<p>Hello all,
I am currently a junior in high school and I'm looking at BS/MD programs for college. I really want to be a doctor but since we also don't have too much money, I want to finish in the fewest years possible. If anyone could tell me, based on my stats below, how I would fare as an applicant, I would greatly appreciate it.
Stats:
Race: Indian (Asia)
SAT: 2100 (740 CR, 670M, 690W but got a 690 on math second time)
ACT: 31
GPA: 3.71
AP Tests: AP Calculus BC; AP Chemistry; AP United States History
Next Year AP Classes: Multivariable Calculus; Advanced Topics in Physics (AP Physics B+C); AP Biology; AP French
SAT Subject Tests taken: Chemistry (780); Math Level 2 (Score pending); US History (Score Pending); Biology and Physics on June 4th
Extracurricular Activities:
Hospital Volunteering (50+ Hours)
Shadowing a surgeon this summer
Water testing at a stream once a month
Mentoring younger students
Academic Decathlon VP Superquiz next year
Library Volunteering
Teen Council member for mentoring program
American Chemical Society Chemagination Local Winner (Regionals tomorrow)
Hopefully some hospice volunteering this summer</p>
<p>PLEASE help me guys! I'm really anxious as I've wanted to get into one of these programs for a while and people from my school are saying that I'm on the lower end of the applicants. There is no ranking system in our school though. Again, please help me!</p>
<p>Oh and I also volunteer as part of a Juvenile Conference Committee to help people who get into problems with the law (under 18 years of age). This is through the court system</p>
<p>Is that GPA weighted or unweighted?</p>
<p>While your ECs are decent, your GPA+SAT are probably too low for most programs. I would suggest applying to some programs but keeping your options open and applying to lots of traditional undergrad schools that you would want to attend as well.</p>
<p>If finances are an issue, apply to traditional pre-med schools where they are generous with both need based and merit based financial aid. In terms of med school, most people take a substantial number of loans anyways, so you will be in the same boat as pretty much everyone else (average medical student graduates with 160k in educational debt). I also know a good number of students who are able to finish undergrad pre-med in 3 years if they plan ahead. So if length of time in school is an issue, that’s one way to cut back.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>I think you have a good shot at the lower tiered BS/MD programs but the GPA/SAT could stand being higher if you want to go to a better medical school. </p>
<p>If you have your heart set on a BS/MD program, my advice would be to do well on all your APs down the road since the college credit is extremely useful when you have less time than other students for all of your required classes.</p>
<p>yeah I thought my GPA was kind of low
and bsmd11: the gpa is unweighted; my weighted gpa is around 4.3
So if I can get my SAT score up to around a 2200 at the october session, would I have a better shot? And can you guys give me an example of a lower tiered program?
Thank you SO much</p>
<p>Well, I mean there are really no “lower-tier” programs in the US. However, the programs that send you off to med school in the Caribbean are typically easier to get into (note that I said typically).</p>
<p>All of the combined BA/DO programs would be considered lower tier, but I would recommend just going the traditional route at a strong pre-med school rather than going that route. </p>
<p>Some other “lower-tier” BA/MD programs (in the sense that they are less selective than NW HPME, Brown PLME, BU SMED, USC Bacc/MD, R/B Scholars, etc ---- but still very difficult by any other standard) may include Temple’s program, SLU’s program, VCU, Drexel’s programs, in state programs if you live in Ohio or Texas, University of Miami, etc.</p>
<p>Unless you are willing to go to a DO or Caribbean program, I would recommend applying to a few from the list above but focus on applying to strong traditional pre-med schools that you would want to attend as well.</p>
<p>Two things</p>
<ol>
<li>Less years does not automatically equal less money. For example:
Case 1: GW’s 7 year program. thats 7 years, 70,000 each. Scholarships are decent, but not that much. Lets say 30k for the first 3 years, 70k for the rest (scholarships are hard to get in med school). 370,000.
Case 2: Wayne states BS/MD program. 8 years. free ride first 4 years (for most BS/md kids, and generous if they dont qualify for free), and 30k the next 4 years. 120,000. </li>
</ol>
<p>Thats 350,000 saved. Even including an extra year of work, its not that much. Forget about the years; I work with a doctor who told me about the kids from the accelerated bs/md feeding into albany. College is more than just about books; you have to build up the maturity and a lot of other skills. </p>
<ol>
<li>Your stats are not so impressive to make such requests. Even though you do have EC’s, not much is med related. These programs want to see that you’re sure about being a doctor. How can you be with only 50 hospital hours? (and you dont learn very much at a hospital, I know). You would get in by luck, and a good essay. Its possible, dont get me wrong, but dont bank on it. </li>
</ol>
<p>Look at your reasons for wanting to be a doctor again before taking your second glance at bs/md. Honor, pride, parents, that lifelong feeling are not good reasons. Medicine is the best field in the world imho, but its one of the hardest, one which will be a butt to do the rest of your life if you dont love it. I’ve seen that before, plenty of times (mostly abroad, where everythings about the numbers). Passion is what’ll help you clear these interviews. No point having the numbers if you arent doing it for the right reasons. They’ll see through you.</p>
<p>I think you have a decent chance at programs such as VCU, Drexel, SLU etc. as another poster suggested. I applied several years ago with similar stats as yours and got into all three of those programs. Ultimately, I chose to go to VCU Gmed. Speaking from my perspective, I know that VCU Gmed doesn’t necessarily look for high scores, but they like people with alot of clinical and/or volunteering experience. However, I would recommend that you boost your SAT score a bit to be competitive, as I heard acceptance into the program became more competitive this year in comparison to previous years.</p>
<p>Hey awesomesauceness and thecoolchica08,
I know that my stats are pretty low but do you have any ideas for me to improve them? I mean, I know that I’m going to get in some shadowing hours and that I’m going to enroll in a nearby hospice. Will that, along with improved SAT scores, do it?
We also won 3rd place in Regionals for chemagination.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that everybdoy has medical EC’s along with very high stats. Most will have internshios/jobs at Med. Research lab. And “lower” tier programs are not easy to get in at all. However, it is correct that if you are in Ohio, applying to ones at state schools (NEOUCOM, U of Toledo) might be successful. Actually, apply to U of Toledo even OOS, but both programs at U of Toledo are tiny - 5 or 10 spots in each, not sure.</p>