MCAT 34 GPA:3.34 BCPM:3.27 Thoughts?

[Half Guard]

Hi all,

I recently took the MCAT for the second time and I am wondering where I stand in terms of applying for the 2012 cycle.

MCAT #1 VR: 6 PS: 12 BS: 11 WS: Q = 29Q
MCAT #2 VR: 10 PS: 11 BS: 13 WS: P = 34P

Do they take the best score in each section or only the composite?

My GPA is 3.34 and sGPA is 3.27, with an upward trend junior and senior year, and two classes in an informal post-bacc.

The low GPA worries me and I have been doing a number of extracurriculars to boost my chances:

1. Histotechnician - 8 months, 8 hr/wk
2. Pathology Lab Technician - 7 months, 25-40 hr/wk
3. Clinical Research and Publication in cardiology journal - 3 months, 4 hr/wk
Research involved success of venoplasty and electrophysiology combined
4. Shadowing: Cardio-cath lab - 1 yr, 4 hr/wk
Family practice - 2 mo, 4 hr/wk
Intensive Care Unit - 2 mo, 8 hr/wk
5. University health center - 2 semesters, 2 hr/wk
6. Medical assistant - Intermittent over a year during school breaks - 18 hr/wk
7. Mixed martial artist - Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, 7 mo 12 hr/wk
Gold medal in local BJJ tournament
8. Leadership - Vice President of advocacy student organization 1 yr 4-8 hr/wk
9. Member of cultural fraternity - Rush chair (not sure if I should include this)

I'm hoping to matriculate in schools around the DC area, and I'm leaning toward the military route due to the cost of tuition. I want to attend USUHS or George Washington University. I was considering the Georgetown SMP, as I still have a few days to apply, but the cost is staggering and I am pursuing spending my post-bacc at the NIH instead, though I haven't even begun yet (would I still be able to add it to my application?). I am currently still working at a pathology lab and histology lab, and will continue to do so until I find other opportunities.

Please let me know what you think, I've been reading the threads of people in a similar position and I am continuously learning more about the process. Thank you so much!

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[dartmed]

Hi all,

I recently took the MCAT for the second time and I am wondering where I stand in terms of applying for the 2012 cycle.

MCAT #1 VR: 6 PS: 12 BS: 11 WS: Q = 29Q
MCAT #2 VR: 10 PS: 11 BS: 13 WS: P = 34P

Do they take the best score in each section or only the composite?

My GPA is 3.34 and sGPA is 3.27, with an upward trend junior and senior year, and two classes in an informal post-bacc.

The low GPA worries me and I have been doing a number of extracurriculars to boost my chances:

1. Histotechnician - 8 months, 8 hr/wk
2. Pathology Lab Technician - 7 months, 25-40 hr/wk
3. Clinical Research and Publication in cardiology journal - 3 months, 4 hr/wk
Research involved success of venoplasty and electrophysiology combined
4. Shadowing: Cardio-cath lab - 1 yr, 4 hr/wk
Family practice - 2 mo, 4 hr/wk
Intensive Care Unit - 2 mo, 8 hr/wk
5. University health center - 2 semesters, 2 hr/wk
6. Medical assistant - Intermittent over a year during school breaks - 18 hr/wk
7. Mixed martial artist - Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, 7 mo 12 hr/wk
Gold medal in local BJJ tournament
8. Leadership - Vice President of advocacy student organization 1 yr 4-8 hr/wk
9. Member of cultural fraternity - Rush chair (not sure if I should include this)

I'm hoping to matriculate in schools around the DC area, and I'm leaning toward the military route due to the cost of tuition. I want to attend USUHS or George Washington University. I was considering the Georgetown SMP, as I still have a few days to apply, but the cost is staggering and I am pursuing spending my post-bacc at the NIH instead, though I haven't even begun yet (would I still be able to add it to my application?). I am currently still working at a pathology lab and histology lab, and will continue to do so until I find other opportunities.

Please let me know what you think, I've been reading the threads of people in a similar position and I am continuously learning more about the process. Thank you so much!

You are looking much better with your new MCAT score! Awesome job! To be honest, don't worry about the loans. On average, all med students graduate with 200k in loans, but the pay will balance the high tuition. The only downfall for your is your GPA. Can you take some post-bac classes or something to bring it upto a 3.5/3.6? With a 3.5, you are bound to get some interviews and some acceptances.

I have a huge question, what did you do to improve your verbal score??! Seriously. I am terrible at verbal, and I need some major advice. Thanks!

