DO School List Request: Mid 20s, 3.3 GPA, 499 MCAT

[DocSherman]

Hello.

To preface, I’m aware my numbers are on shaky ground, so we can get that out of the way.

However, I think my numbers fall within some parameters for DO admission, especially when combined with my experiences.

I’m in my mid 20s and graduated college four-ish years ago. The 3.3 cGPA was done with extensive post-bacc repair from a 3.0 via advanced science courses - genetics, pharmacology and the like.

The 499 unfortunately comes from multiple retakes, including with the new COVID exam. It seems to just bounce around that range.

The only good thing about my app, in my opinion, is my work history - thousands of clinical hours at an eye clinic (assistant, technician, scribe) and multiple clinical research opportunities (coordinating a few studies, representing my institution at a meeting in Chicago, working as advisor to medical students / residents). I also received a recommendation from the main doctor I’ve been working for these days - a DO, who also introduced me to this idea.

I’m aware I’m on shaky ground and I’m already looking at alternative careers if this cycle is bust, but I’m curious if I have a chance...or am just a lost cause overall.

Money for admissions is no object, so I can apply to whole sectors with no financial problem. Ditto with location as well since I’m aware how poor my numbers are.

Thanks.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Faha]

You could receive interviews at these DO schools with your MCAT of 499 and your cGPA of 3.3 so apply to all of them:
ACOM
ARCOM
NYIT-AR
WCU-COM
UIWSOM
UP-KYCOM
WVSOM
PCOM Georgia and South Georgia
LECOM (Erie, Seton Hill, Elmira)
LUCOM
ICOM
BCOM
LMU-DCOM
Noorda-COM (new school)
You could also add VCOM (all 4 schools) if your sGPA and cGPA are both above 3.2
Most of these schools have MCAT medians in the 498 to 502 range so you should receive some interviews. Apply this month and submit all your secondaries by October.

 

[DocSherman]

You could receive interviews at these DO schools with your MCAT of 499 and your cGPA of 3.3 so apply to all of them:
ACOM
ARCOM
NYIT-AR
WCU-COM
UIWSOM
UP-KYCOM
WVSOM
PCOM Georgia and South Georgia
LECOM (Erie, Seton Hill, Elmira)
LUCOM
ICOM
BCOM
LMU-DCOM
Noorda-COM (new school)
You could also add VCOM (all 4 schools) if your sGPA and cGPA are both above 3.2
Most of these schools have MCAT medians in the 498 to 502 range so you should receive some interviews. Apply this month and submit all your secondaries by October.

Okay. Thank you very much for the list.

I submitted my primary application yesterday and pre-wrote a lot of secondaries.

 

[DocSherman]

You could receive interviews at these DO schools with your MCAT of 499 and your cGPA of 3.3 so apply to all of them:
ACOM
ARCOM
NYIT-AR
WCU-COM
UIWSOM
UP-KYCOM
WVSOM
PCOM Georgia and South Georgia
LECOM (Erie, Seton Hill, Elmira)
LUCOM
ICOM
BCOM
LMU-DCOM
Noorda-COM (new school)
You could also add VCOM (all 4 schools) if your sGPA and cGPA are both above 3.2
Most of these schools have MCAT medians in the 498 to 502 range so you should receive some interviews. Apply this month and submit all your secondaries by October.

Sorry. I have a quick additional question:

If I submitted the primary app today and finish everything by October, when should I be worried if I received no interviews from the above schools...as in month?

Thanks.

 

[Faha]

Sorry. I have a quick additional question:

If I submitted the primary app today and finish everything by October, when should I be worried if I received no interviews from the above schools...as in month?

Thanks.

If you have not received an interview invite by early March then it is unlikely you will receive an interview from that particular school. The interview season for DO schools goes through April and for a few schools as late as May.

 

[DocSherman]

If you have not received an interview invite by early March then it is unlikely you will receive an interview from that particular school. The interview season for DO schools goes through April and for a few schools as late as May.

Okay! Thank you for your advice.

Oh! I’m unfortunately ORM. Will that affect my chances of getting an interview, especially with these stats?

 

[DocSherman]

@Faha has done an excellent job with my query.

Do you concur, @Goro? I know my stats are rotten -_-.

 

[candbgirl]

How many times did you take the MCAT and what were your scores?

 

[Faha]

Okay! Thank you for your advice.

Oh! I’m unfortunately ORM. Will that affect my chances of getting an interview, especially with these stats?

No.

 

[DocSherman]

How many times did you take the MCAT and what were your scores?

Quite a bit unfortunately (embarrassed to say the number - most definitely more than two)

I’m aware that is going to sting my app a bit...and 499 has been my highest among the retakes.

I’ve been trying to eke a better MCAT score for some time...and frankly my time with this test is playing like poor comedy.

 

[Goro]

@Faha has done an excellent job with my query.

Do you concur, @Goro? I know my stats are rotten -_-.

I agree with Faha, but can't recommend LUCOM or BCOM.

 

[DocSherman]

I agree with Faha, but can't recommend LUCOM or BCOM.

Okay. Will I probably get screened out by those two institutions?

EDIT: Oh! I read your statement about those two institutions. Thanks.

 

[Meowster007]

I agree with Faha, but can't recommend LUCOM or BCOM.

Curious... why not BCOM?

 

[Goro]

Curious... why not BCOM?

COMLEX pass rates are a disaster, even for a new school. In my own school's experience, people who fail the exam will almost always pass the second time around. Yet some 9% of BCOM's second class still couldn't pass on the second try. These are people who are now far less likely to ever become doctors. Their inaugural Class of 2020 has had a 25% attrition rate (160 down to ~120).

Also this: granted Accreditation with Heightened Monitoring. This indicates that fewer than three standards are non-compliant and ongoing monitoring will occur via progress reporting. For schools with this status, accreditation will be granted for four years. This is only one of three COMs that has this level of accreditation status right now.

 

[Meowster007]

COMLEX pass rates are a disaster, even for a new school. In my own school's experience, people who fail the exam will almost always pass the second time around. Yet some 9% of BCOM's second class still couldn't pass on the second try. These are people who are now far less likely to ever become doctors. Their inaugural Class of 2020 has had a 25% attrition rate (160 down to ~120).

Also this: granted Accreditation with Heightened Monitoring. This indicates that fewer than three standards are non-compliant and ongoing monitoring will occur via progress reporting. For schools with this status, accreditation will be granted for four years. This is only one of three COMs that has this level of accreditation status right now.

Thank you for the info. Do you care to say who the other two schools are with that label?

 

[Goro]

Thank you for the info. Do you care to say who the other two schools are with that label?

An established school with the warning I can deal with; usually it's due to poor paperwork and documentation. New schools on the other hand, have enough issues that a warning implies they're not doing what they're supposed to be doing, ie, a risk of deeper deficits.

 

[Meowster007]

An established school with the warning I can deal with; usually it's due to poor paperwork and documentation. New schools on the other hand, have enough issues that a warning implies they're not doing what they're supposed to be doing, ie, a risk of deeper deficits.

I see. Thank you for educating me.