Unsure of my Future

[SoccergalGK1]

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I am very sure that medicine is something that I want to do. However, these past couple of years have been utterly hard on me. As a 21 year old, I have not had some of the things that my peers have. My father had a stroke three years ago that left him bedridden and he can only depend on caretakers. My mother has been in jail for the duration of my entire undergraduate career. I have had to support myself and go to school full time. At the moment based on my GPA, realistically I can say that my chances for allopathic admission is very very low. My admission chances to osteopathic schools of medicine are a lot higher. Obviously, I won't know for sure until I apply. However I will give you a few statistics. I need some honest answers on what I should do because I am feeling very hopeless. I had to transfer to community college after my freshman year because I could not afford my private school by myself. I then graduated with a 3.0 from community college and attended a school but could not afford to attend that school (it was private but they did not give me enough aid to pay for on campus housing). After that first semester of my junior year, I withdrew from that school and decided to take a semester off. I felt burnt out from working 2 jobs and going to school full time. This Fall I came back to school very excited and determined to do well but I didn't. Here is my science coursework.

The following courses are listed in order from Freshman Year until now:
Biology 101: C+
Biology 101 Lab: B
Biology 101 Recitation: A-
Biology 102: C-
Biology 102 Lab: C
Chemistry 101: C
Chemistry 101 Lab: B


Fall 2016:
Chemistry 102: F
(This is my current grade. I had a tutor, went to drop in tutoring, and had friends help me but my professor gave very little practice problems and I couldn't understand how to raise my grade... The class test averages were:Test 1-67, Test 2-68, Test 3-67.....I don't know what to do and my final is next week)
Chemistry 102 Lab: A
Physics 201: B
Physics 201 Lab: A

My remaining grades for this fall were A's and 1 B. At this point I feel hopeless. When I came back to school, I added a Science major to give upper level Biology coursework to raise my science gpa....I was wondering if I should drop it? Do a postbacc? or take the classes on my own after I graduate with my B.A.?

I am really not trying to write a book about my situation but I really need some guidance here. Someone please help me out. I thank you all in advance for any advice that you can give me.

 

[deleted729493]

Hey girly, I'm so sorry that you went through all of that. Everyone has a story and experiences difficulties, and perseverance is key here and you will be better for the struggles and trials you are going through now.

I just want to point out some things - adding a science major will not raise your science GPA. Your science GPA is computed by the pre-requisite courses for medical school only - Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Math, Organic Chemistry, etc. Your upper level science courses do not count into this. Of course, it looks great on a transcript if you can do well in the pre-reqs as well as upper level classes because this shows that you would also do well with medical school courses, but if your cumulative GPA is a concern to you at this point and you aren't doing well in Biology 1 and so on, I would suggest changing your major to something other than science and focusing on doing well in your major courses to achieve a high cumulative GPA.

Also, evaluate yourself. I, and no one else on here really, knows you personally and so we can't give you advice on your study habits. Think about maybe lessening the course load as far as the pre-req courses go - take only one or two per semester and focus on doing really well on them. Look into re-taking the ones that you have already completed, your university probably has a rule about how many courses you can re-take and replace the grades with.
Also, what was your Associate's degree in? Did you take any science classes at the CC? It probably would have been easier to take the pre-reqs there and then continue to the four-year institution.

 

[SoccergalGK1]

I am a Spanish Language and Literature Major. My GPA without science courses is about a 3.6. I added Biology as a Second Major to get those upper level courses and to show that I am capable of doing well. As far as study habits go, I know that for me practice is the key. However, my Chemistry professor gave very little practice problems. I tried searching high and low for problems but it seems that I would do everything right on those, and everything wrong on the Tests and quizzes she herself would make up. When I do numerous problems, I can do relatively well in a course. College Precalculus- B+ and Statistics- B. I am not sure what I am doing wrong in terms of my science pre reqs. But an F is definitely not acceptable. I had a lot of help this semester and studied a lot. I pulled all nighters to understand certain things. I was sure to schedule my tutoring sessions directly after my Chemistry class. I went to drop in Tutoring once a week or so. But it seems like I just didn't grasp her teaching methods. She used powerpoints and had about 2 questions that she would do per lecture. So I really have no clue where I went wrong. The last time I had taken Chem 101 was the Fall of 2014. Is this a major factor as to why I did not do well? I have an Associate of Science degree. I took my first Chem course at community college, I almost made a B...I remember my final average was a 79.1. My professor did not curve unfortunately. I have petitioned to retake Chem 102 next semester at my community college as a transient student but I am unsure if I will be approved.

