Low Stats/Chances at D.O. this cycle?

[RAS1996]

Sorry I think I posted this in the wrong thread so I'm posting it here now.

Should I apply to some schools this cycle? I've called LECOM and they're the only ones that don't really care about letters of rec. from a physician and don't screen for sub 3.00 sGPA. Also found LMCOM which requires a letter but said bc of covid I can still apply but state that I will be getting one asap. Waiting for covid to end so I can shadow, not much I can do to increase my hours rn or get a letter. As far as my gpa.. let alone sGPA, I'm planning to do a post bacc and get it up a bit. But would I have a decent shot with my current stats? Or strictly do a post-bacc now and get my E.C.'s up too? Also I am URM and non-trad

cGPA: 3.18
sGPA: 2.8
MCAT: 502
Volunteer: 50 clinical and 90 non-clinical
Shadow: Unfortunately only 12 and those were for an M.D.
Worked as pharmacy tech for 6 months. Not sure if that's worth anything
Got 3 letters from science professors and 2 from other professionals but still no D.O. letter which pretty much all schools require (or strongly prefer) but like 2.

Also don't care where I get accepted (as long as not Caribbean)

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[Faha]

Which URM community are you from ?f Hispanic are you fluent in Spanish ? You need to increase your sGPA to 3.0 or else you will be screened out at some schools. You could take enough undergraduate level science courses at a local college in the coming year to increase your sGPA. You also need another 100+ hours of clinical volunteering with patient contact and another 40 hours of physician shadowing including DO physicians.

 

[RAS1996]

Which URM community are you from ?f Hispanic are you fluent in Spanish ? You need to increase your sGPA to 3.0 or else you will be screened out at some schools. You could take enough undergraduate level science courses at a local college in the coming year to increase your sGPA. You also need another 100+ hours of clinical volunteering with patient contact and another 40 hours of physician shadowing including DO physicians.

Nevermind just checked and im not URM. But anyways should I not bother applying at all this cycle? I found some schools that don't screen for sGPA sub 3.00 like LECOM and LMCOM. And yes my plan is to take enough science courses this semester to bump it up past a 3.00. Just wondering if I can save a year by taking a chance and applying to a couple schools while I do my post bacc and then withdraw from my post bacc if I get accepted. Do you think its worth even applying or should I just strictly stick to what u said? Thanks for the reply

 

[doctorosteo]

Unless URM. Would do post bac and increase your volunteer and clinical hrs and increase GPA. Your EC and GPA are a real problem for adcoms

 

[RAS1996]

Unless URM. Would do post bac and increase your volunteer and clinical hrs and increase GPA. Your EC and GPA are a real problem for adcoms

Ok thank you so much for the advice. I'll take this year to just build up EC and get my GPA as high as I can then.

 

[Faha]

Nevermind just checked and im not URM. But anyways should I not bother applying at all this cycle? I found some schools that don't screen for sGPA sub 3.00 like LECOM and LMCOM. And yes my plan is to take enough science courses this semester to bump it up past a 3.00. Just wondering if I can save a year by taking a chance and applying to a couple schools while I do my post bacc and then withdraw from my post bacc if I get accepted. Do you think its worth even applying or should I just strictly stick to what u said? Thanks for the reply

You need the post bacc hours and need to improve your ECs before you apply. Plan to apply next June if that is accomplished.

 

[RAS1996]

You need the post bacc hours and need to improve your ECs before you apply. Plan to apply next June if that is accomplished.

Thank you for the reply/advice. I will go ahead and NOT apply this cycle and do a post bacc this fall and spring, as well as volunteer and shadow a ton and then apply in June. I regret slacking off on my GPA freshmen and sophomore year. Good thing is that I have an upward trend junior and senior year. And will for sure continue it throughout my post bacc.

 

[Goro]

OP Read this:

• Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention

 

[RAS1996]

OP Read this:

• Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention

thank you for the reply mr. goro, I actually read ur reinvention post a few days ago lol. I calculated it out, and if I use this fall and spring for a post bacc, I can boost my cGPA to 3.3 and sGPA to a 3.1. I know according to ur post, a 3.5 is more ideal for D.O., and a 505+ MCAT. But with my upward trend, and significantly improving my E.C.'s, as well as my indifference to which school I get in to, do you think I would have a decent application by June?

 

[RAS1996]

OP Read this:

• Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention

Ok sorry I just re-read ur post and I misread some of it. So a 3.3 should be fine as long as I continue my upward trend. But as far as MCAT, do you recommend me re-taking it? or do I have a solid chance of an interview with mine?

 

[Goro]

Ok sorry I just re-read ur post and I misread some of it. So a 3.3 should be fine as long as I continue my upward trend. But as far as MCAT, do you recommend me re-taking it? or do I have a solid chance of an interview with mine?

Your trajectory is fine, and I do not recommend an MCAT retake, unless you are scoring well above 502 on your practice tests. If you have test-taking anxiety, get that fixed as well.

 

[RAS1996]

@Goro hello again mr goro. Would appreciate if you can help me with another question. I been researching, and it looks like December is late to apply to D.O. unless I have a more competitive GPA and MCAT etc. But I just called a couple schools and they said that December is not late at all for them. I know that I'm just another applicant so it's easy for them to say that and hang up the phone, but are there actually schools out there where December would not be considered late? What's your opinion?

 

[Goro]

In this cycle, Dec is not late

 

[RAS1996]

In this cycle, Dec is not late

Hm makes sense. Sorry for all the questions, but I re-checked my transcrip, and it turns out my sGPA is 3.02 for aacomas and overall is 3.2. I can get a 3.2 and 3.1sGPA after my post bacc this fall and 4.00 in my post bacc GPA (get grades 1st week of Dec), and if I somehow manage to get my E.C.'s very high, do you think I could get some interviews at some lower tier schools? Or should I still just wait till June and go for next cycle?

 

[RAS1996]

Hm makes sense. Sorry for all the questions, but I re-checked my transcrip, and it turns out my sGPA is 3.02 for aacomas and overall is 3.2. I can get a 3.2 and 3.1sGPA after my post bacc this fall and 4.00 in my post bacc GPA (get grades 1st week of Dec), and if I somehow manage to get my E.C.'s very high, do you think I could get some interviews at some lower tier schools? Or should I still just wait till June and go for next cycle?

Also I'm asking if I were to apply first week of Dec

 

[Goro]

Hm makes sense. Sorry for all the questions, but I re-checked my transcrip, and it turns out my sGPA is 3.02 for aacomas and overall is 3.2. I can get a 3.2 and 3.1sGPA after my post bacc this fall and 4.00 in my post bacc GPA (get grades 1st week of Dec), and if I somehow manage to get my E.C.'s very high, do you think I could get some interviews at some lower tier schools? Or should I still just wait till June and go for next cycle?

Yes, if you apply next year. Apply when you have the best possible app. Right now you're circling the drain, and by the time you newest transcripts get tot he school, it will be too late. med schools aren't going anywhere.