation, I think you might need a higher MCAT to balance out a schools maltriculant stats. If a school is going to accept you and bring their GPA stats down, they will probably need you to bring their MCAT stats up. From last years DO maltriculant stats, your cGPA is 2 standard deviations below the mean. For your MCAT to balance that, you would need an MCAT 2 standard deviations above the mean (513). Your sGPA is just a bit below the mean (1 standard deviation). Obviously those stats are going to be lower for newer schools. Your GPA isn't going to be improved much anytime soon but your MCAT absolutely could. Before going the SMP route, try studying for the MCAT for the next two months and see if you can get your AAMC practice test above a 510. I think that would be your easiest path to DO. The common theme in the underdogs tread is either high MCAT or high SMP GPA, I haven't seen any posts in there of low (500-505) MCAT and low GPA.
Click to expand...

Thank you for asking the that question! I found out that I made a miscalculation on my cGPA and I actually stand at a 3.24 and NOT a 3.03!!! 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀

Motivation to push strong in the last two quarters has severely kicked in!!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂

I will make sure to calculate my sGPA momentarily!
 
Chromatic543 said:
Thank you for asking the that question! I found out that I made a miscalculation on my cGPA and I actually stand at a 3.24 and NOT a 3.03!!! 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀

Motivation to push strong in the last two quarters has severely kicked in!!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂

I will make sure to calculate my sGPA momentarily!
Click to expand...
In that case I think you should apply this year. I would really try to get that MCAT score up a few points though as it doesn't look good to have both your MCAT and GPA below maltriculate average. Your stats are pretty close to the rural/newer schools.
 
bears1992 said:
In that case I think you should apply this year. I would really try to get that MCAT score up a few points though as it doesn't look good to have both your MCAT and GPA below maltriculate average. Your stats are pretty close to the rural/newer schools.
Click to expand...
Just pointing out the matriculant average in 2016 was a 502! But yeah, balancing a below average GPA with a higher than average MCAT is most ideal.
 
It's not the end of the world. A simple DIY post-bacc will bring up your GPA so that you don't have to worry about GPA cutoffs.
 
OP, I just found out about the grade replacement policy change recently. You and I are in very similar shoes GPA / MCAT wise. I have a 3.3/503 with a years worth of retakes. I graduate this spring with a BS in Biomedical Sciences.

My opinion now is that I have to do an SMP with linkage somewhere. Where in the past I would have been competitive as is with an early application. The only thing is if I am to do an SMP, I would like to shoot for one of the more established DO schools. I previously had considered those programs more or less a huge stretch for me, but with a solid showing at one of their SMPs I think I should have a shot.

Edit. GPA more like 2.8-2.9 for next cycle.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
ElCucuy said:
OP, I just found out about the grade replacement policy change recently. You and I are in very similar shoes GPA / MCAT wise. I have a 3.3/503 with a years worth of retakes. I graduate this spring with a BS in Biomedical Sciences.

My opinion now is that I have to do an SMP with linkage somewhere. Where in the past I would have been competitive as is with an early application. The only thing is if I am to do an SMP, I would like to shoot for one of the more established DO schools. I previously had considered those programs more or less a huge stretch for me, but with a solid showing at one of their SMPs I think I should have a shot.

Edit. GPA more like 2.8-2.9 for next cycle.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
Click to expand...
You can definitely get in DO with a 3.3 503.
 
I'mJustCurious said:
It's not the end of the world. A simple DIY post-bacc will bring up your GPA so that you don't have to worry about GPA cutoffs.
Click to expand...

I know it's not the end of the world. I am going to apply to a DIY post-bacc and apply to some new DO schools at the same time. If I don't get into any schools, then I will continue the post-bacc. If I do get in [hopefully], then I will go with the new DO school!

I was just so excited to be closer to that dream... I want to get started already!
 
Damn man. I'm really rooting for you. Keep us updated.
 
Chromatic543 said:
I know it's not the end of the world. I am going to apply to a DIY post-bacc and apply to some new DO schools at the same time. If I don't get into any schools, then I will continue the post-bacc. If I do get in [hopefully], then I will go with the new DO school!

I was just so excited to be closer to that dream... I want to get started already!
Click to expand...
Yeah I also want to start already but need to take a year or two off to reinvent myself haha. We will make it tho!
 
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