Getting in for GPA 3.53 MCAT 33 WV resident

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sid2140

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I am just finishing my primary application and currently having trouble deciding which schools to apply to. I will be graduating with a bioengineering degree in 2012. My cumulative GPA is 3.53, my MCAT score is 33 (14P/11B/8V), and I am a WV resident. I have excellent extracurricular activities to supplement my application including being the Vice-President of a National Engineering Student Association, multiple teaching assistant positions, a year of volunteering in US, physician shadowing, research in US and Germany (including my own project) for 2.5 years total, a medical service trip to Central America, and an internship running biology summer camps for underprivileged students.

I am looking mostly at schools within a few states range of West Virginia. Including:
Duke
Emory
George Washington
Georgetown
Marshall
Ohio State
Louisville
Maryland
UNC-Chapel Hill
Pitt
UVA
Wake Forest
WVU

I think I should be good for the in-state schools but does anyone have an idea about the out-of-state ones? Or any other ideas of east coast schools I would be competitive for.

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That 8 in the VR is going to hurt at a lot of the out of state schools. I still think you have a good shot at WVU but with you GPA below most schools average and the 8 I would say most schools on your list are a reach. However, with your strong ECs you may have a small chance.
 
Also, what is your sGPA and do you have an upward trend? Are you a minority or disadvantaged?
 
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Not sure what sGPA is off hand. How do you calculate it?
GPA is upward trending. Two C's first semester sophomore year but averaging about a 3.65 since. Does does Bioengineering help the low GPA? I have heard that some schools will consider that it is a tougher curriculum when looking at your GPA, but I have also heard that it is no advantage.

Thanks
 
That 8 in the VR is going to hurt at a lot of the out of state schools. I still think you have a good shot at WVU but with you GPA below most schools average and the 8 I would say most schools on your list are a reach. However, with your strong ECs you may have a small chance.

Would it be worth it to take the MCAT again? I doubt that I would get as high of a physical score, but reading may come up a few points.
 
Your sGPA consists of all your bio, chem, physics, and math courses and is weighted more heavily than your cumulative GPA. I would not retake your MCAT but would call schools to see if they screen applicants with scores of 8 and below.
 
Also while the writing score is generally useless, it may help out a lower VR score if you have a good writing score.
 
sGPA will be higher. Thanks for the advice on the 8 screening!
 
I would not retake the MCAT.

Other schools to check out that have an OOS matriculation rate of at least 15% and are in your cGPA/MCAT stats range:

UKentucky, Albany, SUNY Downstate, Hofstra (new), Jefferson, Toledo,
Buffalo, Drexel, Temple, VCU, Virginia Tech Carilion (newer), FIU, NYMC, MUSC, SCarolina, EVMS, Florida Atlantic University (new), Commonwealth MC in Pa, Cooper (new in NJ)
 
Thank you for the advice! Especially about the newer medical schools. How much would the quality of education vary between OOS schools of this caliber and schools like WVU and Marshall?
 
That's what you find out from talking to admin types on the interview day, getting input from current med students (if any), and maybe perusing the SDN school specific forums for information. But remember, no matter what school you attend, you are responsible for your own education. Whether you attend lectures (world-class faculty or not), or have a PBL curriculum, you still have to read books and grasp the material on your own. Everyone takes the same Step tests to prove they learned the material. And high scorers are seen across the board at every school, regardless of the cost of the education or "caliber" of the school. Thus, personally, I'd go with the lowest price tag.
 
Duke - hmmm
Emory - nah
George Washington - YES!
Georgetown - YES!
Marshall YES!
Ohio State maybe
Louisville YES
Maryland YES
UNC-Chapel Hill hmmmm tough one
Pitt nah
UVA maybe bordering on tough
Wake Forest weirdos
WVU YES!

This is what I think, why not add VCU/EVMS to the list which are also nearby (VA) other jersey/penn schools?? why not kentucky?? bad OOS rate??
 
Great EC's. I think you may have a really good shot at getting in.
 
Duke - hmmm
Emory - nah
George Washington - YES!
Georgetown - YES!
Marshall YES!
Ohio State maybe
Louisville YES
Maryland YES
UNC-Chapel Hill hmmmm tough one
Pitt nah
UVA maybe bordering on tough
Wake Forest weirdos
WVU YES!

This is what I think, why not add VCU/EVMS to the list which are also nearby (VA) other jersey/penn schools?? why not kentucky?? bad OOS rate??

Thanks for the advice. I forgot to add Kentucky to the list, but I do plan to apply there. I currently go to school in Pennsylvania, and I am try to head farther south for better weather. Thanks for the ideas on VCU and EVMS.

Were the "YES" comments for being competitive or getting in?
What does the "hmm" for Duke and "weirdos" for Wake mean?
 
That's what you find out from talking to admin types on the interview day, getting input from current med students (if any), and maybe perusing the SDN school specific forums for information. But remember, no matter what school you attend, you are responsible for your own education. Whether you attend lectures (world-class faculty or not), or have a PBL curriculum, you still have to read books and grasp the material on your own. Everyone takes the same Step tests to prove they learned the material. And high scorers are seen across the board at every school, regardless of the cost of the education or "caliber" of the school. Thus, personally, I'd go with the lowest price tag.

Thanks for the advice. WVU or Marshall will be the lowest price tag (I would much prefer WVU), but I am trying to figure out whether I should apply ED to WVU in hopes of getting extra scholarship money to attend there.
 
Great EC's. I think you may have a really good shot at getting in.

Thank you! My ECs are the strongest point of my app. I think if I had done fewer then I would likely have a slightly higher mcat and gpa though.
 
Did the school give you an idea of how much it pays the ED students? I know the website has a subtle line something reminiscent of "All those admitted to the ED program will benefit from scholarship assistance"...

...However, theoretically, that could be 20 bucks.

Do you have any concrete figures?

No concrete figures, but a friend who is going there this fall said he is getting $5000 per year. He thought this was standard but higher scores would yield more money
 
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