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Yep. Which is why I said above a 3.4, isn’t really considered “low”.
low stats success stories??
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Yep. Which is why I said above a 3.4, isn’t really considered “low”.
throwitallaway
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How did you determine which schools fit this description?
Maybe a combination of the schools' mission statements, their matriculants' stats as a reported on the MSAR, and based on past cycles whether or not research is a must for applicants. Just a guess.
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Stanford girl could've had something insane like a first-author Nature paper!
I know my username is “premed...” but I’m currently an M3. Going through this process a few years back I was accepted to a US MD school my first try with a 26 MCAT (I think that’s like a 502ish?) and a 3.8ish GPA. Pretty much everything else in my app was fairly solid...I’m sure it’s more competitive now but the whole “full package” does hold truth
throwitallaway
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I applied to schools that are mission focused! I didn’t apply to any of the stat heavy schools like NYU Uchicago etc
No acceptances yet (so keep that in mind)...
Non-traditional paramedic currently doing well in an allo SMP. Two interviews this cycle so far, one MD and one DO, and preparing for another MD interview in Feb. Both cGPA and sGPA less than 3.0, 509 MCAT. Looking to finish SMP with ~3.7-3.8 barring any potential curveballs. Upward undergrad trend from (literally) rock bottom and a lot of clinical exposure.
Been on SDN for most of my journey and have found some encouragement. Don’t let a few blips prevent you from pursuing the dream! Keep getting better every day and just do your best.
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Non-traditional paramedic currently doing well in an allo SMP. Two interviews this cycle so far, one MD and one DO, and preparing for another MD interview in Feb. Both cGPA and sGPA less than 3.0, 509 MCAT. Looking to finish SMP with ~3.7-3.8 barring any potential curveballs. Upward undergrad trend from (literally) rock bottom and a lot of clinical exposure.
Been on SDN for most of my journey and have found some encouragement. Don’t let a few blips prevent you from pursuing the dream! Keep getting better every day and just do your best.
Sent from my iPad using SDN mobile
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Had a 3.43 with a strong upward trend but over 20 Ws and 3 Fs. Crushed the MCAT and have really good ECs. Got two acceptances.
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3.2 cGPA, 2.8 sGPA from a top 10 school, 31 MCAT first time, first cycle only 1 II, waitlisted. Second cycle during an SMP (got an 3.89 GPA hay hayy), two II, two waitlists....3RD CYCLE- took MCAT again (first score expired)-507 but then took it AGAIN a month later-511: two II, two waitlists, got accepted after three years of incredible self-doubt, disappointment, but a hell lot of determination. Attending a NY MD school now, in the top 10% of my class, everything seems to be right on track towards achieving my specific career and couldn't even begin to express my gratitude for how my life has changed ever since getting into med school.
If there's something you want to achieve in life, don't ever give up and don't let anyone tell you to give up either. Had friends, family, advisors tell me to quit and do something else, but I pushed through. We all make mistakes, and I know I definitely learned from my stubbornness and ignorance in undergrad. I definitely regret things and I still think about how things could've been different every now and then, but now when I'm only 5 months away from Step 1 and beginning clinical rotations, I know now this was meant to be and I'm actually living my dream. And I worked and made my dream a reality.
If there's something you want to achieve in life, don't ever give up and don't let anyone tell you to give up either. Had friends, family, advisors tell me to quit and do something else, but I pushed through. We all make mistakes, and I know I definitely learned from my stubbornness and ignorance in undergrad. I definitely regret things and I still think about how things could've been different every now and then, but now when I'm only 5 months away from Step 1 and beginning clinical rotations, I know now this was meant to be and I'm actually living my dream. And I worked and made my dream a reality.
I am active duty military with 7 years in, 10,000 hours of paid clinical experience both civilian and military, I was a professional musician for a few years, I have some publications, I had a couple interesting hobbies on my app, and I had a 519 MCAT with a 4.0 postbacc. I also put a long time between my app and all those crappy grades, which I think helped a lot.
Sure, go for it
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MCAT below 500 GPA okay 4 MD II and 3 MD acceptances
cGPA barely above 3.00 due to a 2.8 gpa first time at college. 8II 6 attended 4 acceptances all MD
You must have great interviewing skills congrats
I'm sorry I hate to be dramatic but NEVER NEVER NEVER explain grades, MCAT, performances on your PS.....you're answering WHY MEDICAL SCHOOL. How in the heck does talking about your grades whether good or bad answer that question? Like how would ppl even bring up that in their PS.
"I wanna be a doc to help ppl, also as a side note I have low grades but I'm actually smarter"
U need to talk about what factors contributed to you wanting to go into medicine. The committee for one has already seen your gpa by the time they read your PS. They will make that judgment call. WHY WASTE space telling them something they 1. already know and 2. don't care about
Don’t mention it there. The PS is the answer why Medicine, not why’d you get that gpa.
