Major Upward Trend!

Started by Lullapalooza
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Lullapalooza

Full Member
10+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
Hey guys, can you let me know what you think of my chances?

cGPA: 3.1
sGPA: 3.5

My upward trend is as follows:
Freshman Year (Business Major): 2.12
Sophomore Year (Business Major): 2.58
Transferred out...
Junior Year (Neuroscience Major): 3.43
Senior Year: 3.64
5th Year: 3.72
6th Year: 3.91

MCAT is 31S (will be retaking it)

Starting SMP in August

EC's:
-500+ hrs volunteering in ICU and ER
-Department coordinator for volunteers in Cardiac Cath Lab
-1.5 years of research, 1 abstract, 1 publication
-Fundraising committee member for March of Dimes

Awards:
-Recognized by hospital staff for exemplary service in ICU
-Voted by Neuroscience faculty to receive Academic Excellence Award for outstanding research and academic performance.
-Graduated cum laude

I know my application is far from stellar. My slow start really set me back and wrecked my GPA. But I'm hoping that the SMP and retaking my MCAT along with the pronounced upward trend will improve my chances. I'm in the process of organizing non-medical related community service for the next year while I am doing my SMP. However, I fear that my cGPA will not be impacted all that much by my SMP work, because I have so many units as it is.

I do not have my heart set on any single school. I just want to go to an allopathic U.S. program. I would be perfectly content with attending schools like Drexel or Tulane, which are more forgiving than say Harvard or Columbia. What do you guys think?
 
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Are you totally set on MD? You would make a more competitive DO applicant. Maybe you should apply for both when the time comes. Are you applying this season to start med school in 2011? Are you waiting for your first round of SMP grades before you apply?

Great turn around by the way.
 
no i am not going to apply this application cycle since i strongly believe that the SMP is going to play an important role.

i know that i would make a decent DO applicant and i have been invited to interviews for foreign schools but i have my heart set on going to a US MD program. however i am not going to be any more picky than that in terms of where i would go.
 
Evergrey said:
Her Majesty's Ship, or, if you're from SDN, Harvard Medical School
Click to expand...

yeah, i wish that was a realistic option but unfortunately it isnt. again though, going to say drexel, tulane or GWU would definitely more than suffice for me.
 
Lullapalooza said:
Hey guys, can you let me know what you think of my chances?

cGPA: 3.1
sGPA: 3.5

My upward trend is as follows:
Freshman Year (Business Major): 2.12
Sophomore Year (Business Major): 2.58
Transferred out...
Junior Year (Neuroscience Major): 3.43
Senior Year: 3.64
5th Year: 3.72
6th Year: 3.91

MCAT is 31S (will be retaking it)

Starting SMP in August

EC's:
-500+ hrs volunteering in ICU and ER
-Department coordinator for volunteers in Cardiac Cath Lab
-1.5 years of research, 1 abstract, 1 publication
-Fundraising committee member for March of Dimes

Awards:
-Recognized by hospital staff for exemplary service in ICU
-Voted by Neuroscience faculty to receive Academic Excellence Award for outstanding research and academic performance.
-Graduated cum laude

I know my application is far from stellar. My slow start really set me back and wrecked my GPA. But I'm hoping that the SMP and retaking my MCAT along with the pronounced upward trend will improve my chances. I'm in the process of organizing non-medical related community service for the next year while I am doing my SMP. However, I fear that my cGPA will not be impacted all that much by my SMP work, because I have so many units as it is.

I do not have my heart set on any single school. I just want to go to an allopathic U.S. program. I would be perfectly content with attending schools like Drexel or Tulane, which are more forgiving than say Harvard or Columbia. What do you guys think?
Click to expand...
If you are applying at DO schools, you dont need an SMP.
 
Lullapalooza said:
I know my application is far from stellar. My slow start really set me back and wrecked my GPA. But I'm hoping that the SMP and retaking my MCAT along with the pronounced upward trend will improve my chances. I'm in the process of organizing non-medical related community service for the next year while I am doing my SMP. However, I fear that my cGPA will not be impacted all that much by my SMP work, because I have so many units as it is.
Click to expand...

I am by no means the world expert on SMPs, but my understanding is that it counts as graduate GPA instead of undergrad. So, your performance in the SMP will not change your UG cGPA. It still looks great if you do well, though, regardless of whether it changes your cum or not.
 
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