What Are My Chances? 3.52 cGPA 3.58 sGPA 506/505 MCAT

[mclan22]

I want to thank everyone for all insight that will be given, and I also want to apologize in advance if I posted this in the wrong place.

-Graduate of University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. Majoring in Cellular and Molecular Biology, with a minor in music. I'm living in Washington currently and I am Chinese American.

-Cumulative GPA 3.52, Science GPA 3.58

First MCAT: 128/124/126/128= 506
Second MCAT: 127/124/129/125 = 505 (actually went down a point)

-Research: 200 hrs paid summer job at IUPUI, conducted research on the Zika virus, written entirely myself under the supervision of a mentor. Pushed for publication but didn't go through.

-Clinical Volunteering: Wheelchair pusher in the emergency room, -150 hrs. Lab assistant for PhD student, 150 hours.

-Shadowed OB/GYN MFM M.D while he made rounds. 50 hrs, observed a C-section.

-Non-clinical volunteering: Retirement center volunteering- played piano for several hours during lunch breaks and aided the elderly in mild exercise. 350 hrs.

-Extracurriculars: Played piano for 16 years. Passed all 12 levels of music theory and performance at the age of 14 as recognized by ISMTA (Illinois State Music Teachers Association). Several first place trophies at Geneva Granquist Competitions, which are hosted in Illinois. 2nd place at state. Don't know if music matters though. -Several years of competitive basketball at local tournaments. Still doing so. (Don't know if that really matters either.)

-Employment history: aforementioned paid job at IUPUI. I was a boxer and labeller for a small company, preparing boxed goods for shipment overseas. 200 hrs. Also was a piano tutor for a summer, 150 hrs.

-Piano instructor at a music school for about one year. 1500 hours

-Sister-in-law is an M.D currently doing her fellowship in OB/GYN MFM. (yes)

Shooting for DO schools, really like PNWU. Currently applying to:
PNWU
PCOM
LECOM
LUCOM
VWSOM

Planning to send AACOMAS out within the next several days.

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[Faha]

You are competitive for all DO schools. Add another 2 or 3 that appeal to you.

 

[Magus5454]

Why those schools ? They seem to be...all over the map

 

[mclan22]

You are competitive for all DO schools. Add another 2 or 3 that appeal to you.

Thank you for your response. That sounds like a good idea; maybe a couple more wouldn't hurt.

 

[mclan22]

Why those schools ? They seem to be...all over the map

Thank you for your response.

Primarily because location is not as important to me as simply getting in somewhere, so I decided to apply to schools that I felt I had a good chance to get into. My top choice would be PNWU, so i can remain in Washington.

 

[Magus5454]

Just trust me, and drop LUCOM. You are competitive for all DO, so pick some higher tier schools.

 

[mclan22]

Just trust me, and drop LUCOM. You are competitive for all DO, so pick some higher tier schools.

Thank you for your response. Noted.

Out of curiosity, is there a reason LUCOM is a bad option?

 

[Goro]

Thank you for your response. Noted.

Out of curiosity, is there a reason LUCOM is a bad option?

Here's why I can't recommend LUCOM, and three others:
Nova: three of the four last years have declining first-time COMLEX pass rates. They're now at ~85% and on top of this, some 7% of their 2018 grads failed to match. This was the second worst match rate among all the COMs (only WCU did worse). These are things you expect from a new school, not a veteran. Something is very wrong there.


Wm Carey: VERY high attrition rates and only a 92% placement rate for their Class of 2018. That means 8% of their grads are now unemployed, NOT doing residency. No SOAP, no scramble, no TRI. This is simply NOT acceptable. I expect they'll be put on probation very soon.


Touro-NY: Poor COMLEX II pass rates; unethical behavior in how they dealt with an overbooking issue two years ago.


LUCOM: I have a profound distaste for the politics of their parent organization; their Faculty make blatant attempts to twist facts to match their theology.


From the wise gyngyn: Liberty is poorly regarded due to the history of intolerance of their founding fathers. This school's reputation for intolerance puts its grads at a disadvantage at many reputable residency programs.

 

[mclan22]

Here's why I can't recommend LUCOM, and three others:
Nova: three of the four last years have declining first-time COMLEX pass rates. They're now at ~85% and on top of this, some 7% of their 2018 grads failed to match. This was the second worst match rate among all the COMs (only WCU did worse). These are things you expect from a new school, not a veteran. Something is very wrong there.


Wm Carey: VERY high attrition rates and only a 92% placement rate for their Class of 2018. That means 8% of their grads are now unemployed, NOT doing residency. No SOAP, no scramble, no TRI. This is simply NOT acceptable. I expect they'll be put on probation very soon.


Touro-NY: Poor COMLEX II pass rates; unethical behavior in how they dealt with an overbooking issue two years ago.


LUCOM: I have a profound distaste for the politics of their parent organization; their Faculty make blatant attempts to twist facts to match their theology.


From the wise gyngyn: Liberty is poorly regarded due to the history of intolerance of their founding fathers. This school's reputation for intolerance puts its grads at a disadvantage at many reputable residency programs.

Thanks for your response. I likely would not have known any of this had you not informed me. How disappointing that such unethical behavior exists in the field of medicine.

Awesome insight, I appreciate it. Especially since I would like to specialize and go into residency in the future.