Unique Non Traditional Student: Are My Stats Risky?

[purplemose10]

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Hello,

I am a senior (psych major), about to graduate with a GPA of 3.71 (sGPA: 3.41), and hope to become a psychiatrist one day. No MCAT score yet, but I have done a good amount of hospital volunteering, I have shadowed two physicians, have been on a research team for two years, and am also a chemistry TA. While my sGPA is not good, I received all As in organic chemistry (doing summer orgo at an Ivy league), but received a C+ in biochemistry and in gen.bio3. Are there any thoughts on how those stats would play out - either for or against me?

There is no question that my sGPA is not good. Is it dangerous to try to apply with this GPA, or should I wait several years and take bost-bac classes to raise my science GPA?

 

[Jdp00921]

I wouldn't exactly call your sGPA "not good." I think it's lower than the usual MD median, but I don't think it's as bad as you seem to think it is. Anyone can correct me if I'm wrong but I would guess your MCAT will have a ginormous influence on your chances. 505, you would likely have trouble at least with MD, 515, I think you would have a decent shot at both MD and DO.

 

[SpoiledMilk]

If you really want to shore up that sGPA, take a year after graduation and take a few upper level science courses in a DIY postbacc, getting A's. This gap year will give you more time to shore up any holes, if any, in your ECs as well as time to study for and bash the MCAT.

GL!!

 

[jkoby14]

I agree with Jdp00921. I wouldn't say it's "not good", and with a good MCAT score you should be okay for either MD and DO. Both my cumulative and science GPAs are lower than yours and I was accepted MD, but I did pretty well on the MCAT (above 510). I wouldn't say it's dangerous to apply with that GPA. Also, you seem pretty set on what you want to do in the future so if you create a good narrative throughout your app, you should be good to go. Best of luck!

 

[jazzmetal]

I am a senior (psych major), about to graduate with a GPA of 3.71 (sGPA: 3.41)

Just a thought: if you are not out of undergrad yet, then you're not yet "nontraditional" and you'll likely be stacked up against other traditional applicants with higher GPAs. Since you have plenty of time, consider a postbac to boost the sGPA while you continue your clinical volunteering and shadowing, and pursue an unusual job or research project or internship with a psychiatrist or community service or leadership position or clinical research coordinator position at a veterans hospital working with PTSD patients... As others have said, your MCAT score will matter a lot. A volunteer colleague of mine with a very similar background to yours (except his sGPA is more like 3.8) got a 517 and has zero IIs so far this cycle. It seems like the stats bar is set really high for people applying right out of college.

 

[HomeSkool]

Posting this under the heading "Unique Non Traditional Student" is the SDN equivalent of clickbait. Poor form, dude.

 

[chlory]

1) you are not unique
2) you are not a nontraditional

Get those two notions out of your head

you're really mean sometimes 🙁

maybe OP had an unconventional upbringing or took a few years off before undergrad....

 

[HomeSkool]

A unique non traditional would be a 40 year old former commercial airline pilot, a bouncer from a bar, a vietnamese war refugee who came to US @ 15 speaking no english. the OP has given no information to either show he/she is either unique nor a nontraditional.

Anyone who attended college solely in the US, earned a degree and is applying before they are 26-28 is neither unique nor much of a nontraditional.

But my mom told me I was special...

 

[deleted480308]

Unique?

 

[seren1051]

Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut we'll all unique. In some aspect

 

[jazzmetal]

Unique?

The most unique.

 

[jazzmetal]

Yes you are unique just like every one else

I am the *one* most unique. (Points if you know where I've recently read that before.)

 

[purplemose10]

1) you are not unique
2) you are not a nontraditional

Get those two notions out of your head

Yeah, sorry I'd been told by a multiple advisors that I am "non-traditional" because of my major - didn't mean to "ruin" the system you have on these forums -- my bad?

 

[catmullclark]

Yeah, sorry I'd been told by a multiple advisors that I am "non-traditional" because of my major - didn't mean to "ruin" the system you have on these forums -- my bad?

It's not just a system on these forums. The label is pretty universal in admissions and applies to when you have taken a significant amount of time off doing something else. Students who go straight from undergrad to medical school are in no way 'non-traditional'.

 

[purplemose10]

Just a thought: if you are not out of undergrad yet, then you're not yet "nontraditional" and you'll likely be stacked up against other traditional applicants with higher GPAs. Since you have plenty of time, consider a postbac to boost the sGPA while you continue your clinical volunteering and shadowing, and pursue an unusual job or research project or internship with a psychiatrist or community service or leadership position or clinical research coordinator position at a veterans hospital working with PTSD patients... As others have said, your MCAT score will matter a lot. A volunteer colleague of mine with a very similar background to yours (except his sGPA is more like 3.8) got a 517 and has zero IIs so far this cycle. It seems like the stats bar is set really high for people applying right out of college.

It's not just a system on these forums. The label is pretty universal in admissions and applies to when you have taken a significant amount of time off doing something else. Students who go straight from undergrad to medical school are in no way 'non-traditional'.

That's good to now know, though - learn something new everyday

 

[BombsAway]

Yeah, sorry I'd been told by a multiple advisors that I am "non-traditional" because of my major - didn't mean to "ruin" the system you have on these forums -- my bad?

Forgive us. Please pass along our sentiments to your idiot advisors.

 

[purplemose10]

Forgive us. Please pass along our sentiments to your idiot advisors.

haha will do

 

[treatem-and-streetem]

Yeah, sorry I'd been told by a multiple advisors that I am "non-traditional" because of my major - didn't mean to "ruin" the system you have on these forums -- my bad?

"Traditional" usually means undergrad to med school, even a couple gap years is still traditional. If you call yourself non-trad you better be able to explain why to med schools.

 

[acbakshi]

Yeah, sorry I'd been told by a multiple advisors that I am "non-traditional" because of my major - didn't mean to "ruin" the system you have on these forums -- my bad?

Your major is nontraditional because traditional premeds have a degree in a hard science, specifically bio or biochem. However, that does not mean you are a nontraditional applicant. You have a decent GPA, EC's, and probably MCAT, which is similar to traditional applicants. This is not unique. You also aren't "ruining" the system, you just didn't use the "nontraditional and unique" label correctly in terms of medical school applicants.

Your GPA is good for DO programs, and if you're set on MD programs, I would suggest taking a few science courses at a community college to bring up your sGPA. Both routes depend on how you do on your MCAT. Keep your head down, study hard, and destroy the MCAT. You will do just fine! As another user posted, look for some type of volunteer work related to psychology, behavioral health, etc and really work on your app with your goal of becoming a psychiatrist in mind.

I apologize if I come off rude, but I hope I can help in anyway as a fellow graduate in psychology. Feel free to PM me with any other specific questions.

 

[HomeSkool]

haha will do

Also, fire them.

 

[LoveBeingHuman:)]

Perhaps as in special education?

Ok that crosses a line