MD Schools that accept lowest MCAT (508)

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JPSmyth

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My MCAT is very borderline at 508, but my GPA is okay at 3.8+.
My ECs are relatively standard (full time research employment during gap year, undergrad research no pubs, clinical/nonclinical volunteering, college sport, etc.)
Committee LOR consisting of 3-4 professors and 1 third year MD resident
(NJ resident)

I've already applied to the following:
* Albany Medical College
* Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
* Creighton University School of Medicine
* Drexel University College of Medicine
* Eastern Virginia Medical School
* George Washington University Sch of Med & Hlth Sci
* Georgetown University School of Medicine
* Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
* Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medici
* New York Medical College
* Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine
* Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine
* Quinnipiac University SOM
* Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Scien
* Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
* Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
* State University of New York Downstate Medical Cen
* SUNY Upstate Medical University
* The University of Miami School of Medicine
* Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicin
* Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
* Wake Forest School of Medicine of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center
* West Virginia University School of Medicine
* Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine

I am thinking about adding some more schools that I've been looking at on MSAR:
Commonwealth Medical college
Wright State
University of Utah
Indiana University
Medical College of Wisconsin

Do you advise adding any of these new schools? Are the IS preferences too heavy to make it worth applying?

Thank you
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JPSmyth said:
I've seen this before, I'm also going off of the MSAR numbers.
If a school receives 5000 applications from OOS and only interviews 20 people, I'm not going to apply there.

Seems like I should take off Indiana? It's only .15 on the OOS favorability chart
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Especially since that .15 is typically people who have connections to the university but don't live in the state.
 
What about U. Texas - Galveston or Rochester or Saint Louis U?
 
Tulane, BU, Emory. I mean you have applied to more than enough schools. My pre-med advisor said do not apply to a school you don't want to go to. If that is the ONLY school you get into you MUST go because if you don't go and reapply. Med schools will ask you if you have previously gotten into med school and if you have you won't be accepted.
Don't just apply for quantity. Actually look into schools and do research about them. Only apply if you can see yourself there. Your list is all over the place, so I get the impression you are just broadly applying.
I would really think about the type of school you want to go to, and the type of doctor you want to be.
 
NescacPremed said:
Tulane, BU, Emory. I mean you have applied to more than enough schools. My pre-med advisor said do not apply to a school you don't want to go to. If that is the ONLY school you get into you MUST go because if you don't go and reapply. Med schools will ask you if you have previously gotten into med school and if you have you won't be accepted.
Don't just apply for quantity. Actually look into schools and do research about them. Only apply if you can see yourself there. Your list is all over the place, so I get the impression you are just broadly applying.
I would really think about the type of school you want to go to, and the type of doctor you want to be.
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Tulane BU and Emory all have average accepted MCAT scores well above 508 (which is around 30 on the old scale). I feel as though that would definitely be a waste
 
U of U looks for big stats in their OOS acceptees, or significant ties. Of your new schools I would only add MCW.
 
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AnatomyGrey12 said:
U of U looks for big stats in their OOS acceptees, or significant ties. Of your new schools I would only add MCW.
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Thanks. Can I ask why not commonwealth?

And what about Marshall in West Virginia. It seems like they're OOS friendly
 
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JPSmyth said:
Thanks. Can I ask why not commonwealth?

And what about Marshall in West Virginia. It seems like they're OOS friendly
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With TCMC I've been told that they take their OOSers from the surrounding regions generally, but if you have the money then it definitely isn't the worst addition.

Marshall says this on their admissions page, "As a state of West Virginia medical school, Marshall gives preference for interviews to West Virginia residents. In addition, nonresidents who meet the minimum requirements and who have completed pipeline programs identified in the Admissions Procedural document may be offered interview preference. Further, well-qualified applicants from Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia, and other nonresidents who have strong ties to West Virginia may be considered."

Unless you are from these states or can show significant ties to WV then I wouldn't bother with an application
 
AnatomyGrey12 said:
With TCMC I've been told that they take their OOSers from the surrounding regions generally, but if you have the money then it definitely isn't the worst addition.

Marshall says this on their admissions page, "As a state of West Virginia medical school, Marshall gives preference for interviews to West Virginia residents. In addition, nonresidents who meet the minimum requirements and who have completed pipeline programs identified in the Admissions Procedural document may be offered interview preference. Further, well-qualified applicants from Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia, and other nonresidents who have strong ties to West Virginia may be considered."

Unless you are from these states or can show significant ties to WV then I wouldn't bother with an application
Click to expand...

Thank you man. I'm from NJ which borders PA so I'll submit to commonwealth, as well as MCW. Any possible others?
 
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I think that your chances are POOR at the following:


* State University of New York Downstate Medical Cen
* SUNY Upstate Medical University
* Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
* Wake Forest School of Medicine of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center
Commonwealth Medical college
Wright State
University of Utah
Indiana University
 
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Goro said:
I think that your chances are POOR at the following:


* State University of New York Downstate Medical Cen
* SUNY Upstate Medical University
* Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
* Wake Forest School of Medicine of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center
Commonwealth Medical college
Wright State
University of Utah
Indiana University
Click to expand...

