Seeking advice from the wise

[WAnative]

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Hello all,

I am a new poster but long time reader, I am in the current application cycle and it is not looking promising!

Granted my application was not complete until late August and only applied to 6 MD schools (my first mistakes) I am seeking advice on where to improve my application for the next cycle. I have contacted schools that have rejected me already and such but their advice has not been very specific.

Here is what I am working with any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

sGPA: 3.43 (4 withdrawls, trouble early on in pre-reqs, upward trend)
cGPA: 3.5
MCAT: 504 (125 bio, 125 phys, 130 CARS, 124 psych)
-6000 hrs college football
-2000 hrs MHC in group home
-500+ hrs NAC in hospital
-100 hrs strength and conditioning trainer
-200 hrs volunteering (variety of opportunities through church)
-40 hrs shadowing (cardiology but get lots of shadowing at my current job in hospital)
-active church member
-award nominee for top 1 percent of students based of academic performance within last year of undergrad
-solid LORs (none from MD/DO thats why i didnt apply DO
-WA resident
-white male

THANK YOU !!

 

[bananafish94]

Hello all,

I am a new poster but long time reader, I am in the current application cycle and it is not looking promising!

Granted my application was not complete until late August and only applied to 6 MD schools (my first mistakes) I am seeking advice on where to improve my application for the next cycle. I have contacted schools that have rejected me already and such but their advice has not been very specific.

Here is what I am working with any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

sGPA: 3.43 (4 withdrawls, trouble early on in pre-reqs, upward trend)
cGPA: 3.5
MCAT: 504 (125 bio, 125 phys, 130 CARS, 124 psych)
-6000 hrs college football
-2000 hrs MHC in group home
-500+ hrs NAC in hospital
-100 hrs strength and conditioning trainer
-200 hrs volunteering (variety of opportunities through church)
-40 hrs shadowing (cardiology but get lots of shadowing at my current job in hospital)
-active church member
-award nominee for top 1 percent of students based of academic performance within last year of undergrad
-solid LORs (none from MD/DO thats why i didnt apply DO
-WA resident
-white male

THANK YOU !!

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but your GPA and MCAT are simply not competitive for MD schools. As you surely realize at this point, you also applied to far, far too few schools.

I would advocate for waiting until 2017 to apply again and using the year in between to focus on improving your MCAT score and doing some more volunteering, then applying liberally being sure to include DO schools. Good luck!

 

[eteshoe]

I'll echo - low GPA and low MCAT. At this point the only thing that will help you a lot is retaking the MCAT and crushing it and casting a wider net (think 20-25 schools)

 

[frosted_flake]

Apply early, during your gap year as @bananafish94 suggested, re-take some of your C/D/F courses and raise that GPA even more for DO schools. Shadow a DO and get that LOR.
I think your ECs look great... what is an NAC in a hospital?

 

[terra330]

You pretty much have to apply DO with your numbers, and even that isn't a sure thing.

 

[bananafish94]

Apply early, during your gap year as @bananafish94 suggested, re-take some of your C/D/F courses and raise that GPA even more for DO schools. Shadow a DO and get that LOR.
I think your ECs look great... what is an NAC in a hospital?

I was assuming it was an out of order abbreviation for certified nursing assistant but I could be wrong.

 

[precisiongraphic]

I was assuming it was an out of order abbreviation for certified nursing assistant but I could be wrong.

NAC (or, more properly, NA-C) is the actual classification for CNAs in Washington State, where the OP is most likely working.

 

[Affiche]

Personally I would not retake classes with a 3.5 gpa. That's low, but it's not a deal-breaker for MD. However, a 3.5 needs to be coupled with a strong MCAT and a 504 is below average. The most cost-effective and efficient way to improve for next cycle is to study harder for the MCAT and retake it. With a 509+, strong essays and a wide net I think you'd be fine.

 

[WAnative]

Thank you all for the advice, I am already preparing for a spring MCAT date, I made the mistake of only studying for 3 weeks for the first attempt.

Yeah we call CNAs NACs here for some reason.

Thanks again!

 

[piii]

Thank you all for the advice, I am already preparing for a spring MCAT date, I made the mistake of only studying for 3 weeks for the first attempt.

Yeah we call CNAs NACs here for some reason.

Thanks again!

lol well 3 weeks for a 504 is not bad, hopefully 3 great months of studying will really help

 

[Goro]

Concur with my young colleague, and since beggars can't be choosy, it is imperative to get a clinical LOR and target some DO schools.

Personally I would not retake classes with a 3.5 gpa. That's low, but it's not a deal-breaker for MD. However, a 3.5 needs to be coupled with a strong MCAT and a 504 is below average. The most cost-effective and efficient way to improve for next cycle is to study harder for the MCAT and retake it. With a 509+, strong essays and a wide net I think you'd be fine.