4.0 GPA ... 23 MCAT -- What To Do?

[ZX2MD]

I was scoring close to 30 on the practice AAMC's, but somehow ended up with a 23 on the real deal. :-/
PS: 7
VR: 8
BS: 8

There's not enough time to study for and retake the MCAT before September 10th, so I'm stuck with a 23 for this application cycle. The rest of my application is good. I have a decent amount of shadowing/volunteering, and I'm a non-traditional with solid work experience. The MCAT is the black eye in my application.

Do I have any chance of an MD acceptance? I really believe the 23 MCAT was a fluke. I just wonder if any MD schools will look at the rest of my app. and think the same.

Should I apply DO only? I've been reading and trying to better understand the pros/cons of attending a DO school.

I've only taken the MCAT once and plan to retake in January.

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[flodhi1]

I was scoring close to 30 on the practice AAMC's, but somehow ended up with a 23 on the real deal. :-/
PS: 7
VB: 8
BS: 8

There's not enough time to study for and retake the MCAT before September 10th, so I'm stuck with a 23 for this application cycle. The rest of my application is good. I have a decent amount of shadowing, volunteering, and I'm a non-traditional with solid work experience. The MCAT is the black eye in my application.

Do I have any chance of an MD acceptance? I really believe the 23 MCAT was a fluke. I just wonder if any MD schools will look at the rest of my app. and think the same.

Should I apply DO only? I've been reading and trying to better understand the pros/cons of attending a DO school.

I've only taken the MCAT once and plan to retake in January.

Unfortunately unless you are a URM I really don't see any hope for medical school with that MCAT score. You should definitely retake and reapply next year. Apply at a couple schools just to see what happens but I would not waste my money on too many secondaries.

 

[xxaiiree]

I was scoring close to 30 on the practice AAMC's, but somehow ended up with a 23 on the real deal. :-/
PS: 7
VR: 8
BS: 8

There's not enough time to study for and retake the MCAT before September 10th, so I'm stuck with a 23 for this application cycle. The rest of my application is good. I have a decent amount of shadowing/volunteering, and I'm a non-traditional with solid work experience. The MCAT is the black eye in my application.

Do I have any chance of an MD acceptance? I really believe the 23 MCAT was a fluke. I just wonder if any MD schools will look at the rest of my app. and think the same.

Should I apply DO only? I've been reading and trying to better understand the pros/cons of attending a DO school.

I've only taken the MCAT once and plan to retake in January.

I have the same experience--okay practice MCAT then a lower score on the real thing and same GPA. I would say keep your hopes up and try to apply to both MD and DO. Even if you have to apply again next year, I think being a re-applicant is better than being a first-time applicant.

 

[V5RED]

I have the same experience--okay practice MCAT then a lower score on the real thing and same GPA. I would say keep your hopes up and try to apply to both MD and DO. Even if you have to apply again next year, I think being a re-applicant is better than being a first-time applicant.

Is this real life?

 

[CopaceticOne]

Your chances for this application cycle are nearly 0% for MD and very, very low for DO. I'd recommend that you don't apply this cycle. Save your money and focus on preparing for the MCAT in January instead. Then, when you kill it, use the money for applying next cycle.

 

[music2doc]

I have the same experience--okay practice MCAT then a lower score on the real thing and same GPA. I would say keep your hopes up and try to apply to both MD and DO. Even if you have to apply again next year, I think being a re-applicant is better than being a first-time applicant.

...Sarcasm?

...Or just plain ignorance.

Not sure which but hoping you just have a very dry sense of humor...

Unless you're gunning, then you're doing a great job!


OP, wait a cycle. MD would be pointless with an MCAT <25 unless you are URM and even then a 23 is pushing it. DO at 23 might be possible at the lower-end schools but a 23 is more the podiatry range, to be honest. Retake and apply next year. Applying this year would be like buying 3,000 lotto tickets (about the same price) and you'd probably have about the same chance of winning (but the lotto would give you FAR more return on your investment, so...go for it! -- The lotto, that is.)

 

[DrIBProfen]

...Sarcasm?

...Or just plain ignorance.

Not sure which but hoping you just have a very dry sense of humor...

Unless you're gunning, then you're doing a great job!

