3.2 GPA 507 MCAT

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Okie123

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From Oklahoma. Have a 3.2 Cum GPA with a 507 MCAT. Have shadowing etc. what DO schools should I apply to?

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What is your sGPA? Most DO schools won't screen you out based on your GPA, but it is still below average. Your MCAT score is good so honestly you should be okay applying basically anywhere. Research all the schools in your area and see which missions are closest to what you would want.
 
What is your sGPA? Most DO schools won't screen you out based on your GPA, but it is still below average. Your MCAT score is good so honestly you should be okay applying basically anywhere. Research all the schools in your area and see which missions are closest to what you would want.
3.3 science GPA, thank you
 
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Start with OSU then apply broadly after that, like 15 schools or so.
 
I will have very few volunteering hours by the time I apply, like around 30 hours only, how worried should I be? Is it way below average?
 
I will have very few volunteering hours by the time I apply, like around 30 hours only, how worried should I be? Is it way below average?

That will probably be a big problem.
 
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I will have very few volunteering hours by the time I apply, like around 30 hours only, how worried should I be? Is it way below average?

Need a minimum of 100 and those are for folks like me that worked full time while going to school full time. If you were only doing work study or whatever where you only do 10-20 hours per week then you really need to ramp it up. A comfortable number would be 250+

Edit: also, there is a purpose to why they want volunteering. Just like any other part of your application. Volunteering shows you serving others. Medicine is nothing if not a caree of serving others. If you hate it then it's best to find out before putting yourself through hell. They like to see clinical volunteering too so that you understand a little about the specific challenges serving others in the medical field brings. So there is no hard and fast rule about the number of hours, but I don't think an applicant would have enough exposure with 30 hours.
 
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Need a minimum of 100 and those are for folks like me that worked full time while going to school full time. If you were only doing work study or whatever where you only do 10-20 hours per week then you really need to ramp it up. A comfortable number would be 250+

Edit: also, there is a purpose to why they want volunteering. Just like any other part of your application. Volunteering shows you serving others. Medicine is nothing if not a caree of serving others. If you hate it then it's best to find out before putting yourself through hell. They like to see clinical volunteering too so that you understand a little about the specific challenges serving others in the medical field brings. So there is no hard and fast rule about the number of hours, but I don't think an applicant would have enough exposure with 30 hours.
Thank you so much for the input!!!
 
Would OSU favor me since I am an in state resident? I'd rather stay in state because of the costs.
I assume that they might but from what I see on their website they seem to like applicants with higher GPA.

"Competitive Applicant Criteria
  • Cumulative GPA of 3.6
  • Science GPA of 3.6
  • MCAT score of 500 or above"
They come off really strict with their requirements. Even for the letter of recommendations. If you can't get a committee letter you'll have to get, "Three letters from faculty (preferably two science and one non-science faculty)."

So definitely apply broadly.
 
Does that 100 or 250 hours of volunteering need to be solely clinical? Or can it be a mixture of clinical and nonclinical?
There are no hard and fast rules when applying. Personally I would said it's better to have more clinical volunteering than not. All of my hours with clinical volunteering and no interviewer asked why I didn't have non-clinical volunteering.
 
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Apply to OSU-COM

I had a similar GPA and identical MCAT. Work on your ECs (volunteering). Have you had a job? (CNA, scribe, EMT, lab tech?) Real world experience is a huge bonus (many, not all, of my classmates have and it's a big selling point if you have it)
 
Apply to OSU only if you're ok with a 25% chance of not passing boards on your first try.


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Apply to OSU only if you're ok with a 25% chance of not passing boards on your first try.


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Don't do this to him. Osu is one of the best DO schools a lot of boards are up to you. Because OSU takes the majority instate, one reason for the low pass rate could easily be they are taking in students that have no business being there just because they are instate. We know people struggle with boards that also struggled with the mcat.
 
Don't do this to him. Osu is one of the best DO schools a lot of boards are up to you. Because OSU takes the majority instate, one reason for the low pass rate could easily be they are taking in students that have no business being there just because they are instate. We know people struggle with boards that also struggled with the mcat.

If they're truly taking folks with sGPA of 3.6 then I'd postulate that their curriculum is the problem. Making the "boards are up to you" argument is a cop-out in my opinion. After all, everyone on this forum is quick to drop to their knees over the RVU numbers year after year.

OP: choose a school that will help you succeed in your goal to becoming a doc. I'd avoid OSU just like I'd avoid the Carib if I were doing it all over again.
 
If they're truly taking folks with sGPA of 3.6 then I'd postulate that their curriculum is the problem. Making the "boards are up to you" argument is a cop-out in my opinion. After all, everyone on this forum is quick to drop to their knees over the RVU numbers year after year.

OP: choose a school that will help you succeed in your goal to becoming a doc. I'd avoid OSU just like I'd avoid the Carib if I were doing it all over again.

If you've been through the first step then you realize it's really on you. Most med school curriculums don't teach to the boards. They teach to what they find is important which im sorry to burst their bubble is ridiculous. RVU is toted about because their curriculum is geared towards boards.

3.6 gpa is irrelevant when talking about boards because many UGs are a cake walk. It's the mcat that is the predictor of board potential. Schools use gpa more of a predictor of work ethic towards studying. If they are taking 3.6 students with a sub-500 mcat because they're from instate it would make sense why they are having a failure problem.

OSU is one of the few DO schools to have their own medical center with a large OPTI and great in house residencies. Setting yourself up to be a good physician is more than just the first two years of education.
 
