some advice for a non-traditional

[ladeedahh]

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[Catalystik]

I'm a non-traditional gearing up for the 2012 cycle and would like some advice on any possible improvements I can make to my application. I'm applying for MD & DO and would be happy to get accepted anywhere. My cGPA is ~3.62, sGPA 3.46, and post-bacc GPA is 3.47. MCAT - first attempt was 24, 2nd test was 31.

Since the post-bacc is sub-par (it was a formal one, at a rigorous school), I'm thinking of taking biochem & microbiology this summer to increase the b/p GPA to 3.5+ and the sGPA to ~3.5. The downside is spending $2,000, taking the classes at an institution that isn't where I did my post-bacc, and the grades not showing up until after everything is verified. Should I go for it anyway?

My ECs are rather weak because I wasn't set on this path until less than 2 years ago, but they consist of:

Undergrad:
3 months (50 hours) hospital volunteer
10 months (80 hours) clinic volunteer
1 community outreach
a few clubs, no leadership
worked ~30 hours/week all 4 years

Post-bacc:
1.5 years (~280 hours) clinic volunteer
1.5 years paid research (assistant and now technician)
Applying to Americorps

LORs:
2 from post-bacc professors
1 from professor & chair of undergrad department (nonscience)
1 from PI
1 from MD at current volunteer cinic
1 from case manager of volunteer clinic

So with that, my question is:

1) should I take a few more science classes to beef up the p/b and science GPA, should/can I do more to improve my ECs, and
2) what schools should I consider applying to?

With the addition of Americorps, or similar, and some formal physician shadowing, I think your ECs will not be "weak". Will you have any leadership or teaching? "Nontrad" on SDN implies another career path before medicine. Are you instead suggesting that you are two years older than the average traditional applicant?

You will already be an excellent candidate for DO schools. To better answer your questions in regards to MD schools:

The pattern of postbac grades will be important. Can you detail the order of courses taken and grades received?

What is your legal state of residence?

If you are accepted into Americorps, what type of work would you request?

 

[ladeedahh]

delete.

 

[Catalystik]

In your particular situation, I don't think your application will be "tossed out": because your cGPA is decent, you are of less-traditional age, and your postbac grades show that your learning curve improved as you adjusted to taking the sciences, with higher grades in the second of the series for Physics, an A in Bio II (helpful regardless of Bio I grade), and As in some upper-level Bio (Genetics and MCB-both typically difficult). So you ended with an upward grade trend which is good.

If you had a lenient in-state school, you might well be fine with no further coursework. But you don't. Maybe you'll be fine elsewhere, but I think you should hedge your bets. Personally, I think everyone should take Biochem before matriculating to med schools anyway. Usually Microbio is more fun than terribly difficult, so it's a good second summer class to take. Statistics would be another if you don't have it yet. Having two more As in upper-level science/math to report in update letters is a reasonable plan to help tip adcomms on the cusp in the correct direction when considering your file. Maybe you could even consider a fall class, too.