New Member---decent Shot????

[mj1878]

Hey everyone---
My name is Marc and I just registered to SDN. I've been reading the threads and everyone seems to be very supportive of eachother. Great work!!

Here are my stats so far:

3.3 cum
3.88 major
3.1 science

-Expect to get departmental honors( magna cum laude)
-I go to the University of Colorado at Boulder ( home of the 2002 Nobel Prize in Physics)
-At application time, will have over 3.5 years of healthcare experience in a hospital setting
-Many hours of Volunteering in hospital setting
-Thousands of hours volunteering in non-hospital setting
-Extracurric: On legislative board of Arts and Sciences Student Government, running for President
-Volunteering with Wellness Center on campus, as a peer educator on wellness
-PUSH club, which raises awareness for persons with disabilities on campus
-Reading books on tape with Disability Services for blind students, also do live readings.
-2 Missions trips, at 2 weeks apiece, building village for the deaf, repairing infirmary, building homes for a pastor and teacher.
-etc.


My GPAs are less-than-stellar, but my extracurricular is quite extensive. I plan on about a 27-30 on the MCAT, and will apply to both DO and MD schools, ( best chance of MD here in Colorado). What are my overall chances/impressions? Thanks everyone!!!


Marc

"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."
(anonymous)

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Members don't see this ad.

 

[Dr JPH]

Marc

Due to your newness to this board and your lack of knowledge of how much these types of posts are despised by SDN members, I suppose I will be nice.

First of all, no one here can tell you what your chances are. We all know stories of people who had stellar grades and MCATs and didnt get in and of people who had mediocre numbers and are now attending some great medical programs.

So...let me pick apart what you wrote thus far...

#1. "thousands of volunteer hours." - The typical work year has 2,000 hours. Either you are inflating this number quite a bit or you had a great deal of time on your hands.

#2. 3.5 years of healthcare experience in a hospital setting. - Doing what? You will be applying along with RNs, PAs, PTs, and other healthcare professionals who make your healthcare experience (as well as mine) look like a weekend passing mail at a nursing home.

#3. all the other stuff you wrote. - All good stuff, don't get me wrong. But, where are the letters to back it up? You can write all of this stuff down, but it is nothing that we all haven't done. Does it make you unique? Maybe some of it.

#4. GPA. - What is your major? What level courses have you taken? How did you do in Organic, Biochem, etc.?

#5. MCAT. - You "plan" on a 27-30. Well that's great. I planned on a 45. Didn't happen, I can tell you that. You never know until that little envelope arrives and you tear it open. Never plan on anything with the MCAT.

Now...I may have been a bit harsh. Don't get me wrong, I wish you the best of luck. But you need to focus on some things.

Focus on the pieces of your application that will set you apart from everyone else. What makes you stand out?

Grades and MCAT are good, but there needs to be more than that. More than a nice set of extracurriculars, too. You need to have the desire. This needs to show in your personal statement and especially in your interviews.

Your GPA is OK. Your MCAT, assuming you hit your target range, is OK too. Now go out and make some connections, get some awesome letters of recommendation, and get accepted.

People around here will be more than willing to answer your questions and help you when they can. But as I already said...no one can tell you your chances.

When I was applying I had several people tell me that it would be an uphill battle...and others tell me that I had nothing to worry about.

Listen to yourself. Work hard.

Peace

 

[CJT]

hey marc
As a fellow CU-er i just wanted to wish you the best of luck. you sound like you have the extra-curriculars to get it done but here's something to think about: the grades, MCAT and extracurriculars (along with great letters of rec.) will help you get the interview. but once you get there youre put on the same playing field with everyone else. what separates you from the rest then is your desire and commitment to medicine. so if you really want it, dont worry about your chances...just go for it. good luck!

 

[Toejam]

Two things:

One, my name's Marc, too. This can only help your admission potential.

Two, your signature was really funny. Your chances have been raised a notch.

I think you've got an excellent chance for DO school with those good grades and extra-curriculars. I also think you have a good chance for a state school in CO. As long as you don't totally bomb the MCAT, you should get in somewhere (DO, that is)

 

[Blitzkrieg]

your GPA is a bit lowish for MD schools, however, do you have a GPA trend? What were the low grades in? Circumstances around it?

MCAT...hit a 30 or higher....a balanced 30+, as well..

good volunteering, etc. That shows desire. Get ppl that know you well to write letters of rec.

Btw, no one on a med school adcom gives a damn that the 2002 nobel prize in physics was given to a prof in your school, UNLESS you did research under that prof, he knows u well, and writes a strong LOR. Otherwise, dont mention that.

Work hard..practice hard for the MCAT prep.

Good luck!