Low MCAT, 3.83 cGPA, high science GPA

[bruinpremed310]

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[smpbound]

yeah go for it. im curious to see how you do this cycle.

 

[Sean Lee]

Your first 28 is very decent (though I am not sure if that's enough for MDs). However, and you know this already, that 23 on your retake is disastrous.

You should absolutely retake the MCAT and aim for 30+.

 

[bruinpremed310]

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[Goro]

Sometime you have to take an app cycle on the chin to see how it shakes out. So apply broadly. I'd write off the mid-tier schools. Aim for any DO, all new and low-tier MD programs.

You can do better than Carib diploma mills.

Hey guys,

I'm new to this forum, and have been extremely stuck on whether or not I should apply to med. school this cycle.

Here are my stats:
UCLA student majoring in Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics and minoring in Biomedical Research
URM
3.83 cGPA, science GPA higher around 3.9
MCAT - 28 (1st attempt), and 23 (2nd attempt)

Honors:
Dean's List for 4 qtrs.
Magna cum laude
Departmental honors
College honors

Research Experience:
1 year in MARC Scholars Program (competitive research program for URM)
Several other scholarship research programs
6-week summer research gig at UCLA
1.5 year research in current lab (one publication in preparation)
Upcoming summer research gig at Boston's Children Hospital at Harvard from June until August (10 weeks)
Presented research at several conferences (1 national conference)

Clinical Experience:
Two different 6 month volunteering gigs at hospital (no real clinical exposure)
1.5 year member of Stroke Force, a pre-med club involving tons of shadowing, patient interaction, and outreach experience.

Outreach/Other:
2 qtrs. - presented on different science topics to highschoolers through a club on campus
Vice president of science club back at junior college
Swimmer at UCLA Bruin Masters Swim Club
Several scholarships/awards

L.O.R.s:
Definitely solid on these!

The only thing holding me back is my MCAT score. If I had known I would do worse on my 2nd attempt, I would have just applied with the 28. I'm afraid the 23 has ruined any chance I have of getting into any mid-tier medical school. I must be a terrible standardized-test taker. Not sure what I should do. If I don't apply this year, I will retake the MCAT for a final, third time (crossing fingers), before the end of this year, and get my score back to my original 28 score or higher.

My goal is to get into a mid-tier med. school at the least. Not sure about Caribbean, Canadian, or D.O. I've heard of schools looking only at the highest score, but I could not find many of them who's MCAT range include my highest score. I know that most schools look at both scores.

It's already late May and I'm freaking out about this dilemma because the application opens on June 3rd. Need some help...

 

[Sean Lee]

I'm trying to get into ANY mid-tier med. school. Do I even have a fighting chance? I am planning on retaking the MCAT during my stay at Harvard for a research program between the dates of June 8 and August 15. This will give me time to do a **** ton of practice exams, which I am hoping will improve my test-taking skills on time before the exam. As soon as my new score comes in, I will immediately fill out my secondarys as soon as they arrive.

I think if you can get a 30+, MDs are well within reach. But a 28 and 23 makes some of us question whether you can hit a 30+.

How did you study for your first attempt?

What about the second attempt?

We all know that a retake is a must (I doubt even DO schools will look kindly on a 23), so be absolutely sure that you knock your 3rd attempt out of the park.

 

[Sean Lee]

OP, if your first MCAT is a 23 and your second MCAT is a 28, then I can see many/most schools giving your 28 more consideration. But your situation is the other way around, which is much more problematic.

 

[bruinpremed310]

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[bruinpremed310]

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[Sean Lee]

I'm worried more now for the timeline.


App. submissions begin on June 3rd.
I will be in Harvard from June 8th - August 15.
August I heard is still considered early for submitting.

Therefore, I will need to have retaken MCAT by July latest, if I hope to apply on time this cycle.

If I decide to apply for the next cycle, then the latest I can take my MCAT this year would be some time in Sept. There is no way that I would want to take the new MCAT 2015. This leaves me with only a month after my trip from Harvard to study for the exam. I'm expected to be working full-time during my stay at Harvard, can't bank that I'll have to study for MCAT.

I think the late timeline is the least of your concerns. If you score another mid 20s on your MCAT, then I am afraid that MDs will be out of question.

My advice is that you make absolutely sure that you can break a 30 before taking the exam for the third time.

What were you scoring on your AAMC practice tests?

 

[bruinpremed310]

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[Sean Lee]

I was scoring between 28-30 on my first attempts at the AAMC practice tests. On my second attempts, of course I was scoring a bit higher (30-32).

How did you feel after your second attempt? Did you feel that you did especially bad?

I understand people scoring a bit lower on the real thing than they do on AAMC practice exams, but not this much of a drop. I think you need to figure out what went wrong.

What was your scoring distribution for the 23?

 

[bruinpremed310]

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[Sean Lee]

I felt very confident after my second attempt. Though, the "newness" of the passages did throw me off.

My scoring distribution for 1st MCAT was: 9P/8V/11B
For the second it was: 8P/5V/10B

So it seems verbal is a major area of concern. Have you done the EK 101 passages and the TPR verbal workbooks? Your science scores (especially BS) are good.

 

[deanthedream17]

at this pt your too low for even low tier MD schools let alone mid-tier

 

[HoustontoHudson]

Not sure if it's been mentioned but do NOT waste your time and money on applying to Canadian schools. There are only 3 I can think of that accept international students and even then, because there aren't as many med schools as their are in the States (for the volume of applicants), their competition is really fierce. It's pretty commonly expressed here in Canada that the average medical student had to apply 3 times before acceptance - usually this has nothing to do with the applicant's record, just the mass volume of applicants and not enough schools.

 

[Skatoodles]

Your ECs/GPA are good enough to make you competitive at new MD schools and any DO school so unless you're positive you can get 30+ on your next MCAT, you should apply broadly this cycle and hope for the best.