The all too frequent "what are my chances" post

[cardiBnegative]

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Sorry about this, but any advice would be helpful! I am definitely interested in DO but my dream school (a pipe dream with my GPA) is MD and I need to at least try first? Do I have a shot?

State: PA
Undergrad: Neuroscience (BS), Sociology (BA) and chemistry minor
GPA: 3.5 (I know it's pretty terrible, but there was an upwards trend)
MCAT: 518
Research: All 4 years of undergrad (15 to 25 hours a week), 3 different projects. Thesis on the third project.
Shadowing: Not really ( I shadowed once and the guy was a jerk), but I did work in the ER as a scribe for 2 years (while in school, working 20-30 hours a week).
Clinical experience: Nursing assistant for 1 year (while in school, 20-30 hours a week)
Volunteering: 20 hours/ week easily in various roles, with leadership held every semester since freshman spring. Projects included organizing Relay for Life at my university (state school), working on a suicide hotline, serving as an administrator at the Ronald McDonald House, volunteering as a tutor and peer advisor, being involved in 2 service groups where I got a lot of service hours doing events and helping dozens of organizations and lastly working to raise money + awareness for ending extreme poverty and empowering women at a small student run business.
Postgrad: Currently, I am working with AmeriCorps to increase access to education and reducing recidivism in Baltimore. I'll be taking at least one more year off and will either be a director of a nutrition program for under-resourced kids or working as a Firefighter/EMT. I also currently continue to tutor twice a week and volunteer at the local Children's Hospital.

I feel like I just bore my soul to y'all. But I really appreciate any feedback you have! I know to apply to all my state schools, though I refuse to apply to Penn State. I'm sorry if you think I'm shooting myself in the foot but I can't get on board with that school and am exceedingly lucky to have several others in PA to apply to. I'm interested in pursuing an MPH/MD and may end up doing that first to help take the eyes off the GPA (and I honestly want it anyway and don't mind the order I get them in).

 

[Faha]

You should receive multiple MD interviews with your stats and I suggest all these schools:
Commonwealth-Geisinger
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Vermont
Quinnipiac
Tufts
New York Medical College
Albany
Seton Hall
George Washington
Georgetown
West Virginia
Eastern Virginia
Virginia Commonwealth
Wake Forest
NOVA MD
Miami
Oakland Beaumont
Western Michigan
Medical College Wisconsin
Loyola
Rosalind Franklin
St. Louis
Creighton
Tulane
Also apply to at least 6 DO schools and include PCOM.

 

[thenucleusaccumbens]

A 518/3.5 with an upward trend is not terrible at all! MD is not a pipe dream for you. Don't sell yourself short. with your MCAT you can also consider adding a couple higher ranked schools. I suggest the ones that historically are known to be more forgiving of lower GPA with an upward trend, such as Mayo and Case. Also what you're doing with AmeriCorps is really great! good luck!

 

[cardiBnegative]

Thank you so much! The list is pretty similar to my own, and of course for PCOM!! I think SLU is still on probation though so that feels risky even if that were the only place I could get in..

 

[cardiBnegative]

A 518/3.5 with an upward trend is not terrible at all! MD is not a pipe dream for you. Don't sell yourself short. with your MCAT you can also consider adding a couple higher ranked schools. I suggest the ones that historically are known to be more forgiving of lower GPA with an upward trend, such as Mayo and Case. Also what you're doing with AmeriCorps is really great! good luck!

Thank you, that is very nice of you! I'll look into Mayo and Case but of course my dream of Penn may not work out, though I think I may be able to swing an MPH admission from them.. maybe! But still those two would be cool, and I'd be happy to be accepted anywhere Faha listed!

