My options?

[Occams Chanisaw]

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[Catalystik]

Hey guys

Im just finishing up my third year of undergrad and will be applying this summer. I have a 3.27cGPA, 3.12sGPA. I havent taken the MCAT yet (will be taking in June) but I am expecting a score of 30-33. I know my GPA is not the best. I was thinking about waiting till the end of Summer C to submit my AMCAS because then I can include the summer grades which should bring my cGPA to 3.33 and sGPA to 3.21. Is it worth it to wait and apply that late just to boost my GPA up slightly? Also if you could let me know my chances for med school that would be great. I know with my stats I should shoot for low to mid tier med schools.

Here are my ECs:
about 80 hours non-clinical volunteering
about 60 hours clinical volunteering
25-50 hours shadowing
40 hours (possibly more before applying) of research.
Good LORs
Job all three years of college
One of the people who started a Club at my University to organize the student section for the School's official basketball games (my school is a big sports school)

I realize my EC could use some boosting up. Do you guys suggest waiting to apply till after senior year so that I can improve my GPA and get more EC?

I think that waiting a year to apply would be a good idea.

Though you've made a nice start, I agree with you that your ECs could use some beefing up along with additional longevity. It would also help if you could establish a steep upward grade trend in the sciences, particularly with upper-level Bio and Biochem.

If you've completed all the prerequisites, you might still take the MCAT this summer, but consider moving it to the end of the summer so you'll have three months of dedicated study time, since a stronger MCAT will be important to balancing your lower BCPM/sGPA. If you have any really low grades, you might even consider a retake to invoke the AACOMAS grade forgiveness policy.

 

[Occams Chanisaw]

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[Ismet]

If I wait a year, would med schools look badly upon it since the majority of students apply after their junior year? Would I (or should I) explain why I decided to apply a year later than usual? If so what can I say to them as the reason (can't just say I wanted to bulk up on ECs)

It is definitely not unusual to take a gap year. I don't know about the national #'s for people who apply right out of undergrad vs. taking 1-2 years off, and my anecdotal evidence might not stand for every school, but I can say that on my 8 interviews, I was definitely in the minority (aka almost all of the other applicants at my interviews took a year+ off for research or work, or they were non-trad applicants). Many secondaries will ask you to describe what you did/plan to do between graduation and matriculation, and they just want to see that you're doing something constructive and not bumming on the couch watching TV. You can say you wanted to pursue interests, work, travel, learn more about medicine, research, etc.

If I end up choosing to apply this cycle, do you think its worth it to wait until August to submit my application just to boost my cGPA up from 3.27 to 3.33?

Submitting in August will mean you will be verified sometime in September, and then you still have to do secondaries, so you won't be complete at schools until end of September/October. This is pretty late to be complete, especially with a low GPA. Also, you want to focus on raising your sGPA, not your cGPA (your cGPA will obviously go up as a result of raising the sGPA, but the sGPA is more important). I know it seems like a waste of time to wait a whole extra year to apply, but you would have the potential to really improve your application and your chances at admission.

 

[Catalystik]

What if I apply next year and don't get in? Do I still have the option to do post-bacc at my university?

It depends on your school's rules about taking further coursework after graduation. But certainly you could do postbac work somewhere.