Pre-Med Advice with Low GPA

[Bella Huynh]

Hello! So I am a current undergraduate student at CSULA with a Biology major and planning on graduating in the Spring 2019. I want to go to medical school, I know that I might not be the best student out there but do I have a chance? Here are my stats:

1) My current GPA is 3.2 and if I were to have straight A's (hypothetically) in my last two semesters then my GPA would be 3.3 --> so my advisor told me I should do a post bacc program to improve my GPA. She already calculated if I were to get straight A's in the post bacc then I can have a GPA of 3.4

2) I was planning on taking the MCAT in April 13, 2018 and I have already enrolled in the Princeton review MCAT prep and have both the Princeton books and Kaplan Books

3) EC:
I have been volunteering at the ER for two years (~360 hours, and still counting)
I volunteered at the Physical Therapy Outpatient Clinic (3 months during summer, ~50 hours)
I volunteered at the Women's Center (3 months during the summer, ~50 hours)
I have a phlebotomy license and currently looking for a job
I am an officer of the premed club at my school
I have research (1 1/2 years, and still continuing)
I teach English to underserved/orphaned children between the ages 10-13 in Vietnam over Skype every week( just started and still ongoing)
missing shadowing

I never failed my classes but it is just that I had more B's than A's. In total I have 14 A's, 16 B's, and 6 C's

*I forgot to add some things in my first thread so this might be similar to it.

Let's say I get a 510 (+, if possible) on my MCAT (I know this might be highly unlikely) and I can explain why my GPA, do I have a chance? I am a Vietnamese-American. I am the first to go to college also. My counselor told me that people with those GPA and a 510 on the MCAT, about ~35% can get in. I would love to do a postbacc but money is the problem
I am open to DO and MD btw

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[Dr. Basketball]

Is that your cGPA or sGPA?

This is just my opinion, but I think you do have a shot assuming that your cGPA and sGPA are a 3.3. If you are open to DO, I think applying broadly and trying to tailor your application to the DO school missions you feel strongly about that your experiences match up with would be a good way to attack it. Obviously do as well as you can on the MCAT. A 510 will go a long way for sure, but I don't think scoring below that is going to kill you either. If you get above a 500, get a DO LOR, and be strategic with your secondary application responses, I think it is possible for sure. Plus your experience reaching out to underserved communities will go a long way with a lot of DO schools so don´t be shy about highlighting that.

As far as a postbacc goes, it's up to you. As long as you do well it definitely won't hurt, but if you don't mind holding off and trying your luck at an application cycle to see if you get any bites first, that is what I would do. But keep in mind that it took me 3 tries to get in to medical school so I am no stranger to waiting; but some people want nothing to do with gap years which is understandable. Best of luck to you!

 

[Goro]

Hello! So I am a current undergraduate student at CSULA with a Biology major and planning on graduating in the Spring 2019. I want to go to medical school, I know that I might not be the best student out there but do I have a chance? Here are my stats:

1) My current GPA is 3.2 and if I were to have straight A's (hypothetically) in my last two semesters then my GPA would be 3.3 --> so my advisor told me I should do a post bacc program to improve my GPA. She already calculated if I were to get straight A's in the post bacc then I can have a GPA of 3.4

2) I was planning on taking the MCAT in April 13, 2018 and I have already enrolled in the Princeton review MCAT prep and have both the Princeton books and Kaplan Books

3) EC:
I have been volunteering at the ER for two years (~360 hours, and still counting)
I volunteered at the Physical Therapy Outpatient Clinic (3 months during summer, ~50 hours)
I volunteered at the Women's Center (3 months during the summer, ~50 hours)
I have a phlebotomy license and currently looking for a job
I am an officer of the premed club at my school
I have research (1 1/2 years, and still continuing)
I teach English to underserved/orphaned children between the ages 10-13 in Vietnam over Skype every week( just started and still ongoing)
missing shadowing

I never failed my classes but it is just that I had more B's than A's. In total I have 14 A's, 16 B's, and 6 C's

*I forgot to add some things in my first thread so this might be similar to it.

Let's say I get a 510 (+, if possible) on my MCAT (I know this might be highly unlikely) and I can explain why my GPA, do I have a chance? I am a Vietnamese-American. I am the first to go to college also. My counselor told me that people with those GPA and a 510 on the MCAT, about ~35% can get in. I would love to do a postbacc but money is the problem
I am open to DO and MD btw

Read this:
Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention

 

[Doc_Ock]

First address what gpa you're referring to. Second, get a refund on the course. I did an overpriced princeton review course and got a whopping 22 (old scale). Princeton materials are garbage and kaplan is pretty much the same. Use Examkrackers, supplement it with the Khan Academy MCAT section on their website, and official practice tests. It's really all you need.