Medical Low GPA -Do I stand a chance at medical school and how should I move forward?

[Mr.Smile12]

Dear Confidential Consult,
I am a senior in college who hasn't taken the mcat yet. I plan on taking a gap year and am aiming to take the mcat this upcoming May, if ready. I am concerned because my sGPA is 3.27 and my cGPA is 3.49. I have an upward trend in GPA ever since my 3rd semester and have been on the Dean's list twice, and will probably be on it this final semester. Below are my stats:

Major: biochemistry
sGPA: 3.27
cGPA: 3.49
Shadowing Physicians: 120.25 hours (I have shadowed one of the doctors for the last 1.5 years and still continuing)
Clinical Volunteering: 146 hours
Organization in which I am a board member and one which also volunteers within the community: 135 hours
Work (Have been working for the last 4 years, 2.5 years with current workplace): 3,053 hours and counting
Research: 800+ hours (haven't published)
MCAT: ?

My question is, if I were to get my sGPA to 3.36 and cGPA to 3.55, with what MCAT score would I be considered competitive for mid-tier/top-tier medical school? Or do I even stand a chance with my shot GPAs? All my ECs are continuing, I am active in all of them, so the hours will keep piling. However, is that enough? What should my next course of action be? If I am prepared to take the mcat in the upcoming May, I will submit my application in June. Is there something lacking in my application? I will be getting a committee letter from my school's premed board, biochemistry (biology) professor, chemistry professor I had for 4 classes, the doctor I shadowed for 1.5 years and counting, and my clinical volunteer coordinator. I go to a state school, and I am part of their honors program. I am a first-gen college student, south Indian (Asia), and an immigrant (citizen). What is lacking in my application? How can I make it stronger? Is there already a list of school I can apply to with my current stats? What mcat score will I need to be considered competitive?

Thank you so much for your help. I am cannot express my gratitude in words. I don't know what avenue to reach out to for help other than this forum, and that is why I have so many, what may seem like, basic questions.

Being a biochemistry major, what science courses did you get a B or below?

No bets until we see an MCAT but note that very high scores are desirable but will also focus a spotlight on your grades and the science GPA.

What schools have you networked with?

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[Mr.Smile12]

I haven’t gotten below a B, but these are the courses I got Bs in: h. gen chem 1, h. gen chem 2, h. intro bio 1, h. intro bio 2, h. orgo 1, 2. After those, I started receiving As in my upper level sciences courses (both chem and bio)

I am shooting for a 518-522, until I’m confident of that range I won’t be taking the mcat.

Please excuse my ignorance, but what do you mean by networked with?

My math skills need a little refreshing. With 6 intro courses (usually 4 credit hours each) with B's, I'm still wondering how many classes you took to make your science GPA at 3.27 because if they were all A's, my math suggests your sGPA would be a much higher. So what were your A's in that contribute to your BCMP GPA? Note that you should highlight for me any credit hours you earned on research or independent study because I also generally discount those credits.

Networking refers to your connections with schools you are interested in through recruitment presentations, fairs, visits, or discussion with current students or admissions staff at those programs.

 

[lord999]

Very little judgment can be made without the MCAT, but the higher the better. I think you are out of contention for top-tier at this point even with a fantastic >520 score.

 

[Goro]

Very little judgment can be made without the MCAT, but the higher the better. I think you are out of contention for top-tier at this point even with a fantastic >520 score.

Concur!!!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I am sorry, I didn't mean to come off pretentious. I meant do I have a chance even at mid-tier schools. I know my GPAs are shot, and the best I can pull off are 3.36 sGPA rounded to 3.4 and 3.55 cGPA rounded to 3.6. My question is, is that enough to get me to a good MD school, with my ECs? Is there more I can do?

Thank you so much for your help guys. Education matters to me and so does the school I go to. I want to choose a medical school where I can excel and learn at my full potential. I am just afraid that I have come to the realization a little too late. I never had guidance growing up, my peers did. Whereas my peers were born in the states with parents as doctors, I was a first-gen, immigrant student figuring out ways to succeed in school. I am not presenting a sob story, I am just saying that I finally figured out how to excel in school and would use my learning to do well in any environment.

If you haven't networked with even the middle-tiered schools, it's going to be hard to gauge whether they could provide you the environment that you are looking for. Even DO schools might be good for you, especially since your GPA is better aligned with their statistics than MD's in general (prefer too see 3.6+ sGPA IMO). There are many first-generation students in medical school, so it is to your benefit to find them and talk with them.

 

[Goro]

I have always had my mind set on MD. I think that if I can’t just apply to MD schools with my currents stats and my mcat, then I will do a post-bacc with a MD school that offers conditional acceptance. Your thoughts?

