Ok 3.4 GPA / 31R MCAT / CA Resident...advice please!

[bopmop]

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Hey all, I've got quite the doozy of a situation:

Here are the stats:

3.3 Sci GPA
3.5 Non-sci GPA
3.4 Overall

MCAT:
10/10/10S
10/11/10R

Volunteer/Work:
Various short term volunteer at hospital / helping children
Working experience as wedding coordinator / conference assistant / lifeguard (odd jobs to make money to pay bills)
Long term volunteer at USC Cancer Norris hospital
1 year of research out of college at City of Hope cancer hospital (manuscript near submission for publication)
Research both summers of junior and senior year
Pending publication in molecular biology textbook to come out this fall.
Sigma Xi honors

I have outstanding recommendations from profs/my current PI/former employers according to my premed advisor whom I also have a good relationship with.

Last year I was a NY resident, and I applied mostly to NY schools, with a few in MA and CA and had 2 interviews one at NYMC and the other at SUNY Downstate but no acceptances

This year, having worked for a year out here and been registered to vote / CA driver license / CA taxes / CA rent I've essentially become qualified as a CA resident...which unfortunately makes things good and bad as now I can apply to CA schools as a state resident, but also lose the easier to get into NY schools.

This year though, looking at the reapplication process and learning from mistakes made last year, I've now selected 24 schools (all CA state schools + some private out of state). It's a very diverse list; some highly competitive, others not as much. I am highly interested in MD/PhD programs even though I realize this is a stretch for my current stats, but my research background is fairly strong.

Lately though GPA has been irking me quite a bit. I know my GPA is not so low that it's abysmal or anything, but I definitely had a rough patch with Physics and Biochemistry in undergrad and feel like its hurting my chances. Even then though, I find my stats are a bit too high to be doing a Masters programs for GPA boosting and a PostBacc program would seem a bit ridiculous even.

I plan on Early Decisioning for USC but I'm not sure if I should lock my application pool early if my GPA is not super great and theres no guarantee I'll get it...however I love the school and would easily go in a heartbeat.

Any advice/stories on how to make this year the year??? Should I continue to strengthen my GPA or simply continue volunteering/research as I am now? Do I EDP or not? Any advice is appreciated! !

 

[Tiagao]

I am not on an ADCOM, so take this with a grain of salt, but unless you have spoken with someone from that school's admissions board (not staff) and gotten very positive feedback, don't go EDP. This can greatly decrease your chances at other schools.

Good Luck with whatever you decide.

Just my $.02
T

 

[PunjabiCurry]

Your stats are too low for Cali schools, esp USC. I wouldn't do ED unless you are a URM.

 

[ana]

Unfortunately, not that much significant improvement in MCATs, because that would have really helped. Although the score is within range of allopathic matriculants, a higher one would have offset the gpa somewhat. I would not do a third one unless there is something you could do now that you haven't already done before to prepare for the test. A 3rd sitting for the test without significant improvement would really look horrendous.

Your gpa is on the low-ish side for cali allopathic schools, but would probably at least get you interviews for cali DO schools and other lower-middle tier MD schools elsewhere. Is it possible for you to work with a faculty member at USC (they have a 1-year life science master's program) so they can get to know you and perhaps tip the ADCOMs there as to what a great candidate you are?

Agree that you are wasting your time with EDP when you could be applying earlier to a larger number of schools.

Also agree that you need to contact some schools to get more specific feedback about your performance last year.

Yes, you need to have continued activities that show research in medicine. Consider the 1-year masters at USC. Make sure you get excellent grades because many schools will assume grad school grade inflation (ie, in grad school -- excluding smp's-- B=C and C=Fail).

 

[bopmop]

Thanks all for the advice. I've gotten a fair amount of "no don't apply to EDP" from people so I guess in the end, I will apply to the mix of schools by regular decision as early as possible and quietly apply to 1-2 SMPs so that I can boost my grades for the following year in case I don't get in. While USC remains my first choice, I am open to other schools that may be more obtainable such as Howard, Drexel, Virginia Commonwealth etc., as long as I can get my MD and ideally MD/PhD.

I don't have anything against DO schools but I have heard from my PI and other profs that the MD title unfortunately helps when applying for grants for research (and my ultimate goal is to be a physician scientist).

 

[exmike]

you shouldnt have given up NY residency. You're numbers are too low to be competitive for a CA allo spot. Thousands (yes, thousands) of CA applicants with numbers higher than yours get nary an interview from CA. Just trying to impress upon you the importance of keeping your NY residency if possible. And besides, USC is private, CA residency doesnt really help you.

 

[durlinga]

So as I'm reading this, I'm getting a real sense that CA schools are very difficult to gain entry to. Does this apply to a school such as Loma Linda? That's my school of choice but I have a really low GPA so probably going out of the country for my MD. Just curious. Thanks!

 

[badasshairday]

Loma Linda is significantly less competitive then other California schools (the UC's, Stanford, and USC). Less people apply their due to its religious affiliation and priority given to people of the same faith as the school.

 

[exmike]

Loma Linda is significantly less competitive then other California schools (the UC's, Stanford, and USC). Less people apply their due to its religious affiliation and priority given to people of the same faith as the school.

On the other hand, b/c they give preference to seventh day adventists, its much harder for non SDA applicants (i.e. the majority of applicants) to get in. So I wouldn't say its significantly less competitive.

 

[Union]

My name is Saul Amezcua, I am the Associated Student Representative for Stewart University School of Medicine. We are a brand new medical school that is located in Clear Lake, Northern California. We were found in 2007 and the school is still in the process of getting accredited by the World Health Organization to be eligible to take the USMLE step 1.

This accreditation is guaranteed and will take place before graduation. We are the first medical school to be opened in the US in over forty years. We offer the equivalent instruction as other medical schools with lectures by professionals who hold a Phd in their field. We have students currently enrolled with undergraduate and graduate degrees. We also have students with clinical and surgical experience, who like many of us just want to study medicine.

We are currently taking applications and any questions will be answered by our staff. You will find that we are significantly more affordable than other schools. If you are looking for a chance to study here in the US, we have it at Stewart University New Scotland International School of Medicine.

I can be reached at
[email protected]

 

[Perrotfish]

Originally Posted by badasshairday
Loma Linda is significantly less competitive then other California schools (the UC's, Stanford, and USC). Less people apply their due to its religious affiliation and priority given to people of the same faith as the school.
On the other hand, b/c they give preference to seventh day adventists, its much harder for non SDA applicants (i.e. the majority of applicants) to get in. So I wouldn't say its significantly less competitive.

Ignoring the Stewart guy, does anyone know how LLU looks upon other Christian denominations? I gathered they're not looking for athiests, but I have a long history of involvement with the Catholic Church. Does that make me at all competitive as an applicant?

 

[caprisun]

.

 

[meem]

Bopmop...I have pretty similar numbers to you though I did a Masters program at BU. I talked to one of the ADCOM people at BU and he said don't even bother applying to CA schools and I am a Cali resident. They are very competitve especially the UCs. Take this with a grain of salt but definitely keep a diverse list of out of state schools. Don't put all your hope on the Cali schools!

 

[TurboTegGirl]

Your stats are too low for Cali schools, esp USC. I wouldn't do ED unless you are a URM.

I saw that this person above posted only for this person to do EDP if they are an URM. I'm not neccessarily looking at CA schools, but I know EDP's, in general, are hard acceptances, unless your stats are pretty stellar. Is being an URM really so "benefical" (for lack of a better term) that it could help a person's acceptance that much?