What are my chances

[AspiringDoc911]

Currently in the midst of applying to ~30 MD schools and ~12 DO schools, stats are as follows:

Undergrad cGPA: 3.4 sGPA: 3.1
Grad GPA at one of the top SMP's: 3.4 (3.6 my second semester)
Clinical Experience: over 9,000 hours working as an EMT, Medical Assistant, Personal Care Attendant, & ER tech for 3 years in a level one trauma center
TA for EMT class for ~2 years
MCAT: 499 (awful I know, I am re-taking in a few weeks and expecting to score ~505+)
Volunteering: ~400 hours
Research: will be spending this entire year as a research technician to complete a thesis for my masters program
Extremely strong letters of recommendation from 2 MD's that I work with at a top Boston hospital
FAP recipient & from a family receiving public assistance; received pell grants in college; Had to work to full time throughout college to support myself since the age of 18 (that's how I have so many clinical hours); I did not designate myself as disadvantaged, however (should I have?)
White female, 25 years old
Strong personal statement about the adversity I have faced and how I have overcome various hardships (endured physical & emotional trauma throughout childhood and grew up living with a family member with severe mental illness) and how it has motivated me to help others
Expressed my strong desire & passion for working with the underserved population


As cliche as this sounds, I have always known I wanted to become a doctor. I know it is my calling and I am determined to do whatever it takes. I am sad that my GPA & MCAT are so low but I know that I am capable of excelling in medical school. I would love to go to an allopathic school but would be just as happy at an osteopathic school because at the end of the day I would still be doing what I love most- caring for patients. I am wondering if there is any hope for me and would love any advice!

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[penguinsfan71]

It's impossible to say without your new MCAT score. What have you been getting on your practice exams?

 

[AspiringDoc911]

It's impossible to say without your new MCAT score. What have you been getting on your practice exams?

Anywhere from a 503-507.

My CARS section was significantly low (much lower than any of my practice exams) because I messed up the timing

 

[Justapremedguy]

Other than your stats, you’re a great applicant.... but stats are how you get in the door. We can’t tell you anything without a new MCAT score. If you score in the range of your FLs, you’d be lucky to get an MD spot but DO should be doable!

But stay confident and keep studying. A great MCAT score could boost you signifcantly and FL scores don’t mean anything. My FLs were averaging around a 511 and I scored a 518. Believe in yourself!

 

[AspiringDoc911]

Other than your stats, you’re a great applicant.... but stats are how you get in the door. We can’t tell you anything without a new MCAT score. If you score in the range of your FLs, you’d be lucky to get an MD spot but DO should be doable!

But stay confident and keep studying. A great MCAT score could boost you signifcantly and FL scores don’t mean anything. My FLs were averaging around a 511 and I scored a 518. Believe in yourself!

Thank you, I really appreciate your comment! My anxiety got the best of me on test day so I am hoping to get a better handle on that before my next exam

 

[Justapremedguy]

Thank you, I really appreciate your comment! My anxiety got the best of me on test day so I am hoping to get a better handle on that before my next exam

Take care of yourself. The day before my test I stopped studying at noon, enjoyed myself in the afternoon and went to bed early. Go into the test confident, yet alert. I wasnt hungry on test day but made sure to eat the same lunch and quantity as I did for my FLs. I had two sections I felt that I bombed, but realized that it was hard for everyone else too. Our brains try and freak us out, and there’s plenty of time to freak out after the exam, but stay focused and confident. You may just surprise yourself.... If you want any advice or a pump-up, PM me (goes for all of you others reading this thread too)

 

[Angus Avagadro]

Your sgpa is quite low and MCAT in the 43 %tile. MD is a long stretch as is established DO. ECs are quite good but you have yet to demonstrate you can handle the academic load in med school. Check out @Goro s reinvention thread. You might have a shot at some newer DO schools. I wish I had something more positive, but its the hard truth. Consider a do it yourself Post Bac or a MS program. Good luck and best wishes! Kill the MCAT if you take it again!

 

[AspiringDoc911]

Your sgpa is quite low and MCAT in the 43 %tile. MD is a long stretch as is established DO. ECs are quite good but you have yet to demonstrate you can handle the academic load in med school. Check out @Goro s reinvention thread. You might have a shot at some newer DO schools. I wish I had something more positive, but its the hard truth. Consider a do it yourself Post Bac or a MS program. Good luck and best wishes! Kill the MCAT if you take it again!

Thank you for your reply. I’m not sure if you saw but I did a SMP at one of the top 3 schools. All B’s the first semester but all A’s and one B the second semester. It was extremely rigorous but I feel like it has given me a great foundation to do well during M1.

