Question About Route for Gap year

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starlord005

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Hello everyone,


I have a question about what path I should take. I am going to reapply for 2019-2020. I've spoken to a couple schools about what I could do to improve my chances for the next time. One school told me to improve my GPA and take university-level classes because it'll be four years since I have been in school. Another school told me to improve my shadowing hours. And another school told me to go with one unified theme throughout my entire application.

My stats are 3.54 cGPA; 3.6 sGPA with an upward trend (have a lot of units backing it). 504,506, then 509 MCAT.
I have an extensive amount of ECs. My question is should I spend thousands of dollars on science classes or continue building/maintaining my ECs. Although I do want to take science classes, the caveat is that I don't have the money to do it. There is not enough money to afford a lot of things right now since I'm on my own (mother passed away). I was injured at my job and currently am on workers compensation, so I'm at home a lot. If I'm not at home, I am volunteering or shadowing.

Here is a list of things that have improved since the last app.

-150+ more hospital hours.
-Started volunteering at a university student free clinic since 2017. I maintain three roles: food bank volunteer, patient assistance program volunteer, and EMT volunteer. I was made the food bank lead volunteer as well. Acquired 170 hours and will continue to gain more.
-drastically improved my shadowing hours from 20 to almost 200 hrs. I've shadowed 10 physicians in 7 different specialties, including DOs.
-1500+ EMT working hours and saw high acuity calls (got promoted ish)
- 1 year of medical Spanish
- 2 publications (2nd and 3rd author) + contribution to a presented poster at a university-level (from the student-run clinic)

Hopefully, y'all can help me out here!

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I know the ECs are the easiest to work on, but your ECs are excellent and your stats look to be what's dragging you down. Fixing something adjacent to the problem isn't the same as fixing the problem. Unless you have a postbacc/your last two years with a much higher GPA? I would look into CC classes.
 
Apply DO? Your stats really aren't that bad at all. But if MD schools aren't taking a bite, then maybe try DO.
 
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