Obsessively worrying, please help

[obsessive]

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I've been obsessively reading and thought I'd see what my outlook is for this cycle.

Stats: California resident 🙁
3.3cgpa, 3.1sgpa, 33mcat (10, 11, 12)
Pretty steady trend, no upward grades

ECs:
Research wet lab: 2 years (12hrs/week)
Research clinical: 2 years (12hrs/week)
Biotech research: 1/2 year (40hrs/week)
Hospital volunteering: 160 hrs
Worked with mentally ill patients: 1/2 year (16hrs/week)
Sports club: Won national championship 2 years
Sports club member: 3 years (12hrs/week)
Helped set up seminars for guest speakers for graduate science students: 3 years (3hrs/week)
Self taught classical guitar and piano 4 years

Leadership:
VP in sports club: 1 year
Safety officer in sports club: 1 year

Plan:
Apply this cycle MD and DO, not much hope for MD
Shadow DO doc
Take more science classes

School List:
MDs
All schools in California, not Loma Linda, not religious (I know gluck to me...)
U of C Missouri KC
U of Arkansas
U of S. Carolina
Michigan State
USUHS
EVMS
Drexel
NYMC
Tulane
U of Louisville
U of Illinois
Rush
Temple
Loyola
SUNY Upstate
Albany
Rosalind Franklin

DOs Any more DO recommendations? I'm looking for schools with solid rotations set up.
Western U (top choice)
Touro CA
PCOM
NYCOM

Thank you in advance!

 

[canjosh]

Do you meet the following requirements for Utah? Even if you do, I probably wouldn't apply there with below a 3.7 or so. I think you've identified correctly that your best chance is with DO schools. I'm an MD student, so can't offer accurate advice on DO schools to add. Good luck

For consideration, nonresident applicants must meet one of the following requirements:

Have significant ties to Utah. (e.g. lived in, own property in or have family members who live in Utah). Documentation of ties to Utah will be required and will be considered by the Admissions Committee.
Apply to the M.D. /Ph.D. program. Applications are available for U.S. citizens or permanent U.S. residents only.
Be specifically recognized as a member of a population group underrepresented in the physician workforce. (Africans and African Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Chamorros, Polynesians including Native Hawaiians, Tongans, Samoans, Filipinos, Tahitians, Maoris, Fijians, Niueans, Palauans, Chicanos/as and Latinos/as including Puerto Ricans, Mexican Americans, Central Americans and South Americans)
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR MEDICAL STUDENTS STARTING THEIR MEDICAL SCHOOL PROGRAM BEGINNING FALL SEMESTER 2011 and thereafter: The University of Utah School of Medicine will not allow students who begin their medical studies with a Non-Resident classification to be reclassified. These students will maintain Non-Resident status and will pay tuition at the Non-Resident rate for the full duration of their medical school education.

I think you've identified correctly that your best chance is with DO schools. I'm an MD student, so can't offer accurate advice on DO schools to add. Good luck...good job on the MCAT, btw!

 

[tyronedamone]

I think it is a good idea to apply to DO for safety's sake, but IMO you still have a decent chance at MD. I got in MD with similar stats so it's not out of the question. As far as schools go you should also consider SLU, they seem to like CA residents.

Best of luck to you.

 

[helloitsme]

You definitely have a decent shot-- like the person above me, I also got (several) acceptances this cycle w/ basically identical stats (3.3 33).

Don't give up! DOs are a great idea too for backup. But your shots at MD are not zero, esp. since you have good ECs! Be passionate in your essays, know your letters are good, and you have a good chance! A 3.3 is not a kiss of death.

PM me if you want more details about my app cycle- Good luck! (in my post history I've commented on similar threads before too)

 

[obsessive]

Thanks for the info about Utah, I didn't know that. I'll take it off my list.

Do you meet the following requirements for Utah? Even if you do, I probably wouldn't apply there with below a 3.7 or so. I think you've identified correctly that your best chance is with DO schools. I'm an MD student, so can't offer accurate advice on DO schools to add. Good luck

 

[obsessive]

I'm realistically not hoping for anything with MD in California but might as well since I'm applying.

I didn't know about MSU having that high of a tuition. I'll take that off my list too.

Thank you!

That's too low for California med schools except Touro. WesternU might take you based on the MCAT. I suggest applying to zero MD colleges in California.

MSU is like 70k a year for OOS. I wouldn't apply.

 

[obsessive]

Hey tyronedamone,

Thanks for the encouragement! Do you mind asking where you got in or telling me if I hit the school on my list? I can pm you if you prefer privacy.

