Junior Looking For Advice On What To Do

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Alright straight to the point: I'm a junior with about 2 weeks left until summer. The good news is that I'm (hopefully) getting a 3.7 this semester but the bad news is that I just calculated my sGPA and it will be 2.6 and my overall a 3.1. I don't want to make excuses, my first 2, and arguably 2.5 years of college I was unmotivated and immature and lacked the necessary drive to succeed. I have fixed that as of now, but am feeling quite discouraged nonetheless.
I volunteer at a local children's museum and will also begin scribing here soon (awaiting training) and currently have 50 hours of IM shadowing. In addition I'm a part of some clubs where I've helped organize events and even hosted them.

I have 2 Ws from when I transferred colleges to one back home because I wasn't happy and not doing well away from home, I took the Ws because I would have to retake those classes since they didn't transfer over despite me just transferring to a satellite campus. I then took another W last fall because I was afraid of getting a bad grade (below C-) for the course. I am already retaking said course in the summer and hope to do well since I have my affairs in order nowadays.

I will have about 96 Credits with a total of 3.1 cGPA and 2.6 sGPA. I was already hoping to take an extra semester to beef up my GPAs and then take the MCAT April 18' while using that spring semester to do my extracurriculars and study, but once again didn't know how bad my sGPA really was until now. I calculated it through AMCAS and have 42 Credits in BCPM resulting in the 2.6 sGPA.

What should my goal be in regards to GPA and how long should I take to reach it to make it into a MD or DO school? I'm willing to even take extra courses in that spring semester to show how I have matured and can handle school now. With my calculation I can probably get my cGPA up to the 3.4-3.5 range if I take a semester or two after graduation to do GPA repair. How can I get that sGPA up to match it though? I was really banking on grade replacement for DO for some courses but that's out of the picture. I guess I'm just hopelessly looking for some guidance on how to somehow still make it into a med school with a solid timeline.

Any advice is welcome. I appreciate your time. Thank you.

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You're not totally messed up or anything so relax, you can still become a doctor, but you've obviously dug a little bit of a hole for yourself.

If I were you the first thing I'd do is wrap my head around the idea that you're not going to be a "traditional student." You will almost definitely need a gap year of additional GPA repair or an SMP to ultimately get into medical school with your GPAs being as low as they are.

In terms of the sGPA, you just need to make all As or close to it for the remainder of your academic science undergrad career. 42 credits is a lot but I'd bet that 20 credits of 4.0 would get your close to 3.0 if not slightly above it.

Again, if I were you, I would focus on getting a solid MCAT score when you're ready to take it, and getting your science GPA to above 3.0 Then I would apply to an SMP. I would only apply to DO schools first with a sGPA around 3.0 if you annihilate the MCAT, 510+ (which does happen, btw, so this could work for you). If you get a more average score, I would apply to SMPs after getting your sGPA to around 3.0. You're simply not gonna be competitive for DO schools with that low of a sGPA and a pedestrian MCAT.

Additionally, round out your app. Keep doing your volunteering, get a DO LOR, etc etc. Again you can totally do this but your margin for error from this point out is small. You just have to ask yourself how much you want it.

good luck!
 
You're not totally messed up or anything so relax, you can still become a doctor, but you've obviously dug a little bit of a hole for yourself.

If I were you the first thing I'd do is wrap my head around the idea that you're not going to be a "traditional student." You will almost definitely need a gap year of additional GPA repair or an SMP to ultimately get into medical school with your GPAs being as low as they are.

In terms of the sGPA, you just need to make all As or close to it for the remainder of your academic science undergrad career. 42 credits is a lot but I'd bet that 20 credits of 4.0 would get your close to 3.0 if not slightly above it.

Again, if I were you, I would focus on getting a solid MCAT score when you're ready to take it, and getting your science GPA to above 3.0 Then I would apply to an SMP. I would only apply to DO schools first with a sGPA around 3.0 if you annihilate the MCAT, 510+ (which does happen, btw, so this could work for you). If you get a more average score, I would apply to SMPs after getting your sGPA to around 3.0. You're simply not gonna be competitive for DO schools with that low of a sGPA and a pedestrian MCAT.

