Question about whether to raise GPA

[starlord005]

Hello all,

Currently in this cycle, I've been waitlisted to UCSD and seems like rejected from everywhere else. I've been wondering if I should reapply this cycle or wait another year.

My stats are: 3.54 gpa, 3.6 sGPA; MCAT of 509 ( I retook this three times, 504, 506, then my current 509).
Paid Clinical: 800 hrs as an EMT
Volunteer Clinical: 265 hrs in hospital that allows you to rotate departments every 3 months
Non-clinical volunteer:

• 250 hours as an Academic Integrity Peer Educator
• 80 hours volunteering two spring breaks at Honduras with Public Health Brigades
• 150 hours volunteering as a Camp Counselor for kids with muscular dystrophy

Leadership: Vice president in Public Health Brigades for a year and Vice president for my fraternity
In my fraternity for 4 years; 1300 hours
Research: 1500 hours, worked on two projects, did a poster presentation on one of them at an international conference.
Shadowing: 20 hours with an ID doctor
Rewards: Travel grant for research and scholarship for UCSD
Paid non-clinical: worked in a biotech for 3 months; 300 hours.
LOR: Three strong ones from two science, one non-science. and another two LOR from community service and research. No LOR from a doctor.
I've also had academic misconduct, but I became a peer educator to mediate it and I've atoned for it and could speak about it very well.

Since my last application, I've gotten published as a second author, have acquired 2300 hours for EMT (increase acuity of cases I've seen, delivered a baby actually), and acquired 100 more hours of volunteering experience with the hospital, as well as, started volunteering at a food bank.

My concern is that my gpa is inflated because I double majored, so doing a post bacc would not increase my gpa too much and retaking the mcat another time seems bad.


I was wondering should I take this year to raise my GPA from a 3.54 to a 3.62 and my sGPA from a 3.6 to 3.7?

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[PhilzCoffeeAddict]

Oh man. Your situation is challenging.

1. That academic misconduct is a problem. Even though you can explain, it sticks out as a red flag. I think the only thing you can do is explain it and talk about you being a peer educator
2. GPA is slightly above average. slightly. Honestly, I don't think bringing it up 0.1 points will make a tremendous difference in your application.
3. Your MCAT although is above 508, I think it might need to be higher to really be considered at MD schools. I know you've taken it 3 times, but if you really want a shot at it again. I think you might need to take it again and get 512+?

I'm a very similar applicant like you. I had the extra curriculars and a high-ish GPA. I had a terrible MCAT. Once I got that MCAT up though (512+), the interviews came rolling in.

Did you just apply to MD schools? Any DO? Is DO something you would consider?

 

[starlord005]

I haven't considered DO schools, and I am only applying to MD's.

My school list does have the UCs and lower, mid tier schools as well.

 

[892002]

The academic misconduct is a huge red flag. I have no idea how to address it though. Time heals all wounds?? If you wait a few years, I feel like it becomes less relevant. The rest of your app makes you very competitive for mid-low their MD schools.

 

[PhilzCoffeeAddict]

Mmm its not the low tier/mid tier that is going to make a difference. Its the academic misconduct. Are you against DO? Because... unless you want to take the MCAT and significantly improve your GPA. I'm not really sure how else to make you stand out.

Other SDN gods? Help?

 

[CyrusHabs7695]

I haven't considered DO schools, and I am only applying to MD's.

My school list does have the UCs and lower, mid tier schools as well.

Probably not a smart idea.

 

[starlord005]

I was thinkin

Oh man. Your situation is challenging.

1. That academic misconduct is a problem. Even though you can explain, it sticks out as a red flag. I think the only thing you can do is explain it and talk about you being a peer educator
2. GPA is slightly above average. slightly. Honestly, I don't think bringing it up 0.1 points will make a tremendous difference in your application.
3. Your MCAT although is above 508, I think it might need to be higher to really be considered at MD schools. I know you've taken it 3 times, but if you really want a shot at it again. I think you might need to take it again and get 512+?

I'm a very similar applicant like you. I had the extra curriculars and a high-ish GPA. I had a terrible MCAT. Once I got that . MCAT up though (512+), the interviews came rolling in.

Did you just apply to MD schools? Any DO? Is DO something you would consider?

I was thinking of improving my GPA from to a 3.6 and sGPA to a 3.7. I'm probably not going to retake the mcat. And I'm still considering DO.

 

[CyrusHabs7695]

I was thinkin



I was thinking of improving my GPA from to a 3.6 and sGPA to a 3.7. I'm probably not going to retake the mcat. And I'm still considering DO.

I suggest you shadow a D.O.. You will immediately realize there is no difference/they get the same respect as MDs. Is it going to be harder to match into ortho, ent, ophthalmology, term? Yes, but it is still possible with good scores, research and LORs.

