Which DO schools should I send an app to?

[GoPenguinsGo]

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Hey guys, posted here before. I have a 3.4 cGPA with an identical sGPA. I took the MCAT back in 2018 and got a 503 (128/123/125/127) but retook it this past July 2020 and got a 516 (128/128/132/128) which Im proud of. Im an Ohio (Cincinnati, specifically) resident. With my stats, which DO schools should I apply to? Im afraid my 516 may make some schools not take me seriously. Im currently applying to:


DO:
-Ohio U
-Any DO schools you guys suggest


MD:
-Case Western (reeeeaaaccchhhh)
-Ohio St (reeaachhh)
-Cincy (reeeaaachhhh)
-Wright St
-Toledo
-Akron (NEOMED)
-Kentucky
-Louisville
-Indiana
-Pitt (reeeeeaaachhhhhhh)
-Drexel
-Loyola
-Michigan (reeeeeeeeeaaaaaccchhhhh)
-Georgetown
-George Washington
-Penn St
-Dartmouth (reach)
-Others I cant think of right now

My ECs include:
-1 Year as head Supplemental Instruction Leader of my university for all of Chemistry. I was a SI Leader for Ochem and Gen chem
-1 year research. Will have 2 publications by end of school year (one is my Masters thesis in Pharmacology)
-55 hours of Physician Shadowing
-40 hrs of Clincial Volunteer in ER
-30 hours of volunteering in community

If anyone can suggest more EC ideas Im all for it!

In addition to which DO schools to apply to, can you guys tell me if ADCOMs will view my new MCAT as unbalanced due to the 4 point difference between B/B and the other sections??

 

[Faha]

I suggest any of these DO schools:
DMU-COM
KCU-COM
ATSU-KCOM
MU-COM
LECOM (all schools)
PCOM
UNECOM
AZCOM
TUNCOM
WESTERN
TUCOM-CA
CUSOM
VCOM (all schools except Monroe)
ACOM
Apply to at least 6 DO schools. Your unbalanced score will not matter.

 

[Goro]

With a 3.4 GPA, unless you have a steep rising GPA trend, most of those schools will be donations. Chances best for MD with the OH schools. For the rest of the ones on your list, invest in MSAR and rule out schools where your GPAs are < their 10th percentiles.

To Faha's list, and OH-COM, NYITCOM, LECOM (both) and Touro-NY. UNECOM tends to favor people from the Northeast.

 

[GoPenguinsGo]

With a 3.4 GPA, unless you have a steep rising GPA trend, most of those schools will be donations. Chances best for MD with the OH schools. For the rest of the ones on your list, invest in MSAR and rule out schools where your GPAs are < their 10th percentiles.

To Faha's list, and OH-COM, NYITCOM, LECOM (both) and Touro-NY. UNECOM tends to favor people from the Northeast.

Thanks! Michigan, Pitt, and Dartmouth are all stretches (especially Michigan). Even though Case is in Ohio I still consider it a large stretch. All four are near impossible but I figured I would try anyway. I consider Wright St and Toledo to be the two most likely landing spots for me personally. I have connections to the state of Indiana so I decided to add them. I asked Louisville and they said they consider regional ties (I live in Cincinnati). I consider Ohio St and Cincy to be outside shots, but UC is more likely since I'm working on my Master's Thesis here at UC's College of Medicine and I personally know a few of the professors on the admission's committee from taking classes under them and doing well.

 

[Goro]

Thanks! Michigan, Pitt, and Dartmouth are all stretches (especially Michigan). Even though Case is in Ohio I still consider it a large stretch. All four are near impossible but I figured I would try anyway. I consider Wright St and Toledo to be the two most likely landing spots for me personally. I have connections to the state of Indiana so I decided to add them. I asked Louisville and they said they consider regional ties (I live in Cincinnati). I consider Ohio St and Cincy to be outside shots, but UC is more likely since I'm working on my Master's Thesis here at UC's College of Medicine and I personally know a few of the professors on the admission's committee from taking classes under them and doing well.

They don't need the money. Take your SO out to dinner once the COVID crisis is over. Do not bank on your MCAT salvaging your GPAs; it only highlights the discrepancy between the two stats.

Most people's idea of ties to a state are over-rated, so unless you grew up in IN and/or went to school/college there, I can't recommend them. I'm dubious as to your chances at U LO, either....you're down around the 10th %ile for OOSers.

 

[GoPenguinsGo]

They don't need the money. Take your SO out to dinner once the COVID crisis is over. Do not bank on your MCAT salvaging your GPAs; it only highlights the discrepancy between the two stats.

Most people's idea of ties to a state are over-rated, so unless you grew up in IN and/or went to school/college there, I can't recommend them. I'm dubious as to your chances at U LO, either....you're down around the 10th %ile for OOSers.

Alright thats probably for the best. My new list then for MD includes:
-Wright St
-Toledo
-Ohio St
-Cincy
-Akron
-Drexel
-Loyola
-Gtown
-George Washington
-Louisville
-Kentucky
-Penn St

Ones I forgot to list in the original post:
-Wake Forest
-Wayne St
-Oakland Beaumont
-Central Michigan

Edit: Would you also say that my best chances are at Wright St and Toledo?

Edit pt2: Just to clarify, is my MCAT (516) working against me rather than helping?

