Losing Sleep Over This

[LateBl00meR]

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[Mobius1985]

You look fine for DO schools and can submit without waiting for the summer classes to be on your transcript.

If your primary goal for MD schools is SIU, they don't have any prerequisites, only recommended classes, so those Cs in Chem II and Bio II won't hold you back, so long as you do well on the MCAT, especially as you took upper-level courses and did well. I think you'll likely be fine applying later in the cycle for this school, so waiting until you can submit your summer grades won't handicap you.

If you're aiming at UIC, a later submission will hurt you, especially with subpar stats, but the lower GPA will hurt you too, so it's your call. I'd probably be inclined to wait. You'll need a better MCAT score to compensate for the GPA. At least you have the three behavioral science classes they require, with your major.

 

[Wants2give]

Hi so I'm a senior desperately needing someone to size me up and give me some advice for additional courses this summer. Below are my stats and short resume. (Sorry the post is soo long)

I recieved C's in Chem I, Chem II, and Bio II freshmen year so I opted out of the premed track. Junior year I decided I couldn't settle for any other career to I retook chem I and got an A. I've gotten A's and B+'s in all upper level Chemistry and Biology classes and have a couple of 4.0 semesters.

Major: Psychology/Biology
Hometown: Southern IL
University: Private tier 1 with a medical school

AMCAS gpa: 3.45 BMCP: 3.24
AACOMAS gpa: 3.48 sciGPA: 3.23
Recent MCAT Diagnostic: 30 (halfway through Kaplan course so I have plenty of time to study for the May 28th date)

40 hrs shadowing
150 hours hospital volunteering
60 hours as a student intern in the hospital O.R.
45 hours volunteering at the Center for Head Injury Services
1.5 years Neuroscience lab assistant
0.5 years Animal Behavior lab at the zoo

Psych and Bio honor society
Honors program
couple of mentoring programs for other pre-meds
Dean's list
scholastic scholarship to undergrad

LOR from my Pre-Health Committee and a great one from my Research professor

worked 5-10 hrs/week all sophomore year and 40hrs/week freshmen and soph. breaks
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If I take another biology course this summer and retake Chem II then my AACOMAS gpa is 3.56 and sciGPA is 3.43 after grade replacement.
AMCAS gpa would be 3.48/3.32.

So my questions are:
1. Should I wait to submit my application until August once these summer courses would end?
2. Should I even retake Chem II or just take another biology course for my major?
3. Also, how do I look for my state schools or D.O. schools?

Hey there, although your GPA is SLIGHTLY on the lower side of things, you should be fine. No you are not going to Jet into John Hopkins of Harvard, but there are most certainly schools that will take you on.
What I also think you should focus on is explaining in your Personal Statement, why you had to work 40hr/weeks. Because its true that that adds quite a strain to getting a 4.0.

All in all you aren't doing all that bad.

 

[LateBl00meR]

Hey there, although your GPA is SLIGHTLY on the lower side of things, you should be fine. No you are not going to Jet into John Hopkins of Harvard, but there are most certainly schools that will take you on.
What I also think you should focus on is explaining in your Personal Statement, why you had to work 40hr/weeks. Because its true that that adds quite a strain to getting a 4.0.

All in all you aren't doing all that bad.

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Thanks, Really appreciate the comments guys. I just wanted to clarify that the 40hr/week was during during summer and winter break, yet I was still taking classes in the summer. But yes, I am counting on my personal statement, LOR's and solid interviewing to help me out.

Anyone else feel free to weigh in...I learning toward just submitting in June and not waiting till summer session is over.