 

[Goro]

You should receive multiple MD interviews with your stats and I suggest all these schools:
Commonwealth-Geisinger
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Vermont
Quinnipiac
Tufts
New York Medical College
Albany
Seton Hall
George Washington
Georgetown
West Virginia
Eastern Virginia
Virginia Commonwealth
Wake Forest
NOVA MD
Miami
Oakland Beaumont
Western Michigan
Medical College Wisconsin
Loyola
Rosalind Franklin
St. Louis
Creighton
Tulane
Also apply to at least 6 DO schools and include PCOM.

To this list add:
Duke
Mayo
NYU
UCSF
Columbia
Case
Hofstra
Pitt
Wayne State
BU
Dartmouth

 

[cardiBnegative]

To this list add:
Duke
Mayo
NYU
UCSF
Columbia
Case
Hofstra
Pitt
Wayne State
BU
Dartmouth

Thanks, Goro! I already had a few of these on my list (I would love to apply to BU but they require 6 credits of English and with my dual degree/minor/hitting pre-med requirements I only got 3 credits, though maybe my 6 credits of thesis writing could work? I should talk to their admissions...) I can't believe two people think I have a shot (however long) of Mayo! Their average GPA is a 3.89 so are you sure applying wouldn't just be a "donation"?

 

[thenucleusaccumbens]

Thanks, Goro! I already had a few of these on my list (I would love to apply to BU but they require 6 credits of English and with my dual degree/minor/hitting pre-med requirements I only got 3 credits, though maybe my 6 credits of thesis writing could work? I should talk to their admissions...) I can't believe two people think I have a shot (however long) of Mayo! Their average GPA is a 3.89 so are you sure applying wouldn't just be a "donation"?

I got into Mayo with a GPA way below their average, with an upward trend, high MCAT, and otherwise strong app. I also know 2 other people in my class who got in with GPA's ~ 3.4-3.5 and 1 person who isn't in my class who had a cGPA of 3.2 (not URM either). In my experience they are holistic in reviewing applicants and are one of the schools that is known for rewarding reinvention. If you apply it won't just be a "donation" because your app is at least going to get fully reviewed by a person (since you will pass the minimum MCAT screen) but beyond that it's impossible to know whether or not you will get an interview invite. It's really competitive, but you at least have a shot and know that there are people who got in with your GPA and lower

 

[Goro]

Thanks, Goro! I already had a few of these on my list (I would love to apply to BU but they require 6 credits of English and with my dual degree/minor/hitting pre-med requirements I only got 3 credits, though maybe my 6 credits of thesis writing could work? I should talk to their admissions...) I can't believe two people think I have a shot (however long) of Mayo! Their average GPA is a 3.89 so are you sure applying wouldn't just be a "donation"?

Mayo is a school that rewards reinvention . What's your GPA for your last two years? If > 3.7, then keep Mayo on list

 

[Dr. Meliodas]

You have a pretty strong app - Be Confident!

In additions to the schools listed you should look through MSAR and see which top schools have a wider range for GPA of both matriculants and accepted students. I know that UCLA, Keck USC, and Stanford have a wider GPA range than most other top schools.

 

[buckoh24]

I got into Mayo with a GPA way below their average, with an upward trend, high MCAT, and otherwise strong app. I also know 2 other people in my class who got in with GPA's ~ 3.4-3.5 and 1 person who isn't in my class who had a cGPA of 3.2 (not URM either). In my experience they are holistic in reviewing applicants and are one of the schools that is known for rewarding reinvention. If you apply it won't just be a "donation" because your app is at least going to get fully reviewed by a person (since you will pass the minimum MCAT screen) but beyond that it's impossible to know whether or not you will get an interview invite. It's really competitive, but you at least have a shot and know that there are people who got in with your GPA and lower

I spoke to a mayo rep about how to improve my app from last cycle and she echoed this. Said I should apply with my 3.6/511 non URM because they really do look for people who are going to bring something pretty unique to the class. They love to see people who reinvent themselves and reapplicants because it shows you didnt just give up. They also seem to really value people's personal backgrounds and IMO they probably take the diversity statement more seriously than other schools because of this.

