Marginal GPA...

[csx]

I have a marginal GPA (3.3 s/cGPA), apx ~1.0 upward trend in GPA after sophomore year, unique EC's (not cookie cutter...could be good...could be bad), clinical experience, and no MCAT yet.

With a marginal GPA such as mine, how important is it to apply early in the DO cycle? I understand the DO application cycle is a bit longer than the MD cycle and therefore I've heard that its "not as important" to apply early.

With a marginal GPA like mine would it be wise to apply still as early as possible??

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[Elevencents]

I have a marginal GPA (3.3 s/cGPA), apx ~1.0 upward trend in GPA after sophomore year, unique EC's (not cookie cutter...could be good...could be bad), clinical experience, and no MCAT yet.

With a marginal GPA such as mine, how important is it to apply early in the DO cycle? I understand the DO application cycle is a bit longer than the MD cycle and therefore I've heard that its "not as important" to apply early.

With a marginal GPA like mine would it be wise to apply still as early as possible??

It's always important to apply early, 3.3 or 3.6.

 

[csx]

It's always important to apply early, 3.3 or 3.6.

well yeah...sorry I wasn't more clear but would it be wiser to take the MCAT early...say early july...or wait a extra month and take it early august for a better MCAT score?

 

[Goro]

Not marginal at all for DO programs. Early is always best

I have a marginal GPA (3.3 s/cGPA), apx ~1.0 upward trend in GPA after sophomore year, unique EC's (not cookie cutter...could be good...could be bad), clinical experience, and no MCAT yet.

With a marginal GPA such as mine, how important is it to apply early in the DO cycle? I understand the DO application cycle is a bit longer than the MD cycle and therefore I've heard that its "not as important" to apply early.

With a marginal GPA like mine would it be wise to apply still as early as possible??

 

[Elevencents]

well yeah...sorry I wasn't more clear but would it be wiser to take the MCAT early...say early july...or wait a extra month and take it early august for a better MCAT score?

Take it when you feel prepared. If you think an extra month will get you another point or two, wait. But don't prolong it unless necessary.

I'd shoot for a June date initially and push it to July if needed.

 

[eccool]

GPA is fine. No sure about your EC. Try your best at MCAT and apply early then you will be fine.

 

[dallasdaines]

I scheduled my MCAT for last June so I could get my app in as soon as possible but ended up moving it to the end of June, then the first of July, and ended up taking it the very end of July. I got a 30 and even though my app wasn't complete until the end of August and secondaries in by the middle of September, I still received 12 interview invites. I didn't have a stellar GPA, but it was a little better than yours.

My point is, getting your app in asap isn't as important as having a good MCAT. What you need to decide is whether or not the extra time will equal a higher score, because that isn't always the case.

 

[hydrographer]

csx,

I have a 3.39 undergrad GPA, took the mcat on the last day (september 12th) and applied in november. 5 interviews, 2 acceptance so far, no rejections yet. obviously it helps to be early, but i think a lot of people blow tardiness (for the DO cycle) out of proportion. i think if you have your secondaries in my the middle of september you're in good shape time wise.

 

[BestDoctorEver]

csx,

I have a 3.39 undergrad GPA, took the mcat on the last day (september 12th) and applied in november. 5 interviews, 2 acceptance so far, no rejections yet. obviously it helps to be early, but i think a lot of people blow tardiness (for the DO cycle) out of proportion. i think if you have your secondaries in my the middle of september you're in good shape time wise.

You meant your application was verified in November--not that you submitted in November. With good stats (3.4+ GPAs and 28+ MCAT), I think October is still not late for DO.

 

[hydrographer]

You meant your application was verified in November--not that you submitted in November. With good stats (3.4+ GPAs and 28+ MCAT), I think October is still not late for DO.

i was verified much earlier, august i think.. but applied to pretty much all of my schools in november and had my supp apps in by mid november.

i waited to apply because i was sitting on a 25 MCAT from june... retook in july and voided, then retook again on september 12th for a 31.

 

[BestDoctorEver]

i was verified much earlier, august i think.. but applied to pretty much all of my schools in november and had my supp apps in by mid november.

i waited to apply because i was sitting on a 25 MCAT from june... retook in july and voided, then retook again on september 12th for a 31.

Congrats on your acceptances!....31 MCAT definitely helps, but I believe that you would have gotten into some low tiers DO anyway with that 25 MCAT had you decided to apply with that score. I think DO schools are more stats hungry than MD even most in SDN think otherwise. Of course this is my opinion.

 

[Elevencents]

i was verified much earlier, august i think.. but applied to pretty much all of my schools in november and had my supp apps in by mid november.

i waited to apply because i was sitting on a 25 MCAT from june... retook in july and voided, then retook again on september 12th for a 31.

31 MCAT makes you not the norm tho.

 

[csx]

Take it when you feel prepared. If you think an extra month will get you another point or two, wait. But don't prolong it unless necessary.

I'd shoot for a June date initially and push it to July if needed.

