- Joined
- Jul 26, 2017
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- 213
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- 207
Hey all,
I'm getting conflicting advice and I'm not quite sure what to do at this point. I'm about to be a senior at a top 10 university and due to health issues my GPA is at about a 2.9. With straight As from here on out it'll be about a 3.2. I still need to take orgo and I'm planning on taking the MCAT in January. I did SMDEP and I'm at about 50 hours of shadowing, will probably get up to ~75. I'm kind of starting late with volunteering/clinical so I'm going to take a gap year and work as an ER scribe and volunteer. Research just doesn't appeal to me at all, but I'll do it if necessary.
My prehealth advisor said to look into my state school and ask them if they want to see post bac work, and they replied that they do. All other schools that I've asked have said that they don't give advice and tell me to ask my advisor. Some of the post bacs require that you unsuccessfully apply to med school first, and I'm wondering if I should apply for lower tier ones in the 2018-9 cycle and then apply for post bacs if I'm rejected, or if I should go straight for a post bac. I also don't know if I want to take orgo at my school this year or take it elsewhere after I graduate (maybe during the gap year?). I don't really have the funds for a post bac so I'd like to avoid it, but I just have no idea with my grades.
I'm not sure how much to count on a URM boost, or whether there are schools that would overlook a low average GPA with a stellar last year. Based on my history with standardized tests I think I have a good shot at a competitive MCAT score, but of course I don't really know. Any advice/feedback is greatly appreciated.
I'm getting conflicting advice and I'm not quite sure what to do at this point. I'm about to be a senior at a top 10 university and due to health issues my GPA is at about a 2.9. With straight As from here on out it'll be about a 3.2. I still need to take orgo and I'm planning on taking the MCAT in January. I did SMDEP and I'm at about 50 hours of shadowing, will probably get up to ~75. I'm kind of starting late with volunteering/clinical so I'm going to take a gap year and work as an ER scribe and volunteer. Research just doesn't appeal to me at all, but I'll do it if necessary.
My prehealth advisor said to look into my state school and ask them if they want to see post bac work, and they replied that they do. All other schools that I've asked have said that they don't give advice and tell me to ask my advisor. Some of the post bacs require that you unsuccessfully apply to med school first, and I'm wondering if I should apply for lower tier ones in the 2018-9 cycle and then apply for post bacs if I'm rejected, or if I should go straight for a post bac. I also don't know if I want to take orgo at my school this year or take it elsewhere after I graduate (maybe during the gap year?). I don't really have the funds for a post bac so I'd like to avoid it, but I just have no idea with my grades.
I'm not sure how much to count on a URM boost, or whether there are schools that would overlook a low average GPA with a stellar last year. Based on my history with standardized tests I think I have a good shot at a competitive MCAT score, but of course I don't really know. Any advice/feedback is greatly appreciated.
