My Chances?

[Mondo11]

Well, I guess I can say that I'm new to the forums, even though I have been surfing around for a while, but this is my first actual post.
I am a Junior now and these are my predicted stats by the time I graduate:
Psychology Major, Biology Minor, Chemistry Minor
GPA: 3.2/3.3 (current 2.7)
MCAT: Mid 30's (33-36)
EC: All EC are current, and will build upon
-Have been and will keep on shadowing a Chief General Surgeon (partner is coincidentaly the Chief of Medicine), and going to shadow others in the new future in other fields. (Can get solid LOR's here)
-Working on becoming a physician scribe (suggestions about this?)
-Around 100 volunteer hours at hospital (gonna start volunteering again)
-Active in Baseball/Football leagues at local parks
Leadership:
-Chair member in my schools pre-med fraternity

I would also like opinions about becoming a scribe? The agency I am looking at looks promising but it has a catch...a commitment..either 1 year full time, or 2 years part time.

Also just general opinions on how I can meat up my application, working on my gpa. I am also trying to get into some research but that is extremely hard when they have a gpa requirement at my school, and hard to find and get into others, which also require gpa. I also have been in an upward trend the past 2 semesters, taking full loads. Thinking about maybe a post-bac degree?

Thank you. Will be looking forward to talking with you guys alot in the future

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[Mobius1985]

If your current GPA is 2.7 after two semesters of upward trend, you must have had a really difficult adjustment year as a freshman.

If you apply after eight semesters are completed and have a GPA of 3.3, you'd need an MCAT of about 34+ for less selective MD schools, or ~25 for DO schools.

If you spend an additional year at college, or do a formal or informal post-bacc, you could get your GPA up to 3.5 (almost competitive), you'd need an MCAT of 32+ for MD schools.

You can raise your application GPA faster if you apply to DO schools, as they substitute the more recent grade of a retaken class, rather than average them as the MD application service does.

In order to redeem your GPA, your task is to get perfect grades from now on. Distracting yourself by working at a job, is probably not a great idea. That said, personally, I feel working as a scribe for a physician is practically a perfect job. You are shadowing, seeing medicine practiced up close and personal, learning about medicine, serving patients, and getting paid for it. It would look great on your application, but what is the point if you sabotage your GPA repair efforts?

For now, you've made a good start on the ECs. Research is very desirable, but not essential. Wait until your GPA is higher before you try again, since there is a minimum GPA requirement to do it at your school. Keep leading, so you have good things to say in the narraative of your application on the subject (in other words: an honorary, do-nothing position won't help you any). Definitely resume volunteering at the hospital, as longitudinal experience helps demonstrate commitment to the path of medicine.

 

[Mondo11]

Thank you for your thoughts on my situation Mobius, I have been in 5th gear and really working towards raising my GPA, I am going to my adviser (A new pre-med adviser, compared to our old one that made one of my friends cry! Ironically I did speak to her once and at the end we were joking around, my friend was in ALOT better academic standing than I was...maybe she didn't take me seriously?! ...who knows) and check on different post-bacc options as a plan B