28 MCAT with a 3.95 science gpa and 3.8 overall, what should I do?

[tennisplayer20]

I'm in my fourth year as an inorganic materials engineering student residing in South Carolina, and planning to graduate in May 2016. I just got my MCAT score today, and I was less than impressed with a 28 (8 VR, 10 PS, 10 BS). I've had barely the basic requirements for medical school in biology, as I took biology 1 and 2 this past summer at a community college to try and get a decent MCAT score before it changes this coming January. I don't have the strongest extra curriculars, other than four intramural sports a week every semester. I'm planning to shadow and gain clinical experience all summer in 2015. I want to get into an allopathic school, and I really just want to get in anywhere that I can. Also, I'm curious how an engineering degree will be looked at by an admissions committee. I'm not sure how much time that I'll have to study for the MCAT if I retake it in January, as I have a busy semester with all engineering classes and I barely have time to even finish my work for the classes. With all of that being said, do you guys recommend that I retake the MCAT, or apply with what I have and pray?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Shirafune]

I'm in my fourth year as an inorganic materials engineering student residing in South Carolina, and planning to graduate in May 2016. I just got my MCAT score today, and I was less than impressed with a 28 (8 VR, 10 PS, 10 BS). I've had barely the basic requirements for medical school in biology, as I took biology 1 and 2 this past summer at a community college to try and get a decent MCAT score before it changes this coming January. I don't have the strongest extra curriculars, other than four intramural sports a week every semester. I'm planning to shadow and gain clinical experience all summer in 2015. I want to get into an allopathic school, and I really just want to get in anywhere that I can. Also, I'm curious how an engineering degree will be looked at by an admissions committee. I'm not sure how much time that I'll have to study for the MCAT if I retake it in January, as I have a busy semester with all engineering classes and I barely have time to even finish my work for the classes. With all of that being said, do you guys recommend that I retake the MCAT, or apply with what I have and pray?

In your circumstance, I would lighten your semester and spend some serious time on your MCAT studying. 28 is on the lower end of the scale and you will probably be hard pressed to find interviews. An engineering degree will not bring any substantial gain in your application. Granted, it is very impressive to have kept such a high GPA in an Engineering major, but adcoms are looking for a student's capability to handle a high level of academics. This is more of a qualitative (yes or no) than a quantitative assessment. Your major does not make your GPA significantly more impressive when it comes to applying to med school.

 

[Goro]

A 28 is close to circling the drain. It is against your best interests to retake if you don't have adequate time to prepare. It's getting really late in the game for MD schools and thus if you're boning for the MD, retake at a better time and apply in June next year.

The DO cycle is longer, and you're fine for any DO program, except AZCOM.

An engineering degree is looked at like any other degree. It not what you major in, it's how well you do.

Also be aware that not all med schools accept pre-reqs from CCs. MSAR Online will tell you which ones do and don't.

I'm in my fourth year as an inorganic materials engineering student residing in South Carolina, and planning to graduate in May 2016. I just got my MCAT score today, and I was less than impressed with a 28 (8 VR, 10 PS, 10 BS). I've had barely the basic requirements for medical school in biology, as I took biology 1 and 2 this past summer at a community college to try and get a decent MCAT score before it changes this coming January. I don't have the strongest extra curriculars, other than four intramural sports a week every semester. I'm planning to shadow and gain clinical experience all summer in 2015. I want to get into an allopathic school, and I really just want to get in anywhere that I can. Also, I'm curious how an engineering degree will be looked at by an admissions committee. I'm not sure how much time that I'll have to study for the MCAT if I retake it in January, as I have a busy semester with all engineering classes and I barely have time to even finish my work for the classes. With all of that being said, do you guys recommend that I retake the MCAT, or apply with what I have and pray?

 

[whatbout2morrow]

I probably have the minority opinion on this, but I'd keep the score and focus on improving your ECs (leadership and research along with the shadowing and clinical experience). Unless you plan to drop classes and study for the January MCAT, or your practice test scores were significantly higher and you are confident that you can improve, I would avoid retaking in January in your current situation.

From a Google search of South Carolina medical schools USC, USC-Greensville and MUSC the average MCATs tend to be in the 28-30 range and average gpas 3.6-3.75.

 

[tennisplayer20]

Hmmmmm..I guess I have a month or two to decide what to do. I'm leaning toward taking it again on January 15, when it will be in the middle of the day which is when I can focus the best, instead of at 8 am. If I take it on that day, then I'll have a month to study after my semester ends on Dec. 12. @Goro what type of chance do you think I would have at being accepted if I focused on beefing up my ECs, instead of taking the MCAT again, and working on getting good letters of recommendation? I'm just trying to weigh my options, because I'm down to crunch time in life decisions haha. I'm most worried about my score being around the same again, as I feel a 1-2 point improvement wouldn't actually help my application that much.

 

[Ismet]

Moving to WAMC

 

[deeproots]

I'm in my fourth year as an inorganic materials engineering student residing in South Carolina, and planning to graduate in May 2016. I just got my MCAT score today, and I was less than impressed with a 28 (8 VR, 10 PS, 10 BS). I've had barely the basic requirements for medical school in biology, as I took biology 1 and 2 this past summer at a community college to try and get a decent MCAT score before it changes this coming January. I don't have the strongest extra curriculars, other than four intramural sports a week every semester. I'm planning to shadow and gain clinical experience all summer in 2015. I want to get into an allopathic school, and I really just want to get in anywhere that I can. Also, I'm curious how an engineering degree will be looked at by an admissions committee. I'm not sure how much time that I'll have to study for the MCAT if I retake it in January, as I have a busy semester with all engineering classes and I barely have time to even finish my work for the classes. With all of that being said, do you guys recommend that I retake the MCAT, or apply with what I have and pray?

I might be biased, but if I were in your shoes, I would take another year off to improve your MCAT score and your ECs. If you stick with your current plan, it seems like you really only have the option of possibly improving your MCAT score (you don't have a lot of time to study) or keeping your MCAT and improving your ECs (intramural sports likely don't mean jack to med schools since you're really not helping the community or anything).

I have a similar story and decided to take an additional year off; it was one of the best choices I've ever made with regards to my career in med school. Feel free to message me if you want more info.

 

[zzxxzz]

Hmmmmm..I guess I have a month or two to decide what to do. I'm leaning toward taking it again on January 15, when it will be in the middle of the day which is when I can focus the best, instead of at 8 am. If I take it on that day, then I'll have a month to study after my semester ends on Dec. 12. @Goro what type of chance do you think I would have at being accepted if I focused on beefing up my ECs, instead of taking the MCAT again, and working on getting good letters of recommendation? I'm just trying to weigh my options, because I'm down to crunch time in life decisions haha. I'm most worried about my score being around the same again, as I feel a 1-2 point improvement wouldn't actually help my application that much.

The issue is 60-65% of applicants will apply with a higher MCAT score than you. Average applicant MCAT is creeping towards 30 for this cycle.

As I said in your other thread, you need more biology coursework. Additionally, you currently have zero meaningful clinical experience or extracurriculars (intramurals are meaningless, and playing 4 at a time is probably time better spent elsewhere).

Work on all of that if you want to improve your chances at allopathic. Remember that ~59% of applicants get in nowhere. You want to present an application with attributes that will put you in the other ~41%.