504 mcat retaken for a 503 (really crapped the bed on the retake, even though I was scoring in the 511 range on the AAMC practice exams). Among AMCAS, AACOMAS, and TMDSAS (OOS with ties to TX), I received 19 IIs. I only attended 13 though. So far I have received 7 A's (2 DO/5 MD) and 3 W's (1 DO/2 MD), with 0 post-interview R's (plenty of pre-II R's though). However, I am a college drop-out URM military service member, who went back to school and maintained gpa's above 3.8 my second time around.
Congrats! that's a lot of interviews you attended! i stopped after 6
Thanks! I wanted to stop earlier, but it seemed like each additional II I got was at a school of equal standing to the ones I had already interviewed at or better. I felt like I would be doing myself a disservice if I didn't go to ones that could be better than the one's I already went to. I am immensely grateful for the opportunities, but my bank account definitely hates me right now haha
i feel you. i hit delta medallion gold status from all the flying i did. its pretty unreal
Congrats. I stopped after my third interview. It's so expensive to go to interviews lol.
I had a 3.2 after my DIY post-bacc and a great MCAT after 2 attempts when I applied for the first time (late, in August). I was rejected without any interviews.
After careful reflection and a rewrite of my entire application (and an on-time submission in early June) I was accepted by one of my top choice programs
In hindsight it was foolish to rush my first application.
After careful reflection and a rewrite of my entire application (and an on-time submission in early June) I was accepted by one of my top choice programs
In hindsight it was foolish to rush my first application.
I had a 3.1 GPA when I applied. I am now an M2 at an MD school. That GPA is up from a 0.6 at the end of my freshman year. I had some interesting EC's (former job, spent several years in sub-saharan africa), good MCAT, and two years of 4.0 post-bac which helped me have success despite my rough start.
It was a long road, but it can be done. I'm very happy with where I am at now.
This thread: LOW GPA/MCAT Success Stories (Posts by Nontrads Already Accepted to Med School) provided a lot of encouragement to me along the way.
It was a long road, but it can be done. I'm very happy with where I am at now.
This thread: LOW GPA/MCAT Success Stories (Posts by Nontrads Already Accepted to Med School) provided a lot of encouragement to me along the way.
I 100% disagree with that but it 100% depends on how it's phrased and incorporated into "why"
In my PS, the explanation is inferred (deceased son)
Yes in not all cases. In most cases, how do your grades affect why you want to go into medical school when the purpose of taking those classes is bc you already decided to pursue medical school?
In extreme cases, it makes sense. But in most cases it’s a good idea, coming from a member on the committee at a top 20 med school
Exactly - but your post was overly dramatic with the NEVER and infers that there is no exception, when in fact, there are more than one.
For someone to write in a PS:
"My son died so my grades are horse crap" is not the same as explaining how/why medicine now, and including at the end, that overcoming the death of said son ...
Again, in my particular case (30 years removed from really FUGLY GPA), I never directly address the GPA issue but anyone who reads it gets to the end and says, "Oh... that explains a lot."
Which is my intent. I have NO excuses for that GPA. My deceased child was just the tip of the iceberg, the dominos falling to that singular cataclysmic event, so to speak.
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I am very sorry for your loss. Your resilience is impressive, as are so many of these success stories.
I had a 509 and got into every school I interviewed at including Mayo where I am currently an M1. Let me preface this by saying I know I am exceedingly lucky but you cant put numbers on passion, and life experience. Just don't do "what you're supposed to" do what you truly are passionate about. People's eyes light up when they talk about a passion.
Roch?
Indeed.
How cold did it get? Fam in Lake City/Red Wing area - said -40, friends in Duluth said -51 (air temps, not WC)
Windchill was down to -57 at one point.
That's where I was born (St M) and while it is still home, ^^ is why I don't think I can live in MN again
Hope Mayo is treating you well!3.54 cGPA 3.3sGPA 495 MCAT
1 DO acceptance
3 MD II. Still waiting on the decision for them all. Will report back once I get those decisions.
1 DO acceptance
3 MD II. Still waiting on the decision for them all. Will report back once I get those decisions.
Congrats!!! You WILL be a doctor
Stanford: can get black female ex-Army Ranger track stars with 4.0 and 528.
Probably a moderate exaggeration.
You’ll have opportunities on the secondary applications to explain poor grades. They have specific places in the secondary that ask about stuff like that.
lol my friend is a Marine with a very good MCAT and a 4.0, and they told him if he doesn't have research to not even bother.
Holy mackerel: combat vets with 523/4.0 can't even get a shot at Stanford without research. Could probably get into other top-20 schools though.
Yeah he got into UCLA no problem.
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Lol I was hoping someone would notice and you did!!!
The as promised report. All 3 MD II turned into waitlist with 2 of them eventually turning into acceptances. It can be done.
CONGRATS!!!
Do you mind pming me what schools you got acceptances at? Thank you!
Cant believe it. Great congrats. You have something very special in your application.