 

[gamieg]

I'm sorry to hear about your circumstances. hope your father is doing okay.

3.6 cumulative GPA is fine and should give you a good shot at osteopathic schools if you bring up your science GPA. right now that's the most concerning because with almost no As in those courses, few med school adcoms will think that you can handle a rigorous science curriculum (which is essentially what med school is).

have you taken your MCAT yet? what kind of volunteering and clinical exposure have you had? any outside extracurriculars? I understand you probably haven't had a lot of time or opportunity to pursue those, but you will have the question of how you're sure medicine is the field for you.

also on a side note, adcoms definitely take personal circumstances into consideration whether it's MD or DO. however, their ultimate goal is to find students who have demonstrated an ability to handle the academic rigors of medical school while "life" happens. depending on your future science grades (trends matter) and MCAT, you could give MD (lowered tiered ones) a shot. also I'd recommend putting down the "disadvantaged" designation on the primary application and further explaining your story.

lastly, will you and your family be okay for the long time and unpredictability of med school and a career in medicine? it's often hard to choose where you end up.

best of luck with everything.

 

[WhereMyLiberalsAt]

I want to first add a couple things...

1) Adding a science major will help your GPA if you excel in your classes. The above poster is wrong on saying sGPA only counts towards pre-reqs... That's why your subject code is such a big deal (BIO, CHEM, etc)....

2) grade replace > Post Bac

 

[deleted729493]

I'm so sorry I wrongly advised you, I checked my application again and didn't realize that my upper level Biology courses were factored in. I was told by my advisor that they wouldn't be for some reason.. Anyway, my apologies!

 

[SoccergalGK1]

I'm sorry to hear about your circumstances. hope your father is doing okay.

3.6 cumulative GPA is fine and should give you a good shot at osteopathic schools if you bring up your science GPA. right now that's the most concerning because with almost no As in those courses, few med school adcoms will think that you can handle a rigorous science curriculum (which is essentially what med school is).

have you taken your MCAT yet? what kind of volunteering and clinical exposure have you had? any outside extracurriculars? I understand you probably haven't had a lot of time or opportunity to pursue those, but you will have the question of how you're sure medicine is the field for you.

also on a side note, adcoms definitely take personal circumstances into consideration whether it's MD or DO. however, their ultimate goal is to find students who have demonstrated an ability to handle the academic rigors of medical school while "life" happens. depending on your future science grades (trends matter) and MCAT, you could give MD (lowered tiered ones) a shot. also I'd recommend putting down the "disadvantaged" designation on the primary application and further explaining your story.

lastly, will you and your family be okay for the long time and unpredictability of med school and a career in medicine? it's often hard to choose where you end up.

best of luck with everything.

I have not taken my MCAT because I have yet to take Organic Chemistry or even Biochemistry. My plans were to take my MCAT in the Spring of 2018 and apply in the summer of 2018 ( I am reevaluating that right now since I am being told that I should look into retakes by you all). I have already put together a list of schools I would like to apply to. As far as "disadvantaged" goes, I am an URM (African American) and I am a female. I was aiming for HBCU medical schools as well as schools that aim to help undeserved populations. I do have many extracurricular activities on my C.V. For example: I attended an REU in the mid-west, I am an SMDEP or SHPEP alum, and I have also shadowed physicians (these are a couple of things I have done)...I do however still work very much full time but during the week I limit my hours as much as I can and work a ton on the weekends. Long term, I am unsure how my father will do being that his stroke was massive. I am looking into staying in-state for medical school. But the state I live in has some pretty competitive schools.

I want to first add a couple things...

1) Adding a science major will help your GPA if you excel in your classes. The above poster is wrong on saying sGPA only counts towards pre-reqs... That's why your subject code is such a big deal (BIO, CHEM, etc)....

2) grade replace > Post Bac

I was looking into doing this after I graduate in December of 2018. I wanted to go ahead and also apply SMP...is this a good idea or would I shoot myself in the foot if I go the SMP route to attempt to strengthen my application?

 

[WhereMyLiberalsAt]

I'm so sorry I wrongly advised you, I checked my application again and didn't realize that my upper level Biology courses were factored in. I was told by my advisor that they wouldn't be for some reason.. Anyway, my apologies!