 

[Half Guard]

Thanks for the response! I have tried to take some post-bacc classes, but the amount of credits I have has buffered my GPA so I don't think it will budge anytime soon. I did everything I could this year to avoid going to an SMP (I live in the DC area and the Georgetown SMP is pretty expensive). I also am considering getting a Master's degree since I might be in it for the long haul anyways.

As for verbal, I knew it was what I had to focus on, so I gathered as many resources as I could to practice. I ended up using the TPR verbal workbook and the EK verbal workbook, doing passages everyday until the day of the exam. I also had a year in between my exams, in which I started reading the Economist in my downtime at work. It helped me out with the business/economic passages which were never my strong suit.

 

[startswithb]

With your MCAT and ECs I would consider applying this year very broadly and see what happens. $3000-5000 on a reapplication is better than $30-40K in a SMP that you might not even have needed. I'd apply this year while continuing to take post-bacc courses while working a clinical or research job, and if you don't get in, do the SMP.

EDIT: this is exactly what I am doing, and if you look at my MDApps you can see that with a similar profile to yours, I actually have a fairly good chance of getting this year without the SMP. If I don't, I have been taking classes all along while working to boost my application for a possible reapp after the SMP year. I agree that you should avoid the SMP until it is the last resort. For me, that would be 2 failed application cycles first.

 

[Catalystik]

1) MCAT #1 VR: 6 PS: 12 BS: 11 WS: Q = 29Q
MCAT #2 VR: 10 PS: 11 BS: 13 WS: P = 34P

Do they take the best score in each section or only the composite?

2) My GPA is 3.34 and sGPA is 3.27, with an upward trend junior and senior year, and two classes in an informal post-bacc.

3) I am pursuing spending my post-bacc at the NIH instead, though I haven't even begun yet (would I still be able to add it to my application?).

1) Some med schools average multiple scores, some take the best subscore composite, but most look at the most recent score.

2) Could you list your year-by-year cGPA and BCPM (which is how it will appear on the AMCAS and AACOMAS transcripts)?

3) You can list future planned coursework in the transcript section. Or you can refer to it in the PS. If it isn't 100% going to happen, then save it for update letters. How many credit hours and what coursework did you plan?

 

[Half Guard]

2) Could you list your year-by-year cGPA and BCPM (which is how it will appear on the AMCAS and AACOMAS transcripts)?

3) You can list future planned coursework in the transcript section. Or you can refer to it in the PS. If it isn't 100% going to happen, then save it for update letters. How many credit hours and what coursework did you plan?

Hi Catalystik,

Here's my year-by-year

Freshman year - cGPA: 3.43 (32 credits) BCPM: 3.19 (21 credits)
Sophomore year - cGPA: 2.975 (32 credits) BCPM: 3.10 (16 credits)
Junior year - cGPA: 3.14 (36 credits) BCPM: 2.65 (17 credits)
Senior year - cGPA: 3.68 (35 credits) BCPM: 3.67 (29 credits)
Post-bacc semester - cGPA: 4.0 (7 credits) BCPM 4.0 (7 credits)

The upward trend begins in my second semester of junior year, and the reason the GPA is so low is because I bombed that first semester. After that, the grades are mostly A's and a few B/B+. Will the medical schools see the turnaround at this second semester, or will it be shielded by that first semester.

Also, the work I will do with NIH is beginning next month, as I am doing all the necessary security clearance now, so I imagine having around two weeks of experience by the time the application opens.

Thanks alot Catalystik!

 

[Catalystik]

1) Will the medical schools see the turnaround at this second semester, or will it be shielded by that first semester.

2) Also, the work I will do with NIH is beginning next month, as I am doing all the necessary security clearance now, so I imagine having around two weeks of experience by the time the application opens.

1) Med schools get both the transcript summary (which only shows the result of a full year) as well as the full transcript (which gives the semester by semester detail). You have the sustained 1.5-2.0 years of upward grade trend that adcomms will tend to feel are reassuring as to your potential.

2) Then you are fine to include it as an Experience. How much coursework did you plan?

 

[Half Guard]

I don't think I'll be planning anymore coursework. Since I last posted, I've been doing a few weeks of a new experience.

I have finished my application except for the LOR, which I am waiting on my committee letter. My school won't interview me until the middle of June, which is well past the earliest date to submit my application. Should I wait for the committee letter for all schools or apply to some on day one with the three individual letters I have?

Thanks again for all the input!

 

[Catalystik]

You can submit without having all you letters and get the verification process started if they have your transcripts.

 

[yellowbird12]

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