 

[PhilzCoffeeAddict]

You should get some more opinion from others before making that decision. I'm going to tag some wise SDN personnel and hopefully they give you solid advice. @Goro @HomeSkool

 

[PhilzCoffeeAddict]

Personally, I don't think the GPA jump from 3.6 to 3.7 will make THAT much of a difference. I could be wrong, but I just don't think it will honestly speaking.

 

[starlord005]

I appreciate the help that has been provided!

 

[HomeSkool]

I deleted my earlier post because I'd skimmed the OP's first post and missed the part about academic misconduct.

OP, can you provide more details about your IA? What happened and how long ago was it? (This matters because cheating on an exam is one thing, improperly citing a paper during your freshman year and having a hardass professor blow it out of proportion is quite another.) Whatever the transgression, you've done the right thing in becoming a peer mentor, but that may not be enough by itself. Medical schools have a vast applicant pool from which to select students, and they'll very reasonably ask why they should take you instead of someone with identical stats and no IA. You don't need to prove to adcoms that you learned your lesson -- "I shouldn't cheat" is something people understand from their innate sense of morality, not a lesson most people need to learn at the university level. No, what you need to do is show adcoms that you've become a different person at a fundamental level. That's something you need to do for both MD and DO schools -- DO schools look at academic dishonesty just as negatively as MD ones. Fortunately, you can recover from this...but you must understand that it could take several years and a lot of additional altruistic service. (And to anyone who suggests "just lie about it, it's not worth sacrificing years of your life": bite me, and learn that lifelong integrity and character are far more important than losing a few years while atoning for a bad mistake.)

As for the other elements of your app, it certainly wouldn't hurt to improve your GPA. As it is, your GPA and MCAT are competitive for some MD and all DO schools. Unfortunately, being a 3X MCAT taker with marginal improvements does hurt your app, but what's done is done. Just don't take the test a fourth time. A 509 is plenty fine as long as the rest of your app is solid.

And this:

I haven't considered DO schools, and I am only applying to MD's.

is a terrible idea. If all you want are specific letters after your name, SGU and Ross would be more than happy to help. If what you want is to be a doctor, DO schools will get you there just as well as MD schools. As a reapplicant, you should be applying very broadly, and that includes applying to almost every DO school in the country. As I said in my (now deleted) original post, @Goro can help you with a school list and further guidance. @LizzyM, @gonnif, @gyngyn, @Catalystik, and @Med Ed can also help with their insights into ways you can strengthen your application and recover from your previous academic misconduct.

 

[starlord005]

I deleted my earlier post because I'd skimmed the OP's first post and missed the part about academic misconduct.

OP, can you provide more details about your IA? What happened and how long ago was it? (This matters because cheating on an exam is one thing, improperly citing a paper during your freshman year and having a hardass professor blow it out of proportion is quite another.) Whatever the transgression, you've done the right thing in becoming a peer mentor, but that may not be enough by itself. Medical schools have a vast applicant pool from which to select students, and they'll very reasonably ask why they should take you instead of someone with identical stats and no IA. You don't need to prove to adcoms that you learned your lesson -- "I shouldn't cheat" is something people understand from their innate sense of morality, not a lesson most people need to learn at the university level. No, what you need to do is show adcoms that you've become a different person at a fundamental level. That's something you need to do for both MD and DO schools -- DO schools look at academic dishonesty just as negatively as MD ones. Fortunately, you can recover from this...but you must understand that it could take several years and a lot of additional altruistic service. (And to anyone who suggests "just lie about it, it's not worth sacrificing years of your life": bite me, and learn that lifelong integrity and character are far more important than losing a few years while atoning for a bad mistake.)

As for the other elements of your app, it certainly wouldn't hurt to improve your GPA. As it is, your GPA and MCAT are competitive for some MD and all DO schools. Unfortunately, being a 3X MCAT taker with marginal improvements does hurt your app, but what's done is done. Just don't take the test a fourth time. A 509 is plenty fine as long as the rest of your app is solid.

And this:

is a terrible idea. If all you want are specific letters after your name, SGU and Ross would be more than happy to help. If what you want is to be a doctor, DO schools will get you there just as well as MD schools. As a reapplicant, you should be applying very broadly, and that includes applying to almost every DO school in the country. As I said in my (now deleted) original post, @Goro can help you with a school list and further guidance. @LizzyM, @gonnif, @gyngyn, and @Med Ed can also help with their insights into ways you can strengthen your application and recover from your previous academic misconduct.

Thank you for the lengthy response you have typed. To answer your question, the academic misconduct occurred when I was 19 and now I'm 23. The IA was for collaboration on a humanities essay. Since my IA, I've volunteered at hospitals, done research, have volunteered abroad, back in September 2017 started volunteering at a free clinic. I'm currently an EMT and plan on shadowing 20 hours at a primary care clinic. I do intend to raise my GPA, but also take classes I think are relevant for the field such as a Conflict and Crisis Management class I'm taking in the future as well as Medical Spanish. I am considering DO after seeing the responses given to me as well. I wont take the MCAT again because I also think that's bad to do after taking it 3x times.