Oh no worries! You aren't the first student that receives bad advice/knowledge from their university advisor. One possibility though is for OP to get her BA and just retake her prerequisites with great grades. With that strong 3.6 in cGPA and strong retakes she'd have amazing stats!!! It's actually quite manageable!

 

[SoccergalGK1]

Oh no worries! You aren't the first student that receives bad advice/knowledge from their university advisor. One possibility though is for OP to get her BA and just retake her prerequisites with great grades. With that strong 3.6 in cGPA and strong retakes she'd have amazing stats!!! It's actually quite manageable!

I am also thinking about doing just my B.A., but I am unsure if I would still benefit from taking those upper level Biology courses and going ahead and graduating with both my B.S. and my B.A.

 

[Meeehai]

At the moment based on my GPA, realistically I can say that my chances for allopathic admission is very very low. My admission chances to osteopathic schools of medicine are a lot higher.

Not really, your stats are just not up to par, or at least the way I understand your story. I think you confused some people when you said your GPA without science courses is 3.6 - but that's not your cumulative GPA. Give us your actual cGPA and sGPA as of now, there is no way you have a 3.6 with the grades you showed us.

 

[SoccergalGK1]

I also said not factoring in my sciences. My GPA is about 3.0 when you factor them in. My Spanish Major and other coursework is about a 3.6. My Science GPA last I calculated with my Math courses included was a 2.6 but with this F that I will recieve it is a lot lower. I said my allopathic chances were very slim, but my osteopathic chances are better. Especially with grade replacement. I also said I would not know my chances until I apply.

Not really, your stats are just not up to par, or at least the way I understand your story. I think you confused some people when you said your GPA without science courses is 3.6 - but that's not your cumulative GPA. Give us your actual cGPA and sGPA as of now, there is no way you have a 3.6 with the grades you showed us.

 

[Meeehai]

I also said not factoring in my sciences. My GPA is about 3.0 when you factor them in. My Spanish Major and other coursework is about a 3.6. My Science GPA last I calculated with my Math courses included was a 2.6 but with this F that I will recieve it is a lot lower. I said my allopathic chances were very slim, but my osteopathic chances are better. Especially with grade replacement. I also said I would not know my chances until I apply.

I wouldn't apply. Remember that applying costs a significant amount of money itself. Sorry to be the negative one here but I'm sure you made this thread knowing that this advice was coming to you. It's true that every applicant is different but your numbers are just too low and your application will just be filtered out immediately because of the low stats. Your only chance is grade replacement for osteopathic programs, I would argue that your chances at any MD school are not just slim but zero. I want to give you the best advice and if you don't think you can retake all those science courses and get straight As in them - I would cut your losses and look toward another career.

 

[WhereMyLiberalsAt]

This is what I would do in your situation (which isn't horrible btw)

1) Start retaking your Bio and Chem 102 classes.

2) Continue getting your Spanish and Litature degree

3) Finish Orgo, physics, and biochem next year (you need to get STRONG grades in these because that Bio 101 C+ is kinda heavy on quality points, but they don't need to be straight A's)

4) Study for the MCAT summer of 2018 and sit for it when you feel ready.

5) Apply to DO schools (sorry but without doing more science credits past the prerequisites you won't have enough Bio/Chem/Phy credits to pull your sGPA to MD levels.... Which is fine!!!)

6) Use your AMAZING life experiences and get that acceptance letter!

 

[gamieg]

I have not taken my MCAT because I have yet to take Organic Chemistry or even Biochemistry. My plans were to take my MCAT in the Spring of 2018 and apply in the summer of 2018 ( I am reevaluating that right now since I am being told that I should look into retakes by you all). I have already put together a list of schools I would like to apply to. As far as "disadvantaged" goes, I am an URM (African American) and I am a female. I was aiming for HBCU medical schools as well as schools that aim to help undeserved populations. I do have many extracurricular activities on my C.V. For example: I attended an REU in the mid-west, I am an SMDEP or SHPEP alum, and I have also shadowed physicians (these are a couple of things I have done)...I do however still work very much full time but during the week I limit my hours as much as I can and work a ton on the weekends. Long term, I am unsure how my father will do being that his stroke was massive. I am looking into staying in-state for medical school. But the state I live in has some pretty competitive schools.

