should i wait to apply?

[cupcakewarrior]

I'm a third year undergrad so I'm deciding whether to apply this June or wait until I graduate and apply in 2017. My targets are Boston University, Jefferson, NYU, or any of the in-state NJ med schools (I think these are Cooper, RWJ, and NJML). I haven't officially taken the MCAT yet but my practice tests are at around 35 based on the old MCAT and I'm signed up for a prep course next semester (and have set aside a lot of time per week to study, so it should go up a little). My overall GPA should be somewhere between 3.5 and 3.6 by the time I apply, but I'm more worried about my science GPA which will likely stay a 3.3. I think my ECs are fine and probably better than the usual, so that shouldn't be an issue. Do you think my sGPA is too low to apply for these schools (and other schools at around their levels)? I don't have URM or legacy or anything like that to add to my application; if anything, my ECs might redeem it a little bit.

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[UltimateforFun]

Solid MCAT score for sure. I personally want to know a bit more about your ECs. Also, what was the trend in your grades? Did you start out lower due to the typical period of adjustment to college life or did something happen etc.?

 

[cupcakewarrior]

ECs: The thing that will stand out is leadership, since I have important roles in exec boards of several clubs (academic and healthcare based) and have lots of events/data to show for what kind of impact I've had in helping the clubs grow. I also did regular volunteering through other clubs, clinical volunteering at the hospital (continuing with this), clinical research with a project, slated bench research starting this summer for my thesis, and shadowing in a few specialties and abroad (avoiding medical-tourism type programs). I do have "hobbies" I guess too; I'll be talking about music, which I used to take lessons in but now learn on my own, and foreign languages which I have a few scattered ECs in with tutoring, mentoring, translation, etc.

My grades were strong freshman year, but I messed up sophomore year (GPA hovering at around 3.1 during the semesters) from overscheduling and taking way more difficult classes than I should have or than I had to (I tried to take computer science for...fun...with multiple premed science courses at once) while I was adjusting to my new leadership roles and more hours at my clinical research job. I have an upward trend so far as of this year and I expect that to continue next semester.

 

[Lost in Translation]

With that GPA, don't bother applying to NYU. They don't look at anyone without a 3.8+ and 37+ MCAT equivalent. You shouldn't worry too much about that school, either, so it's okay.

The rest of the schools on your list are fair game, though SKMC is very arbitrary with who they II.

 

[235009]

With that GPA, don't bother applying to NYU. They don't look at anyone without a 3.8+ and 37+ MCAT equivalent. You shouldn't worry too much about that school, either, so it's okay.

The rest of the schools on your list are fair game, though SKMC is very arbitrary with who they II.

Huh? NYU's median stats aren't even that high so what makes you think you would need stats that good to get a look?

To OP: stop getting ahead of yourself. Take the MCAT then apply. There's no point to asking hypothetical questions like this.

 

[WizzyWatkins]

Take MCAT. Apply.

 

[cupcakewarrior]

Okay, thanks everyone. I'll re-assess my situation after next semester and the MCAT.