 

[Goro]

Hello all,

Currently in this cycle, I've been waitlisted to UCSD and seems like rejected from everywhere else. I've been wondering if I should reapply this cycle or wait another year.

My stats are: 3.54 gpa, 3.6 sGPA; MCAT of 509 ( I retook this three times, 504, 506, then my current 509).
Paid Clinical: 800 hrs as an EMT
Volunteer Clinical: 265 hrs in hospital that allows you to rotate departments every 3 months
Non-clinical volunteer:

• 250 hours as an Academic Integrity Peer Educator
• 80 hours volunteering two spring breaks at Honduras with Public Health Brigades
• 150 hours volunteering as a Camp Counselor for kids with muscular dystrophy

Leadership: Vice president in Public Health Brigades for a year and Vice president for my fraternity
In my fraternity for 4 years; 1300 hours
Research: 1500 hours, worked on two projects, did a poster presentation on one of them at an international conference.
Shadowing: 20 hours with an ID doctor
Rewards: Travel grant for research and scholarship for UCSD
Paid non-clinical: worked in a biotech for 3 months; 300 hours.
LOR: Three strong ones from two science, one non-science. and another two LOR from community service and research. No LOR from a doctor.
I've also had academic misconduct, but I became a peer educator to mediate it and I've atoned for it and could speak about it very well.

Since my last application, I've gotten published as a second author, have acquired 2300 hours for EMT (increase acuity of cases I've seen, delivered a baby actually), and acquired 100 more hours of volunteering experience with the hospital, as well as, started volunteering at a food bank.

My concern is that my gpa is inflated because I double majored, so doing a post bacc would not increase my gpa too much and retaking the mcat another time seems bad.


I was wondering should I take this year to raise my GPA from a 3.54 to a 3.62 and my sGPA from a 3.6 to 3.7?

I suggest:
Temple
Jefferson
Drexel
EVMS
Rosy Franklin
Loma Linda (only if you are SDA or a very devout Christian)
Loyola
WVU
Rush
MCW
SLU
Creighton
Albany
NYMC
VCU
Tulane
U VM
Oakland-B
Uniformed Services University/Hebert (just be aware of the military service commitment)
Netter
Gtown
GWU
Your state school(s).
Nova MD
Any DO school. I can't recommend Touro-NY, Nova, LUCOM, for different reasons. MSUCOM? Read up on Larry Nasser and you decide.

 

[Med Ed]

Thank you for the lengthy response you have typed. To answer your question, the academic misconduct occurred when I was 19 and now I'm 23. The IA was for collaboration on a humanities essay. Since my IA, I've volunteered at hospitals, done research, have volunteered abroad, back in September 2017 started volunteering at a free clinic. I'm currently an EMT and plan on shadowing 20 hours at a primary care clinic. I do intend to raise my GPA, but also take classes I think are relevant for the field such as a Conflict and Crisis Management class I'm taking in the future as well as Medical Spanish. I am considering DO after seeing the responses given to me as well. I wont take the MCAT again because I also think that's bad to do after taking it 3x times.

Your application would probably cause a lot of discussion in my committee. Your metrics are fine, but not stellar. You have an academic misconduct. But you also have really good ECs. Depending on the mood in the room when you are discussed I could see it going any possible way.

I agree with the above sentiment that you should apply to DO programs, preferably established ones with solid reputations. I also think that with a wider net you may catch an allopathic admissions committee in the right mood to give you a shot.

Typically I don't recommend discussing IA's in the personal statement, but I think it might work for you. The opening line might be "When I was 19 I made a huge mistake" and then go on to describe the myriad ways you have worked to not let an error in judgement define you. It's part of your story and may raise some sympathy for you.

 

[starlord005]

Your application would probably cause a lot of discussion in my committee. Your metrics are fine, but not stellar. You have an academic misconduct. But you also have really good ECs. Depending on the mood in the room when you are discussed I could see it going any possible way.

I agree with the above sentiment that you should apply to DO programs, preferably established ones with solid reputations. I also think that with a wider net you may catch an allopathic admissions committee in the right mood to give you a shot.

Typically I don't recommend discussing IA's in the personal statement, but I think it might work for you. The opening line might be "When I was 19 I made a huge mistake" and then go on to describe the myriad ways you have worked to not let an error in judgement define you. It's part of your story and may raise some sympathy for you.

Would raising my GPA to a 3.6 cgpa and 3.7 sgpa help the situation? I've been volunteering at an established free clinic for the underserved since September last year and been full time working as an EMT.

 

[Med Ed]

Would raising my GPA to a 3.6 cgpa and 3.7 sgpa help the situation?

No.