I was looking into doing this after I graduate in December of 2018. I wanted to go ahead and also apply SMP...is this a good idea or would I shoot myself in the foot if I go the SMP route to attempt to strengthen my application?

you have a good story, but without your science GPA coming up significantly, it'll be hard to convince adcoms that you can handle a medical school curriculum. the other poster was right in that I misinterpreted your initial GPA and thought that 3.6 was your cumulative. at around a 3.0 when factoring in your science courses, that would be borderline even for osteopathic programs.

with the science grades you currently have, I'd recommend a postbac in lieu of an SMP, partly because of the grade replacement and partly because SMPs generally throw you in with first-year med students and expect you to sink or swim. not to be harsh, but without an adequately strong foundation in the sciences (which might be the case considering your science grades thus far), the former is more likely. whether you do a formal postbac program or take courses to replace those you haven't done well in yourself, make sure to get solid As. you have had a lot going on in your life, but from an adcom's point of view, it would be doing YOU an injustice in accepting you if life or inadequate science study habits prevent you from doing well in medical school.

it doesn't matter whether you complete the biology major or not. I'm not sure how you're feeling currently, but if you're feeling stretched thin and on the verge of burning out, I say get your BA, graduate from college, and celebrate that accomplishment. then take a breather, really research the best postbac programs and be honest about which courses you want to retake, throw in some upper division science courses after you've built a stronger core science foundation, and do as well on the MCAT as possible. that'll give you the strongest shot at osteopathic programs because of grade replacement and if you have a strong positive trend in rigorous science coursework, some allopathic schools would consider your application as well. the chances are slim -- but honestly, the chances for medical school acceptance are always slim. only you can decide if it's worth it.

and lastly, I want to say this: you're still very young, and unfortunately life hasn't been fair to you. you've been through a lot that many people don't have to bear most of their lives, and I really admire the strength it takes for you to not let go of this dream. but I do want to say that because your experiences have been so trying, that means you need to demonstrate much more resilience and maturity in the face of those. I don't doubt that your courses and professors have been difficult, but just from what you wrote above, blaming poor grades on "not enough practice problems" or because your "professor didn't curve" won't help you for med school applications. I disagree with the general sentiment that adcoms are "out to get you" -- rather, I think they're looking for concrete reasons to extend you a chance, no matter how slim it might be. that hope is worth fighting for in my opinion, especially if you are certain this is the path for you. but that hope and that chance is earned, not given.

I really wish you the best.

 

[SoccergalGK1]

This is what I would do in your situation (which isn't horrible btw)

1) Start retaking your Bio and Chem 102 classes.

2) Continue getting your Spanish and Litature degree

3) Finish Orgo, physics, and biochem next year (you need to get STRONG grades in these because that Bio 101 C+ is kinda heavy on quality points, but they don't need to be straight A's)

4) Study for the MCAT summer of 2018 and sit for it when you feel ready.

5) Apply to DO schools (sorry but without doing more science credits past the prerequisites you won't have enough Bio/Chem/Phy credits to pull your sGPA to MD levels.... Which is fine!!!)

6) Use your AMAZING life experiences and get that acceptance letter!

Thanks so much. The reasoning why I am a bit apprehensive about not getting the Bio degree is that I am a bit worried that I may not have the money or means to pay for the coursework out of pocket. I know that even going to a state school it would be very difficult for me to pay for 2 courses at the same time. By no means am I in a rush to attend medical school but money is a very huge factor in my life. I know that if I remain full time, I can use my scholarship aid, pell grant, and loans to cover the cost of my education. I am not in any way trying to reject your advice but money is like I said something that I do not necessarily have. This is a major reason why I added Biology on. In terms of DO schools, I have no problem attending one which is why I posted in the pre-DO forum. I am just unsure how to go about this.

you have a good story, but without your science GPA coming up significantly, it'll be hard to convince adcoms that you can handle a medical school curriculum. the other poster was right in that I misinterpreted your initial GPA and thought that 3.6 was your cumulative. at around a 3.0 when factoring in your science courses, that would be borderline even for osteopathic programs.

with the science grades you currently have, I'd recommend a postbac in lieu of an SMP, partly because of the grade replacement and partly because SMPs generally throw you in with first-year med students and expect you to sink or swim. not to be harsh, but without an adequately strong foundation in the sciences (which might be the case considering your science grades thus far), the former is more likely. whether you do a formal postbac program or take courses to replace those you haven't done well in yourself, make sure to get solid As. you have had a lot going on in your life, but from an adcom's point of view, it would be doing YOU an injustice in accepting you if life or inadequate science study habits prevent you from doing well in medical school.

