pLeASe GivE Me aN HoNEst opInIOn....Do i HaVe A cHAnCe Of GeTTinG inTO D.O. SchOOl?

[Medication]

i'm kinda green to this forum, so please bear
with me. I'm currently a DePaul or Loyola
student (depending on where i can get a grant) with a 2.6 GPA. I have about three semesters left before i graduate with a degree in Biology. i have lots of volunteer/extracurricular experience and worked all five years i've attended college. Taking all this into consideration,
do i stand a chance of getting into a DO school? Thanks in advance for any responses
and good luck to all (though i probably need it more.)

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[UHS2002]

IMHO, not with a 2.6 GPA. Check US News website for the average numbers of the accepted class at each school (they are wrong on the low side for some schools).

Consider that, although DO schools are notoriously forgiving of "past academic blemishes", many of the accepted people, within the above GPA range, fell within this category (meaning, perhaps they had a couple of bad years in college and then got their GPA up, or perhaps they dropped out for a year or two, got back in and then improved, and so on).

MD schools are notoriously less forgiving of people who, for instance, got a 1.8 in their freshman year, even though they ended up graduating with a 3.3, let's say. That is where the reputation of DO schools as more "numbers forgiving" comes in, and not, as some people got the impression, for accepting people with considerably low GPAs. As it stands, the difference between average GPAs of incoming classes and MD and DO schools is about .2 or so for most schools.

I have heard of a couple of people getting accepted into DO schools with a 2.8 GPA and good MCATS or really extraordinary extracurriculars, but it is the exception rather than the norm.

You mention you still have 3 semesters to go. My most honest advice is that you kick a-- the next 3 semesters and try to get your GPA to, at least a 3.0, even if it means taking some extra classes you ordinarly would not need in order to graduate. Anything 3.0 and above will give you a fair to very good chance of consideration at a DO school, always depending on additional factors, obviously, such as MCAT scores and extracurriculars.

Good luck!

 

[youngjock]

with a subject typed in such way, I do not think that you should apply. med schools want mature people, not kids.

are you going to write like that when you write patient history?

 

[Medication]

are you kidding, dude? how anal do you gotta be to go dissecting the grammatical content of a message board...All i was asking for was advice; don't you have anything better to do?

Originally posted by youngjock:
with a subject typed in such way, I do not think that you should apply. med schools want mature people, not kids.

are you going to write like that when you write patient history?

 

[kmmath]

I wouldn't take personal offense
to anything that youngjock says...I think he it his job to flame things up a little...he does this on every board!

You have 3 semesters left of undergrad. I did lousy my first two years...had a 2.8. After those two years, I took some time to reevaluate my study habits, going to class habits...etc...and I turned it all around. I finished my last two years with a 3.9 which gave me a 3.44 overall! So...you can do it...you just need to take a hard, honest look at yourself.

If you need to...take a couple of extra semesters of courses to pull of the old gpa...and don't give up...and blow off youngjock..

Kristen

PS...sorry in advance for the grammatical incorrectness of this post...I am a bit tired.

 

[youngjock]

No, i am not kidding. and i was not talking about grammar mistakes.

you typed this subject in childish manner. it is just like you dressed up like a clown, and you want the doctors to tell you if you have a chance to be a doctor?

that doesn't make sense. how do you expect yoruself to ace the interview if you don't change your attitude?

 

[qb1]

youngjock, with an attitude like yours I can see why you spend lots and lots of time with your computer, I can already imagine the kind of doc you will be, you know, the kind who talks down to all of his patients to make him/her self feel better. And while you seem to be on the subject of grammar,
I thought yourself was spelled "yourself" and not "yoruself". Just some food for thought. Late.......

 

[Medication]

thanks alot to everyone who took the time to give me advice. i greatly appreciate it. again, good luck to all you guys both getting in and/or staying in.

 

[adismo]

This should be a movie, really!

