What to Do After Graduation? Advice

[CuriosityKillsMe]

I'm graduating after fall semester and I would like some help deciding what to do. After fall semester I will have a 3.52 GPA, this is where my confusion stems from, its not crazy low that I need a SMP but its not competitive, also I have medical and personal reasons to back this up. Strong upward trend? Not really, this is due to 2 different major incidents at the beginning and end of my college career. I've done everything else right, amazing recs, shadowing, volunteer work, its just my GPA, potentially. I will take 3 to 4 night/weekend classes in spring and have applied for lab technicians at very prestigious lab oriented institutes in NY and that is mostly set. I'm thinking about applying in summer of 18 and it'll be hard to convince me otherwise since I'll be 25. For the gap year during the 18 cycle I have some different opportunities, continue working as a lab technician or apply to the PREP program, I'm an ORP but I fit the requirement for disadvantaged due to poverty. I'm not counting on the PREP coming through for me due to me being an ORP but I will consider it if accepted. What are your thoughts on this plan, continue working as a technician, go do PREP, apply for SMP, or do you have other recommendations?

P.S. I'm taking the MCAT in Sept and my averages so far have been 518+.
Not really considering DO schools. Hopeful for top 40 schools. Yes I know thats asking a lot but it is what I want.

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[hubbsbubbs]

Honestly, I think you're fine. My GPA is significantly lower and I've been doing ok this cycle. You could take one or two classes per semester (maybe 3 total?) at a local university and that way you'd at least have a few As at the end on your trend line. If you really have all that other stuff (and such a high MCAT) you'll be fine. You're probably better off spending the extra time working on your application and prewriting

 

[jmplayer]

Speaking as someone who is also taking a gap year through the 2017-2018 cycle,

In your personal statement, you can probably incorporate why the start and end of college did not go as well as you hoped (if it does logically fit your personal statement). If you're aiming for a Top 40 MD school, then I definitely agree with your course. See if you can get a publication or poster from your researches; the Top 40 really are research orientated.

How's your clinical experience and volunteering? A gap year's a great time to build up on those.

 

[CuriosityKillsMe]

Give me your AMCAS GPA grid so we can see trend

I'm sorry I don't know what that means

 

[CuriosityKillsMe]

https://aamc-orange.global.ssl.fast...140d8acb35af/amcas_grade_conversion_guide.pdf


There are spreadsheets that calculate this but I cannot vouch for their accuracy
http://honors.usf.edu/Documents/AMCASGPA_Calculator.xls

I've also included in this spreadsheet 6 courses from this semester assuming I receive all A's and the post-bac night semester I will be spending at a nearby college while working as a research technician. My initial thoughts about my GPA is vastly overestimated. Although, it doesn't account for much my mother was diagnosed with cancer, and a family member of mine passed away during during sophomore year and senior year. I plan to expand on that in the secondaries and talk about it a bit in my primary. I recently just took my MCAT and felt very strong about my performance, I think I'll break 518+.

 

[Turkishking]

I've also included in this spreadsheet 6 courses from this semester assuming I receive all A's and the post-bac night semester I will be spending at a nearby college while working as a research technician. My initial thoughts about my GPA is vastly overestimated. Although, it doesn't account for much my mother was diagnosed with cancer, and a family member of mine passed away during during sophomore year and senior year. I plan to expand on that in the secondaries and talk about it a bit in my primary. I recently just took my MCAT and felt very strong about my performance, I think I'll break 518+.

. I'll leave this one to the professionals

 

[CuriosityKillsMe]

. I'll leave this one to the professionals

I'm open to all ideas, and I value all criticism. If you say I'm f'ed, then I'm obviously f'ed.

 

[Turkishking]

I'm open to all ideas, and I value all criticism. If you say I'm f'ed, then I'm obviously f'ed.

I just don't want to provide misleading information

 

[CuriosityKillsMe]

I just don't want to provide misleading information

You're basically saying I'm in a very unique situation?

 

[Turkishking]

You're basically saying I'm in a very unique situation?

No I'm saying I'm a pre-med and my advice isn't as good as someone like goros or LizzyM

 

[CuriosityKillsMe]

Can you please put a summary grid up in the AMCAS GPA grid. The multi colored spreadsheet feels like a 1960s tie-dyed tee shirt

I'm having a hard time creating a new spreadsheet with that information, but if you scroll down on the original spreadsheet, it should show trends and overall GPA in a clean fashion.

Edit: Fixed into PDF, ignore image

 

[CuriosityKillsMe]

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[CuriosityKillsMe]

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