Low GPA, High MCAT URM

[TheDonHimself]

I'll keep this as brief as possible with all the information.

• I'll have a 3.3 cGPA and 3.29 sGPA at the end of the year (junior year undergrad) and I have a 520 MCAT score.
• I'm black
• I have over 150 hours of volunteer hours at a health center for underprivileged families and also shadow a variety of physicians there (both DO and MD).
• I am a chemistry and calculus tutor for other students my college.
• I have been a full time worker to pay bills (35-40hrs/week) for my entire undergrad career so far.
• I am currently involved in 2 research projects (one could possibly get published)
• I have retaken 2 classes; one class i withdrew from before receiving a grade then retook and got an A (cell bio), the other I got a C in and retook for an A (genetics).
• I have gotten a D in analytical chemistry last semester, which has not been retaken since it's not required necessarily. I also have a C in organic chem 1 (but a B in organic chem 2)
• This semester I have 20 hours of all A's (hopefully that counts for an upward trend?)

Is there still a good chance to make it in next year with such a low gpa? Should I wait to apply next year and focus on increasing my gpa through my senior year and take a gap year if accepted? What types of schools should I apply to/ not apply to? MD vs DO? Post-bacc?

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[Walter Raleigh]

You've been working full time to pay bills, you're Black, and you have a 520 MCAT? With an upward trend - although a short one? You have a good chance of getting into MD schools this year; retake that D in analytical chemistry. With a gap year - and another couple semesters of As - you've got an even better chance. @Goro might be able to offer better advice...but much is often forgiven for URMs, and the full-time work will mean that you get a little slack on your GPA.

 

[Faha]

Where is your state of residence ?

 

[TheDonHimself]

Where is your state of residence ?

I live in Missouri

 

[TheDonHimself]

You've been working full time to pay bills, you're Black, and you have a 520 MCAT? With an upward trend - although a short one? You have a good chance of getting into MD schools this year; retake that D in analytical chemistry. With a gap year - and another couple semesters of As - you've got an even better chance. @Goro might be able to offer better advice...but much is often forgiven for URMs, and the full-time work will mean that you get a little slack on your GPA.

How many schools should I apply to then? Like what would be a reach for me? What would be too low?

 

[TheDonHimself]

How many schools should I apply to then? Like what would be a reach for me? What would be too low?

And opinion on HBCU's??

 

[Faha]

I live in Missouri

Apply to your Missouri state public schools. You could also try these schools:
Howard
Meharry
Morehouse
UCLA-Drew
St. Louis
Loyola
Creighton
Tulane
Miami
Duke
Georgetown
George Washington
Boston University
Dartmouth
Brown
Hofstra
Einstein
Mount Sinai
NYU

 

[TheDonHimself]

Apply to your Missouri state public schools. You could also try these schools:
Howard
Meharry
Morehouse
UCLA-Drew
St. Louis
Loyola
Creighton
Tulane
Miami
Duke
Georgetown
George Washington
Boston University
Dartmouth
Brown
Hofstra
Einstein
Mount Sinai
NYU

I don't think my GPA is in the range for some of those schools though.....like Duke?? Would I even pass their screens?

 

[Faha]

I don't think my GPA is in the range for some of those schools though.....like Duke?? Would I even pass their screens?

Your MCAT is in the range for all those schools and there is a shortage of black applicants in medical school and the medical profession. If you take a gap year and increase your GPA during your senior year you would be even more competitive for schools like Duke. There are only 40 black applicants per year that score 518+ on the MCAT. That is only one per top 40 school.

 

[958567]

Your MCAT is in the range for all those schools and there is a shortage of black applicants in medical school and the medical profession. If you take a gap year and increase your GPA during your senior year you would be even more competitive for schools like Duke. There are only 40 black applicants per year that score 518+ on the MCAT. That is only one per top 40 school.

And all 40 of us are on SDN, apparently. (I jest) Though I am looking forward to applying next cycle and running into y'all. The population is so small, I can't -not- see you.

And if only it actually turns out to be one per top 40 next cycle lmao. Seems like some schools (like UChicago Pritz, Harvard, Mt. Sinai, Colombia, NYU) grab high tier black applicants by the handful

 

[TheDonHimself]

And all 40 of us are on SDN, apparently. (I jest) Though I am looking forward to applying next cycle and running into y'all. The population is so small, I can't -not- see you.

And if only it actually turns out to be one per top 40 next cycle lmao. Seems like some schools (like UChicago Pritz, Harvard, Mt. Sinai, Colombia, NYU) grab high tier black applicants by the handful

Lol what are your stats like for this upcoming cycle?

 

[958567]

Lol what are your stats like for this upcoming cycle?

I hardly post on this forum (mainly snide/sarcastic remarks) so if you search up my name you'll easily find my (kinda) lengthy post background description. I'm here mainly stockpiling statistics from the school specific threads to more accurately finetune my school list (Thanks @Faha again) while prewriting (Statistic compilation more of a hobby tbh, and for my bud also applying)

But just to highlight the important stuff

African American, Male
GPA: 3.36 cgpa 3.44 sgpa (Finals will be over soon, will go up a bit. All sgpa post-bacc (higher level statistics) (Upward Trend + 2 gap years by the application cycle)
MCAT: 501 --> 518
Major: Economics Minor: Bio (Will complete Statistics minor) crappy Uni
ECs: Think bare minimum to hit all of the check boxes (120 hrs hospital work, 60 shadowing blah blah - worked multiple jobs throughout undergrad.)
LizzyM: 70
WARS: 78 (Tried to be as brutal as possible idk tho)

 

[precisiongraphic]

I hardly post on this forum (mainly snide/sarcastic remarks) so if you search up my name you'll easily find my (kinda) lengthy post background description. I'm here mainly stockpiling statistics from the school specific threads to more accurately finetune my school list (Thanks @Faha again) while prewriting (Statistic compilation more of a hobby tbh, and for my bud also applying)

But just to highlight the important stuff

African American, Male
GPA: 3.36 cgpa 3.44 sgpa (Finals will be over soon, will go up a bit. All sgpa post-bacc (higher level statistics) (Upward Trend + 2 gap years by the application cycle)
MCAT: 501 --> 518
Major: Economics Minor: Bio (Will complete Statistics minor) crappy Uni
ECs: Think bare minimum to hit all of the check boxes (120 hrs hospital work, 60 shadowing blah blah - worked multiple jobs throughout undergrad.)
LizzyM: 70
WARS: 78 (Tried to be as brutal as possible idk tho)

Love your ativar. Us economics majors have to stick together.

 

[Walter Raleigh]

@Faha, NYU? They can turn away Harvard-tier applicants.

 

[puahate]

@Faha, NYU? They can turn away Harvard-tier applicants.

Yes