 

[Goro]

Alright thats probably for the best. My new list then for MD includes:
-Wright St
-Toledo
-Ohio St
-Cincy
-Akron
-Drexel
-Loyola
-Gtown
-George Washington
-Louisville
-Kentucky
-Penn St

Ones I forgot to list in the original post:
-Wake Forest
-Wayne St
-Oakland Beaumont
-Central Michigan

Edit: Would you also say that my best chances are at Wright St and Toledo?

Edit pt2: Just to clarify, is my MCAT (516) working against me rather than helping?

Central MI is very OOS unfriendly.

Do yourself a favor and invest in MSAR Online.

Your MCAT is not going to be your salvation. It might hurt, because Adcoms might wonder "is this kid smart but lazy?"

 

[GoPenguinsGo]

Central MI is very OOS unfriendly.

Do yourself a favor and invest in MSAR Online.

Your MCAT is not going to be your salvation. It might hurt, because Adcoms might wonder "is this kid smart but lazy?"

Okay, maybe it is time for me to consider applying to SMP programs

 

[Goro]

Okay, maybe it is time for me to consider applying to SMP programs

Chances best with DO and the OH schools. Consider the SMP if you're boning for the MD.

 

[GoPenguinsGo]

Chances best with DO and the OH schools. Consider the SMP if you're boning for the MD.

I'd be more than happy with Wright St, Toledo, or Ohio U. Ohio St and Cincy are dreams

 

[Putkernerinthehall]

Your MCAT is not going to be your salvation. It might hurt, because Adcoms might wonder "is this kid smart but lazy?"

This is an interesting thread. My initial reaction was that the 516 is a huge help but I can see the other side of the coin. Question: What about a reverse situation...a 3.85 GPA but a more pedestrian 513 MCAT ? How is that viewed ?

 

[Goro]

This is an interesting thread. My initial reaction was that the 516 is a huge help but I can see the other side of the coin. Question: What about a reverse situation...a 3.85 GPA but a more pedestrian 513 MCAT ? How is that viewed ?

Very competitive for many med schools. Both stats are > national medians.

 

[GoPenguinsGo]

This is an interesting thread. My initial reaction was that the 516 is a huge help but I can see the other side of the coin. Question: What about a reverse situation...a 3.85 GPA but a more pedestrian 513 MCAT ? How is that viewed ?

513 is not pedestrian haha. Try 505 for pedestrian. Obviously I'm an applicant and not an adcom but I don't think my 516 is soooooo good that it makes my 3.4 look skeptical. What I did not mention in this post (because I don't want to come off as making excuses) is that 2018 as a whole is so awful it drags down my academic output. Spring 2018 got a 3.06 GPA, Summer 2018 got a 503 MCAT (my first one, the 516 is my only retake) and Fall 2018 I got a sub 3.0 GPA. All 7 (I had 9 semesters because I had to spend a summer catching up on classes because I switched majors to Chemistry) of my other semesters I had a 3.5-3.7 GPA output. But both Spring and Fall 2018 (and summer with that MCAT) drag this down to a 3.4 overall

edit: typo

 

[GoPenguinsGo]

Just an update, I received an II from UCincy recently (everything was finalized Sept 25, so it's been a month since I was complete). But I feel with my GPA being a 3.4 this is probably a courtesy interview only because in my secondary I could go well indepth with why I fit at UC based on my experiences at UCCOM as a grad student over the past year. Ignoring my MCAT since although its competitive for in-state applicants to UC, I feel the GPA makes this a courtesy only. Can anyone give thoughts?

edit: @candbgirl @gonnif @Mr.Smile12 if anyone could elaborate on the possibility I fear above, I'd immensely appreciate it.

 

[candbgirl]

I’m not sure if it’s a courtesy interview at all . One thing I do know, it is an interview. Grab on to this opportunity and do the best job you can of selling yourself. Even if it starts as a courtesy do everything you can to make it end with an Acceptance. Good luck and let us know what happens.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Just an update, I received an II from UCincy recently (everything was finalized Sept 25, so it's been a month since I was complete). But I feel with my GPA being a 3.4 this is probably a courtesy interview only because in my secondary I could go well indepth with why I fit at UC based on my experiences at UCCOM as a grad student over the past year. Ignoring my MCAT since although its competitive for in-state applicants to UC, I feel the GPA makes this a courtesy only. Can anyone give thoughts?

edit: @candbgirl @gonnif @Mr.Smile12 if anyone could elaborate on the possibility I fear above, I'd immensely appreciate it.

I can't answer for other schools but as an in-state applicant, it's an interview. It's a "reach" on your list but take advantage.

 

[GoPenguinsGo]

Just an update; it went fine. Definitely some thought-provoking questions were asked but nothing overly bizarre. I did my very best and centered my answers around healthcare as a collaboration, making decisions in the best interest of the patient, empathy, trying to understand things from the perspective of the patient, and respecting the dignity of every person. I still expect an R no matter how well I performed according to my raters, as I still feel my GPA won't be forgiven even with my new MCAT.

Moreover, I spoke with one of my advisors from the program today and told me our MS program has no "guarenteed interview" policy with the College of Medicine, so if I was given an interview then it's because I had earned it (somehow). I just find it bizarre I got the interview invite a mere 3 days before the actual interview. I don't know if I'm reading too far into it, but that seems to me like someone canceled on them and they just threw me in simply to fill a spot.

If anyone wants more detail, I can just PM you.

edit: By "details" I mean how I felt about the interview before and after, not the actual questions I was asked. I legally cannot discuss those nor do I remember them.