I'm not sure. I'm not too confident. The one of the brightest students at my University got a 28...she only studied less than a month though due to personal problems. Another 2, both whom I consider brighter than I, got 27's. I'm not too confident I can beat these people...I'm realistically feeling a 24-25.

31 MCAT makes you not the norm tho.

this

I scheduled my MCAT for last June so I could get my app in as soon as possible but ended up moving it to the end of June, then the first of July, and ended up taking it the very end of July. I got a 30 and even though my app wasn't complete until the end of August and secondaries in by the middle of September, I still received 12 interview invites. I didn't have a stellar GPA, but it was a little better than yours.

My point is, getting your app in asap isn't as important as having a good MCAT. What you need to decide is whether or not the extra time will equal a higher score, because that isn't always the case.

Not sure if that extra time will help me. I wanna know basically, if i had to pick one or another, which would be a safer bet...applying early, or applying later with no guarantee for a higher score (say a 40% chance of a higher score).

 

[Dreamstoo]

A 3.3 cgpa/sgpa isn't that bad at all. I'm applying next year and I am around that (but I have tons of free electives to take which are meant to be GPA boosters).

I agree with that a 3.4+/28+ applying relatively early should get some love. As long as the person applying, applied broadly.

 

[hydrographer]

take it in july, have everything else in your app ready to go/verified. then if you need to retake you can do it in aug or sept.

TAKE AS MANY PRACTICE EXAMS AS POSSIBLE.... take all kaplan and gold standard practice exams, use examkrackers to study, and take an AAMC practice exam (all 11 or so) every week leading up to the exam. study the results of your AAMC practice exams meticulously. i found that exam 8 and 11 were most like the real thing...just be prepared for the fact that the real thing is substantially harder than any of the practice exams. don't worry about what your friends got on it--study all day every day, eat/sleep/breath the mcat. i am not a genius and i have hardcore ADD..if i can crush it, you can too.

 

[csx]

take it in july, have everything else in your app ready to go/verified. then if you need to retake you can do it in aug or sept.

TAKE AS MANY PRACTICE EXAMS AS POSSIBLE.... take all kaplan and gold standard practice exams, use examkrackers to study, and take an AAMC practice exam (all 11 or so) every week leading up to the exam. study the results of your AAMC practice exams meticulously. i found that exam 8 and 11 were most like the real thing...just be prepared for the fact that the real thing is substantially harder than any of the practice exams. don't worry about what your friends got on it--study all day every day, eat/sleep/breath the mcat. i am not a genius and i have hardcore ADD..if i can crush it, you can too.

I like that idea you stated of get verified and take it in july then retake if necessary. Say I get a 24 and I am unsatisfied...does that mean I should wait to apply to schools or should I go ahead and apply still?

Also, my pre-med advisor told me to get verified ASAP but to apply to all schools I am interested in (with or with out an MCAT score). I've heard NOT to do that, but to apply to one school you're meh about then apply to schools when you got your score in. What is true???

 

[Dreamstoo]

take it in july, have everything else in your app ready to go/verified. then if you need to retake you can do it in aug or sept.

TAKE AS MANY PRACTICE EXAMS AS POSSIBLE.... take all kaplan and gold standard practice exams, use examkrackers to study, and take an AAMC practice exam (all 11 or so) every week leading up to the exam. study the results of your AAMC practice exams meticulously. i found that exam 8 and 11 were most like the real thing...just be prepared for the fact that the real thing is substantially harder than any of the practice exams. don't worry about what your friends got on it--study all day every day, eat/sleep/breath the mcat. i am not a genius and i have hardcore ADD..if i can crush it, you can too.

Very solid advice. My friend had like a 1700 SAT score and had a 35 MCAT score. A lot of it is up to you how much time you put into it.

 

[hydrographer]

i went the "apply to one school you're meh about then apply to schools when you got your score in" route, but i don't think it hurts to apply to all your schools with a mediocre score if you're planning to retake...so long as you let them know you plan to retake and its not too late in the season. when most schools see that you plan to retake they put your application on hold. but i would call each school individually and pick their brain about that issue, try to feel them out and apply to each school accordingly. keep in mind some DO schools don't view a 24 or a 25 as a bad score, but they love to see your score improve.

 

[csx]

i went the "apply to one school you're meh about then apply to schools when you got your score in" route, but i don't think it hurts to apply to all your schools with a mediocre score if you're planning to retake...so long as you let them know you plan to retake and its not too late in the season. when most schools see that you plan to retake they put your application on hold. but i would call each school individually and pick their brain about that issue, try to feel them out and apply to each school accordingly. keep in mind some DO schools don't view a 24 or a 25 as a bad score, but they love to see your score improve.

What if you get your score back and its a 24-25 and you don't plan on retaking even though you told them you would. Does this tie your hands up a bit?

 

[hydrographer]

just don't tell them you're going to retake it unless you're going to. you don't have to retake just because you said you would, but it wouldn't look great. if you do decide to retake make sure you designate a retake on your ACCOMAS app AND call admissions and let them know/make sure you're put on hold. if you have any other questions in the future/along the way don't hesitate to PM me.