What to do still for next year?

[boggle]

Applied this fall, but for my stats or even most peoples, I was pretty late and was mostly just trying to slip in a state school (still might, have seen others get in). I am working on strengthening my overall application for next year. Obviously I am hoping for schools to look at the more recent course work.

1st degree: BS in Math 3.1 cGPA, probably pretty bad BCPM GPA (I was unfocused and my math grades my sophmore and junior years sucked, not to mention 2nd semester orgo and physics.)

2nd degree: Working on another BS in Human Bio 3.85 cGPA, 3.95+ BCPM (starting my 4th semester post-grad, plus a few summer classes. Have aced lots of higher level bio including genetics, physiology, microbiology, retook orgo/physics and aced both semesters, only non A was an A- in biochem, don't go to your best friends bachelor party the night before an exam)

MCAT - 27 (7, 10, 10) retaking in Jan, realistically should be able to bring it up to at least a 30, have been hitting 34's but I want at least a 30 and I feel that the verbal has been much easier on my practice tests then what was on the actual test.

EC: 6th year volunteering as tutor in high school math; volunteer coach at high school; work as an inpatient phlebotomy/assistant for med techs; job shadowed a clinical psychologist, ER doc, and pediatrician; TA for micro lab and physiology lab

I am appling for an internship over the summer for a research position with a big cancer research institute in my city, should have a good chance at that. Also trying to get an ER tech job and will be doing more job shadowing this spring after I retake the MCAT.

These are the schools I plan to apply to this time:

MSU
MSU - Grand Rapids
Wayne
Oakland (if its going to be open)
Rush
Loyola
CMS
U Ill (should I even try here as a MI resident?)
MCW
Georgetown
GW
USUHS
USC (I know, probably no chance but this would be the school above all others I would go to. I love to hate them but thats just because I wish I'd have applied to go there out of high school, although then I'd probably be in even more of a hole)

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[Mobius1985]

What was your AMCAS GPA when you applied?

 

[boggle]

IDK, never looked hah, was scared. I guess maybe I should just take a DO acceptance if I get it, it feels like I'm fighting an uphill battle. GPA dosn't change very fast unfortunately, so it seems like it dosn't matter how well I do now.

 

[Mobius1985]

It's hard to give advice without complete data. Go back into your AMCAS application site and look. Also, what was your AACOMAS GPA?

 

[boggle]

Looks like they gave me about a 3.2 on the AMCAS and a 3.3 on AACOMAS, with science a little lower on AMCAS and higher on AACOMAS, assumingly due to where they place the math grades.

 

[Mobius1985]

Your leadership experiences are very good with the HS tutoring, coaching, and TA work. Some also show your altruism, as you were a volunteer. Your shadowing also looks very good. You have some clinical experience through the workplace (hours unspecified).

With a 3.2 AMCAS GPA and 27 MCAT, and your application lacking research and lacking two years of strong upward trend in GPA, I'd be surprised if you got an MD acceptance this cycle. On the other hand, you have a strong application for DO schools with an AACOMAS GPA of 3.3 and 27 MCAT, and I think it likely you'll get an acceptance if you interviewed well. I hope you're sure about DO schools giving deferments, because if you're accepted and a deferment request is refused, and you don't matriculate, future DO school applications may get little consideration.

Extrapolating into the future: with another successful semester GPA-wise before reapplying to AMCAS, your GPA might be up to 3.3-something, and you'd have four strong semesters of upward trend. An MCAT of 34, would help balance the still-low GPA. You might delay application until the research experience has started, so it can be included on the application. You hopefully will have started the ER tech job (which broadens your clinical experience). If the above happens, I think you have a reasonable chance of an MD med school acceptance. If you get a repeat MCAT of 30, your chances of success are lower, but still exist. If the new Michigan med school opens, they may be more forgiving than one would generally predict.

Do research on the pre-osteo forum and assure yourself that the DO schools you've applied to commonly grant a deferment. If any of them don't, I'd withdraw your application ASAP before you receive an acceptance, if you intend to carry through with another MD med school application cycle, so as not to endanger a potential "backup" plan.

I think your plans are sound. Applying to U Illinois is fine, as they take 2% OOSers, but be aware the tuition is $72,000/year if you are not a resident.

 

[boggle]

Thank you for your input. I appreciate you taking the time to reply to me and all the rest of us on here. At least for me, it is very helpful to have an objective review of my portfolio (I guess you could call it that).

Just to answer a few of the questions, I've been at my job at the hospital for over a year and working anywhere from 20-40 hours a week. This isn't my first job or anything, but first clinical.

As far as DO schools, I did not apply to too many. I think I have a relatively good shot at the instate one, which I know offers deferment rather easily, at least according to their website. Others that I applied to are not as liberal with it but I still think I might be able to get one. I should have my new MCAT score before I would be offered an acceptance anyway, and obviously that is a huge factor on whether I stick around for another year. Would turning down one of these schools post interview/accpetance affect me with all DO schools in the future or just if I were to apply to them again?

Money is not an issue. Well it always has been up to now, but I'm either doing HPSP or ASP so I am not worried about tuition. Already went through all qualifications, just need an acceptance. Are there any other schools I should look into?

Another long post. Well we'll see what happens with the MCAT, then I'll probably be back trying to figure out what would be best to do with my year off I might have. I obviously have a job at the hospital but I have the opportunity to go to a police academy and possibly get a job as an officer for a year. I'm not sure if that'd look good or bad but it'd be fun for me hah.

 

[Mobius1985]

1) Would turning down one of these schools post interview/accpetance affect me with all DO schools in the future or just if I were to apply to them again?

2) Are there any other schools I should look into?

3) I have the opportunity to go to a police academy and possibly get a job as an officer for a year.

1) I don't know how it works with AACOMAS, but with AMCAS, all its schools would know you'd turned down an admission, and unless you had an excellent explanation (yours wouldn't be one), there's a good chance you'd be shunned by all of them in future application cycles.

2) I's say wait until the new MCAT score is in to decide on other schools.

3) I have a relative planning to go to a police academy, and he says if you leave a police force before the 4-5 year mark, you have to pay back a prorated portion of the $10,000 cost for the 6 month academy. Check out whether that would be true for you, too. It would be a pretty cool EC to have on your application though.

 

[boggle]

1) I don't know how it works with AACOMAS, but with AMCAS, all its schools would know you'd turned down an admission, and unless you had an excellent explanation (yours wouldn't be one), there's a good chance you'd be shunned by all of them in future application cycles.

2) I's say wait until the new MCAT score is in to decide on other schools.

3) I have a relative planning to go to a police academy, and he says if you leave a police force before the 4-5 year mark, you have to pay back a prorated portion of the $10,000 cost for the 6 month academy. Check out whether that would be true for you, too. It would be a pretty cool EC to have on your application though.

Yeah, understood. Maybe I will see if I can move back my interviews until after score release. For all I know I wont like the programs/campus, so I assume that post interview withdrawls arn't completely unheard of. I work 3rd tonight and theres a blizzard so it will be VERY slow so I bet I'll have lots of time to research.

That does sound right about the repayment, but I think thats just if you do the particular forces academy, I would probably go to an independent one run by one of the local colleges.

 

[DrYoda]

What other schools to add?

You should look into Toledo. Or really just Ohio schools in general, Ohio schools are friendly to out-of-staters.

 

[Mobius1985]

I assume that post interview withdrawls arn't completely unheard of.

It is completely acceptable to withdraw after an interview (but before acceptance) and has no repercussions.

 

[boggle]

Alright sounds good thanks guys. At least I feel that my plan is not completely crazy now. I will just wait to see what happens with the MCAT.