Hey guys, I’m looking to joined a combined bs/md 7 year program. The following are my current stats and I was wondering what I should work on:
Rising high school senior
approx. weighted gpa: 4.33 (I’ve taken 9 AP classes so far, and plan on taking 4 more)
approx. unweighted gpa : 3.75
SAT: (first time 1410), (second 1500), plan on taking it one more time in August
ACT: (first time 32) taking second time in July
SAT subject: Bio M- 700, Chem-630, Math 2: 740 — These are my worst standardized scores, when should I retake them??
HOSA State Officer, 2 time chapter president
Won 1st at internationals for a competitive event in HOSA
TSA 2 time Chapter president, Northern VA regional officer (won a bunch of regional/state awards)
Varsity Tennis State Champ
DC Veterans Affairs Medical Center Volunteer in Mental Health: won volunteer of the year award
Currently DCVA research intern
Oncology Internship at UDC
NHA certified medical assistant
Job shadowing med. assistants in pediatrics and obgyn
INOVA pediatrics community relations intern
I’m highly confident my essay will be personal and strong
I have a couple more extracurriculars to add on but my biggest worry is my GPA and test scores. I’m not sure if they are good enough to get me into a combined program, so what should I focus on and when should I take them before the Nov 1. deadline for a lot of the combined programs.
Yeah, it looks like a good resume, but maybe not what they are looking for for those programs. Take a lot at the stats the accepted students show in the forum for those programs.
You need to know it’s not just weighted gpa or number of AP. It will matter what brought the uw to 3.75, whether that’s in stem classes or other cores. Yes, the SAT2 scores may be low, but we don’t know what colleges you have in mind.
Those ECs look good, but what have you actually done where you work with patients, the needy, or in advocacy? It’s not so much interning, research or general volunteering. I’m curious what the other ECs are, besides HOSA and tennis.
A lot of kids see a BSMD program as a shortcut. Meanwhile, those programs look for the strongest kids in many respects. In case you don’t get into a 7 year program, choose back up targets where you can excel.
@lookingforward the two main colleges I’m looking into are VCU and GW. I already know that this program is not a shortcut and I have back ups too, but my goal is this program.
As for courses, I’ve taken many STEM classes and college level medical classes. I have taken a Medical Assisting course and am a certified medical assistant as well.
In my EC’s I’ve done a variety of work from making phone calls/sending letters to actually working on research projects or with patients. Other ECs include red cross, unicef club, played travel soccer since i was 3, special olympics volunteer, nhs, nehs, mhs, snhs.
@grtd2010 if I were to bring up my test scores more would I be a more competitive applicant or would it still be unlikely for me to get into this program
It’s not about a medical assisting course or HOSA or admin work. The research with patients depends on what that is and what exactly you did. A lot of the natural applicants for a bsmd are already working much as med students do, down and dirty, so to say.
https://www.premedhq.com/qa-with-a-vcu-bsmd-student
These colleges are not offering a sort of pre-medicine trial, “Hey, come try it out.” They want kids with the max prep and experience, as deeply as possible, so they use their precious few slots on those who show readiness, who know what they’re getting into and up against. It’s less about one’s desire to become a doc and more about a unique way to move them ahead, without the trials of applying later to med school via the usual pressures and uncertainties.
You’re going to need a strong story that explains better and shows more than you give here.
I mean they are looking for close to perfect GPA, SATs and SAT IIs, and you are not there in any of the areas. I was trying to be polite and tactful before.
Try going to a college that isn’t that hard and getting a really a high GPA and acing the MCAT. You have a good record, but it isn’t at the level for those programs, and maybe not for a top 30 college, and so far it doesn’t look like a slam dunk for regular medical school admission.
I think SAT of 1500 and 700 Bio and 740 Math 2 would be fine for VCU if you write a personal essay that emphasizes and conveys what you have learned from these experiences and how you will contribute to our society in the future. Good luck.