<p>Hi, I'm a soon-to-be-second year at Drexel. I'm a Chem major, but I take lots of humanities and bio courses. I'm volunteering at Pennsylvania hospital in the med-surg for 16 hours a week. I've taken an unofficial practice MCAT, with an average score of about 11 iper section, and I usually do well with essays (I got 710 on the SAT writing).</p>
<p>My main problem is my GPA. I had a problem with balancing my weightload and Drexel's weird schedule, combined with a terrible, horrible Physics program, screwed up my first two quarters (we have a quarter system, rather than semester). My GPA last quarter was a bit better, but my cum is still a terrifying 2.02. I believe that I can reasonably pull it up to a 3.3 - 3.4 by the time I graduate.</p>
<p>I'm part of various student organizations, including Choir (which is actually also a class), AMSA, and ACS. There's no reason to believe that I won't do very well on the MCATs. If I do, how would I look to med schools?</p>
<p>*Also, I just turned 17 in March. One of my advisers said I could blame it on age, as long as I show improvement. Is this true?</p>
<p>no, you can't blame it on your age, med schools and most people would see that as self-pitying and ridiculous, take responsibility and improve.</p>
<p>It's only, one year, and so it will not kill your chances, but you clearly mst improve dramatically, and at least you know that. Show a strong upward trend and do well on the MCAT, and you should still be competitive</p>
<p>Admissions gets tougher and tougher every year. I personally think 3.3-3.4 GPA is a bit too low to be seriously competitive for MD schools, unless you're an URM. You certainly would be competitive for DO schools, though.</p>
<p>I agree with phillySASer08 about the age issue. Blaming it on age is only going to make you look less mature. The youngest person in my class was 19 at matriculation, which seems on par with your case, and I doubt she would've gotten in with a 3.4 GPA and an "I was immature" attitude. Your best shot is simply to excel for the next four years.</p>
<p>About DO schools, I heard even they're becoming more competitive... Oh, well. If I don't get in straight out of college, I can always do a post-bacc, or I've always wanted to join the Peace Corps...</p>