Additionally, round out your app. Keep doing your volunteering, get a DO LOR, etc etc. Again you can totally do this but your margin for error from this point out is small. You just have to ask yourself how much you want it.

good luck!
I appreciate your feedback. What would be a good range to get my sGPA up to for a successful app cycle?
 
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First off, what's your major? If I'm not mistaken, AMCAS BCPM does not include Exercise Science/Kines classes into that GPA, while AACOMAS does. There might also be additional classes that are considered "science" for DO schools vs MD schools.

You will need a strong upward trend from here on out. Focus on your GPA first and foremost. Then, when you are ready, you can take on more ECs and then can worry about the MCAT. If you have to, take 1-2 additional years after you graduate to repair your GPA. Remember, med schools aren't going anywhere so there's really no need to rush. By the time you apply, there will probably be a handful of newer ones that will have opened their doors.
 
You're not totally messed up or anything so relax, you can still become a doctor, but you've obviously dug a little bit of a hole for yourself.

If I were you the first thing I'd do is wrap my head around the idea that you're not going to be a "traditional student." You will almost definitely need a gap year of additional GPA repair or an SMP to ultimately get into medical school with your GPAs being as low as they are.

In terms of the sGPA, you just need to make all As or close to it for the remainder of your academic science undergrad career. 42 credits is a lot but I'd bet that 20 credits of 4.0 would get your close to 3.0 if not slightly above it.

Again, if I were you, I would focus on getting a solid MCAT score when you're ready to take it, and getting your science GPA to above 3.0 Then I would apply to an SMP. I would only apply to DO schools first with a sGPA around 3.0 if you annihilate the MCAT, 510+ (which does happen, btw, so this could work for you). If you get a more average score, I would apply to SMPs after getting your sGPA to around 3.0. You're simply not gonna be competitive for DO schools with that low of a sGPA and a pedestrian MCAT.

Additionally, round out your app. Keep doing your volunteering, get a DO LOR, etc etc. Again you can totally do this but your margin for error from this point out is small. You just have to ask yourself how much you want it.

good luck!
1) Calculate your official AACOMAS and AMCAS s&cGPA
2) Figure out how many credits of 3.6-4.0 you'll need to bump sGPA up to ~3.0-3.25 (higher the better)
3) Take those courses in a formal or DIY post-bacc
4) Take MCAT only when you are ready and try to do as well as possible
5) Apply to SMPs and score 3.6+
6) Apply to Medical school
7) Get accepted and prosper!
 
I appreciate your feedback. What would be a good range to get my sGPA up to for a successful app cycle?

What AlienMan said. You gotta get your sGPA up to over 3.0, then probably apply to SMPs. IF you kill the MCAT, you can apply to some DO programs once your GPA is over 3.0, but I would plan on the SMP.
 
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First off, what's your major? If I'm not mistaken, AMCAS BCPM does not include Exercise Science/Kines classes into that GPA, while AACOMAS does. There might also be additional classes that are considered "science" for DO schools vs MD schools.

You will need a strong upward trend from here on out. Focus on your GPA first and foremost. Then, when you are ready, you can take on more ECs and then can worry about the MCAT. If you have to, take 1-2 additional years after you graduate to repair your GPA. Remember, med schools aren't going anywhere so there's really no need to rush. By the time you apply, there will probably be a handful of newer ones that will have opened their doors.
Thanks for your feedback, I'm a Neuroscience major. I did notice the different courses that are counted as science for AACOMAS. I'll definitely be looking into that more.
 
1) Calculate your official AACOMAS and AMCAS s&cGPA
2) Figure out how many credits of 3.6-4.0 you'll need to bump sGPA up to ~3.0-3.25 (higher the better)
3) Take those courses in a formal or DIY post-bacc
4) Take MCAT only when you are ready and try to do as well as possible
5) Apply to SMPs and score 3.6+
6) Apply to Medical school
7) Get accepted and prosper!
I appreciate the timeline, thank you! I was always planning on taking one extra semester after I graduate in May 18' and then take the MCAT April 19' and apply the summer of 19'. With the amount of science courses I have left I definitely think I can raise my sGPA up to around 3.3. I've never looked into SMPs ever really being an option and am quite uninformed on them. What are the best SMPs and what are the criteria to get accepted? In addition, what is the timeline for that path to medical school, like when would I apply, right before I start the SMP or after I have completed it? Once again thank you.
 
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