 

[cardiBnegative]

You have a pretty strong app - Be Confident!

In additions to the schools listed you should look through MSAR and see which top schools have a wider range for GPA of both matriculants and accepted students. I know that UCLA, Keck USC, and Stanford have a wider GPA range than most other top schools.

I've been looking into UCLA/Drew and I really like the sound of their program! That's good to know about Stanford, if I wasn't from PA that would be my absolute dream school (Penn makes more sense as far as COL and having a strong network of support already). Thank you so much for your kind words and advice!!

 

[cardiBnegative]

Mayo is a school that rewards reinvention . What's your GPA for your last two years? If > 3.7, then keep Mayo on list

The last two years were 3.8s and 3.9s. I was more interested in the upper level courses, plus I got a grip on coping skills (I had an odd amount of family/friend deaths throughout college).

 

[cardiBnegative]

I got into Mayo with a GPA way below their average, with an upward trend, high MCAT, and otherwise strong app. I also know 2 other people in my class who got in with GPA's ~ 3.4-3.5 and 1 person who isn't in my class who had a cGPA of 3.2 (not URM either). In my experience they are holistic in reviewing applicants and are one of the schools that is known for rewarding reinvention. If you apply it won't just be a "donation" because your app is at least going to get fully reviewed by a person (since you will pass the minimum MCAT screen) but beyond that it's impossible to know whether or not you will get an interview invite. It's really competitive, but you at least have a shot and know that there are people who got in with your GPA and lower

Thanks for your input!! I appreciate it, it's always good to hear from others who have similar GPAs!

 

[cardiBnegative]

I spoke to a mayo rep about how to improve my app from last cycle and she echoed this. Said I should apply with my 3.6/511 non URM because they really do look for people who are going to bring something pretty unique to the class. They love to see people who reinvent themselves and reapplicants because it shows you didnt just give up. They also seem to really value people's personal backgrounds and IMO they probably take the diversity statement more seriously than other schools because of this.

Thank you so much for sharing! Ah this all makes me feel ~slightly~ less nervous 🙂

 

[Goro]

The last two years were 3.8s and 3.9s. I was more interested in the upper level courses, plus I got a grip on coping skills (I had an odd amount of family/friend deaths throughout college).

Add Duke to the list, maybe Vandy

 

[Dr. Meliodas]

I've been looking into UCLA/Drew and I really like the sound of their program! That's good to know about Stanford, if I wasn't from PA that would be my absolute dream school (Penn makes more sense as far as COL and having a strong network of support already). Thank you so much for your kind words and advice!!

Happy to help. Also keep in mind that UCLA/Drew is mostly for minority applicants (are you a URM?), I did meet a couple ORMs at UCLA/Drew when I interviewed earlier this year. They are a very mission based school that looks for those who really wants to help under served communities make sure your app shows this if you send them an app.

 

[cardiBnegative]

Happy to help. Also keep in mind that UCLA/Drew is mostly for minority applicants (are you a URM?), I did meet a couple ORMs at UCLA/Drew when I interviewed earlier this year. They are a very mission based school that looks for those who really wants to help under served communities make sure your app shows this if you send them an app.

That is what my PS focuses on, and what I hope a good chunk of my ECs (and some of my research) shows. My end game is to set-up a nonprofit tied to a clinical practice (god-willing I find other like-minded folks so we can get a few specialties) so that we would be based in a wealthier neighborhood (to sustain ourselves) and then operate as a sliding-scale concierge service of sorts to eliminate transportation costs/hassles and bring quality medicine (and social workers!) to under-resourced neighborhoods. While this may not exactly be the best plan (I'm no MBA or nonprofit guru, obviously) this is something I am very keen on pursuing on some level and it's only in the works since I am focused on getting in right now. Thanks for the input!

You've all been really kind and helpful and I really appreciate it! I hope everyone is having a great week so far 🙂