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- Jul 8, 2015
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Long time lurker, but finally need some direct advice because I'm reapplying this year. I originally posted this thread on the reapplicant forum, but I feel like it fits better here, so I'm reposting it. I applied last year as an African American male URM with a 3.1 cGPA, 3.0 sGPA, 25 MCAT (6PS,10VR,9BS) and was verified by AMCAS on Sept 24 (committee letter took forever to be sent) and got all my secondaries out by mid-October. Applied to 30+ schools, only MD, got one interview invite then they rejected me too. Made alot of mistakes during that application process.
This time around I'm limiting my schools down to my stats, applying DO, and applying alot earlier. Last year, I didn't have any shadowing or clinical experience and I had a C, W (retake), C (retake) in Orgo II. Not to mention a C in cell biology and developmental biology due to a very unfocused soph year (part of junior year too) where my mentor passed. I ended on a decent upward trend, good enough to get my GPA out from under 3.0 but that's not saying much with a 3.1.
This time around, I have my app submitted and expect to be verified late July and have all my secondaries sent back early August. I have over a 1000 hours clinical experience working as a medical assistant, 30 hours shadowing a cosmetic surgeon, and 40 hours shadowing a pediatrician. I'm taking Anatomy right now (grades back Mid-August) and Orgo II and Cell Bio over the fall (grades back late December). I'm taking all courses at a Community College to save some money.
My updated stats are:
3.1cGPA, 3.0sGPA, 25MCAT still.
70 total hours shadowing
2000 hours biomedical research (two presentations, one award, one publication)
1140 hours clinical experience (medical assistant)
30 hours non-medical volunteering
200 hours leadership role (black student association secretary)
800 hours producing an independent film
Some other non-medical artistic ventures
DO Schools: Touro-NY, LUCOM, Campbell, Alabama, UP-KCOM, LECOM, LMU, EVCOM-Va, NSU, Western-Pacific NW, PCOM, WCUCOM, PCOM-Ga
MD Schools: Michigan State, Howard, Meharry, Morehouse, Temple, Drexel, Duke, Oakland, Indiana, Alabama, Maryland, VCU
I just wanted to know if applying earlier and taking the classes will be enough and will the grades coming back in December play any role? I originally had Cell Bio also for this summer to get grades for both by Mid-August so it helps with the grade replacement for DO, but my schedule didn't allow for me to take both (which kind of worries me because I already have my primary sent in and its listed as a future summer course).
Also, should I take Cell Bio or will continuing with Anatomy be a better decision come fall? There's but so much repair two/three classes can do for my GPA, so I wonder if going higher level is better than retake? Does retaking at a CC work against me? Will reapplying hurt my chances at the school that gave me the interview? Any schools on my list that I should avoid? Any advice would be really appreciated. I know I don't have the strongest stats, but I'm really hoping for the best with the changes.
This time around I'm limiting my schools down to my stats, applying DO, and applying alot earlier. Last year, I didn't have any shadowing or clinical experience and I had a C, W (retake), C (retake) in Orgo II. Not to mention a C in cell biology and developmental biology due to a very unfocused soph year (part of junior year too) where my mentor passed. I ended on a decent upward trend, good enough to get my GPA out from under 3.0 but that's not saying much with a 3.1.
This time around, I have my app submitted and expect to be verified late July and have all my secondaries sent back early August. I have over a 1000 hours clinical experience working as a medical assistant, 30 hours shadowing a cosmetic surgeon, and 40 hours shadowing a pediatrician. I'm taking Anatomy right now (grades back Mid-August) and Orgo II and Cell Bio over the fall (grades back late December). I'm taking all courses at a Community College to save some money.
My updated stats are:
3.1cGPA, 3.0sGPA, 25MCAT still.
70 total hours shadowing
2000 hours biomedical research (two presentations, one award, one publication)
1140 hours clinical experience (medical assistant)
30 hours non-medical volunteering
200 hours leadership role (black student association secretary)
800 hours producing an independent film
Some other non-medical artistic ventures
DO Schools: Touro-NY, LUCOM, Campbell, Alabama, UP-KCOM, LECOM, LMU, EVCOM-Va, NSU, Western-Pacific NW, PCOM, WCUCOM, PCOM-Ga
MD Schools: Michigan State, Howard, Meharry, Morehouse, Temple, Drexel, Duke, Oakland, Indiana, Alabama, Maryland, VCU
I just wanted to know if applying earlier and taking the classes will be enough and will the grades coming back in December play any role? I originally had Cell Bio also for this summer to get grades for both by Mid-August so it helps with the grade replacement for DO, but my schedule didn't allow for me to take both (which kind of worries me because I already have my primary sent in and its listed as a future summer course).
Also, should I take Cell Bio or will continuing with Anatomy be a better decision come fall? There's but so much repair two/three classes can do for my GPA, so I wonder if going higher level is better than retake? Does retaking at a CC work against me? Will reapplying hurt my chances at the school that gave me the interview? Any schools on my list that I should avoid? Any advice would be really appreciated. I know I don't have the strongest stats, but I'm really hoping for the best with the changes.
