Made multiple mistakes as a premed. What are my chances?

[WastedPotential]

cGPA 2.8 (Freshman 1.3, Sophomore 2.6, Junior 3.9, Senior 3.9)
sGPA 3.7

I went to my state school. Basically I gave 0 ****s freshman year and 1/2 of sophomore year. I was dealing with family issues and depression and did not care about school at all. Did not attend any classes. Even skipped tests. In the second half of sophomore year I decided that I wanted to go to medical school. I started studying and did well in all my classes. (The reason my sGPA is so much higher than my cGPA is because I only started taking science courses in sophomore year.)

I took the MCAT for the first time at the end of sophomore year because I was just uninformed and wanted to get it over with. I studied only on the weekend before the test (big mistake) and scored a 8/13/7 = 28. The next time I took the MCAT was a year later after studying for 2 months for it. I was able to get a 14/12/14 = 40.
Since graduating a year ago I've been working as an ER scribe and volunteering tutoring inner city youth. I don't really have research experience at all.

So I'm not sure how I really stand. With a 2.8 are my chances for MD out the window? I'm the first person in my family to go to college and I started it pretty late (at age 21). I am 26 now so I would really like to start school asap. Could I get in somewhere still this cycle if I applied?

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[GrapesofRath]

Username makes me kind of suspect this is just a troll but I'll give the benefit of the doubt because a) I guess I'm just that nice of a guy b) if this is true it's a fascinating type of situation and stat line to think about.

It's too late to get into MD schools this cycle if you apply I can tell you that. DO's however might be a different story.

You certainly have an interesting story. And a rather rare one. Just to give perspective, over the past 2 cycles EIGHT applicants have applied with 2.8-2.99 GPA's and 39+ MCATs(there are schools that will average the two MCATs to a 34 and others who will still put a fair amount of weight in the first score). So you are a unique situation(btw not all that relevant but only 2 of them got an acceptance letter from an MD program).

Applicants with discordant stats are always hard to give great advice for but you certainly have some very appealing things on your application going for you. To answer your question, no a 2.8 alone does not necessarily just eliminate yourself from consideration given the other aspects in your application.

A 40 MCAT score will grab any ADCOMs attention. As LizzyM has told applicants with somewhat similar stats in the past, that kind of MCAT score will always cause a number of schools to take a closer look at an applicant see what their story is. For you, they'll see someone with a very strong upward trend and a sGPA that is very competitive. How they'll choose to evaluate the cGPA and the damage you did to your GPA the first two years will vary tremendously by school but I would be willing to venture there could be an MD school out there for you. There are others with years of experience such as ADCOMs who see applications like this every year who can give far better advice than me which is why I've tried to avoid making definitive statements

There are some on here who might tell you need an SMP due to that 2.8. I honestly don't have close to enough experience or knowledge about this whole process to tell you they would be wrong, particularly if its an ADCOM telling you that. There are others who might tell you doing a DIY post-bacc just to hit the magic 3.0 for cGPA would be a good idea. That doesn't sound unreasonable but I'm not sure its necessary. The best advice I can give is get as much input from reliable knowledgeable people on your app who know what they are talking about(note in many cases this is not pre-med advisers). The guess(however rough uneducated it might be) here though is it might be worth an application cycle to see how things shake out next year without an SMP.

But anyway, long story short answering your questions a) no it's way too late to apply this cycle b) no I don't think a 2.8 is necessarily an automatic kiss of death.

 

[LuluLovesMe]

I feel like you could give MD schools a shot and you definitely have a chance, but not this cycle. However even applying early next year you'll most likely end up getting accepted into a DO school.

If you really must go MD, you could probably do a postbach? Not sure if it would help though since you already demonstrated you can do well in your final two years of undergrad.

 

[IlDestriero]

Your 2.8 is ugly, but your science GPA makes one take a second look, your first MCAT confirms the 2.8 and isn't doing you any favors. The second score is great and will probably save your app, but anyone can study for a test so again the 28 with a 7 and 8 will make many think twice before giving you an offer. You'll probably be fine, but if you're thinking Stanford and Penn are going to see 3.7/40 and open the doors, you're probably mistaken.

