Improving the application this time around?

[kcola]

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I am asking for any advice regarding my future application. I have average stats for DO/ 3.4 gpa, 3.4 sgpa. 23Q mcat though this hopefully will change come May... as for EC's i have one publication, tons of research experience (like 4years worth), shadowed 3 MD/DOs "thoroughly", volunteering in hospital as an aide for about 1.5years now (though its not very "clinical"), 2 years of comm. service, and i started a new community service organization on campus and we're just getting off the ground so im not sure how much i can add with that. any input is greatly appreciated! i will change my PS too.

 

[normtheniner]

I am asking for any advice regarding my future application. I have average stats for DO/ 3.4 gpa, 3.4 sgpa. 23Q mcat though this hopefully will change come May... as for EC's i have one publication, tons of research experience (like 4years worth), shadowed 3 MD/DOs "thoroughly", volunteering in hospital as an aide for about 1.5years now (though its not very "clinical"), 2 years of comm. service, and i started a new community service organization on campus and we're just getting off the ground so im not sure how much i can add with that. any input is greatly appreciated! i will change my PS too.

Retake your MCAT. If you're going for DO school, then I'd aim for 27-28.

Your GPA is minimally competitive for most MD schools (I believe). If you're wanting to go that route I'd consider going back and taking more upper level science classes so you can be as close to 3.5/3.6 as you can. Your MCAT needs to be as close to 30+ as possible.

I think your situation is more of a numbers thing. Your EC's sound above average. I noticed you said that your job as an aide (you mean CNA?) isn't too "clinical". Are you getting direct patient contact at this job? I think the important thing about clinical EC's is if that opportunity allows you to get a good picture of the healthcare system and the role physicians play in it.

Good luck!!

 

[kcola]

hey thanks for the reply! the "aide" is really just like a candystriper type deal, i help patients in ambulation, simple medicines, etc.

 

[kcola]

I should be more specific. I definetely had one semester I did TERRIBLE in, as in 3 withdraws and 1 C, I was struggling with switching to a new environment off campus but thats still not an excuse, i am positive this contributed to my poor application what can i do about this? im already graduated and cannot do anything about it,,.. Grr! im screwed?

 

[DrMidlife]

I should be more specific. I definetely had one semester I did TERRIBLE in, as in 3 withdraws and 1 C, I was struggling with switching to a new environment off campus but thats still not an excuse, i am positive this contributed to my poor application what can i do about this? im already graduated and cannot do anything about it,,.. Grr! im screwed?

That semester is nowhere near as interesting to adcoms as your low MCAT score.

Please don't reapply until you have a competitive MCAT score. If you don't get a competitive score this May, then you're not ready to reapply. "Competitive" means at least the average of matriculants of whatever schools you're targeting.

And yes you can do something about undergrad: take more undergrad. You can't make your GPA go up very much, but more A's in hard science classes can only help your story.

Best of luck to you.

 

[kcola]

Can you/someone comment on my terrible GPA/ spring semester where I essentially withdrew from 3 classes and got a C+ in the other? Should I retake undergrad classes, take some grad-level classes at a local college, or enroll in a formal masters program? I really dont want to do a full post-bac and retake allll my sciences. I just want to plug up issues in my app. Im planning on retaking the MCAT either this April or this summer and apply again this or next cycle. Either way, I will have some more gap years ahead of me..

 

[DrMidlife]

I understand that you're worried about that semester. I am worried, on your behalf, about your MCAT score. If you put any energy towards worrying about your undergrad GPA or that one semester instead of putting energy into getting a competitive MCAT score, then I think you are making a mistake. A 3.4 is not a bad GPA, and you are not the only one who had a bad semester.

Can you/someone comment on my terrible GPA/ spring semester where I essentially withdrew from 3 classes and got a C+ in the other?

You'll have a chance to explain it when you apply. Every med school's secondary app has a place where you can comment on academic anomalies.

Should I retake undergrad classes,

Only retake prereqs if you got less than a C in them, or if you didn't learn the material. Only retake other classes if you're applying DO. Otherwise, retakes are no better than new coursework, from a GPA perspective. A retake does nothing to demonstrate academic prowess, nor does it undo what happened in the past: that semester has to be reported as it happened on an MD or DO app.

take some grad-level classes at a local college

Grad work does nothing whatsoever to address undergrad GPA. Doing an SMP is an exception to this, because an SMP is specific to med school preparation. Your GPA, imho, is too high for an SMP, and an SMP will not absolve you from an MCAT retake.

