Terrible Start

[Devic]

Hey guys I've been lurking on this site for literally years now and finally decided to make an account. I was just wondering for some people who may have any opinions or advice on my situation. I am currently a student a low tier SUNY. My high school career was beyond a wreck and so was my first few semesters at my community college due to suffering from mental illness, abusive home, and addiction (obviously not making excuses just wasn't mature enough to put the effort in to school) I left my community college with a 3.0 gpa with little to no effort put in. Was working full time as a teacher assistant for an inclusive classroom for children with Autism at a high school in my district. I am currently excelling in all my pre reqs at the SUNY I transferred to and also am excelling in my upper level science courses. Nothing lower than a B. However some of my courses from community college that have little to no meaning (mass communications, business) are Ds and there's about 2 or three of them. I understand DOs don't do grade replacements anymore and I also know that medical school factors in everything from the second you step on college soil. My pre health advisor showed me how medical schools calculate your cumGPA and those bullcrap classes are stopping me from having a very nice looking cumGPA. I have very good letters of recommendation, from proffesors and physicians I shadow and continue to shadow. Also have a decent amount of volunteer hours and still have about 2 years left of undergrad that I will continue to do EC. I know it's far away but I was just looking to see maybe anyone who has had a similar experience as a premed. Medical and Osteopathic schools are numbers games and I already know that. Best case scenario I'll be coming out with a 3.3-3.4 cum GPA and maybe a 3.4-3.5 science GPA. My question is what are my chances seriously as these are not competitive numbers and I know medical schools don't care for sob stories or excuses, just numbers. Does my upward trend hold any value? Or a personal statement? Or am I going to have to consider Carribean Schools? Ross came and presented at my school today and I really liked what they had to say but obviously I see what is said on here about carribean schools so I took everything in with a biased ear. I feel these questions are asked on here everyday sorry if this is basically a repeat. Any help and guidance would be amazing.

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[candbgirl]

1.Do not consider Caribbean.
2. Schools love upwards trends. So keep
at it and see where you are when you graduate. Try to get As from now on. Bs aren’t impressive as you try to repair your GPAs.
3. You are a long way from applying. Keep working hard, continue your ECs and when it’s time, study really hard for the MCAT.
4. Take care of yourself.
5. Don’t consider Caribbean schools.

Good luck!

 

[Devic]

1.Do not consider Caribbean.
2. Schools love upwards trends. So keep
at it and see where you are when you graduate. Try to get As from now on. Bs aren’t impressive as you try to repair your GPAs.
3. You are a long way from applying. Keep working hard, continue your ECs and when it’s time, study really hard for the MCAT.
4. Take care of yourself.
5. Don’t consider Caribbean schools.

Good luck!

Thanks for your response! That makes me feel better. Lol do you have personal experience with carribean medical schools that makes you have such a strong opinion towards them?

 

[WIMNFamilyMed]

No Caribbean schools is a standard piece of SDN advice, and for good reason. Many stories of the schools failing their students out and leaving them in huge debt, and the few who do make it through being unable to match to residencies.

 

[candbgirl]

No thank goodness. Spend some time reading the forums and you’ll learn all you need to know about why you shouldn’t apply to the Caribbean schools. Actually people say don’t apply unless you have had 2unsuccessful cycles applying to MD and DO. The risks are very real of not graduating or graduating and not matching into a residency and being hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt.

 

[Devic]

No Caribbean schools is a standard piece of SDN advice, and for good reason. Many stories of the schools failing their students out and leaving them in huge debt, and the few who do make it through being unable to match to residencies.

Lol yep that's the general consensus from SDN. I guess the success stories you read and hear just make it seem like anything is possible if you work hard enough but sometimes that may not always be true.