 

[AspiringDoc911]

Take care of yourself. The day before my test I stopped studying at noon, enjoyed myself in the afternoon and went to bed early. Go into the test confident, yet alert. I wasnt hungry on test day but made sure to eat the same lunch and quantity as I did for my FLs. I had two sections I felt that I bombed, but realized that it was hard for everyone else too. Our brains try and freak us out, and there’s plenty of time to freak out after the exam, but stay focused and confident. You may just surprise yourself.... If you want any advice or a pump-up, PM me (goes for all of you others reading this thread too)

Thank you so much for your words of encouragement!

 

[Faha]

Where is your state of residence ? There are a few DO schools where you could receive interviews with your MCAT of 499 including:
ACOM
ARCOM
NYIT-AR
UIWSOM
WCU-COM
WVSOM
UP-KYCOM
Noorda-COM (new school)
PCOM Georgia and South Georgia
LECOM (all schools)
You may be able to add more schools depending on your new MCAT score. Post it here when available.

 

[AspiringDoc911]

Where is your state of residence ? There are a few DO schools where you could receive interviews with your MCAT of 499 including:
ACOM
ARCOM
NYIT-AR
UIWSOM
WCU-COM
WVSOM
UP-KYCOM
Noorda-COM (new school)
PCOM Georgia and South Georgia
LECOM (all schools)
You may be able to add more schools depending on your new MCAT score. Post it here when available.

Hello, Massachusetts. I was hoping I would maybe have a chance at UNECOM, Nova, & the Touros :/

 

[Faha]

Hello, Massachusetts. I was hoping I would maybe have a chance at UNECOM, Nova, & the Touros :/

You could try UNECOM but you need a higher MCAT score for the others.

 

[AspiringDoc911]

You could try UNECOM but you need a higher MCAT score for the others.

Thank you for your time & input!

 

[Goro]

Currently in the midst of applying to ~30 MD schools and ~12 DO schools, stats are as follows:

Undergrad cGPA: 3.4 sGPA: 3.1
Grad GPA at one of the top SMP's: 3.4 (3.6 my second semester)
Clinical Experience: over 9,000 hours working as an EMT, Medical Assistant, Personal Care Attendant, & ER tech for 3 years in a level one trauma center
TA for EMT class for ~2 years
MCAT: 499 (awful I know, I am re-taking in a few weeks and expecting to score ~505+)
Volunteering: ~400 hours
Research: will be spending this entire year as a research technician to complete a thesis for my masters program
Extremely strong letters of recommendation from 2 MD's that I work with at a top Boston hospital
FAP recipient & from a family receiving public assistance; received pell grants in college; Had to work to full time throughout college to support myself since the age of 18 (that's how I have so many clinical hours); I did not designate myself as disadvantaged, however (should I have?)
White female, 25 years old
Strong personal statement about the adversity I have faced and how I have overcome various hardships (endured physical & emotional trauma throughout childhood and grew up living with a family member with severe mental illness) and how it has motivated me to help others
Expressed my strong desire & passion for working with the underserved population


As cliche as this sounds, I have always known I wanted to become a doctor. I know it is my calling and I am determined to do whatever it takes. I am sad that my GPA & MCAT are so low but I know that I am capable of excelling in medical school. I would love to go to an allopathic school but would be just as happy at an osteopathic school because at the end of the day I would still be doing what I love most- caring for patients. I am wondering if there is any hope for me and would love any advice!

A 3.5 GPA in an SMP is likley to help you with MD schools, and a 499 MCAT score is lethal. Going from a 499-> 505 isn't going to help, you need a score > 513+ (510+ for your state school, unless you live in a very lucky state).

With a retake, and scoring 505+, you're from for any DO school, including mine. I can't recommend Nova, Wm Carey, BCOM, ICOM and LUCOM, for different reasons. MSUCOM? Read up on Larry Nasser and you decide. LMU has an accreditation warning, which concerns me. CUHS is too new and appears to be too limited in rotations sites. UIW refuses to post their Boards scores, which is fishy.

Start list with UNECOM, LECOM, the local Touros, PCOM once you retake the exam.

 

[AspiringDoc911]

A 3.5 GPA in an SMP is likley to help you with MD schools, and a 499 MCAT score is lethal. Going from a 499-> 505 isn't going to help, you need a score > 513+ (510+ for your state school, unless you live in a very lucky state).

With a retake, and scoring 505+, you're from for any DO school, including mine. I can't recommend Nova, Wm Carey, BCOM, ICOM and LUCOM, for different reasons. MSUCOM? Read up on Larry Nasser and you decide. LMU has an accreditation warning, which concerns me. CUHS is too new and appears to be too limited in rotations sites. UIW refuses to post their Boards scores, which is fishy.

Start list with UNECOM, LECOM, the local Touros, PCOM once you retake the exam.

Thank you so much for taking the time to give me such excellent advice.