That said, if you sign up for a 2 year masters in biomed program at a DO school, you may be able to get away with not retaking the MCAT in getting accepted at that DO school.

or enroll in a formal masters program?

Why? Are you interested in studying a subject at a grad level? Being interested is a good reason to do grad school. Wanting to go to med school is no reason to do grad school.

You haven't listed "take more undergrad" in general. The prereqs aren't the only science classes. There's a whole world of upper division undergrad science you can take (all of which is helpful on the MCAT), such as microbiology, genetics, physiology, neuroscience, biochemistry etc.

I really dont want to do a full post-bac and retake allll my sciences.

If by "postbac" you mean a program where you do the prereqs, such as Bryn Mawr or Goucher, you're not eligible. Because you've already done the prereqs. Again, retakes are only advantageous for DO school and only required if you got a C or lower.

That said, if you didn't learn the material in the prereqs, and that's why your MCAT score is low, then what choice do you have but to relearn the material?

I just want to plug up issues in my app.

MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT MCAT.

Im planning on retaking the MCAT either this April or this summer and apply again this or next cycle. Either way, I will have some more gap years ahead of me..

What are you doing to prepare for a successful retake? I suggest that you should be spending a few thousand dollars, and dedicating several months of almost full time work to it. I suggest that you should not retake the exam until you have beaten your goal (which should be 32 for MD, 28 for DO, these are the averages) on multiple AAMC practice exams. You can get MCAT-specific advice from the MCAT forum.

Best of luck to you.

 

[kcola]

Thanks for the concise response. i was really confused because although everyones situation is different, it seemed to me in the forums if your gpa is subpar/par then you should consider retaking some classes OR take a formal postbac. just to clarify, you are saying i should retake prereqs if i got a C or lower and/or take upper-division courses just to boost GPA/show effort? i dont think there are any blips in my transcript in upper-division/elective sci courses, but it wouldnt hurt to take more such as electives i never had room for? I brought up the masters because it seems like a lot of premeds ended up getting an MS/MA anyway. Also, my mom has been pushing me to seek alternatives to medicine.

 

[DrMidlife]

3) There are some post-bacc "special masters" programs designed to specifically bolster weaker GPA of students applying to medical school. I can see a previous responders point of not taking a master's program simple as a stepping stone to medical school. But these do exist, though I think they would not be your best path to medical school. You can check the AAMC site http://services.aamc.org/postbac/ and search under the graduate option.

Public Service Announcement

SDN has a postbac forum. One thread in particular, concerning low GPA recovery strategies, has over 300,000 visits.

The AAMC list is inaccurate, incomplete and misleading. There are "programs" listed on the AAMC list that are nothing more than a web page saying "you can take the prereqs here." (If such "programs" are to be included, then AAMC might as well list every college in the US.) You can find a great deal more info on postbacs in general, and legitimate programs listed on the AAMC site, in the postbac forum.

Of interest in the postbac forum is a nearly a decade of comprehensive discussion of Special Masters Programs aka Medical Masters aka SMPs. These are programs where you do the first year of med school to prove you can do the first year of med school. These programs should not be classified with, nor considered equivalent to, any other kind of grad study, with respect to med school admissions.

 

[kcola]

"If you want to take the time to really improve your chances, then do another year of undergrad, taking all upper div hard science (no psych, no ethics, no pub health), and get a 4.0, while you do MCAT retake prep."

I saw you posted this on another thread. This was where i was confused. (Srry for beating a dead horse! )I got the feeling from other threads that taking extra courses could boost my uGPA, since mine is sub/par. I'm not sure if this was what you were advocating for. Im 100% on retaking mcat,i agree, hmm. but what about improving my ugpa?

 

[DrMidlife]

"If you want to take the time to really improve your chances, then do another year of undergrad, taking all upper div hard science (no psych, no ethics, no pub health), and get a 4.0, while you do MCAT retake prep."

I saw you posted this on another thread. This was where i was confused. (Srry for beating a dead horse! )I got the feeling from other threads that taking extra courses could boost my uGPA, since mine is sub/par. I'm not sure if this was what you were advocating for. Im 100% on retaking mcat,i agree, hmm. but what about improving my ugpa?

I suggested this to you here:

You haven't listed "take more undergrad" in general. The prereqs aren't the only science classes. There's a whole world of upper division undergrad science you can take (all of which is helpful on the MCAT), such as microbiology, genetics, physiology, neuroscience, biochemistry etc.

Now stop thinking about your pretty good undergrad GPA and get to work on the MCAT.

Best of luck to you.