What are my chances (sorry!)

[Biodude]

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Hey everybody,

I know you've probably seen these threads plenty and plenty of times already. I saw too many of these on the pre-allo board, but they seemed to mostly be trolls (i.e. "I have a 3.9 GPA and 40 MCAT, what are my chances?").

I am sorry, but I'm being honest here...my GPA is not very good, and as for MCAT, well I'll take it in Spring 2006 and hope to have a good score on it. I had a difficult time adjusting to college for the first year (A's were few and far between) and I really blew it in my second year (got my first D and F, retook the F class and got a C, retaking the D class right now), because I signed up for more classes than I could handle and didn't bother dropping. However, I made the Dean's List this past Fall, so at least I'm showing improvement, but it still is too low for my own taste.

GPA - 2.93
Science GPA - around 2.7ish, haven't done the exact calculations

As a science major, I've got plenty of access to upper-division science courses, and I really do feel that if I put enough effort into it, I could come out with straight A's in the coming Fall semester, and in fact, all the semesters following. I'll probably kill myself, but if my GPA is looking this bad, I really don't have much of a choice anyway. I know ahead of time how difficult those classes will be thanks to chatting with some mates about the classes and seeing their notes. This semester has been rather difficult for me, though, and I know that I won't be making the Dean's List this time due to an underestimation of the difficulties for each class (Organic 1, Physics 2, and a science class that I'm retaking for a better grade) 🙁

My extra-cirriculars suck, thanks to a pre-med advisor who emphasized getting a good GPA and MCAT scores so much, and the only things that I have recorded for that so far are hospital volunteering and some activities I've done with my school's student health professions organization (setting up and running blood drives, Habitat for Humanity, etc.). I was in an officer-level position (not the prez or vp, but more like a secretary-level position) for that club as well, so it's not like I just sat and stewed. I plan on jumping into more extra-cirriculars and volunteering over the summer, with an emphasis this time on volunteering for things that I actually like (like tutoring children) rather than things I could care less about (working in a soup kitchen).

I plan on shadowing an Osteopath who specializes in OMM as well. My classmate told me that this guy is very receptive to pre-DO students. I just haven't contacted him yet, but I'm 100% sure that he'll let me shadow him.

Well, that's my activities in a nutshell. What does everybody here think? Any suggestions are welcome, except for "don't bother applying." I'm still going to apply, 2.93 GPA or not.

Again, I apologize for having to put up a topic like this 😳

 

[cdreed]

There's always hope, but I think that you need to ace the MCAT to make up for the lower gpa. Heck, I was kicked out of undergrad for poor academic achievement, and now I'm starting my MSIII at AZCOM.

You just need to work on accentuating your positives as much as you can to compensate. I joined the Air Force as a EMT-B certified medic for a couple of years after I finished undergrad to gain clinical experience. During that time I also took some more science classes to raise my gpa and stay in the swing of school. Find something that works for you and go with it.

Good luck to you in your endeavors.

Cyndi

 

[Biodude]

Thanks for the reply, Cyndi 🙂

 

[dr.z]

Do well for the rest of time you will be at school and do well on MCAT. You should try to volunteer at hospitals since DO school really look for clinical experiences.

 

[crys20]

I definately think you'll get straight A's...I sucked my first year and then just got determined to start acing classes, and I did. That will help big time, get the GPA above a 3.0 and show a great upward trend.

What will make or break you will be the MCAT. Do WHATEVER it takes to score high on this, as high as you possibly can. A 30 will look super nice to the DO schools and will make up for a lot. Invest everything you can into the test.

Shadowing is a great idea, and a DO letter is a must, so great job planning that out. Your ECs aren't horrible but right on with doing a couple more things to beef up that part of your application.

I see you having your choice of DO acceptances if you can go after it in the coming quarters and ace those classes, and do decently well at least on the MCAT. Good luck!!!

 

[Biodude]

Do well for the rest of time you will be at school and do well on MCAT. You should try to volunteer at hospitals since DO school really look for clinical experiences.

I'm already volunteering at a hospital. Did you read my entire spiel? 😀

Thanks for the advice. 🙂

 

[Biodude]

I definately think you'll get straight A's...I sucked my first year and then just got determined to start acing classes, and I did. That will help big time, get the GPA above a 3.0 and show a great upward trend.

What will make or break you will be the MCAT. Do WHATEVER it takes to score high on this, as high as you possibly can. A 30 will look super nice to the DO schools and will make up for a lot. Invest everything you can into the test.

Shadowing is a great idea, and a DO letter is a must, so great job planning that out. Your ECs aren't horrible but right on with doing a couple more things to beef up that part of your application.

I see you having your choice of DO acceptances if you can go after it in the coming quarters and ace those classes, and do decently well at least on the MCAT. Good luck!!!

Thank you for the vote of confidence, crys20. Actually, I am aiming to get a 30 on my MCAT, and I'll begin studying for it on my birthday this summer (not fun, but whaddya think?)

