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

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tennisplayer20

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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?

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If you're set on an allopathic school, you may be looking at a retake, even as a SC resident. With great ECs and a high GPA, you'd be right on the border with a 28.

If, however, the only biology you have is intro bio at a CC, you may have bigger problems. Take some upper level bio courses.

Also, be prepared to be asked why you majored in what amounts to construction engineering if you wanted to go to medical school.
 
Materials engineering is a little different that construction engineering, it's all about chemistry. It deals with the design of new materials, for instance kevlar or teflon, to name a few you've probably heard of, and the testing of their properties. Not quite the same as building a bridge or designing a roadway haha. However, I do need more biology, you are correct about that. The only reason I took biology at a CC is because they were the easiest classes that were required for the MCAT, and I felt like it would be the easiest to learn, even with a poor curriculum at a CC. Do you think that if I worked hard enough at ECs and getting good letters of recommendation that I could skate by with a fairly good chance of getting in, without taking the MCAT again?
 
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Oh yeah if you apply to south carolina schools you have a good chance. Their median MCATs are 29 and 30. They interviewed most of the applicants in the state.
 
With a 28, I don't think a retake is needed just yet. Apply to all SC schools, and the following:

TCMC
Quinnipiac
all other new MD schools except Va Tech and Hofstra
WVU
Rosy Franklin
Penn state
MCW
SLU
Creighton
Loma Linda (but read their list of don'ts)
Drexel
Albany
NYMC
VCU
Wake Forest
Rush


Any DO program except LUCOM and AZCOM. Start with VCOM-SC, since it's in your backyard.

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?
 
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