URM WAMC I need an honest-to-god assessment

[deleted621740]

Hi folks,

I'll be applying next June and I need an assessment. My GPA has started to fall these past two semesters due to an increased workload, and I need to know how my chances are going to be affected. I cannot afford to apply more than once.

URM: African-American Male
First-generation College Student
Oregon Resident

cGPA: 3.65-3.75 by the end of this semester
sGPA: 3.7-3.8

MCAT: Taking in June. Shooting for 515+ but would be satisfied with a 510.

Research:

-2 Summers at the NIH working on a project related to the molecular players behind inflammation and aging. A publication may or may not come out of this before I apply

-1 summer at the Massachusetts General Hospital at the Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center conducting research on stem cell-derived beta cell replacement therapy (3rd author publication submitted a few weeks ago)

-2 years research at my UG in a lab studying gut microbiota

Work:

- Molecular Biology Lab TA for 1.5 years at my UG
- Urgent care clinic medical assistant for 9 months (+1000 hours total)
- Math instructor at private middle school for 1 year

Volunteering:

- Coronary Care Unit volunteer for 2 years (~250 hours)
- Volunteer at a Hospice for Homeless folks in Salt Lake City (~120 hours by the time that I apply)

Extra:

- College of Life Science Student Council member (1 year)
- Undergraduate science and society journal
- Pre-med club
- 2 poster presentations at my UG
- 1 presentation at symposium at Harvard Medical School for research I did at Mass Gen.
- Tons of shadowing from family med to cardiothoracic surg. ~150 hours

I have GREAT LORs from my PI at the NIH and from my PI at my UG and Mass Gen. As well as a letter from my organic chemistry and biochemistry professors, and 1 from a honors humanities professor.

Anyways, I'm worried because prior to last spring semester, I have always had a 3.8-4.0 GPA each semester. Last spring, though, I got a 3.3, and this fall is shaping up to be a 3.73 AT BEST. I'm concerned that this downward trend at the end of my UG tenure is going to hurt me. I attribute it to working nearly 20 hours a week, but hey, no excuses. Can someone please chance me and comment on this????

Will I still have a decent shot at OHSU (my state school)? I really wanted to apply to upper tiers, but I feel like i've kind of screwed myself at this point...Feeling really crappy...

Could you pitch a rough school list?

@Goro @LizzyM

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[LizzyM]

Hard to do this without an MCAT. With a 515, you'd have a shot at the top 20.

I suspect you will fall well above the 10th percentile at just about every school and you should be a strong applicant for interview.

 

[deleted621740]

Hard to do this without an MCAT. With a 515, you'd have a shot at the top 20.

I suspect you will fall well above the 10th percentile at just about every school and you should be a strong applicant for interview.

So you don't think that the slight downward trend will affect me too much? Assuming that my MCAT is in an acceptable range?

 

[LizzyM]

So you don't think that the slight downward trend will affect me too much? Assuming that my MCAT is in an acceptable range?

As long as you are above 3.5, I think it will be fine. The typical trajectory is a J curve (something like a Nike logo) with the nadir being the year that the applicant took organic chemistry. Also, we don't look at each term (semester, quarter) but by academic year. So your spring semester 3.3 will be diluted by the fall semester of that academic year.

Put your attention on the MCAT. Make a 3 month plan and take as many practice tests as possible. Allow 7 hours for each practice test taken under test conditions (scheduled breaks, clothing restrictions, etc). Plenty is riding on that exam. Become so familiar with it that the test day is the main event that you've been practicing and rehearsing for over many months like a performer or an athlete.

 

[Goro]

Asked and answered in your duplicate post

 

[s_med]

Put your attention on the MCAT. Make a 3 month plan and take as many practice tests as possible. Allow 7 hours for each practice test taken under test conditions (scheduled breaks, clothing restrictions, etc). Plenty is riding on that exam. Become so familiar with it that the test day is the main event that you've been practicing and rehearsing for over many months like a performer or an athlete.

This is the best possible advice. I wish I had it printed out and tacked up on my wall when I was preparing for the MCAT.

If you are planning to test in June and you don't want to delay or reapply, you can't afford to retake the MCAT. I'll bet that if you are confident you can score 515+ and are diligent about taking practice exams over several weeks, you will hit your target.

 

[Walter Raleigh]

@LizzyM: as a professional MCAT tutor, I second your recommendation. He needs to take practice tests and then look at what he got wrong, then go back and study this. When he feels he's learned the material he was weak on, he should take another practice test. I've had students have 5-10 point improvements using this method. Most people do not reach their full potential on tests like the MCAT because they squander practice tests, not getting the full value out of them. They'll take a practice test, and not use it to pinpoint their weaknesses. In this way they get better at taking the MCAT but often miss much-needed content review.