What do I do?

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

hachiuma2000

Full Member
5+ Year Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2017
Messages
20
Reaction score
3
I'm a senior (new grad) from a top-15 undergraduate program (East Coast) with a Neurobiology major. I plan on taking one, or even two gap years. I plan on applying to only MD programs. However, if I were to apply DO, I believe my sGPA would be significantly higher because of a few math classes not being counted. However, I haven't really considered DO much up to this point.

My cGPA is a 3.37, but my sGPA is a 3.08, mostly because of poor grades during freshman year. I took the MCAT and got a 513, but I'm planning on retaking that (should I?). However, what worries me, even more, is my GPA. I'm currently applying to a special masters program (almost submitted), but is that the best route for me, or should I do a DIY post-bacc instead? If I were to do a post-bacc, how long would it be until I got my GPA up to an acceptable point? I want to note that my GPA has a HUGE upward trend, but still, it's awful.

ECs- I have 1 full year of research (including a summer, where I got a grant to work on a project), and I had a research assistant position in 2 labs for a couple months each time (separate periods of time), plus another job for semester . I was also the president of one student organization and the treasurer of a pre-med group. I also did study abroad for a summer. I have about 100 hours of clinical volunteering, which I plan to also work on during the next year.

Members don't see this ad.
 
Do not retake a 513 MCAT.

You could do either a 1-year post bacc take straight upper level science courses (30credits) and get preferably all A’s or an SMP. However, an SMP, is high risk high reward if you don’t feel confident you can maintain at least a 3.6 you should no do it.

I think that with your “huge” upward trend, a 1-year DIY post back would be fine. If your aiming for higher ranked programs an SMP would be best but you’d really have to kick ass in it like >3.8 GPA.

You also did not mention any shadowing or non-clinical volunteering which are essential. For top tier program you also would need a stronger research background - publication, poster presentations.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Do not retake a 513 MCAT.

You could do either a 1-year post bacc take straight upper level science courses (30credits) and get preferably all A’s or an SMP. However, an SMP, is high risk high reward if you don’t feel confident you can maintain at least a 3.6 you should no do it.

I think that with your “huge” upward trend, a 1-year DIY post back would be fine. If your aiming for higher ranked programs an SMP would be best but you’d really have to kick ass in it like >3.8 GPA.

You also did not mention any shadowing or non-clinical volunteering which are essential. For top tier program you also would need a stronger research background - publication, poster presentations.

Thank you! I'm probably looking at more mid-tier programs, and I am also going to continue my volunteering efforts. Your comment has given me hope because I've fallen into a depression regarding my grades destroying my future plans of becoming a physician.

Regarding the MCAT- in all honesty, I don't think I prepared well enough for it. I got a 130/129/127/127 back in April 2018, but I only took 4 practice exams and barely touched other test prep, and I crammed most of my practice exams into a period of 3 weeks. I'm only considering a retake because I feel as though I can improve my score with more effort and concentration.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Even if you do a couple points better, the AAMC recommend medical schools to average the scores of those that take the MCAT multiple times. From what adcoms on here have said many tend to follow this recommendation.

It just seems like a lot of effor for very little reward, especially since you already have a good score for low and mid tier MD schools.

Your problem is not the MCAT it’s your GPA. Focus on the weakness of your app not your strengths( which is your good MCAT score).

You probably have a decent shot at DO if you apply this cycle. If you are gunning for MD then the 1-year post back with good grades should be enough.

What is your state of residency? Are you a URM, ORM, or White?
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Even if you do a couple points better, the AAMC recommend medical schools to average the scores of those that take the MCAT multiple times. From what adcoms on here have said many tend to follow this recommendation.

It just seems like a lot of effor for very little reward, especially since you already have a good score for low and mid tier MD schools.

Your problem is not the MCAT it’s your GPA. Focus on the weakness of your app not your strengths( which is your good MCAT score).

You probably have a decent shot at DO if you apply this cycle. If you are gunning for MD then the 1-year post back with good grades should be enough.