YOUNGJOCK: THE WRATH OF ROYCE

"Just when you thought it was safe to apply to medscool..."

from the directors of scream1,2,3 and the producers of sixth sense comes an epic saga destined for the big screen:

They thought he was a bookworm! They thought they could ridicule him!..... They,.. were wrong! Its leonardo deicaprio in his most gripping performance as a hypervigilant and underappreciated premed.

leo: "WHAT, don't you like my pocket protector? Im going to be a doctor! It doesnt matter if you like my pocket protector!"

"Brilliant!" raves the new york post.
"A superb achievment." says the LA times.

Also starring Clint Eastwood as the admissions chief and The Rock as Youngjock's only ally.

Clint: "You wanta get inta medschool? You gotta ask yourself one question: Do i feel lucky? Well, do you,... punk?!"

Rock: "Why cant anyone see this? (sobbing) He's doing it for... the children!!"

With special appearances by eminem as chief resident, and carmen electra (running) as head nurse. Soundtrack on arista records featuring dr. dre, rage.., limp bizkit, carlos santana, and more.

leo: "I'll get accepted! IF ITS THE LAST THING I DO! (echo) i do, i do,..."

NOW PLAYING.

--------------------------------------------

i had a good creative writing class in undergrad.

anyways, medication, i think youd better consider a post bacc or m.a. program to raise the GPA to above 3.0 and do very well on the mcat (27+) Best of luck.

 

[youngjock]

I am not flaming.

Do you suggest that guy to dress up like a clown when he goes to interview?

do you suggest that he writes his personal essay in that silly childish format?

If you do, please tell him, don't flame me.

If he does not even have the right attitude to write a post, how do you expect him to be a doctor wanna be?

 

[mcb16]

Youngjock has a point in this case. Bad grammar and spelling errors looks very unproffesional. That being said, this is an informal arena so a little latitude should be given.

Incorrect spelling and blatant grammar mistakes open you up to flames and people will not take in the content of the message, only the errors.

 

[Medication]

Is this the freakin' twilight zone or something!? For one, not one word I've written is spelled incorrectly. Second, since this is not an admissions interview, formalities are meaningless. Third, what do you care how I write? You're the only clown around here, screaming at the wall or anyone you can pay to listen to how much better you think you are. Who are you really trying to convince?
Anyway, thanks again to anyone with any constructive criticisms. See you all when I get there. --Med--

 

[mcb16]

Chill out. You asked for constructive criticism and obviously can't take it.


If you don't want advice, don't ask for it.

Med school admission is a long road for many of us; I had less than spectacular stats and worked hard to bring my GPA and MCAT up so I know what you are up against. With the thousands of qualified applicants, they want ANY reason to axe you. The point of my post was that grammar and spelling count, regardless of the forum.

Good luck on your endeavors.

 

[Medication]

dude, please chill. i love constructive criticism. but wasting everyone's time by criticizing aesthetics and non-present spelling errors is just silly. Good luck to you as well, have you applied yet? (bTW-that last post was more meant for youngjock than you)

Originally posted by mcb16:
Chill out. You asked for constructive criticism and obviously can't take it.


If you don't want advice, don't ask for it.

Med school admission is a long road for many of us; I had less than spectacular stats and worked hard to bring my GPA and MCAT up so I know what you are up against. With the thousands of qualified applicants, they want ANY reason to axe you. The point of my post was that grammar and spelling count, regardless of the forum.

Good luck on your endeavors.

 

[youngjock]

i did not criticize, i was suggesting. u can't take a good suggestion?

if you meant to be funny, and cute, well, that is too childish for most of us. when we are old enough to apply med. schools, we do not type subjects like that.

and we do not get up so easily, either. how do you plan to be a doctor, if you can not even take "criticism?"

 

[mcb16]

I had a late application but was accepted to DMU for Aug 2000.

Keep your spirits up and take all advice on these bulletin boards with a grain of salt. Some good advice is out there.

 

[adismo]

youngjock,

nitpicking only goes so far on a professional level. i dont care if medication took the liberty of being cute or whatever, as did i, but being notoriously critical is frowned upon. its just another form of complaining. just ask any resident. how's that for criticism, doc?