Respectfully disagree with the above posters with respect to how adcoms view reapplicants.

I recommend you re-read the SDN Medical School Admissions Guide:

" Generally, admissions offices look at reapplication favorably "

The key is to identify and improve your deficiency. If you don't improve, don't bother reapplying.

 

[V5RED]

Respectfully disagree with the above posters with respect to how adcoms view reapplicants.

I recommend you re-read the SDN Medical School Admissions Guide:

" Generally, admissions offices look at reapplication favorably "

The key is to identify and improve your deficiency. If you don't improve, don't bother reapplying.

One guide says that adcoms are receptive toward re-applicants, and suddenly it is better to apply after failing in your first cycle? Is a failed cycle a new EC?

 

[DrIBProfen]

From University of Missouri:

"Admissions Committees will look at a second application for significant change, and, not seeing any, will probably not consider the candidate further. On the other hand, if the Committee sees demonstrated improvement, it probably will look favorably upon the candidate and continue its consideration of the application.

http://som.missouri.edu/reapply.shtml

I would think guidebooks written by reputable authors would be better than snarky posts from anonymous pre-meds on the internet. Either way, believe what you will. I really don't care.

 

[V5RED]

From University of Missouri:

"Admissions Committees will look at a second application for significant change, and, not seeing any, will probably not consider the candidate further. On the other hand, if the Committee sees demonstrated improvement, it probably will look favorably upon the candidate and continue its consideration of the application.

http://som.missouri.edu/reapply.shtml

I would think guidebooks written by reputable authors would be better than snarky posts from anonymous pre-meds on the internet. Either way, believe what you will. I really don't care.

You would not be replying if you did not care.

As to your quote, it does not say anything that is news. It basically says if you get rejected, you need to improve your application to get accepted. That is the same everywhere. It does not equate to re-applicants having a special edge.

 

[SeminoleVesicle]

You would not be replying if you did not care.

As to your quote, it does not say anything that is news. It basically says if you get rejected, you need to improve your application to get accepted. That is the same everywhere. It does not equate to re-applicants having a special edge.

If you got rejected...you need to improve your application to even be considered. Re-applicants don't have a special edge.

 

[CopToEM]

From University of Missouri:

"Admissions Committees will look at a second application for significant change, and, not seeing any, will probably not consider the candidate further. On the other hand, if the Committee sees demonstrated improvement, it probably will look favorably upon the candidate and continue its consideration of the application.

http://som.missouri.edu/reapply.shtml

I would think guidebooks written by reputable authors would be better than snarky posts from anonymous pre-meds on the internet. Either way, believe what you will. I really don't care.

Personally, I believe you are taking this out of context. All I take both sources to be saying is that you are, essentially, on level playing field with all other applicants. This particular quotation above is implying that if no improvement occurred, you will be reject-piled, and if improvement did occur they will move forward.

I see no evidence that either is implying being a second-applicant is an advantage in comparison to a first-time applicant. Rather, each are simply stating that being a second applicant who has improved is not looked at negatively.

If anything, it shows commitment. You didn't give up.

 

[CopToEM]

To the OP, I know of a friend who was accepted last year with a 3.6GPA and a 18 MCAT. Anything is possible. If money is no issue, apply broadly, and hope for the best. If money is an issue, apply to a couple of choice schools, and start looking at things to do in the interim.

 

[DonnyDutch]

To the OP, I know of a friend who was accepted last year with a 3.6GPA and a 18 MCAT. Anything is possible. If money is no issue, apply broadly, and hope for the best. If money is an issue, apply to a couple of choice schools, and start looking at things to do in the interim.

18 MCAT??? Really?

 

[Buttermellow]

To the OP, I know of a friend who was accepted last year with a 3.6GPA and a 18 MCAT. Anything is possible. If money is no issue, apply broadly, and hope for the best. If money is an issue, apply to a couple of choice schools, and start looking at things to do in the interim.

Had to be DO or Caribbean.

 

[V5RED]

18 MCAT??? Really?

Had to be DO or Caribbean.

https://www.aamc.org/download/157450/data/table24-mcatgpagridall2008-10.pdf.pdf

It has happened many times.

Someone got into an MD school with both a sub 2.2 GPA and a sub 18 MCAT according to the tables.