What is your state of residency? Are you a URM, ORM, or White?

I am Turkish, and my state of residency is Wisconsin. Also, I did not consider that the scores would be averaged...I was hoping to work hard and get around a 518+ on the retake, but in that case, it wouldn't be as worth it.
 
Yeah I still think doing well in a 1-year DIY or formal post back, where you take mostly upper level science courses, would be the best for your case.

It would be good to hear from some of the adcoms on here as well. @Goro and @Faha could give you the best advice.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
I'm a senior (new grad) from a top-15 undergraduate program (East Coast) with a Neurobiology major. I plan on taking one, or even two gap years. I plan on applying to only MD programs. However, if I were to apply DO, I believe my sGPA would be significantly higher because of a few math classes not being counted. However, I haven't really considered DO much up to this point.

My cGPA is a 3.37, but my sGPA is a 3.08, mostly because of poor grades during freshman year. I took the MCAT and got a 513, but I'm planning on retaking that (should I?). However, what worries me, even more, is my GPA. I'm currently applying to a special masters program (almost submitted), but is that the best route for me, or should I do a DIY post-bacc instead? If I were to do a post-bacc, how long would it be until I got my GPA up to an acceptable point? I want to note that my GPA has a HUGE upward trend, but still, it's awful.

ECs- I have 1 full year of research (including a summer, where I got a grant to work on a project), and I had a research assistant position in 2 labs for a couple months each time (separate periods of time), plus another job for semester . I was also the president of one student organization and the treasurer of a pre-med group. I also did study abroad for a summer. I have about 100 hours of clinical volunteering, which I plan to also work on during the next year.
What was your GPA year by year?
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
What was your GPA year by year?

I honestly don't have the data for year by year, but by the sophomore year, semester 1, I had around a 2.7 GPA. It has only gone up since then.

The last time I got a C in a science (or any, really) course was semester 1, sophomore year.
 
I'm planning to apply to med school next year (after the post-bacc or SMP). Thus, I will be having 2 gap years...is this a good idea? It seems relatively uncommon.
 
This is not uncommon at all and is the best way to really improve your application and apply as a much stronger applicant (as long as you excel in what you chose to do). If you are looking for post-bacc opportunities, the AAMC has a great website to help get you started, however make sure with the program that the courses count as undergrad post bacc courses on the AMCAS and not as graduate courses. Postbaccalaureate - AAMC

Make sure to keep up your ECs as well (shadowing, volunteering (clinical and non-clinical), maybe research) - volunteering probably being the most important of the 3.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
I'm planning to apply to med school next year (after the post-bacc or SMP). Thus, I will be having 2 gap years...is this a good idea? It seems relatively uncommon.

No, its quite common. I would take a closer look at your grades and see what a year of acing science classes would do to your c/sGPA. It would be a safer route than SMP.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
No, its quite common. I would take a closer look at your grades and see what a year of acing science classes would do to your c/sGPA. It would be a safer route than SMP.

Thank you! The other reason I considered the SMP, however, is the fact that they may offer financial aid. If I took extra classes at a university nearby, I would most likely have to pay out of pocket.
 
Thank you! The other reason I considered the SMP, however, is the fact that they may offer financial aid. If I took extra classes at a university nearby, I would most likely have to pay out of pocket.

Yes, however SMPs will still run you $25-50k and from what's often posted on forums, they rarely award large scholarships. I'm not sure where you live but the most expensive 4-year around me charges $320 per semester unit. A full 30 unit year would only be around $10k. You can also supplement with some community college courses which are much cheaper, however I'd only go this route for classes like psychology, sociology, Spanish etc as they may be viewed as less competitive by MD adcoms.

Regardless of which path you end up choosing, get more clinical hours, shadow some physicians and find some form of non-clinical community volunteering. Then when you're ready, apply broadly to MD and any DO schools you'd be happy attending.