I'll definitely look into SLU!

I think it is a good idea to apply to DO for safety's sake, but IMO you still have a decent chance at MD. I got in MD with similar stats so it's not out of the question. As far as schools go you should also consider SLU, they seem to like CA residents.

Best of luck to you.

 

[p1acebo]

I'm realistically not hoping for anything with MD in California but might as well since I'm applying.

I didn't know about MSU having that high of a tuition. I'll take that off my list too.

Thank you!

MSUCOM also weighs science gpa very heavily and the MCAT not so much (one doesn't substitute the other for MSU) so I am not sure if that would be taken into consideration.

 

[obsessive]

Thanks for the info p1acebo! I'm always amazed by the willingness to help and answer questions on sdn. 😀

MSUCOM also weighs science gpa very heavily and the MCAT not so much (one doesn't substitute the other for MSU) so I am not sure if that would be taken into consideration.

 

[n3xa]

I'd take Marshall off the list unless you have strong ties to West Virginia or one of those neighbor states. I was thinking of applying there with my lower verbal score and took it off my list this weekend after looking at the MSAR, which made it sound like OOSers probably won't even get a secondary.

 

[MattyBee]

I'd take Marshall off the list unless you have strong ties to West Virginia or one of those neighbor states. I was thinking of applying there with my lower verbal score and took it off my list this weekend after looking at the MSAR, which made it sound like OOSers probably won't even get a secondary.

I just wanted to second this. Marshall favors in-state applicants heavily. Even more so than WVU, which is pretty in-state favoring as it is. Like n3xa said, you may want to nix it from your list if you do not have strong ties to WV.

 

[PressPforPi]

You definitely have a decent shot-- like the person above me, I also got (several) acceptances this cycle w/ basically identical stats (3.3 33).

Don't give up! DOs are a great idea too for backup. But your shots at MD are not zero, esp. since you have good ECs! Be passionate in your essays, know your letters are good, and you have a good chance! A 3.3 is not a kiss of death.

PM me if you want more details about my app cycle- Good luck! (in my post history I've commented on similar threads before too)

Hope you didn't mention that to any of the DO schools you may have applied to.🙄

 

[TriagePreMed]

I'm realistically not hoping for anything with MD in California but might as well since I'm applying.

I didn't know about MSU having that high of a tuition. I'll take that off my list too.

Thank you!

Put your money in a better pile. I think MD OOS is not ruled out.

 

[obsessive]

Thanks for the concern TriagePreMed.

Do you have any suggestions at where to put that nice pile of money? Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Put your money in a better pile. I think MD OOS is not ruled out.

 

[obsessive]

Marshall is gone. Thanks for the heads up!

I just wanted to second this. Marshall favors in-state applicants heavily. Even more so than WVU, which is pretty in-state favoring as it is. Like n3xa said, you may want to nix it from your list if you do not have strong ties to WV.

 

[heartofsmiles]

.

 

[helloitsme]

Hope you didn't mention that to any of the DO schools you may have applied to.🙄

Wow people on this website are so quick to jump at you for anything you say.

I didn't mean it as it apparently came off, let me rephrase:

DO schools are a great option to to increase your chances of becoming a doctor.
I would have said "adding more MD schools is a good idea for backup" just as quickly as I said what I said. To me backup = increase your chances by having more opportunities to fall back on.

Also, not that it matters, but I didn't apply to DO schools. Had I not gotten in this cycle, I would have applied to them this year. I have nothing against DO at all, sorry it came across that way.

Good luck OP! I replied to your message 🙂

 

[farrago]

How many credits do you have? Why not take more classes for a year and get a nice upward trend?

 

[armydocUM]

As far as DO schools with solid rotations are concerned, I would add CCOM to the mix. Can't imagine you'll have too hard of a time gaining an acceptance to Western though if that's where you want to be.

 

[obsessive]

I'll definitely give Creighton and AZCOM a look. Thanks for the advice!

Hey Obsessive,

For MD, I would definitely add Creighton (gf had similar stats as you). They love california people!

For DO, AZCOM (Midwestern University) gives you the option of doing your 3rd and 4th year rotations in LA (they just started it this year where you'll know even before you start M1 year). I interviewed here myself and had a really great impression!

 

[obsessive]

Thanks for the encouragement armydocUM. Also, thanks for adding to my DO list!

As far as DO schools with solid rotations are concerned, I would add CCOM to the mix. Can't imagine you'll have too hard of a time gaining an acceptance to Western though if that's where you want to be.