Beggars can't be choosy, you will need DO schools on your eventual list.

And without an MCAT score, it's not worth discussing any further.

Your ECs are cookie cutter, on top of everything else.

 

[Goro]

What would you suggest I do for ECs then? How can I improve on top of the ECs I already have? My ECs include having worked in a lab as an undergraduate researcher for a year and a half, working a bank job to provide for school for 2.5 years (continuing), volunteering at my school's hospital for the last year and a half (continuing), shadowing a derm for the last year and a half (continuing), and being a board member for an organization that fights to end homelessness/food insecurity in my city for the last two years (continuing). How can I stand out? I haven't held any tutoring positions but I think they would help. Please give me your suggestions (for ECs) as I think I will be taking two gap years to solidify my ECs and focus on my MCAT. Thank you for being honest with me and helping me.

Get in more EC time. Do what you love and love what you do. Service to others less fortunate than yourself is always good.

STOP shadowing.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Two gap years? What are you going to do? Also, if that's the case, don't rush taking the MCAT this year. You also need to be sure your committee letter can be sent out after that gap or whether you have to go back and request one in two years.

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[Mr.Smile12]

I have always had my mind set on MD. I think that if I can’t just apply to MD schools with my currents stats and my mcat, then I will do a post-bacc with a MD school that offers conditional acceptance. Your thoughts?

As mentioned before, you're not in any position to be picky. DO schools must be on your radar based on your GPA range. It depends on how much money you want to spend on getting into medical school because it's going to be very expensive once you get in, or it can be very expensive if you don't reasonably have a strategy in applying. That's why networking is important. Find out what recruitment fairs, campus visits, or AMSA/SNMA meetings are being held and go. There are also virtual fairs and presentations (admissions podcasts).

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Sorry, I meant to say two years, one gap year since I’ll be sending out my application in June 2021. If I feel confident enough to take the test in this May, then I will take it and I’ll apply in the June 2020 cycle. However, that probably will not happen.

So when are you thinking about taking the MCAT? How does this figure into your plans? You probably shouldn't try to prepare while in an SMP or postbac program.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Even with a 3.36 sGPA and 3.54 cGPA no MD program will look at me? I will have DO schools on my list too, not just MD. I am not worried about the money I will have to spend once I’m in medical school for tuition. It’s an investment. As far as strategy, I’ll utilize SDN as much as I possibly can. Thank you so much for your help.

How would I sign up for virtual tours? I think that’s something I can do. But yes, I will ask my premed advisor how I can begin networking with these schools.

Without an MCAT, we're not making bets. You also don't know about how you would fit with each school's curriculum offerings or mission. What is important is that you are choosy. Every school will be happy to take your money, but a serious look requires understanding the admissions process. Holistic admissions philosophies notwithstanding, some schools will read your primary application, but it doesn't mean you'll get an II. That's what we're tying to tell you. There may be exceptions but in general terms, this is what or experience says.

Your prehealth advisor has the opportunity to connect with admissions staff and should understand past cycles and patterns. If a school you want or have listed above accepted only one person from your program in the past 10 years, your advisor should know that. If not, you ask the admissions recruiter.


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[Mr.Smile12]

You’re right. I think I was just really not taking no for an answer. After hearing you guys speak on the matter, I’m more grounded. Do you think I can take the mcat in January and apply to Temple’s post-bacc? I hear their program has a conditional acceptance with a 509 mcat for the conditional acceptance. It’s just really heartbreaking to know that my application isn’t good enough when I have worked tirelessly the past 2 years to make amends for the ****ty way I started my college.

Postbaccalaureate Premedical Program | Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University

Lewis Katz School of Medicine Postbaccalaureate Program The Lewis Katz School of Medicine (LKSOM) Advanced Core in Medical Sciences Postbaccalaureate program was launched in 2008 and is designed to specifically prepare students for success in our medical school and as practicing physicians. This...

medicine.temple.edu

I would suggest reaching out to them about your questions. Also keep shopping for other postbac programs.

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[Goro]

I really like that input. Although I volunteer at a hospital, I don’t consider the hospital to be underserved. I think I want to volunteer at an underserved hospital and initiate a program that aligns with one of my hobbies, like reading stories to the patients or singing songs for them.

Stop shadowing? How come? I thought it was good to continue shadowing one physician for an extended time. I wanted him to be my mentor...

To clarify, service to the underserved goes under nonclinical volunteering.

You thought wrong about continued shadowing. The purpose is to see what a doctor's day is like and how different doctors approach the practice of Medicine. All you need is ~50 hours.