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Unfortunately, OSUCOM does accept many sub-500 applicants. According to their admissions office, they base their "competitive criteria" on the average stats of the previous years' matriculants. Since 500 is the average, one can assume that 50% of the class has less than a 500 MCAT.

You can't really blame them for it, though. They are a state school, so they MUST satisfy a quota of at least 85%+ in-state matriculants per class. You can't say the school itself is trash; you can only say that the applicants they are bringing in as a result of the quota are trash.
 
If they're truly taking folks with sGPA of 3.6 then I'd postulate that their curriculum is the problem. Making the "boards are up to you" argument is a cop-out in my opinion. After all, everyone on this forum is quick to drop to their knees over the RVU numbers year after year.

OP: choose a school that will help you succeed in your goal to becoming a doc. I'd avoid OSU just like I'd avoid the Carib if I were doing it all over again.

Single year :rolls eyes: Also, after that year the curriculum was completely revamped and still seeing subtle changes for the classes of 19, 20, and 21. Boards is on you.. do you complain to the university when your MCAT isnt high enough? No.. Also, since the single year dip, they have added a large amount of board review materials included with tuition. They have given their students everything under the sun to succeed (rumored to be receiving Uworld this year as well).

It is true that OSU-COM is a public university and has a 500 MCAT average. The group as a whole does not prohibit any individual from performing well or performing poorly on boards. There is also ample opportunity for research, volunteer activities, and leadership roles to build a CV. I would only caution a student with a less than 500 MCAT that the boards can be a beast and to keep it in the back of their mind throughout first year. (New path professors teach directly from FA, Pathoma, Goljan- IE geared toward board prep.. however, I can't speak for the previous years/classes ) For the OP however, he'll be just fine as long as you put in the dedicated study time. (Which by the way, they are increasing to >4weeks ;). )
 
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Single year :rolls eyes: Also, after that year the curriculum was completely revamped and still seeing subtle changes for the classes of 19, 20, and 21. Boards is on you.. do you complain to the university when your MCAT isnt high enough? No.. Also, since the single year dip, they have added a large amount of board review materials included with tuition. They have given their students everything under the sun to succeed (rumored to be receiving Uworld this year as well).

It is true that OSU-COM is a public university and has a 500 MCAT average. The group as a whole does not prohibit any individual from performing well or performing poorly on boards. There is also ample opportunity for research, volunteer activities, and leadership roles to build a CV. I would only caution a student with a less than 500 MCAT that the boards can be a beast and to keep it in the back of their mind throughout first year. (New path professors teach directly from FA, Pathoma, Goljan- IE geared toward board prep.. however, I can't speak for the previous years/classes ) For the OP however, he'll be just fine as long as you put in the dedicated study time. (Which by the way, they are increasing to >4weeks ;). )

COMLEX Level 1 First Time Pass Rates - 2012-2016

OSU posted a 77% first time pass rate in 2016. That's their most recent attempt. Whatever changes you just mentioned to combat the "one year dip" are either BS or they simply aren't working. Worst pass rate of this year among DO schools. I don't know what else to say...
 
If you've been through the first step then you realize it's really on you. Most med school curriculums don't teach to the boards. They teach to what they find is important which im sorry to burst their bubble is ridiculous. RVU is toted about because their curriculum is geared towards boards.

3.6 gpa is irrelevant when talking about boards because many UGs are a cake walk. It's the mcat that is the predictor of board potential. Schools use gpa more of a predictor of work ethic towards studying. If they are taking 3.6 students with a sub-500 mcat because they're from instate it would make sense why they are having a failure problem.

OSU is one of the few DO schools to have their own medical center with a large OPTI and great in house residencies. Setting yourself up to be a good physician is more than just the first two years of education.

All valid points. And I can't argue with them either. All I'm telling OP is that I would tread lightly on a school that posts the lowest pass rate of the year, regardless of whatever reason for it.
 
COMLEX Level 1 First Time Pass Rates - 2012-2016

OSU posted a 77% first time pass rate in 2016. That's their most recent attempt. Whatever changes you just mentioned to combat the "one year dip" are either BS or they simply aren't working. Worst pass rate of this year among DO schools. I don't know what else to say...

You said it yourself.. it's the most recent posting. Your assumption of the changes being BS or not working is a baseless assumption since the classes that received the change haven't all taken boards yet (class 2019)
 
I assume that they might but from what I see on their website they seem to like applicants with higher GPA.

"Competitive Applicant Criteria
  • Cumulative GPA of 3.6
  • Science GPA of 3.6
  • MCAT score of 500 or above"
They come off really strict with their requirements. Even for the letter of recommendations. If you can't get a committee letter you'll have to get, "Three letters from faculty (preferably two science and one non-science faculty)."

So definitely apply broadly.

If he is in state he is competitive. They will take in-state people with low stats.

Apply to OSU only if you're ok with a 25% chance of not passing boards on your first try.


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If they're truly taking folks with sGPA of 3.6 then I'd postulate that their curriculum is the problem. Making the "boards are up to you" argument is a cop-out in my opinion. After all, everyone on this forum is quick to drop to their knees over the RVU numbers year after year.

OP: choose a school that will help you succeed in your goal to becoming a doc. I'd avoid OSU just like I'd avoid the Carib if I were doing it all over again.

COMLEX Level 1 First Time Pass Rates - 2012-2016

OSU posted a 77% first time pass rate in 2016. That's their most recent attempt. Whatever changes you just mentioned to combat the "one year dip" are either BS or they simply aren't working. Worst pass rate of this year among DO schools. I don't know what else to say...

You don't really have any clue what you are talking about.
 
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