Whether to apply for the up coming cycle or to wait a year?

[Cunuck]

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First off, at my current pace I plan to graduate in Spring 2016 and plan on taking the MCAT at the end of August 2015 (taking an MCAT prep course this summer and have been doing well).

If I apply for the upcoming cycle my GPA will be around 3.6. I will have some clinical volunteering and some shadowing, probably around a couple hundred hours each.

If I apply for the next cycle, I can retake 3 classes that I did poorly in and if everything goes well, I can bring my GPA up to around a 3.8 (if all goes perfect a 3.84), I would also of course have an opportunity to get more volunteering, more shadowing, and possibly a job in a clinical field.

*This paragraph is basically pro's and con's*
What I was thinking was to go ahead, apply this cycle and see how I do. Would this be worth it or would it just be a waste of money and time? I would really rather not take such a long span off of school (If i end up retaking courses I may or may not roll over into the Summer 2016.) This break would give me more time to work on applications and such though since I would not have school during the application period.

As of now I am thinking of applying this cycle and looking at the results, see if I get in anywhere I would like to attend. I know the gap between 3.6 and 3.8 is pretty substantial and that it could have an impact on my professional career (in an indirect fashion). Should I even bother applying this cycle?

Any opinions or any suggestions are fine.

P.S. If it comes down to it (I hope is doesn't) What is preferred DO in US or MD in the Caribbean. My dream is to go into orthopedics and from what I know, DO is usually focused around whole body and most become general practitioners because of that.

 

[ShopgirlNY152]

You mentioned retaking courses, remember that's only helpful for DO Admissions, not MD.

And as far as Ortho goes, I would agree with you in that, it is a hard specialty to get into, even if you are an MD, and even more so if you a DO. Anyways, people are going to post about the foolishness about considering possible residencies. Which has it's merit, but if you are considering surgery, I would advise you to try your hardest to get into an MD school.


With that GPA, seems as if the MCAT is going to make or break your app, shoot for 505+! Best of luck. I'm in a similar position, I opted to take a gap year.

EDIT: Reading back on your app, if you are taking you MCAT in August, you'd be complete at earliest by late September. It is very unadvisable to apply because you will be behind literally thousands of applicants. I would say...don't waste your money!

 

[northernlights15]

1) Retakes will help for DO,. They will not help and in some ways can hurt for MD. You would only retake for MD for a C- or below on a required prereq. Furthermore, if you retake something that you got a C or better in, it can raise questions for the adcom as to what does that say about the type of person. Example, you get a B in a course and retake, does that same you are OCD?

Please tell me that's not a hard and fast rule! I am retaking a C in O Chem because it makes a difference in both my AMCAS and especially my AACOMAS GPA (I don't have straight As). It is the only C I am retaking. I will be retaking a C- in another subject but that's more understandable I think. I think retaking a C or C+ is more understandable than retaking a B or B+.

Is this really going to be held against me at MD schools?

 

[northernlights15]

If you are considering DO, then retake Ochem. If that is your only issue, it will be a minor blip for an adcom at MD that is quickly passed over

Lol I definitely have bigger issues (3.4 sGPA).

 

[Cunuck]

Thanks for the advice everyone, I think basically you told me the truth I didn't want to hear (as far as waiting a year).

As far as what's dragging my GPA down; I got a C in cell biology, and a C+ in both orgo's. Other than that I have B-B+ for 7 credits, a few A- and a lot of A's. That's why I wanted to retake, but with this news looks like I most likley wont be 🙂.

ShopgirlNY; if you have a link for the new MCAT score equivalencies that would be great. I understand how the grading works, but I have heard it is possible that the percentiles may move down in the scores a bit. Just nice to have a number to shoot for.

As far as what my GPA will be if I do not take any extra classes and do not retake the ones I was planning on and wait the year so my GPA is updated for the new cycle (if everything goes perfect) it should be ~3.7 (3.71). I feel like that number with a decent MCAT (equivalent to a 32 or higher) should make me competitive for a domestic school (obviously not the best, just SOMETHING in the states). Are my thoughts true, or is it just me rejecting reality 🙂.

 

[Blue Blood]

If your goal is ortho then US MD is the way to go. From what you'll hear on here: DO will be an uphill battle, Caribbean...well just don't go out of the country. It's a very bad idea.

Take a year to make sure everything is perfect.

 

[ShopgirlNY152]

Thanks for the advice everyone, I think basically you told me the truth I didn't want to hear (as far as waiting a year).

As far as what's dragging my GPA down; I got a C in cell biology, and a C+ in both orgo's. Other than that I have B-B+ for 7 credits, a few A- and a lot of A's. That's why I wanted to retake, but with this news looks like I most likley wont be 🙂.

ShopgirlNY; if you have a link for the new MCAT score equivalencies that would be great. I understand how the grading works, but I have heard it is possible that the percentiles may move down in the scores a bit. Just nice to have a number to shoot for.

As far as what my GPA will be if I do not take any extra classes and do not retake the ones I was planning on and wait the year so my GPA is updated for the new cycle (if everything goes perfect) it should be ~3.7 (3.71). I feel like that number with a decent MCAT (equivalent to a 32 or higher) should make me competitive for a domestic school (obviously not the best, just SOMETHING in the states). Are my thoughts true, or is it just me rejecting reality 🙂.

https://www.aamc.org/students/download/378098/data/mcat2015scorescaleguide.pdf

Pg.13, estimated percentiles.

 

[Cunuck]

One more question, would it be worth while to take upper level science courses in an attempt to raise my GPA a little more in the summer and fall during the cycle I plan on applying for? At most it would raise my GPA by .05, or would it be more wise to just focus on a ton of E.C.'s, shadowing, and researching.

Also, is it worth while to pursue a job in a clinical field pre-med, or are there more important things med schools would like to see instead (not stats 🙂).

 

[ShopgirlNY152]

One more question, would it be worth while to take upper level science courses in an attempt to raise my GPA a little more in the summer and fall during the cycle I plan on applying for? At most it would raise my GPA by .05, or would it be more wise to just focus on a ton of E.C.'s, shadowing, and researching.

Also, is it worth while to pursue a job in a clinical field pre-med, or are there more important things med schools would like to see instead (not stats 🙂).

I would take the classes, you never know if you'll need a 2nd app cycle!

 

[NeuResurgens]

If you're taking the MCAT in August, I'd say that you shouldn't apply this cycle. Getting your primary application complete in September is very late for MD schools.

 

[Cunuck]

If you're taking the MCAT in August, I'd say that you shouldn't apply this cycle. Getting your primary application complete in September is very late for MD schools.

Yea I decided I'm applying next cycle

 

[NeuResurgens]

Yea I decided I'm applying next cycle

I think that's a good choice. If you go about things right, you can accomplish a lot in that extra year (raise the GPA, do some research, get more clinical experience or volunteer experience, etc.)