Applying with a 3.92 and 30 MCAT (Re-Applicant)

[FlapJack]

I applied last year, 2014, for the Fall 2015 entering class. At that point I had a 3.92 GPA and a 3.92 sGPA all my requirements were completed and I had taken my MCAT and got a 26 (BS:11 PS:8 VR:7) at that time I had the following EC's:

~20 Hours of Shadowing (Cardiologist and Orthopedic Surgeon)
~200 Hours of Volunteering at a Spiritual Mental Health Center
4 Years Executive Board Member at my schools Pre-Health Honors Society
4 months ~200 Hours PVC Plasticizer Research For Surgical Tubing (No Pub)
3 Months ~400 Hours of Throat Cancer Research (No Pub)
Ongoing (1 Year at the time of app) Chief Neurocognitive Therapist/Clinician at a Neurological Clinic (Paid)
3 Years of Tutoring Students in both H.S. and College Math and Science (Paid)
6 Years of Electronic Music Production

I was a financially disadvantaged student and was a first time college graduate in my family.

I live in CA and applied to the following MD programs: Duke, Johns Hopkins, USC, Loma Linda, Michigan State, OHSU, Penn State, SLU, Stanford, Oklahoma, Arizona-Phoenix, Arizona-Tucson, UCSD, UCSF, UCD, Colorado, Hawaii, North Carolina, Utah, and Washington

I am now realizing I spent a lot of money applying to schools that I never should of even looked at. I got no interviews the only thing that happened is that I got waitlisted at UCSD for an interview (never happened). Still have not heard back from Stanford but I am sure nothing is going to come of it.

Since the last time I applied I have re-taken my MCAT and got a 30 (BS:11 PS:11 VR:8) its nothing special, but will hopefully do way more than a 26. Other changes I have made are that I became a Executive Board Member of a National Non-Profit which has given me about 400 more hours of volunteer work and leadership skills. I am still a board member in the non-profit and am still growing my volunteer hours. I continued my job as Neurocognitive Clinician for another 6 months for a total of ~17 months. I have been attending various pre-medical conferences and have learned a lot and am going to be doing some more shadowing soon before the next cycle. I have also continued my music production. Am currently looking to do more research.

My question is: based on my profile what MD schools do you guys think I have a reasonable chance at and what other things can I be doing to strengthen my application based on the information provided. Also the MD vs DO debate is burning pretty bright because I do not know how competitive I will be at a MD school

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[Vain Brother]

yeah you shot way too high with the 26. the 30 should open a lot of doors for you, though try to find some schools that don't average scores (most do). apply to all the california schools you want and then use the MSAR to seek out some lower-tier OOS schools that 1) matriculate a significant number of OOS students (ie, not washington or hawaii) and 2) are good fits based on your MCAT

 

[Doug Underhill]

That's a nice improvement: 4+ point jumps on the retake are rare.

That school list is pretty mediocre, though. I would apply to programs with a 30, 31, or 32 MCAT average since you have a very high GPA. Why didn't you apply to Oakland? I know people from CA may shudder when they hear "Oakland", but it's not actually located there.

Schools to consider:

Oakland
Temple
Drexel
Jefferson
Creighton
Quinnipiac
Louisville
Rosalind Franklin
NYMC
Albany
Hofstra
U. Vermont

 

[FlapJack]

Your exactly right, whenever we hear Oakland all we picture are sideshows and bay music, but I appreciate the advice from both you guys thanks!

 

[Faha]

Doug has a good list for you and you could add Commonwealth (PA), Hofstra, Penn State, Western Michigan, Loyola, GW, Tulane. SLU from this years cycle would be worth reapplying to and perhaps your CA public state schools. You should also apply to several DO schools.

 

[FlapJack]

Will do, I think one of my biggest mistakes last year other than my ugly MCAT score was that I really did not utilize the MSAR to its full capability just glanced through based on MCAT and applied and then threw in some local and far away schools on a whim. Do you guys have any idea how extensive DO scholarships are and how often they give them out? I would hope to get into a MD program but if a DO offered me a significant scholarship that could be convincing as well

 

[Doug Underhill]

SLU is a standard deviation from his MCAT with a 33 average and feedback on the boards suggests that they're looking for people with a connection to St. Louis. I find that they are heavily overrecommended on SDN.

I feel like you might have a shot at Brown with the 6 years of EDM. While they do love their own undergrads, the other half of the class consists of non-trads with some kind of hefty creative background. Are you a non-trad? Your GPA will give you more mileage there than SLU, as SLU has a higher average GPA than Brown with the same MCAT.

 

[Goro]

You are aiming way too high and too unrealistically, especially as a 2x MCAT taker with a 30 score as maximum. My list is below, but target those schools that do NOT average scores (like mine, although you'll still be OK for mine).
Rush
NYMC
Creighton
Albany
Rosy Franklin
Drexel
Temple
Loma Linda (but read their list of don'ts)
MCW
St. Louis U
Jefferson
Creighton
Tulane
Loyola
GWU
Georgetown
Tufts
U Miami
Wake Forest
EVMS
VCU
All new MD programs except Central MI, Va Tech
Any DO program

My question is: based on my profile what MD schools do you guys think I have a reasonable chance at and what other things can I be doing to strengthen my application based on the information provided. Also the MD vs DO debate is burning pretty bright because I do not know how competitive I will be at a MD school[/QUOTE]

 

[FlapJack]

Alright sounds like a solid base to start from, I am also going to be applying to my states schools as well, I am one class away from having a math minor but my school's math minor did not include stats nor did my chem minor or my biology B.S. and a lot of schools want stats even though I have completed calc 1/2/3, linear algebra and proofs/theorems so I am going to be taking stats at a local CC over the summer to fulfill that requirement

 

[SCooFS]

Alright sounds like a solid base to start from, I am also going to be applying to my states schools as well, I am one class away from having a math minor but my school's math minor did not include stats nor did my chem minor or my biology B.S. and a lot of schools want stats even though I have completed calc 1/2/3, linear algebra and proofs/theorems so I am going to be taking stats at a local CC over the summer to fulfill that requirement

I'm in a similar situation. Never took stats. Is it possible to get accepted of I haven't taken it? Meaning to a school that requires it, then get it done at the CC after acceptance of that is what I need to do?

 

[FlapJack]

I'm in a similar situation. Never took stats. Is it possible to get accepted of I haven't taken it? Meaning to a school that requires it, then get it done at the CC after acceptance of that is what I need to do?

From the schools I have talked to all requirements must be completed by the time of matriculation. Meaning you can apply and take the class after applying and interviewing or whatever but it must be done by the time you attend.