WAMC (512/3.5cGPA/3.36sGPA)

[akap04]

State/Country of Residence:NJ
Ethnicity: Indian
Year in School: Graduating undergrad '24, applying during my gap year
Undergraduate Major(s)/Minor(s): majored in biochem, minored in philosophy
Cumulative GPA: 3.50
Cumulative AMCAS sGPA: 3.36 (upward trend: 3.3, 3.0. 3.15, 3.75)
Cumulative AACOMAS sGPA: 3.37
MCAT Score(s): 512 (127/127/129/127)
Clinical Experience (Paid or Volunteer): 200 as EMT(Volunteer), 500 as CNA(paid)
Physician Shadowing: 40 hours primary care, and pediatrics
Non-Clinical Volunteering: 200 as crisis text line, 75 through school club
Research experience: 3000, 2 pubs, 7 posters
Other Extracurricular Activities: failed startup, two hobbies, some research-related opportunities, tutoring
Other Employment History: tutoring
Relevant Awards: couple research awards through school
Immediate family members in medicine? n/a
Interest in Rural Health? Indifferent.
Specialty of interest: no idea
MD schools that I'm applying to:
NJMS
RWJMS
Rowan
Hackensack
Temple
Drexel
Penn State
Albany
NYMC
University of Maryland
University of Cincinnati
Toledo
Northeast Ohio
Central Michigan
Tulane
Eastern Virginia
DO schools that I'm applying to:
Tuoro NYC
Rowan DO
NSU
VCOM Virginia
LUCOM
PCOM

Hello! I'm applying this upcoming cycle, and have really gotten into my head recently about my low GPA. I feel like my application is relatively ok other than that, and it's definitely getting hard to stay positive everytime I look at my GPA. I'm okay going anywhere for medical school, I would prefer to go to an MD, but I understand its important to be realistic and am ok with going to a DO as well. I'm still working on my school list so please let me know if there are any schools that I should add or remove but more importantly, does it seem like I have a chance or do I have to take an extra gap year and focus on my GPA first?

Also forgot to mention but during my gap year I'm working with Americorp so hopefully that addresses my low volunteer hours.

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[Faha]

You have several state public schools on your list that admit few non residents with your stats and no connection to the state.
I suggest these schools from your list:
NJMS
RWJMS
Rowan
Hackensack
Temple
Drexel
Penn State
Albany
NYMC
Tulane
Eastern Virginia
DO schools that I'm applying to:
Tuoro NYC
Rowan DO
NSU
VCOM Virginia
LUCOM
PCOM
You could add these MD schools:
Vermont
Quinnipiac
Jefferson
George Washington
Virginia Commonwealth
Wake Forest
NOVA MD
Belmont
Rosalind Franklin
Medical College Wisconsin
Oakland Beaumont
Alice Walton (when it opens)
Roseman (when it opens)

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Tell us what you will be doing with Americorps.

I agree your low GPA limits you. It's hard to know without a transcript why your trend was high in your last year to recommend a postbac versus an SMP. Why did you struggle and how did you correct this?

 

[akap04]

Tell us what you will be doing with Americorps.

I agree your low GPA limits you. It's hard to know without a transcript why your trend was high in your last year to recommend a postbac versus an SMP. Why did you struggle and how did you correct this?

At americorp I'll be working as a teacher in the inner city school system in a charter school geared towards kids from low SES background.

Also, in terms of my grades, I suffered through the death of a sibling in the beginning of my sophomore year. In hindsight, I should have taken a gap semester to process the grief but I tried to power through and it really did not go well. My low grades are in classes like orgo and biochem where I got Cs in both, failed one sem. of biochem and retook it to get the C. That's not to say that I'm an amazing student otherwise but I've started doing better after processing my emotions. I've taken the same amount of science courses all 4 years (27-30 credit hours per yr). The classes I've taken this year have all been upper level science classes.

 

[MD_Maker]

Fairly good list, but seems you have a lot of research. Are your pubs first author? The higher tier research schools may be a hard sell, but if your research is strong, you can consider a few. It's ok to have a few reaches. You have other interesting aspects of your app too (entrepreneurship) and I think your list may be a bit conservative and a bit short.