WAMC/School list help: Non-trad, PB sGPA 3.7, UG sGPA 1.79, 510 MCAT, IN

[the phenol countdown]

Non traditional student. Graduated from a large state school in 2016 with a degree in political science and worked full time as a journalist and later helped develop a startup company--changed career and quit my job pre-pandemic and started from square one to take all the pre-med pre-reqs.

GPA:

undergrad cGPA: 3.21
undergrad sGPA: 1.79 (~10 credits)

post bacc cGPA: 3.7 (~60 credits)
post bacc sGPA: 3.7

combined cGPA: 3.43
combined sGPA: 3.43

(I realize post bacc and undergrad will be combined but I think it's important to note the difference.)

MCAT: 510 (128/130/123/129)
Home State: Indiana
Ethnicity: Not URM
Clinical: 1,000 hours ED scribe
Non-clinical volunteering: 1,000 hours as a volunteer coach (plus a few other random things with less than 50 hours)
Research: 900 hours, no posters or presentations at this time, study still ongoing
Shadowing: 100 hours total: dermatology, primary care, PM&R, surgery
Extracurricular Activities: 500 hours Gen Chem discussion leader/TA and lab TA

School List (sorry I still need to do more research here):

MD:

IU
RUSH
Drexel
DUKE
Ohio State
Michigan
Cincinnati
Albany
Case Western
Toledo

DO:

Marian

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[ujsc]

Only apply to one throwaway school until you get your MCAT

 

[the phenol countdown]

Only apply to one throwaway school until you get your MCAT

Will do, that's the plan. Though unless something terrible happens--like a sub 500 for whatever reason--I am probably going to apply.

 

[the phenol countdown]

Any thoughts here @Goro ? I know you‘re the Top Dog when it comes to these threads.

 

[Goro]

Non traditional student. Graduated from a large state school in 2016 with a degree in political science and worked full time as a journalist and later helped develop a startup company--changed career and quit my job pre-pandemic and started from square one to take all the pre-med pre-reqs.

GPA:

undergrad cGPA: 3.21
undergrad sGPA: 1.79 (~10 credits)

post bacc cGPA: 3.7 (~60 credits)
post bacc sGPA: 3.7

combined cGPA: 3.43
combined sGPA: 3.43

(I realize post bacc and undergrad will be combined but I think it's important to note the difference.)

MCAT: 510+ on 3 practice exams, taking in 1 month
Home State: Indiana
Ethnicity: Not URM
Clinical: 1,000 hours ED scribe
Non-clinical volunteering: 1,000 hours as a volunteer coach (plus a few other random things with less than 50 hours)
Research: 900 hours, no posters or presentations at this time, study still ongoing
Shadowing: 100 hours total: dermatology, primary care, PM&R, surgery
Extracurricular Activities: 500 hours Gen Chem discussion leader/TA and lab TA

School List (sorry I still need to do more research here):

MD:

IU
RUSH
Drexel
DUKE
Ohio State
Michigan
Cincinnati
Albany
Case Western
Toledo

DO:

Marian

Apply as if your post-bac GP)A is your real GPA (or sGPA).

No lists until you have a real MCAT score in hand.

 

[the phenol countdown]

Apply as if your post-bac GP)A is your real GPA (or sGPA).

No lists until you have a real MCAT score in hand.

Thank you for the insight @Goro ! I will update when I have it.

 

[the phenol countdown]

Apply as if your post-bac GP)A is your real GPA (or sGPA).

No lists until you have a real MCAT score in hand.

Well @Goro I got my score back and it’s a weird one.

510 but very unbalanced, 128/130/123/129. No idea how I should feel. On one hand I’m stoked! But at the same time..123?!!!

 

[Goro]

Well @Goro I got my score back and it’s a weird one.

510 but very unbalanced, 128/130/123/129. No idea how I should feel. On one hand I’m stoked! But at the same time..123?!!!

123 in CARS?

 

[the phenol countdown]

123 in CARS?

123 in bio/biochem, which i assume is much worse

 

[Goro]

123 in bio/biochem, which i assume is much worse

I can't sugarcoat this, this is most likely to be lethal for MD.

You'll still have to try your state MD School, DO schools are likely to be more lenient with a broad application

 

[the phenol countdown]

I can't sugarcoat this, this is most likely to be lethal for MD.

You'll still have to try your state MD School, DO schools are likely to be more lenient with a broad application

Man, that really stings—but I appreciate the feedback. If it were you, would you still apply with that score this cycle? I think a retake would almost certainly push me back to next cycle.

