30 MCAT, non-trad student, 3.7 gpa (both undergrad and grad)

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barca4ever

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My primary just got verified last week, I am doing my secondary apps right now. Any feedback on my chances of getting into med school this cycle is appreciated.
- MCAT: 30 (V 9/ P 10/B 11) [English is not my first language and I am extremely happy with a 9, not planning on retaking it, was a bit upset that I couldn't do better with the PS and Biology, overall this was my first attempt with the MCAT so I am ok with my score]
- GPA:
+ Undergrad: sGPA = 3.97, cGPA = 3.7
+ Grad: GPA = 3.68 (2 years master program, kinda like a post-bac)
- Activities:
+ Volunteer: quite a few, from transporting patients, interpreting, to working with hospice patients
+ Research: working as a full-time lab research technician, so I guess I have enough bench researching experience. Also worked on another researching project with another doctor (1st author on both projects)
+ Shadow: only have about 40 hours of shadowing an oncologist (which is what I really want to do in the future) ;(
+ 2 poster presentations at international conferences, wrote 1 manuscript (still trying to submit for publication, kept getting rejected), and about to write another one for a different project
- Life story: ;)
+ Immigrated to US at the age of 16, been working my butt off during college and post-college to support my family. I am the main income provider in my family as my mother is disabled and my father is still back in my country.
+ As a results, it took me actually 4 years to finish the 2 years master program, had to work to support my family
+ I am 27 now, and if I get accepted to medical school, I will be starting at the age of 28, I guess I will be too old to be a medical student if I don't get accepted soon ;(
- School list: (20 total)

Albany Medical College
Central Michigan University College of Medicine
Drexel University College of Medicine
Eastern Virginia Medical School
Michigan State University
New York Medical College
Quinnipiac University SOM
SUNY Upstate Medical University
SUNY at Buffalo Medical School
Stony Brook University School of Medicine
Temple University School of Medicine
The Commonwealth Medical College
The University of Vermont College of Medicine
Tufts University School of Medicine
University of Connecticut School of Medicine
University of Massachusetts Medical School
University of Rochester School of Medicine and Den
University of Washington School of Medicine
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicin
West Virginia University School of Medicine

--- I would like to stay close to MA to take care of my mother, so any other schools that I should add, or should remove??? ---

What are my chances with MD schools? If my chance is too low with that low MCAT score, should I add some DO schools to my list? But I heard you need to have a LOR from a DO doctor in order to apply to DO schools, then I would be too late to apply because I don't know how, who, and when to shadow. Any help is appreciated. Thank you and sorry for the long post.

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absolutely add some DO schools, but your odds are reasonable for MD

call up your local DO association and ask for help finding someone to shadow, you will need a DO letter for most DO schools
 
There are a decent amount of MD schools that have a 30 MCAT within their 10th to 90th percentile and your GPA and extracurriculars are good. You should write your secondaries, so that they appeal to the school's mission statement. Just make sure that the schools that you're applying to have your MCAT within their range or your chances of getting in are much smaller.
 
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I see 10 schools where you have a reasonable chance for an interview. The state public schools where you are not a resident would accept few applicants with a MCAT of 30. Consider adding Jefferson, Oakland Beaumont, Western Michigan, Rosalind Franklin, St. Louis, Creighton, Loyola to increase your odds for more interviews.
 
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