 

[IlDestriero]

Is your school a known crusher of souls and grade deflator, where a 3.7 is a rockstar GPA? If so, you're back in action.

 

[GrapesofRath]

What Goro likes to call reinvention schools(literally do a search for Goro reinvention schools to find the ones he is talking about) would be good places to start for identifying a list of schools to apply to. Note these schools stretch all the way from Albany and Drexel all the way to Case Western and Duke(the latter of which though where research is a defacto requirement)

 

[WastedPotential]

Your 2.8 is ugly, but your science GPA makes one take a second look, your first MCAT confirms the 2.8 and isn't doing you any favors. The second score is great and will probably save your app, but anyone can study for a test so again the 28 with a 7 and 8 will make many think twice before giving you an offer. You'll probably be fine, but if you're thinking Stanford and Penn are going to see 3.7/40 and open the doors, you're probably mistaken.

I'm just aiming for any MD school really. Unfortunately I live in Washington State.

Do I have a chance at low tier public ones like Quinnipiac, NYMC, Albany ect?

 

[GrapesofRath]

I'm just aiming for any MD school really. Unfortunately I live in Washington State.

Do I have a chance at low tier public ones like Quinnipiac, NYMC, Albany ect?

The problem is that a number of lower tier schools are going to see a 40 MCAT as low yield for them and that score could potentially get screened out by them for being so high and a good 4-5 points above their 90th percentile.

You certainly have a very fair chance at gaining admission somewhere. It's just trying to pinpoint schools for someone with discordant stats can be tricky. Complicating things as well is a number of schools average multiple MCAT attempts; that makes your 40 suddenly a 34. Like I said above, I think search Goro re-invention schools. That will help you out a good bit. The thing working in your favor is your sGPA itself is rather strong. A good list for you is going to include schools of all tiers. There will probably be some top tier schools like Duke, Vanderbilt, Columbia and UCSF. You will probably have some medium tier types like Rochester, Einstein, USC, Emory, Hofstra and Boston U. You will probably then have some lower tier types as well such as Albany, Miami, NYMC, and Tufts. I know gonnif in the past has advised people in similar situations like yours with exceptional MCAT scores and a really strong upward trend the past two years to aim rather high and to be under the assumption your later year GPA will be given far more weight. It won't be the case at all schools, but it's a good guideline.

 

[WastedPotential]

The problem is that a number of lower tier schools are going to see a 40 MCAT as low yield for them and that score could potentially get screened out by them for being so high and a good 4-5 points above their 90th percentile.

You certainly have a very fair chance at gaining admission somewhere. It's just trying to pinpoint schools for someone with discordant stats can be tricky. Complicating things as well is a number of schools average multiple MCAT attempts; that makes your 40 suddenly a 34. Like I said above, I think search Goro re-invention schools. That will help you out a good bit. The thing working in your favor is your sGPA itself is rather strong. A good list for you is going to include schools of all tiers. There will probably be some top tier schools like Duke, Vanderbilt, Columbia and UCSF. You will probably have some medium tier types like Rochester, Einstein, USC, Emory, Hofstra and Boston U. You will probably then have some lower tier types as well such as Albany, Miami, NYMC, and Tufts. I know gonnif in the past has advised people in similar situations like yours with exceptional MCAT scores and a really strong upward trend the past two years to aim rather high and to be under the assumption your later year GPA will be given far more weight. It won't be the case at all schools, but it's a good guideline.

How do I avoid getting screened out for being a low yield applicant? Just apply to a ton of schools and hope for the best? I really feel that I don't have a shot at top tier schools. There's really nothing exceptional about my extracurriculars.

 

[GrapesofRath]

How do I avoid getting screened out for being a low yield applicant? Just apply to a ton of schools and hope for the best? I really feel that I don't have a shot at top tier schools. There's really nothing exceptional about my extracurriculars.

Without research experience top schools aren't going to happen. You can't really avoid being screened out at some schools it just is a risk. Obviously, not all schools will screen out automatically a 40 MCAT. But it is the type of thing you hear gyngyn warning people with low GPA's and high MCAT's might happen. One possibility is to simply wait a year to boost up your EC's.