Medical What are my chances at MD programs (semi non-trad) this cycle - low cGPA, high sGPA?

[MusicDOc124]

If someone could help me out with a school list I would really appreciate it!

My overall concern is that I will be applying with two bachelors degrees, but my cGPA will still be low due to a huge amount of credits from the first degree. So I am really not sure how schools are going to evaluate the two.

General Info: Caucasian male, IL resident

Grades

• First degree (top five business school): 3.0 gpa (~3.4 sGPA)
• Second bachelor's degree in neuroscience: 3.92 gpa (3.9 sGPA)

The first degree was 140 credits, and the second was only 60, so my cGPA is heavily weighed down at a 3.3...

MCAT: My last two practice scores were 516 and 515. I know you cannot advise without an MCAT score, but I am taking the MCAT in late May, and will be sending out my primary to a few schools before I see my score. Since I still have three months to prep, I am assuming that I can hit at least 517 on test day. For the purposes of the school list please assume a 517 since I have to apply without knowing for sure, and I think that is a very conservative estimate given my current FL's with three months to go.

Research: About 2000 hours. Poster presentation for now, and first authored publication will be in review towards the end of the summer.

Volunteering:

• Clinical: 275 hours total. 220 hours from normal hospital volunteering, and 55 hours from animal assisted therapy visiting with patients
• Nonclinical: I am lacking a little here, only about 35 hours. I know this is a weak spot and I am going to work to squeeze something in before submitting

Shadowing: around 50 hours across two surgery specialties and primary care

Leadership: I coordinated some philanthropies raising about 20k in total (for a health organization), and the largest events were over 500 people.

I feel like I should be targeting schools that are going to review holistically, and will see my grades past just the overall cGPA. I am not exactly sure which schools those are. I think I have a shot at mid-teir MD's, but I don't want to waste money applying to any reach schools that are going to screen me out.

If someone could advise me on schools that are known to review holistically or reward reinvention given my stats that would be great.

Thank you!

You are ORM, lacking in ECs, non clinical volunteering, and shadowing, and have a low GPA + no MCAT right now to properly guide. I dont like to make assumptions.

You do have what appears to be an upward trend with the 2nd bachelors, and it doesn't look like your sGPA will be as low as cGPA. What is your sGPA?

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[MusicDOc124]

Thanks for the reply. sGPA is around 3.8.

I understand some applicants have stellar EC's but I did not know that mine are lacking. Would more non-clinical volunteering help, or would I need to take on other activities all-together?

Non clinical and helping those in need.

Your sGPA is great though.

 

[MusicDOc124]

Thank you, I will get on non-clinical volunteering before I apply.

Is my cGPA too low for MD programs, or do you think the high second bachelors gpa and decent sGPA could be enough for my state school and sub-T20 schools?

edit: my sGPA over the past 2 years specifically is 3.9+

Generally yes, but you have a really strong upward trend. It doesn't mean you won't have any issues, but many schools will see the trend. However, despite the trend, the overall cGPA combined with a lack of what I mentioned above will make things difficult - holistic review or not.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

So what's the gap in time between bachelors degrees? What extracurriculars did you do for your first undergraduate degree versus more recently? I agree though your hours are going to be an issue.

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[Goro]

Sorry, but don't hypotheticals.

You should apply as if you cGPA is the same as your second degree.

And as a reinventor, you will need to have DO schools on your list. Beggars can't be choosy.

Come back when you have an MCAT score, and then we can advise properly

Thank you for the advice everyone.

@Mr.Smile12 There was no gap in time between the two degrees. I graduated with the first and then started the second the following fall. I knew that I wanted to switch majors towards the end of my Junior year, but I was close enough in credits that it made sense to graduate with the business degree before pursuing the second.

The EC's listed above are from the second degree (past two years) with the exception of the philanthropies. Beyond that during my first degree I was a peer tutor in the hardest business pre-req class, tutored at an inner-city school, served on a committee at my university (as the only student on the committee) that made decisions on student scholarships, as well as another philanthropy position.

@Goro @MusicDOc124 My original plan was to continue research in my gap year, but now I think it makes more sense to scribe and continue non-clinical volunteering. Thanks for helping me see the holes in my app, and I will be back with and MCAT score.