 

[Faha]

I suggest these DO schools with your stats:
MU-COM
CCOM
DMU-COM
KCU-COM
ATSU-KCOM
TUNCOM
AZCOM
LECOM
PCOM
NYITCOM
Touro-NY
WVSOM
CUSOM
VCOM (all schools except Monroe)
ACOM
UIWSOM
For MD schools I suggest these:
Indiana
Medical College Wisconsin
Oakland Beaumont
Creighton
TCU-UNT
NOVA MD
Eastern Virginia
George Washington
Drexel
Temple
Penn State
Hackensack
Albany
New York Medical College
Vermont
Quinnipiac

 

[the phenol countdown]

Thank you! @Faha

Really means a lot that you took the time to do this. I'm still a little bummed that MD might be out of the question, but it's encouraging you think it's still worth applying.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

As @Goro mentioned, try for your in-state options for both MD and DO. It's possible some lower tier MD's where you demonstrate a mission fit with community service may be interested, but you have a chance.

 

[Goro]

Man, that really stings—but I appreciate the feedback. If it were you, would you still apply with that score this cycle? I think a retake would almost certainly push me back to next cycle.

I'd take the path of least resistance and apply to DO schools, but the goal would to be a doctor, not get specific initials after the name.

 

[the phenol countdown]

I'd take the path of least resistance and apply to DO schools, but the goal would to be a doctor, not get specific initials after the name.

Yep, ultimately that is the goal! By whatever means necessary has been the motto during this pursuit.

Also thank you @Mr.Smile12 for the advice/kind words!

 

[the phenol countdown]

Update:

Interview invite from IU!

@Faha @Goro @Mr.Smile12

 

[Goro]

Update:

Interview invite from IU!

@Faha @Goro @Mr.Smile12

Wonderful! Now go read this:

• Goro's Guide to Interviews
• Goro's Guide to Interviews: The View from Behind the Curtain
• Goro's Guide to YOUR Interview Questions (2018 edition)

 

[the phenol countdown]

Wonderful! Now go read this:

• Goro's Guide to Interviews
• Goro's Guide to Interviews: The View from Behind the Curtain
• Goro's Guide to YOUR Interview Questions (2018 edition)

In Goro we trust.


Will do!

 

[the phenol countdown]

Just thought I'd provide an update here for the heck of it.....

Interview invites: IU, EVMS, KCUCOM, Vermont, NYMC, Toledo

WL: EVMS, KCUCOM

Waiting on: IU, Vermont, NYMC, Toledo

A million thank yous to @Goro, @Faha, and @Mr.Smile12 --I know that it's never good to count your chickens before they hatch, but never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd have 6 interview invites--it's hard not to feel like at least one will turn into an A. I feel like I am only in this position because of the advice gleaned from this website, and it has been an indispensable tool since I decided to back to school in 2020--and it has been especially insightful during this (hellish and agonizing) application process. Thank you all again!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Wow, let's hope it works out. Six interviews is great, especially five on the MD side!

 

[the phenol countdown]

Wow, let's hope it works out. Six interviews is great, especially five on the MD side!

Staying optimistic for sure!

 

[the phenol countdown]

Update time!

Declined Interview: WesternU

WL: EVMS, KCUCOM, NYMC, IU

Post II waiting still: Toledo

Accepted(!!!!!!!!): Vermont, Touro-California

Barring a pull from the IU waitlist, Vermont is probably my second choice so I am over the moon with how it all worked out, even if it took close to a year to get here (2 days shy of a year from my initial post)! I am so grateful to be in this position, and am even more grateful that I can put a bow on this application cycle feeling like it all worked out. No re-app for me!

Thank you again @Faha @Goro @Mr.Smile12 for all of your help, this has been quite the experience! Now the real work begins--after a month or so of finally being able to relax! Woohoo!

 

[Faha]

Congratulations !!!

 

[the phenol countdown]

Congratulations !!!

Thank you so much! and a HUGE thank you for the school list you provided. I really, really enjoyed my interviews at Vermont, NYMC and EVMS. Vermont was not even on my radar and it just felt right.

 

[the phenol countdown]

Because I’m a completionist I just wanted to update the thread now that my cycle is over and give some perspective to any pre-meds applying right now—

IU: WL > A > attending!
EVMS: WL > withdrew
NYMC: WL > withdrew
Toledo: A > declined
Vermont: A > declined
KCUCOM: WL > A > declined
TUCOM: A > declined
WesternU: declined II
DMU: declined II

I only received 2 II the fall of 2022, and the rest came in the spring of 2023. I didn’t get my first A until April. IU, the school I’m attending, didn’t accept me until late May.

Moral of the story to anyone in the middle of application cycle: be patient and don’t waste your time worrying about things you don’t have control over! Apply as strongly as you can, prepare for interviews as best you can and let the chips fall where they may. That’s all you can do.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

IU: WL > A > attending!

Yay! You got the in-state A after all!

 

[deleted1056062]

So happy for you that you got multiple MD acceptances! You deserve it! Best of luck in medical school!

 

[the phenol countdown]

Yay! You got the in-state A after all!

And of course I received it right after I had come to terms with the fact I’d be going to Vermont (which I loved, to be fair). Funny how it all works out.

 

[the phenol countdown]

So happy for you that you got multiple MD acceptances! You deserve it! Best of luck in medical school!

Thank you so much!