👍

 

[crys20]

I think its a good idea...People say that you'll burn out if you start to early but I think if you really want to do well, it's a great idea. Be sure to use TEXTBOOKS for the areas that you find in the review books that you're weak on, or don't really remember too well. If you didn't learn anything of gen chem when you took it, hit the book and learn the relevant MCAT topics well. I used the EK review and found them to be fantastic. Also, when it gets much closer to your test take AAMC 4-8, they are the best predictors of how you will do. EK 101 Verbals are the best verbal prep out there...See how you do on those, if your ok with it, that's all you'll need for prep.

 

[Biodude]

I think its a good idea...People say that you'll burn out if you start to early but I think if you really want to do well, it's a great idea. Be sure to use TEXTBOOKS for the areas that you find in the review books that you're weak on, or don't really remember too well. If you didn't learn anything of gen chem when you took it, hit the book and learn the relevant MCAT topics well. I used the EK review and found them to be fantastic. Also, when it gets much closer to your test take AAMC 4-8, they are the best predictors of how you will do. EK 101 Verbals are the best verbal prep out there...See how you do on those, if your ok with it, that's all you'll need for prep.

Thanks. Actually, the last time I took an MCAT practice test, my highest score was in Verbal. I'm a bookworm, so what other people might call "speed reading" I find to be "reading at a normal pace." I don't think I'll need to do much when it comes to Verbal preparation (hopefully).

Off to go punk my friend's Examkrackers books and his AAMC 4-8 MCAT tests. He won't be needing those now that he's taken it 😀

 

[group_theory]

I actually agree with the premed advisor in this situation

While getting clinical experience is nice, doing so in lieu of good grades and MCAT is not.

Your main goal is to get pass the initial screening process - qualify for secondary applications, and then get invited to the interview.

You could have excellent ECs and LORs, but if your GPA is 2.1 and your MCAT is 15 - then those excellent ECs and LORs won't do you any good. That's probably why your advisor emphasize good grades and MCAT to you - those should be have been your immediate priorities.


With that said, I think you will make it. Raise those GPAs above 3.0 (AACOMAS is nice in replacing bad grades with nicer repeated grades) and do well on MCAT - show the admission committee that you have the ability to handle the rigors of medical school. For ECs, quality is better than quantity.

And start saving money. Application, and interview cost, and your eventual acceptance deposit will cost a lot of money 🙂

Best of luck in your future endeavors.

 

[Biodude]

I actually agree with the premed advisor in this situation

While getting clinical experience is nice, doing so in lieu of good grades and MCAT is not.

Your main goal is to get pass the initial screening process - qualify for secondary applications, and then get invited to the interview.

You could have excellent ECs and LORs, but if your GPA is 2.1 and your MCAT is 15 - then those excellent ECs and LORs won't do you any good. That's probably why your advisor emphasize good grades and MCAT to you - those should be have been your immediate priorities.


With that said, I think you will make it. Raise those GPAs above 3.0 (AACOMAS is nice in replacing bad grades with nicer repeated grades) and do well on MCAT - show the admission committee that you have the ability to handle the rigors of medical school. For ECs, quality is better than quantity.

And start saving money. Application, and interview cost, and your eventual acceptance deposit will cost a lot of money 🙂

Best of luck in your future endeavors.

Well, it figures, then about my advisor. He was on the admissions committees for several medical schools and taught at a Texas med school before deciding to settle at my university to teach Immunology.

 

[MD-iwish]

I'm in the same boat, it's good that you realized that you do need to shape up now, unlike me. Definitely just keep your goal in mind and kick a$$ in those classes!!

"With that said, I think you will make it. Raise those GPAs above 3.0 (AACOMAS is nice in replacing bad grades with nicer repeated grades) and do well on MCAT - show the admission committee that you have the ability to handle the rigors of medical school. For ECs, quality is better than quantity."

Does AACOMAS really replace bad grades with repeated grades?? PLEASE lemme know! THanks!!

 

[Biodude]

I'm in the same boat, it's good that you realized that you do need to shape up now, unlike me. Definitely just keep your goal in mind and kick a$$ in those classes!!

"With that said, I think you will make it. Raise those GPAs above 3.0 (AACOMAS is nice in replacing bad grades with nicer repeated grades) and do well on MCAT - show the admission committee that you have the ability to handle the rigors of medical school. For ECs, quality is better than quantity."

Does AACOMAS really replace bad grades with repeated grades?? PLEASE lemme know! THanks!!

I've heard that AACOMAS definitely replaces the bad grades when calculating GPA, but they are still in your record. So the schools will still see the bad grades along with the good ones, but only the good ones will be counted into your GPA. That's what everyone seems to be telling me around here 😛

 

[cdreed]

I've heard that AACOMAS definitely replaces the bad grades when calculating GPA, but they are still in your record. So the schools will still see the bad grades along with the good ones, but only the good ones will be counted into your GPA. That's what everyone seems to be telling me around here 😛

It's true.

 

[FutureDocDO]

What if your school replaces the bad grade with an X? Will your original grade show up on the transcript sent out to the schools because the one they sent me doesn't?

 

[MD-iwish]

wow thanks so much guys for telling me abt that, they dont mention it on the aacomas site, but thanks a lot!