Chances for applying in 2015

[Thenewguy02]

Hi all, I am in a position where I feel as though I would be more competitive waiting for 2016, but I will explore this later.

If I apply during my junior year:
GPA: >3.95
MCAT: I would take this right before applying. This is the focus of my issue. When going in I will have taken:

1 year gen bio, chem, and physics

1 year organic chem

2 terms anatomy

1 term cell and molec

1 term genetics

2 terms psy

1 term soc

1 term microbiology

Is this enough to score well on the MCATs? I don't have any biochem at this point-this will be a senior class.

EC's:
1 year club baseball

Weekly volunteer at boys and girls club(started 4 months ago)

Weekly volunteer for individualized movement an physical activity for children with special needs. (Will be one year total)

This summer I will be volunteering at an outpatient service that provides a variety of medical care, including IV therapy and immunizations. This will be every Tuesday, for around 6-8 hours a day.

Starting fall 2014, I will be working for the campus student success center as an supplemental instructional Table leader for physics(about 12 hrs/wk).

My major focuses around a 700-1000 hr research project, I'll have a large portion of this done by the application.

Shadowing:
I'll be doing a medical preceptorship at a local hospital fall term. It will be about 50hrs. My advisor says most get great recommendations through this.


If I were to apply in 2016, I would likely add in another major, microbiology, as I am about one term from getting a double major, and the classes interest me. In 2016 application I would have a year of biochem completed for the MCATs. I would likely go abroad for about 6 months, and my MCATs would likely be higher, except everything but the biochem would be older material for me., along with more shadowing and volunteering. My major concern is lack of clinical volunteering, and most of all my volunteering will be within 2 years from the application. What would my chances be at OHSU? What tier schools would I be competitive for in 2015 vs 2016?

Thanks for your input!

Edit: Applying for the 2016/2017 year. Thanks zzxxzz.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[zzxxzz]

Hi all, I am in a position where I feel as though I would be more competitive waiting for 2016, but I will explore this later.

Just to be clear, you're talking about sending in your application either next year (2015) or the year after, correct? People usually refer to the admission year, not the app year. So people applying "for 2015" are sending in their apps now. You'll be applying for 2016 or 2017, I take it.

MCAT: I would take this right before applying. This is the focus of my issue. When going in I will have taken:

1 year gen bio, chem, and physics

1 year organic chem

2 terms anatomy

1 term cell and molec

1 term genetics

2 terms psy

1 term soc

1 term microbiology

Is this enough to score well on the MCATs? I don't have any biochem at this point-this will be a senior class.

The MCAT (currently) covers only the material you've learned in Gen Bio, Gen Chem, Physics, and Organic (including topics your organic class probably skimmed over). Microbio can be a little useful, but usually isn't. Biochem is useful - it covers amino acids, DNA/RNA stuff, enzymes, etc, in great detail - but probably not worth waiting a year over.

How well you do on the MCAT depends on:
1) Your prior understanding of the material
2) Your preparation/review
3) Your test-taking aptitude

You can't learn #2 and #3 in a class. People who get straight As still get bad scores, and idiots like me who barely got Bs in organic get good scores. Just do your best and start studying earlier rather than later.

Side note: I have no idea how the 2015 MCAT changes things.

 

[Heday]

You should take biochem for the MCAT.

https://www.aamc.org/students/services/343550/mcat2015.html#bb

 

[Thenewguy02]

Thanks for the input! Biochem does look to be very helpful from the link provided, but do you think the benefit provided by it will be outweighed by the time lapse in waiting a year and consequently having less knowledge in the area?

Zzxxzz: Thanks! Sorry for the confusion, I did mean the 2016/2017 years.

How do my EC's look?