it doesn't matter whether you complete the biology major or not. I'm not sure how you're feeling currently, but if you're feeling stretched thin and on the verge of burning out, I say get your BA, graduate from college, and celebrate that accomplishment. then take a breather, really research the best postbac programs and be honest about which courses you want to retake, throw in some upper division science courses after you've built a stronger core science foundation, and do as well on the MCAT as possible. that'll give you the strongest shot at osteopathic programs because of grade replacement and if you have a strong positive trend in rigorous science coursework, some allopathic schools would consider your application as well. the chances are slim -- but honestly, the chances for medical school acceptance are always slim. only you can decide if it's worth it.

and lastly, I want to say this: you're still very young, and unfortunately life hasn't been fair to you. you've been through a lot that many people don't have to bear most of their lives, and I really admire the strength it takes for you to not let go of this dream. but I do want to say that because your experiences have been so trying, that means you need to demonstrate much more resilience and maturity in the face of those. I don't doubt that your courses and professors have been difficult, but just from what you wrote above, blaming poor grades on "not enough practice problems" or because your "professor didn't curve" won't help you for med school applications. I disagree with the general sentiment that adcoms are "out to get you" -- rather, I think they're looking for concrete reasons to extend you a chance, no matter how slim it might be. that hope is worth fighting for in my opinion, especially if you are certain this is the path for you. but that hope and that chance is earned, not given.

I really wish you the best.

I do not have a mentality about adcoms out to get me. I know for a fact they extend acceptances to those that are of course deserving and hardworking. I know I haven't been dealt the best hand. There are a lot of sacrifices I have made in the last 3 years. I do not give up easily as you can see. However, like I said I am unsure of my future based on what I have gone through. The odds of me even obtaining a 4 year degree I know are very low based on my background alone. As far as a post bacc goes, I have looked into them heavily. However, a lot of them require that students that attend them either do not have the coursework already or have only 1 sequence. A lot of them do not take students like me that are basically almost finished with the requirements. A DIY would be an option. But as I said, money is a huge factor in my life.

 

[Peach Newport]

This is actually pretty simple.

The bad news:

If you have bad grades, Medical schools don't give half a crap what your life circumstances are. They just don't. This is true for MD and DO. However, if you have excellent grades, a good story of overcoming adversity will put you ahead of someone who doesn't have that story. However, There is no life story in the world good enough to get a sub 3.0 GPA student into medical school.

And unfortunately, "had a rough life" doesn't really count as good life story. I know a guy who beat testicular cancer and got a 32 on his MCAT, but had a 2.8 GPA. Zero interviews, even at DO schools. However, he got into Duke Med after doing a master's. The point is, no one cares if you're poor or that your family sucks. This is America. You're a dime a dozen.

And sorry, I need to say this too. If you have a sub-3.1 GPA, your chances of DO acceptance are almost zero. 3.0 isn't "borderline." If you're not URM, you're not getting in.

The good news:

You have plenty of time to get your grades up, do a master's or post-bacc, and do the application process right. Both MD and DO are totally possible for you IF YOU GET EXCELLENT GRADES.

 

[SoccergalGK1]

Thank you all for the advice. I think that I will go ahead and drop my second major (Biology). I do not wish to, mostly because if I want to take upper level coursework later I will struggle to pay for it out of pocket. I am going to go ahead and look at my excel spreadsheet of my coursework and see how it all fits in. I may end up graduating in Spring of 2018 instead of December of 2018 but all is okay. However, I am looking into not applying in the 2018 cycle and instead will possibly look into a master's degree depending on if I get straight A's or a mix of A's and B's following my bachelor's.

 

[oOKawaiiOo]

The bad news:

And sorry, I need to say this too. If you have a sub-3.1 GPA, your chances of DO acceptance are almost zero. 3.0 isn't "borderline." If you're not URM, you're not getting in.

The good news:

You have plenty of time to get your grades up, do a master's or post-bacc, and do the application process right. Both MD and DO are totally possible for you IF YOU GET EXCELLENT GRADES.