 

[fruitbat]

In defense of Medication's writing style, you must admit that the varying lowercase and capital letter are eyecatching...in a list full of pleas for advice this is the only one I stopped to read.

So here's my advice, kiddo....
Don't overlook the importance of the MCAT. Since you've got three semsters to plan, start saving up cash to take a prep class. The MCAT is a test you can TRAIN for, and there is much anecdotal evidence from (myself included) folks who have raised their scores 10 points through a prep class. It was $900, but it can mean the difference between being a doctor and...not being a doctor.

Best of luck.

 

[adismo]

Paid $1100 for a MCAT prepcourse. Given, i faltered in my studying in the last month before the test, but my score only went up one point. Maybe it was worth it, maybe not, but prepcourses are forced reviews; if you have discipline you dont need them, all you seriously need are the review books (Kaplan, Hyperlearning, arco, etc, but avoid barrons). You are at an advantage if you take the courses, but only slightly. Still, i do not regret taking Hyperlearning for my second MCAT. The one point imporvement was in verbal. I hardly studied for it compared to the bio and physical. Go figure.

 

[Arti]

Medication:

I am sorry about the twilight episode with youngjock, who is incredible immature. My advice for you is that any one can go to medical school (MD or DO). 2.6 is a low GPA, but even allopathic schools will look favorably on you if you do well in the rest of undergrad and maybe decided to do a masters in either hard science, MPH or etc..
Overall GPA matters but it is not everything.
Buckell up and do your work, study hard for MCATs and write good essays if you decide to apply. Allow other people to read the essays and give comments. GPA is only one aspect of you, most schools will give the benefit of the doubt if you improve.'

Arti

Arti

 

[hunter]

hey medication....even if your GPA might be on the low side and you think that you MIGHT not get in, there are still things that you can do to get in....there are LOTS of post-baccalaureate programs available that are geared for students in your situation....there is a fantastic program at university of pennsylvania....there's another awesome one at harvard....both these places have prep that helps you get into schools that you wanna go into....i was at penn and one of my friends did that program and is now at umdnj-som...you have to take 8 classes and each class is approx. $1,000.00...and they have financial aid and all that stuff available too....go to their web-site at "www.upenn.edu" and type in CGS in the search engine and find info for yourself!!...later on man...good luck with everything!!!....write back if you still have questions and stuff

 

[Garibaldo]

I'm interested in some of the post-bac programs that hunter mentioned. I looked at the upenn page and I have several questions. First, here are my stats going into my junior year at UC Berkeley: 2.9 GPA, research, volunteer work, molecular and cell biology degree. I fully intend to get around a 3.3 GPA by the time I graduate and I have been scoring mid-30's on the MCAT. Which programs would you suggest for me? Also, how long does it take to complete programs like the one offered at UPENN? Does it just take one year and then the next I'm in med school (hopefully)? I'd appreciate any help.

 

[Medication]

hunter,
i recently checked out the UPENN website. thanks alot for the tip, it sounds like a good deal. good luck...

[This message has been edited by Medication (edited 07-24-2000).]

 

[babytrey99]

Medication, I know what you are going through! I went to college when I was 18, because "I was supposed to" and went only 1/2 the time. I got married, I got divorced, I got 14 years older! I am now sorting through my transcripts and I see a very scary GPA! I am taking what I call "GPA Builders." They are classes that are totally respectable, ie Biology, Science, but I am asking around to find out who is awfully understanding when it comes to grading. Don't get me wrong, I am showing up to class and learning, but I am learning in a more creative way. One of my Science classes involves camping for 3 days at Crater Lake National Park and hiking all over that lovely volcano. That is a GPA Builder. An easy A. Another Biology class involves 2 field trips to the beautiful Oregon coast and a visit to an aquarium. That is a GPA Builder.An easy A.
My point is every school has these classes that you can hold your head up high and collect your A.Just look.
P.S. These kind of classes are not a substitute for the important stuff, but they will build your confidence and your GPA while you sudy for hours on end with A&P and fry your brain to get an A elsewhere.
Good luck to you. Vaya con dios.