Low GPA School List and Other Questions?? Help please! Advice appreciated!

[OpSmile]

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Hi,
This is my first post to SDN and I wanted to ask for your guys’ advice, especially with my questions in bold.

General Background:
-VA Resident, Psychology Major, Biology Minor
*Undergrad GPAs: Overall: 3.338/Science: 3.122/BCP: 3.099/Non-Science: 3.735
*Current Post-Bacc GPA: 4.0
The program gives students the opportunity to turn the Certificate received at the end into a Masters in Physiology. If I work my absolute hardest to keep up my post-bacc GPA, do you think it is necessary that I pursue a Master’s given my low GPAs in undergrad? Or would it be alright if I instead took non-degree Fall undergrad courses in classes I haven’t taken yet (microbiology, immunology, genetics)?

*DAT:
AA: 21/TS: 22/Biology: 21/Gen Chem: 22/Organic: 22/Reading: 22/PAT: 18/QR: 17

*Extracurriculars/Shadowing:
-Leadership positions in Pre-Dental Society and Operation Smile
-Various volunteering activities, some of which include tutoring English, Give Kids a Smile, 7 MOM Projects
-Current Shadowing Hours: 160 (from General Dentists and Dental Clinic)
*I am currently still shadowing and hope to bring this up to 175-180 before applying (with at least 150 being from general dentistry, and a few from specialties)
*Shadowing at the Dental Clinic is actually an opportunity I got through being a volunteer there, but because 75% of the time we were allowed to shadow patients (the other 25% we were filing), I counted 75% of the total hours I spent there towards shadowing, and no hours were counted towards volunteering (didn't want to “double dip” between shadowing/volunteering hours). Do you think this is okay? Should I still list it under the volunteering section but note that no hours from it were counted towards volunteering?
-Current Volunteering Hours: 274 (hoping to find more volunteering opportunities before applying)

*School List (I am looking to apply to at least 15 schools on/near East Coast):
VCU
Maryland
Howard
LECOM
Nova Southeastern (requires microbiology)
Kentucky
Louisville
Tufts
Michigan (requires microbiology)
Columbia
NYU
Case Western
Temple
Penn
Pittsburgh
Are there any schools I should add/remove?

I sincerely apologize for the long post and all of my questions, but I would GREATLY, GREATLY appreciate any of your guys’ advice!!! Thank you!!

 

[Anselmian]

Maybe consider adding UNE? They're just starting out and as a result tend to go deep into their wait list!

 

[I want to go to there]

Unless you are black, don't even bother applying to Howard. They rarely ever take non-black students. Don't bother with masters, keep your grades up in post-bac. You don't need it, you most likely will not complete it, and is waste of money. I would also add UDM.

You already have plenty of volunteering hours, so don't count it if you feel iffy about it.

 

[OpSmile]

Maybe consider adding UNE? They're just starting out and as a result tend to go deep into their wait list!

Thank you for your help! For some reason I missed adding them in my list, but I will definitely consider it!

 

[OpSmile]

Unless you are black, don't even bother applying to Howard. They rarely ever take non-black students. Don't bother with masters, keep your grades up in post-bac. You don't need it, you most likely will not complete it, and is waste of money. I would also add UDM.

You already have plenty of volunteering hours, so don't count it if you feel iffy about it.

Thank you for your advice! I really appreciate it!!
And I will definitely consider UDM. I took them out at first because I thought you had to be a specific faith to apply there, but after reading more on them, I found that is not the case.

 

[skyguy1]

lol we literally almost have the exact same stats gpa wise, post bacc, volunteering and shadowing, ill let you know where i apply.. goodluck!🙂

 

[OpSmile]

lol we literally almost have the exact same stats gpa wise, post bacc, volunteering and shadowing, ill let you know where i apply.. goodluck!🙂

You're not alone haha! Best of luck to you as well!!

 

[Sissi Romy]

Penn and Columbia are a stretch, unless you have extra money and don't mind risking it.

 

[OpSmile]

Penn and Columbia are a stretch, unless you have extra money and don't mind risking it.

Thank you for your advice! I really appreciate it!!