Thank you all for the advice. I think that I will go ahead and drop my second major (Biology). I do not wish to, mostly because if I want to take upper level coursework later I will struggle to pay for it out of pocket. I am going to go ahead and look at my excel spreadsheet of my coursework and see how it all fits in. I may end up graduating in Spring of 2018 instead of December of 2018 but all is okay. However, I am looking into not applying in the 2018 cycle and instead will possibly look into a master's degree depending on if I get straight A's or a mix of A's and B's following my bachelor's.

Graduated with college with GPA <3.2, non-URM, typically party animal
I applied with 9 C's on my transcript with GPA <3.25.
7 Interviews
Handful of acceptances
Did I have a story behind me? No. What makes me special? Nothing.

My point: GPA is only a factor in your package. Don't let people discourage you. Don't follow the rumor that having a bad GPA or MCAT will ruin your changes. If you're not on the extremes, then you should be fine. Heck, one of the smartest students in my class was accepted with a 2.9 GPA.

Anything is possible. Seriously. You can make it. Remove all of your distractions and social medias to dedicate time to improving your application.

 

[SoccergalGK1]

Thank you to WhereMyLiberalsAt, gamieg, oOKawaiiOo, and UTC-PreMed for the encouraging words and constructive criticism. I am really looking into my situatuon and how I will come back swimming. Below is the coursework that I have signed up for in this upcoming semester:

Spring 2017 :
Physics 202
(2) Spanish Courses
(1) International Studies course
Chemistry 102 (unsure if I should just go back to 101 and then take 102 later)

Credit hours come to 15. Must I retake my labs or are B's satisfactory? Please let me know. Thank you.

 

[Peach Newport]

Graduated with college with GPA <3.2, non-URM, typically party animal
I applied with 9 C's on my transcript with GPA <3.25.
7 Interviews
Handful of acceptances
Did I have a story behind me? No. What makes me special? Nothing.

My point: GPA is only a factor in your package. Don't let people discourage you. Don't follow the rumor that having a bad GPA or MCAT will ruin your changes. If you're not on the extremes, then you should be fine. Heck, one of the smartest students in my class was accepted with a 2.9 GPA.

Anything is possible. Seriously. You can make it. Remove all of your distractions and social medias to dedicate time to improving your application.

What was your MCAT, where are you from (geographically), and when were you accepted?

 

[oOKawaiiOo]

What was your MCAT, where are you from (geographically), and when were you accepted?

MCAT 28
Accepted for the cycle of 2015-2016.
Midwest

 

[Peach Newport]

MCAT 28
Accepted for the cycle of 2015-2016.
Midwest

Maybe it's a Midwest thing. Geography is super important. My college (an Ivy league school in the northeast) had a nasty grade deflation problem, so me and a few of my friends ended up applying broadly to DO schools with 3.0-3.2 GPA and 32-34 mcat. None of us were accepted - the Touros were the only schools that would even interview us (because of our mcats most likely). I applied to 20 DOs with those numbers. My friends applied to more.

Even when we got As in masters and post-baccs, though, none of us got interviews from Schools in the Midwest or the south, except for Marian. Even with 4.0 grad and 32-34 mcats, none of us got interviews with CCOM, KCU, DMU, KCOM, MSU, Nova, or any of the schools in the old confederacy.

I have a suspicion that people with lower stats do better if they're from a non-coastal region.

 

[gamieg]

This is actually pretty simple.
The bad news:
If you have bad grades, Medical schools don't give half a crap what your life circumstances are. They just don't. This is true for MD and DO. However, if you have excellent grades, a good story of overcoming adversity will put you ahead of someone who doesn't have that story. However, There is no life story in the world good enough to get a sub 3.0 GPA student into medical school.
And unfortunately, "had a rough life" doesn't really count as good life story. I know a guy who beat testicular cancer and got a 32 on his MCAT, but had a 2.8 GPA. Zero interviews, even at DO schools. However, he got into Duke Med after doing a master's. The point is, no one cares if you're poor or that your family sucks. This is America. You're a dime a dozen.
And sorry, I need to say this too. If you have a sub-3.1 GPA, your chances of DO acceptance are almost zero. 3.0 isn't "borderline." If you're not URM, you're not getting in.
The good news:
You have plenty of time to get your grades up, do a master's or post-bacc, and do the application process right. Both MD and DO are totally possible for you IF YOU GET EXCELLENT GRADES.

well aren't you just a bright ray of sunshine.

