If you get a secondary from an institution you're EC's and LOR's end up at that school correct? My question is, is if the schools recieve your EC's and LOR's and they are pretty impressive, can this counteract a mediocre GPA and first round MCAT score?
Importance of LOR and EC's
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Possibly, what type of scores are you talking about?
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ArcherM2 said:
Those are pretty low, I wouldn't count on it.
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JKDMed said:
Sorry, but I once again agree with JKDMed. you need to retake the MCAT and score like 27+ to counter that GPA, IMHO. 22 is probably too low with the lower GPA too. Godd luck though. I'd save your money this year, study your ass off for the MCAT, retake it, and maybe take a few classes to get the GPA up a bit too. What is your science GPA?
Amy B
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Every little bit counts. I would say the LORs and ECs and your personal staments are going to have to be fantastic to get an interview.
Don't give up yet. Luckily DO schools take a hard look over everything in your application. They know that things can happen and then are willing to overlook things at times. You showed some improvement from frosh to jr so that can help you. Perhaps a GREAT fall semester in your senior year will show them even more improvement.
I do know applicants with your stats that have gotten in,but everything else in their application was the very best it could be. Lots of volunteer time over a number of years, officer positions, etc....
You could apply this year, and see what happens, that is the only way you will ever know if you could get in or not. Don't even try to apply to MD schools though, that would be a waste of money with your stats as is.
Check carefully the averages of the schools you are applying to. Don't apply to the ones with high averages. That would waste your money. Make sure your personal essay is the best it can be. Perhapes you could explain your rocky start in your freshman year.
Take a look at this. It is the founder of oldpremeds.com.
"""""""""""""""David W. Kelley:
I am a member of the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine Class of 2003. Born 23 May 1966 in Little Rock Arkansas, I spent the first 25 years living life by the moment and having a damned good time. Then I realized I had a hell of lot more potential than being an entertainer (bartender & bouncer). After 10+ years as a Registered Respiratory Therapist, I am now living my dream of becoming a physician. I will be undertaking a residency in anesthesiology and plan to subspecialize in either pediatric cardiothoracic anesthesia or critical care medicine...uncertain as to whether it'll of the adult or pediatric variety of ICU.
I have traversed a long and demanding path to get where I am...purely due to poor decisions I made early on. I am most frequently asked: Am I too old? or Are my grades too bad? I had to drop out of college in 1987 to avoid academic expulsion, I was the embodiment of Animal House. At that time, I had around a 1.25 GPA with 93 hours...believe me, it was a very long road to gaining entry into med school from starting way deep in a hole! However, I did it!! and, if you are willing & able to make the commitment, do the work and make the sacrifices that will be demanded of you - it is possible for you to make it as well. I will not lie to you. It was not an easy feat nor will everyone who tries be able to succeed. But, if you feel the passion as I do, you cannot help but give your best shot. I just happen to be amongst those who are extremely fortunate to have made it.
I bid you all much luck and success. I have worked untold hours to build OPM so that my experiences and the experiences of those who have walked a similar path would be available to those who wish to follow in our footsteps. All you must do to take advantage of this invaluable information is ask for it. All OPM asks in return is that you reciprocate -- share your own experiences with others so that they may benefit from it as well.
In under 10 months, I will be both a physician and a father - both for the first time. I could ask for a better pot of gold at the end of my rainbow.
Sincerely, David W Kelley, MS-IV "OldManDave" """""
This was written while he was still in med school. He is now a Dartmouth Anesthesiology Resident Class of 2007
Good luck. Don't give up yet.
All my Best,
Amy B
Don't give up yet. Luckily DO schools take a hard look over everything in your application. They know that things can happen and then are willing to overlook things at times. You showed some improvement from frosh to jr so that can help you. Perhaps a GREAT fall semester in your senior year will show them even more improvement.
I do know applicants with your stats that have gotten in,but everything else in their application was the very best it could be. Lots of volunteer time over a number of years, officer positions, etc....
You could apply this year, and see what happens, that is the only way you will ever know if you could get in or not. Don't even try to apply to MD schools though, that would be a waste of money with your stats as is.
Check carefully the averages of the schools you are applying to. Don't apply to the ones with high averages. That would waste your money. Make sure your personal essay is the best it can be. Perhapes you could explain your rocky start in your freshman year.
Take a look at this. It is the founder of oldpremeds.com.
"""""""""""""""David W. Kelley:
I am a member of the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine Class of 2003. Born 23 May 1966 in Little Rock Arkansas, I spent the first 25 years living life by the moment and having a damned good time. Then I realized I had a hell of lot more potential than being an entertainer (bartender & bouncer). After 10+ years as a Registered Respiratory Therapist, I am now living my dream of becoming a physician. I will be undertaking a residency in anesthesiology and plan to subspecialize in either pediatric cardiothoracic anesthesia or critical care medicine...uncertain as to whether it'll of the adult or pediatric variety of ICU.
I have traversed a long and demanding path to get where I am...purely due to poor decisions I made early on. I am most frequently asked: Am I too old? or Are my grades too bad? I had to drop out of college in 1987 to avoid academic expulsion, I was the embodiment of Animal House. At that time, I had around a 1.25 GPA with 93 hours...believe me, it was a very long road to gaining entry into med school from starting way deep in a hole! However, I did it!! and, if you are willing & able to make the commitment, do the work and make the sacrifices that will be demanded of you - it is possible for you to make it as well. I will not lie to you. It was not an easy feat nor will everyone who tries be able to succeed. But, if you feel the passion as I do, you cannot help but give your best shot. I just happen to be amongst those who are extremely fortunate to have made it.
I bid you all much luck and success. I have worked untold hours to build OPM so that my experiences and the experiences of those who have walked a similar path would be available to those who wish to follow in our footsteps. All you must do to take advantage of this invaluable information is ask for it. All OPM asks in return is that you reciprocate -- share your own experiences with others so that they may benefit from it as well.
In under 10 months, I will be both a physician and a father - both for the first time. I could ask for a better pot of gold at the end of my rainbow.
Sincerely, David W Kelley, MS-IV "OldManDave" """""
This was written while he was still in med school. He is now a Dartmouth Anesthesiology Resident Class of 2007
Good luck. Don't give up yet.
All my Best,
Amy B
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Are you a rocket scientist? 😉 Im just teasing. Honestly, your numbers are low, but admissions MIGHT be able to look past that if you have something really stellar to share with them. Most people, in my opinion, that get in with numbers like that probably are URMs or have overcome huge obstacles or disadvantages to get where they are. Does that describe you?
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Sorry, but what are EC's?
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Extra Curricular's. And it must have worked out as ArcherM2 is now a resident.
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Wishful thinking dep't? In no way at our COM would impressive LORs counteract bad scores. ECs, even less so.
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Must have worked out, because he's a resident now!
Seriously, this was the most random thread necro I've seen in a long, long time...and for a very random question that could have been answered in a thread within the last 5 years...
