3.95 gpa, 33 mcat - 7 vr

[Roger Harris]

Details:
3.95 science and cumulative GPA, 33 MCAT with 7 on verbal.
Lots of research experience and awards
About 50 hours of clinical volunteering and decent amount of community service
NY resident, non URM

I've applied to 14 MD schools and am looking to add more to increase my chances of getting in somewhere. My best odds are at the SUNY schools, of which I have already applied to. I'm not sure if I should be applying to more "within reach" schools or shoot for more "reach" schools.

Here's a list of the schools I've applied to:

Albany Medical College
Creighton University School of Medicine
Drexel University College of Medicine
Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine
Medical College of Wisconsin
New York Medical College
State University of New York Downstate Medical Cen
Stony Brook University School of Medicine
SUNY at Buffalo Medical School
SUNY Upstate Medical University
Tufts University School of Medicine
University of Michigan Medical School
University of Rochester School of Medicine and Den

I've gone through MSAR and am considering these schools:

University of Toledo
University of Vermont
GWU
VCU
UPitt
Northwestern
Case
University of Maryland
Penn State
NYU
Einstein
BU
St. Louis
Oakland
EVMS
University of Iowa
University of Virginia
Wake Forest

Please let me know if I should add others or if you would suggest removing any from this list (I want to cut down this list to about 10 schools).

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[Goro]

A VR 7 is going to hurt you. The sad truth is that MD schools get so many qualified applicants that they can afford to ignore applicants like you. My suggested list below. Keep in mind that you're fine for any DO program, and so NYCOM and TUCOM-NY are in your backyard.

You need more hrs volunteer patient contact experience too.

To me, "reach" schools is another way of saying "beyond reach".



Albany Medical College
Creighton University School of Medicine
Drexel University College of Medicine
Medical College of Wisconsin
New York Medical College
State University of New York Downstate Medical Cen
Stony Brook University School of Medicine
SUNY at Buffalo Medical School
SUNY Upstate Medical University
St. Louis
Oakland
EVMS
Wake Forest

 

[khrisskhoras]

Details:
3.95 science and cumulative GPA, 33 MCAT with 7 on verbal.
Lots of research experience and awards
About 50 hours of clinical volunteering and decent amount of community service
NY resident, non URM

I've applied to 14 MD schools and am looking to add more to increase my chances of getting in somewhere. My best odds are at the SUNY schools, of which I have already applied to. I'm not sure if I should be applying to more "within reach" schools or shoot for more "reach" schools.

Here's a list of the schools I've applied to:

Albany Medical College
Creighton University School of Medicine
Drexel University College of Medicine
Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine
Medical College of Wisconsin
New York Medical College
State University of New York Downstate Medical Cen
Stony Brook University School of Medicine
SUNY at Buffalo Medical School
SUNY Upstate Medical University
Tufts University School of Medicine
University of Michigan Medical School
University of Rochester School of Medicine and Den

I've gone through MSAR and am considering these schools:

University of Toledo
University of Vermont
GWU
VCU
UPitt
Northwestern
Case
University of Maryland
Penn State
NYU
Einstein
BU
St. Louis
Oakland
EVMS
University of Iowa
University of Virginia
Wake Forest

Please let me know if I should add others or if you would suggest removing any from this list (I want to cut down this list to about 10 schools).

Agree with Goro on the 7 in VR. You're in a tough position with regards to re-taking the MCAT: a good total score and a low section score. If you know you can improve or at least stay at a 33 with a 9+ in VR, then retake. Otherwise go with low tier schools and throw in DO. Throw in some upper tiers if you want, but alot of them screen out for section scores so beware.

 

[Roger Harris]

I'm sure I can do better on VR (10's on AAMC's full-length practice exams) but retaking will be too late for this cycle. I want to give it my best shot this year (I have the fee waiver) and retake the MCAT next year if I don't get in anywhere.

 

[khrisskhoras]

I'm sure I can do better on VR (10's on AAMC's full-length practice exams) but retaking will be too late for this cycle. I want to give it my best shot this year (I have the fee waiver) and retake the MCAT next year if I don't get in anywhere.

you could do that, but make sure you improve other areas of your app if you have to re-apply.

 

[Roger Harris]

Would it be advisable to explain the circumstances for the 7 VR in secondaries or a pre-interview letter/email? Also, do you think 3 A's in English classes and a strong LOR from my english professor might mitigate the lower verbal score?

That being said, anybody want to help me trim my list of additional schools to apply to (I have already applied to 14 schools for free with FAP)?

UVA
Case
Pitt
Northwestern
St. Louis
NYU
Iowa
U of Cincinatti
BU
VCU
Toledo
EVMS
U of Minnesota
Temple
Maryland
Vermont
U of Colorado
Wake Forest
GW
Mayo
Penn State
Einstein
Oakland
Western Michigan
Loyola
Rosalind

 

[Roger Harris]

Anybody have any other suggestions?

 

[rodmichael82]

Apply broadly and you'll get into MD school. I know tons of students that got into MD schools with a 7 on VR. Worst case scenario you retake and apply but watch out because the new MCAT is coming out and then you'll be in trouble.

 

[vcunanan]

I'm sure I can do better on VR (10's on AAMC's full-length practice exams) but retaking will be too late for this cycle. I want to give it my best shot this year (I have the fee waiver) and retake the MCAT next year if I don't get in anywhere.

this. i am in the same boat youre in (3.95, 11 PS/7 VR/13 BS). if you have FAP, dont you have free access to the MSAR? what i did is see what schools admitted students with 7 VR at their 10th percentile as well as find out their percentage of OOS admitted. the MSAR and goro helped me out tremendously with figuring out which schools to apply to. and we have no need to fret. as you already said, we can take the next year to bolster our ECs and MCAT scores. good luck!!

 

[Catalystik]

EVMS and Commonwealth in Pa historically have looked only at the composite, rather than subscores. And UColorado & Oakland haven't had subscore cutoffs. Try to find more like these, maybe by calling around or Searching further in School Specific threads or websites.

Keep Rosalind Franklin. UIllinois also has a bottom tenth %tile of 7 for verbal, but is very expensive for OOSers. If you got no other MD acceptance and would attend there anyway, then consider it.

What is your explanation for the low verbal score? ESL is one that is worth "explaining."

 

[KoskonRN]

EVMS and Commonwealth in Pa historically have looked only at the composite, rather than subscores. And UColorado & Oakland haven't had subscore cutoffs. Try to find more like these, maybe by calling around or Searching further in School Specific threads or websites.

Keep Rosalind Franklin. UIllinois also has a bottom tenth %tile of 7 for verbal, but is very expensive for OOSers. If you got no other MD acceptance and would attend there anyway, then consider it.

What is your explanation for the low verbal score? ESL is one that is worth "explaining."

I am also on the same boat: 14PS + 7VR + 12 BS = 33. 4.00 science GPA and 3.85 overall. I am an ESL speaker too. I am most concerned that medical schools will use computers to cut off my verbal score. My application won't get to the real admission member because it has been thrown out by the computer already. Do you know schools that don't look at individual section scores? Thanks

 

[Catalystik]

I am also on the same boat: 14PS + 7VR + 12 BS = 33. 4.00 science GPA and 3.85 overall. I am an ESL speaker too. I am most concerned that medical schools will use computers to cut off my verbal score. My application won't get to the real admission member because it has been thrown out by the computer already. Do you know schools that don't look at individual section scores?

Even those I mentioned by name may have changed their policy since I made a list. Your best bet is to call/email individual schools that you plan to target and ask, if their website doesn't answer your question.