What are my chances? 2024-2025

[pharoh17]

Hi, thanks in advance for any help!! 🙂

1. cGPA and sGPA as calculated by AMCAS or AACOMAS
   
   • cGPA: 3.49
   • sGPA: 3.31
2. MCAT score(s) and breakdown
   
   • 510 [126/126/127/131]
     • I'm conflicted on whether I should retake it or not. The overall score is similar to my practice FLs, however the breakdown is a bit off since I was scoring 128/129 on C/P, CARS, and B/B (my P/S score is higher than the practices)
3. State of residence or country of citizenship (if non-US)
   
   • California
4. Ethnicity and/or race
   
   • Middle eastern
5. Undergraduate institution or category
   
   • UCSB, B.S Biological sciences
6. Clinical experience (volunteer and non-volunteer)
   
   • I am currently an ER scribe and plan to continue with this
7. Research experience and productivity
   
   • I don't have any definitive research experience. I did do a 10 week course that was essentially independent research procedures (8 hours/week), but I am not sure whether that counts or not.
8. Shadowing experience and specialties represented
   
   • I have 100+ hours of shadowing with an OBGYN, Primary care, and a Pulmonologist. I am trying to shadow a Pediatrician as well since it relates to my personal statement brainstorming.
9. Non-clinical volunteering
   
   • I'm currently awaiting to hear back from the Crisis hotline (that i applied to be a volunteer at)
   • Hospital volunteering
10. Other extracurricular activities (including athletics, military service, gap year activities, leadership, teaching, etc)
    
    • I was a learning assistant during my undergrad twice: one was for a genetics course and the other was helping first year students with coursework and adjusting to college
11. Anything else not listed you think might be important
    
    • Admittedly, my GPA is not that good since I had a not so great 2nd year of college, but it was on an upward trajectory the last 2 years so I don't know if that counts for anything.

School list [I would love to stay in California, but my options are broad]:

• UCs Medical schools [San Diego, Riverside, Los Angeles, Davis, Irvine]
• Keck School of Medicine, USC
• Loma Linda University School of Medicine
• Out-of-state:
  • New York: University of Buffalo, University of Rochester, Albany Medical College, New York Medical College, NYU Grossman Long Island
  • Washington: Washington State University, University of Washington
  • D.C: Howard University, George Washington University, Georgetown Universit
  • Illinois: University of Illinois, Chicago Medical School
  • Oregon: Oregon Health & Science University
  • Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Drexel University College of Medicine
  • Colorado: University of Colorado,
  • Massachusetts: Tufts University
  • Ohio: Wright State University, The University of Toledo
  • Minnesota: University of Minnesota

I think i'm just feeling a bit overwhelmed and discouraged, so I'd love some advice on what I could be doing to better my chances or just any guidance really.

Thank you!!

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[Mr.Smile12]

Hi! Could you please adhere to the template with regards to your activities descriptions? That will help a lot.

*~*~*~*IMPORTANT: How to Format Your WAMC Thread for Optimal Results and More!!*~*~*~*

Hello, and welcome to the What Are My Chances (WAMC) forum. The purpose of this forum is to Post threads about your chances of acceptance to MD and/or DO schools Have your school list critiqued and modified by other members of SDN Determine how to strengthen your current application General...

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[pharoh17]

Hi! Could you please adhere to the template with regards to your activities descriptions? That will help a lot.

*~*~*~*IMPORTANT: How to Format Your WAMC Thread for Optimal Results and More!!*~*~*~*

Hello, and welcome to the What Are My Chances (WAMC) forum. The purpose of this forum is to Post threads about your chances of acceptance to MD and/or DO schools Have your school list critiqued and modified by other members of SDN Determine how to strengthen your current application General...

forums.studentdoctor.net

Hi! Sorry about that!! I've fixed it now, thank you!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

You definitely need non-clinical community service because you don't have any in-person service orientation activities that otherwise isn't related to clinical experience.

The research course doesn't count as research "experience" in the way most people would think about it.

Did you grow up in California in a medically underserved community?

 

[pharoh17]

You definitely need non-clinical community service because you don't have any in-person service orientation activities that otherwise isn't related to clinical experience.

The research course doesn't count as research "experience" in the way most people would think about it.

Did you grow up in California in a medically underserved community?

I am currently waiting to hear back from volunteer places I have applied to (library volunteering, youth club, and the animal shelter).

I did not grow up in a medically undeserved community.

