Good GPA (cGPA 3.94, sGPA 3.99), Low Verbal (36Q, 8VR)...dealbreaker?

[KillerPanda]

Background:

CA resident. Ivy League alum. ORM. Semi-non-trad currently in Teach for America.

cGPA 3.94, sGPA 3.99

ECs:

*TFA, full-time last year & continuing next year, lots of stories/experiences/lessons
*EMT, primary crew, ~400 hours, main clinical experience
*Clinical Research Intern in hospital emergency department ~360 hours, main shadowing experience
*Lab research assistant in Drosophila lab (summer 2009) & pharmacology lab (senior year), no publications or projects
*Neuropharmacology TA
*Executive board for cultural organization (2 years)
*EMS summer course instructor
*Club basketball for college
*playmate/mentor for adopted Chinese refugee kids
*magna cum laude

I have already submitted my AMCAS and have these schools on my list:

Albert Einstein
Boston University
Columbia
Harvard
Mount Sinai
Northwestern
Oregon Health & Sciences University
Stanford
UC Davis
UC Irvine
UCLA
UC Riverside
UCSD
UCSF
University of Colorado
USC
UPenn
Yale

---------------------------------------

My biggest concern on my application is my verbal score. My MCAT breakdown was 14PS/8VR/14BS. I know those scores make me seem like a science geek with no communication skills, but if I really was I wouldn't be leading a classroom of crazy kids in the inner-city.

Okay, so here are my questions:

1) Will the 8 in VR kill my chances at top schools? My list is pretty top-heavy so this might be a problem in hindsight. I'd like your feedback on how my list looks.

2) Is there any way I can somehow compensate for this verbal score through other parts of my application? For instance, I did well in my reading-intensive courses (cGPA 3.94) at an Ivy-League school. Also, my teaching job requires me to have stellar communication skills and be able to handle a variety of perspectives, which I believe is one of the reasons why the VR section exists. Would top schools accept some sort of explanation like this?

3) Do adcoms care about teaching credential GPA, or do they only look at undergraduate GPA? My teaching credential GPA (3.5) suffered because I was teaching concurrently and had to overcome a lot of stress and adjustments.

Thanks in advance for your help!

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[gyngyn]

I'm inclined to think you will be ok, but you would do well to consider a few more mid tiers. Your "safeties" may not consider you due to mission (UCR), or sheer numbers of applicants (Einstein, BU).

 

[KillerPanda]

I'm inclined to think you will be ok, but you would do well to consider a few more mid tiers. Your "safeties" may not consider you due to mission (UCR), or sheer numbers of applicants (Einstein, BU).

Thanks for your feedback. Which mid-tiers or safeties would you recommend?

 

[gyngyn]

Thanks for your feedback. Which mid-tiers or safeties would you recommend?

Schools that take at least 15% OOS and have a median MCAT of about 33 in places you might like to study.

 

[KillerPanda]

Thanks gyngyn. Would appreciate more opinions on my chances at top schools!

 

[Goro]

Your VR puts you at the borderline for many schools, and definitely into the <10% range for the top schools. Strongly suggest that you invest in the MSAR so you can target places that will be most friendly to you. If you had a VR 10, I'd say aim high.


1) Will the 8 in VR kill my chances at top schools? My list is pretty top-heavy so this might be a problem in hindsight. I'd like your feedback on how my list looks.

No...the VR is perverse. You clearly had no problem with your coursework, hence your outstanding GPAs and PS/Bio scores, but, with a gazillion applicants, the schools can afford to ignore you. It's a seller's market.

2) Is there any way I can somehow compensate for this verbal score through other parts of my application? For instance, I did well in my reading-intensive courses (cGPA 3.94) at an Ivy-League school. Also, my teaching job requires me to have stellar communication skills and be able to handle a variety of perspectives, which I believe is one of the reasons why the VR section exists. Would top schools accept some sort of explanation like this?

Nope. How does that compare with handling the the crucible of medical school?

3) Do adcoms care about teaching credential GPA, or do they only look at undergraduate GPA? My teaching credential GPA (3.5) suffered because I was teaching concurrently and had to overcome a lot of stress and adjustments.

 

[KillerPanda]

Your VR puts you at the borderline for many schools, and definitely into the <10% range for the top schools. Strongly suggest that you invest in the MSAR so you can target places that will be most friendly to you. If you had a VR 10, I'd say aim high.


1) Will the 8 in VR kill my chances at top schools? My list is pretty top-heavy so this might be a problem in hindsight. I'd like your feedback on how my list looks.

No...the VR is perverse. You clearly had no problem with your coursework, hence your outstanding GPAs and PS/Bio scores, but, with a gazillion applicants, the schools can afford to ignore you. It's a seller's market.

2) Is there any way I can somehow compensate for this verbal score through other parts of my application? For instance, I did well in my reading-intensive courses (cGPA 3.94) at an Ivy-League school. Also, my teaching job requires me to have stellar communication skills and be able to handle a variety of perspectives, which I believe is one of the reasons why the VR section exists. Would top schools accept some sort of explanation like this?

Nope. How does that compare with handling the the crucible of medical school?

3) Do adcoms care about teaching credential GPA, or do they only look at undergraduate GPA? My teaching credential GPA (3.5) suffered because I was teaching concurrently and had to overcome a lot of stress and adjustments.

Hey Goro, thanks for your thoughtful input. Sorry for the confusion, but is your second answer in response to question #2 or #3?

 

[Goro]

No and no...the VR is perverse. You clearly had no problem with your coursework, hence your outstanding GPAs and PS/Bio scores, but, with a gazillion applicants, the schools can afford to ignore you. It's a seller's market.

2) Is there any way I can somehow compensate for this verbal score through other parts of my application? For instance, I did well in my reading-intensive courses (cGPA 3.94) at an Ivy-League school. Also, my teaching job requires me to have stellar communication skills and be able to handle a variety of perspectives, which I believe is one of the reasons why the VR section exists. Would top schools accept some sort of explanation like this?

Hey Goro, thanks for your thoughtful input. Sorry for the confusion, but is your second answer in response to question #2 or #3?

 

[pachewisc]

Check out this MDApps: http://mdapplicants.com/profile.php?id=25754

Looks like a fairly similar resume to yours.