OP is URM and understands the need for grade repair. 3.0 is borderline with the consideration of science retakes, as retakes generally bump 0.1-0.5 depending on coursework, units, and if we're talking about cGPA or sGPA. your story about your friend being accepted into Duke rather disproves your sentiment that adcoms don't care about life experiences.

there are so many inspirational stories on here. just off the top of my head, @zurc2014 from this cycle has had amazing success with a unique story and a lot of hard work.

Maybe it's a Midwest thing. Geography is super important. My college (an Ivy league school in the northeast) had a nasty grade deflation problem, so me and a few of my friends ended up applying broadly to DO schools with 3.0-3.2 GPA and 32-34 mcat. None of us were accepted - the Touros were the only schools that would even interview us (because of our mcats most likely). I applied to 20 DOs with those numbers. My friends applied to more.
Even when we got As in masters and post-baccs, though, none of us got interviews from Schools in the Midwest or the south, except for Marian. Even with 4.0 grad and 32-34 mcats, none of us got interviews with CCOM, KCU, DMU, KCOM, MSU, Nova, or any of the schools in the old confederacy.
I have a suspicion that people with lower stats do better if they're from a non-coastal region.

nope, from a top california university personally and came out of undergrad with <3.0, did a postbac ending with ~3.9 GPA, 504 MCAT, lots of research and clinical exposure, and had a "dime a dozen" story as you say. sitting with 9 acceptances so far, including ones from NOVA and KCU. your bitterness is understandable, but it doesn't help.

 

[gamieg]

Thank you all for the advice. I think that I will go ahead and drop my second major (Biology). I do not wish to, mostly because if I want to take upper level coursework later I will struggle to pay for it out of pocket. I am going to go ahead and look at my excel spreadsheet of my coursework and see how it all fits in. I may end up graduating in Spring of 2018 instead of December of 2018 but all is okay. However, I am looking into not applying in the 2018 cycle and instead will possibly look into a master's degree depending on if I get straight A's or a mix of A's and B's following my bachelor's.

I'd still recommend SMP or postbac over traditional masters, but either way, good luck.

Thank you to WhereMyLiberalsAt, gamieg, oOKawaiiOo, and UTC-PreMed for the encouraging words and constructive criticism. I am really looking into my situatuon and how I will come back swimming. Below is the coursework that I have signed up for in this upcoming semester:
Spring 2017 :
Physics 202
(2) Spanish Courses
(1) International Studies course
Chemistry 102 (unsure if I should just go back to 101 and then take 102 later)
Credit hours come to 15. Must I retake my labs or are B's satisfactory? Please let me know. Thank you.

Bs are fine. most schools accept Cs as passing, but anything lower warrants a retake. for osteopathic programs, retakes help bump your sGPA a lot so are worth it. especially because you don't have a lot of science units, that increase will be significant.

good luck with everything. for what it's worth, you seem like a humble and genuine person, and that'll take you far. I'm rooting for you.

 

[Peach Newport]

well aren't you just a bright ray of sunshine.

OP is URM and understands the need for grade repair. 3.0 is borderline with the consideration of science retakes, as retakes generally bump 0.1-0.5 depending on coursework, units, and if we're talking about cGPA or sGPA. your story about your friend being accepted into Duke rather disproves your sentiment that adcoms don't care about life experiences.

there are so many inspirational stories on here. just off the top of my head, @zurc2014 from this cycle has had amazing success with a unique story and a lot of hard work.


nope, from a top california university personally and came out of undergrad with <3.0, did a postbac ending with ~3.9 GPA, 504 MCAT, lots of research and clinical exposure, and had a "dime a dozen" story as you say. sitting with 9 acceptances so far, including ones from NOVA and KCU. your bitterness is understandable, but it doesn't help.

The keyword in your story is "post-bacc." Do you think you would have gotten those acceptances without it?

The point of my story was that with a GPA In the 3.0-3.2 range, getting acceptance from a DO program is very unlikely unless you do a post-bacc or masters.

I also didn't say that adcoms don't care about life experiences. I said that life experiences won't help you if you don't have the grades.

 

[Meeehai]

The keyword in your story is "post-bacc." Do you think you would have gotten those acceptances without it?

The point of my story was that with a GPA In the 3.0-3.2 range, getting acceptance from a DO program is very unlikely unless you do a post-bacc or masters.

I also didn't say that adcoms don't care about life experiences. I said that life experiences won't help you if you don't have the grades.