Just a small word of caution, make sure you focus on your grades first and foremost I made the mistake of stacking on too many ECs during undergrad and ended up with a poor GPA my first two years a good MCAT score saved my ass.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Yes, however SMPs will still run you $25-50k and from what's often posted on forums, they rarely award large scholarships. I'm not sure where you live but the most expensive 4-year around me charges $320 per semester unit. A full 30 unit year would only be around $10k. You can also supplement with some community college courses which are much cheaper, however I'd only go this route for classes like psychology, sociology, Spanish etc as they may be viewed as less competitive by MD adcoms.

Regardless of which path you end up choosing, get more clinical hours, shadow some physicians and find some form of non-clinical community volunteering. Then when you're ready, apply broadly to MD and any DO schools you'd be happy attending.

Just a small word of caution, make sure you focus on your grades first and foremost I made the mistake of stacking on too many ECs during undergrad and ended up with a poor GPA my first two years a good MCAT score saved my ass.

Thank you, so much, for this great advice! I really only plan on applying to MD schools. In your personal opinion, should I retake the MCAT as well? I know many people have said not to- but when I check my "Lizzyscore", getting a few points higher really seems to help my chances for acceptance (say, if I get a 517 after putting aside 3 months to focus solely on the exam).
 
Your MCAT isn't the problem. A 513 is already above the majority of MD school matriculant averages. I think it's too great of a risk to attempt a retake. If you score 4 points higher, it doesn't help you much if at all. If you score lower, it would hurt you significantly.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Do not retake the MCAT. It’s not the problem and it won’t help with your application issues. I doubt you’ll be ready to apply next June. Your sGPA is very low for MD school. It will take you sometime to get it up to >3.3. You currently probably wouldn’t even make it through the auto screens some schools have.Spend some time searching for @Goro’s Guide for Reinvention. It gives you great information. You also need to work on your ECs. You haven’t answered the questions about shadowing and nonclinical volunteering so we don’t know if you need to beef those up. Keep working on your clinical experience while in your gap years.
Not sure why you are so set against going the DO route but you may eventually have to decide how badly you want to be a doctor.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Do not retake the MCAT. It’s not the problem and it won’t help with your application issues. I doubt you’ll be ready to apply next June. Your sGPA is very low for MD school. It will take you sometime to get it up to >3.3. You currently probably wouldn’t even make it through the auto screens some schools have.Spend some time searching for @Goro’s Guide for Reinvention. It gives you great information. You also need to work on your ECs. You haven’t answered the questions about shadowing and nonclinical volunteering so we don’t know if you need to beef those up. Keep working on your clinical experience while in your gap years.
Not sure why you are so set against going the DO route but you may eventually have to decide how badly you want to be a doctor.

I just don't know much about the DO route. I will definitely consider it though, but I'm still not too sure, because I have not researched it enough and I only heard about it in the past year or so. Also, I know I'll be on the lower end of the GPA scale, but I'm hoping that one strong year of post-bacc will allow me to be more competitive for med school. And yes, another reason why I am taking two gap years is the fact that I need more nonclinical and shadowing hours (these both are severely lacking, so let's just say they are non-existent), and I also want more clinical hours.

But I need to start applying next June. I do not want to take 3 gap years at this point, because that ultimately means I will have to retake the MCAT because my scores will not be valid. Because of this- I am hoping that I can drag my 3.09 sGPA (it actually isn't a 3.08, I checked, but it's not a big difference haha) to the 3.3 sGPA range over a year. Or, if that is not possible, I would still apply this coming June, but I would inform (in some manner) the schools that I am still taking extra classes and hopefully performing well.

My advisor at school did warn me that a DIY post-bacc would not massively bump my GPA, and that is ultimately why she suggested the SMP. I understand that it will not be calculated into my undergraduate GPA, but she claimed success in it shows med schools I can handle the rigors of the first year. There are some post-bacc programs nearby, however, which are calculated into the undergrad GPA, which I am also interested in.
 
Top