 

[Faha]

You have several state public schools on your list that admit few non residents with your stats and no connection to the state.
I suggest these schools with your stats:
Vermont
Quinnipiac
Albany
Hackensack
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Penn State
George Washington
Virginia Commonwealth
Eastern Virginia
Wake Forest
NOVA MD
Belmont (new school)
TCU
Rosalind Franklin
Medical College Wisconsin
Oakland Beaumont
Wayne State
California University
Loma Linda (if you fit their mission)
UC Riverside (only if you are from that region)
UC Davis
UC Irvine
Any new schools that may open in 2025 (American University, Roseman, Alice Walton, Methodist University)

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I am currently waiting to hear back from volunteer places I have applied to (library volunteering, youth club, and the animal shelter).

I did not grow up in a medically undeserved community.

Service orientation activities include food distribution, shelter work (like women's, LGBTQ, homeless, veterans), job/tax preparation, transportation services, or housing rehabilitation. Not sure that library volunteering fits, and we need more info on youth club (BBBS?).

 

[pharoh17]

Service orientation activities include food distribution, shelter work (like women's, LGBTQ, homeless, veterans), job/tax preparation, transportation services, or housing rehabilitation. Not sure that library volunteering fits, and we need more info on youth club (BBBS?).

The library volunteering is helping kids with homework, does that still not count as service oriented? It is BBBS.

 

[pharoh17]

You have several state public schools on your list that admit few non residents with your stats and no connection to the state.
I suggest these schools with your stats:
Vermont
Quinnipiac
Albany
Hackensack
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Penn State
George Washington
Virginia Commonwealth
Eastern Virginia
Wake Forest
NOVA MD
Belmont (new school)
TCU
Rosalind Franklin
Medical College Wisconsin
Oakland Beaumont
Wayne State
California University
Loma Linda (if you fit their mission)
UC Riverside (only if you are from that region)
UC Davis
UC Irvine
Any new schools that may open in 2025 (American University, Roseman, Alice Walton, Methodist University)

What do you mean by connection to the state?

Thank you though! I will check out the schools that aren’t already on my list

 

[Faha]

What do you mean by connection to the state?

Thank you though! I will check out the schools that aren’t already on my list

A connection to a state for the purpose of medical school admissions would be if you were a former resident of the state or attended an undergraduate or graduate school in the state.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

The library volunteering is helping kids with homework, does that still not count as service oriented? It is BBBS.

Great! Frame the activity as something you are doing with BBBS rather than "library volunteering". Not to disparage any of my librarian friends, but I know library volunteers who read stories to children... as one example. It does help you, but keep trying to build more diverse experiences showing service orientation when you can.

 

[pharoh17]

Great! Frame the activity as something you are doing with BBBS rather than "library volunteering". Not to disparage any of my librarian friends, but I know library volunteers who read stories to children... as one example. It does help you, but keep trying to build more diverse experiences showing service orientation when you can.

Thank you!! I will expand where I apply for volunteering opportunities and try to show diverse experiences!

 

[pharoh17]

A connection to a state for the purpose of medical school admissions would be if you were a former resident of the state or attended and undergraduate or graduate school in the state.

Got it, thanks!! This is a bit of a loaded question, and I understand if you don't have an answer, but do you think I should postpone applying and look into a post-bacc or an SMP? I'm just worried given how subpar my stats are in comparison to what I see on the MSAR.

 

[Faha]

Got it, thanks!! This is a bit of a loaded question, and I understand if you don't have an answer, but do you think I should postpone applying and look into a post-bacc or an SMP? I'm just worried given how subpar my stats are in comparison to what I see on the MSAR.

If you are willing to apply to DO schools a post bacc is not needed. A DIY post bacc at a local college where you take undergraduate level science courses could help if you do well (3.7+ sGPA)

 

[pharoh17]

If you are willing to apply to DO schools a post bacc is not needed. A DIY post bacc at a local college where you take undergraduate level science courses could help if you do well (3.7+ sGPA)

Is a DIY post bacc essentially just retaking science courses I did not do well in? This is a bit of a dumb question but does that not count as double matriculation? I remember being told that wasn’t allowed when registering for classes during undergrad.

Thank you for responding!!

 

[Faha]

Is a DIY post bacc essentially just retaking science courses I did not do well in? This is a bit of a dumb question but does that not count as double matriculation? I remember being told that wasn’t allowed when registering for classes during undergrad.

Thank you for responding!!

You would take new science courses that you have not taken previously.

 

[pharoh17]

You would take new science courses that you have not taken previously.

Got it, thank you so much!!