How dare you give realistic and honest advice? Everyone is a special snowflake and will definitely get in no matter what. Please take back what you said or I will passive-aggressively try and make you feel bad. *Rare story about someone with 0.5 GPA getting accepted.*

 

[psu228]

You have time to improve your application if you really want to do this. You can retake these classes and develop a strong upward trend in classes you haven't taken. But you need to handle all this from here on out and really kill these classes.

I used to doubt if I wanted to really do medicine all the time. Like you I was a liberal arts major who had opportunities elsewhere. I had a 3.8 in my major but with my science classes a 3.5 overall. That kinda sucked and I always was doubting if this was really worth it.

Working in a hospital changed all that. I had shadowed physicians before but hadn't loved it. Having a real role in healthcare however did make me realize that this is what I wanted from life. So if you're mulling around whether or not you want to take this challenge on, see if you could maybe be a PCA or something at a local hospital part time. Get some real experience.

I'm sorry about your family situation, and I'm sure you will succeed if you keep moving forward.

 

[sab3156]

You'll be fine. Take some of the courses over that you did poorly in. I had an extremely bad GPA (2.6 cgpa) until I retook a bunch of courses. I got several interviews and an acceptance (my top choice, so I withdrew from everywhere else) with 3.0 cgpa, 3.6 sgpa, 36 mcat.

 

[ribdon]

I am very sure that medicine is something that I want to do. However, these past couple of years have been utterly hard on me. As a 21 year old, I have not had some of the things that my peers have. My father had a stroke three years ago that left him bedridden and he can only depend on caretakers. My mother has been in jail for the duration of my entire undergraduate career. I have had to support myself and go to school full time. At the moment based on my GPA, realistically I can say that my chances for allopathic admission is very very low. My admission chances to osteopathic schools of medicine are a lot higher. Obviously, I won't know for sure until I apply. However I will give you a few statistics. I need some honest answers on what I should do because I am feeling very hopeless. I had to transfer to community college after my freshman year because I could not afford my private school by myself. I then graduated with a 3.0 from community college and attended a school but could not afford to attend that school (it was private but they did not give me enough aid to pay for on campus housing). After that first semester of my junior year, I withdrew from that school and decided to take a semester off. I felt burnt out from working 2 jobs and going to school full time. This Fall I came back to school very excited and determined to do well but I didn't. Here is my science coursework.

The following courses are listed in order from Freshman Year until now:
Biology 101: C+
Biology 101 Lab: B
Biology 101 Recitation: A-
Biology 102: C-
Biology 102 Lab: C
Chemistry 101: C
Chemistry 101 Lab: B


Fall 2016:
Chemistry 102: F
(This is my current grade. I had a tutor, went to drop in tutoring, and had friends help me but my professor gave very little practice problems and I couldn't understand how to raise my grade... The class test averages were:Test 1-67, Test 2-68, Test 3-67.....I don't know what to do and my final is next week)
Chemistry 102 Lab: A
Physics 201: B
Physics 201 Lab: A

My remaining grades for this fall were A's and 1 B. At this point I feel hopeless. When I came back to school, I added a Science major to give upper level Biology coursework to raise my science gpa....I was wondering if I should drop it? Do a postbacc? or take the classes on my own after I graduate with my B.A.?

I am really not trying to write a book about my situation but I really need some guidance here. Someone please help me out. I thank you all in advance for any advice that you can give me.

Hi,
First of hats off to you for holding it all together. You will come out stronger and hopefully with the resilience that will get you through a career in medicine. That said, you shouldn't feel hopeless just yet. Wait and see the outcome of your chemistry grade. Perhaps, speak with you chemistry professor for study tips prior to the final exam (I see your post was on Friday so it might be too late now if you already took the test).

There are a few options thereafter. First, see if you can handle the workload with all thats going in your personal life. If its best to take a semester or two off, it might help you on the long run because it is better not to carry on if your grades will not improve. A healthier mindset and less stressed outlook (outside of school work) will serve you better. Only you can make that determination.

If you choose to continue or when you do resume, go hard on the rest of your science courses and of course everything else. At the end, your GPA might be good enough to still apply allopathic and worst case scenario, you retake the Freshman courses that you earned C's in. You can also still apply osteopathic as well.

Don't lose hope fella! You can do this and we are all rooting for you, at least I am! Keep chugging! 🙂🙂🙂