I would appreciate advice, please....

[iagirl088]

Hello, I just wanted to ask a couple quick questions. I applied this last year with a 3.82 gpa and 28Q MCAT. I had two interviews, but unfortunately didn't get accepted. I talked to the admissions counselors at both schools and they both said I interviewed well, my application was strong, and that the MCAT was the only real weakness of my application. Additionally, my freshman year I was cited for intoxication by an RA (not the police or anything), but had not actually been drinking in the building. I didn't explain this very much in my first AMCAS, so I'm wondering if this small incident is going to keep me from being accepted in the future? I plan on explaining more what I learned from the incident on the next AMCAS and that I actually ended up becoming an RA, so I can understand the position she was put in. I have some previous volunteer experience, research experience, and have been heavily involved in music groups throughout my undergraduate career. Currently, I am re-taking the MCAT in June and also volunteering two days a week at a hospital. I'm auditing a human anatomy class that uses cadavers and am also thinking about taking a spanish class. Is this enough improvement or do I need to be seeking other experiences to better my application? Thanks in advance.

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[prionsRbad]

How many schools did you apply to?

You're retaking the MCAT so that's good. It seems like you're doing everything right . . . improving your application with EC's and MCAT scores.

Personally, I don't think that the drinking thing is the reason for your rejections. Were you penalized for the incident . . . . did the RA report it to the school? I wouldn't really mention a lot about it in your PS. Seriously, how many kids drink at college before they're 21, maybe 90%!!!!! I don't think it's a big deal.

Good Luck to you!

 

[Maxwell Edison]

I have never heard of something like this being a disaster to anyone's application, and I went to school with some people who definitely got consumption citations and ended up in an MD program. For my own part, I would not dwell on this either mentally or on an app. It's not a felony; it may not even be a misdemeanor. Why let it dominate you?

 

[RxnMan]

In my old state, intoxication as a minor was a misdemeanor, and was expunged from your record after a certain time. Check the law in the state in which this happened.

On reapps, just reapply. Unless you have time and are going to devote yourself full-time to making your score higher, don't bother. You've got some interviews, you need to apply to more schools and to a wider range of schools - not just the ivies.

 

[iagirl088]

Thank you so much for your replies, and good luck to all of you as well!

 

[Faze2]

I would ask where you applied and how many schools you applied to? With your scores, though the MCAT is a LITTLE below the mean, but not too much, you are a pretty strong candidate. Good ECs, great GPA, so so MCAT, but not a horrible one. I would say apply broadly and only retake the MCAT if you are sure you can do better, but I don't think that should be your first course of action.

Is D.O. out of the question for you personally, cause for most of their schools you are very competative?

 

[iagirl088]

I didn't apply to very many schools (about 4) which I realize now was a big mistake. The schools I applied to weren't ivies, but not a wide range either. I also didn't apply to DO schools this last year, but am considering it now. Assuming I can raise my MCAT score a couple points, how many schools would you recommend applying to?

 

[prionsRbad]

With your stats and your current MCAT, I think you could have gotten Allopathic acceptances if you applied to ~25 schools.

If you retake and and get 30+ on your MCAT, you should be fine with applying to ~15 schools . . . IMHO.

I also think you would get into Osteopathic schools with your current stats.

Good luck, and apply to more schools!