Wake Forest and SUNYs were my "reaches," I know it's probably a waste of a few hundred dollars

I thought Virginia Tech was research heavy? I applied there because I have a full-time gap year research job at a great institution so I thought that might help.

And as for TCMC, their MCAT 75th percentile for applicants is a 508, and their avg GPA for matriculants is a 3.7, so I don't think my numbers are unreasonable? And NJ is a surrounding state of PA. Is there something else that would make me ineligible?

Thank you!
 
EDIT: have to apologize...I confused TCMC with Va Tech. First off, I don't think that Va Tech is research heavy. They have less intramural funding than my school does!

If you from rural NJ, or from those areas closest to Scranton, then TCMC MIGHT be doable.



JPSmyth said:
Wake Forest and SUNYs were my "reaches," I know it's probably a waste of a few hundred dollars

I thought Virginia Tech was research heavy? I applied there because I have a full-time gap year research job at a great institution so I thought that might help.

And as for TCMC, their MCAT 75th percentile for applicants is a 508, and their avg GPA for matriculants is a 3.7, so I don't think my numbers are unreasonable? And NJ is a surrounding state of PA. Is there something else that would make me ineligible?

Thank you!
Click to expand...
 
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To whoeveer suggested BU, Emory, or Tulane, those are all very bad choices. They are very MCAT heavy. Also 508 isn't that bad, you still have a solid app. My girlfriend got an II at wake with a 29, but that's just 1 person...

My take on Virginia tech: they're not necessarily so heavily research funded, but they do have a massive research focus when it comes to admissions and curriculum. My theory as to why they're not so highly funded is that it's a Tiny school (45 students a year?!) and exists as a partnership with carilion institute which I believe may mess up how the funding $ are calculated (since grants go to the private carilion institute rather than the med school itself). As for you, I'd say the apps worth a shot if you have the money, since you seem to check the research box well. However don't hold your breath, they favor MCAT over GPA which could give you trouble.
 
The Knife & Gun Club said:
To whoeveer suggested BU, Emory, or Tulane, those are all very bad choices. They are very MCAT heavy. Also 508 isn't that bad, you still have a solid app. My girlfriend got an II at wake with a 29, but that's just 1 person...

My take on Virginia tech: they're not necessarily so heavily research funded, but they do have a massive research focus when it comes to admissions and curriculum. My theory as to why they're not so highly funded is that it's a Tiny school (45 students a year?!) and exists as a partnership with carilion institute which I believe may mess up how the funding $ are calculated (since grants go to the private carilion institute rather than the med school itself). As for you, I'd say the apps worth a shot if you have the money, since you seem to check the research box well. However don't hold your breath, they favor MCAT over GPA which could give you trouble.
Click to expand...

Thank you. And I understand that my MCAT is going to kill me at a lot of schools, which is why I'm casting the widest net that I can. The MCAT is going to give me trouble at every school I apply to, not just Virginia Tech (with the exception of DO)
 
JPSmyth said:
Thank you. And I understand that my MCAT is going to kill me at a lot of schools, which is why I'm casting the widest net that I can. The MCAT is going to give me trouble at every school I apply to, not just Virginia Tech (with the exception of DO)
Click to expand...

Being someone from NJ myself, NJMS and RWJMS are both EXTREMELY bias on MCATs and GPAs so you may have some trouble but I don't think it'll be impossible.
 
PossibleDOC? said:
Being someone from NJ myself, NJMS and RWJMS are both EXTREMELY bias on MCATs and GPAs so you may have some trouble but I don't think it'll be impossible.
Click to expand...

Cooper Rowan is looking like my top choice right about now
 
JPSmyth said:
Cooper Rowan is looking like my top choice right about now
Click to expand...

They're getting more competitive but they aren't as in love with stats as NJMS is so you should be ok with an app there again I can't guarantee anything but just mentioning based on the things I've seen at NJMS and heard at RWJMS
 
PossibleDOC? said:
They're getting more competitive but they aren't as in love with stats as NJMS is so you should be ok with an app there again I can't guarantee anything but just mentioning based on the things I've seen at NJMS and heard at RWJMS
Click to expand...

In 2015 their applicant 75th percentile MCAT score was a 507, as opposed to 508/509 for RWJ and NJMS. I'm praying that score doesn't keep me out but only time will tell.
 
JPSmyth said:
In 2015 their applicant 75th percentile MCAT score was a 507, as opposed to 508/509 for RWJ and NJMS. I'm praying that score doesn't keep me out but only time will tell.
Click to expand...

Exactly, just apply broadly and especially coming from NJ just cast a wide net on the eastern coast, also if you're not biased add some DO schools if you definitely want to start med school next fall.

Good luck to you
 
JPSmyth said:
Tulane BU and Emory all have average accepted MCAT scores well above 508 (which is around 30 on the old scale). I feel as though that would definitely be a waste
Click to expand...
Downstate and Upstate both have average MCATs of 33, which is Tulane's average. Miami's MCAT average is 34.

You can add Jefferson Medical College
 
I'm just saying. People with 33 MCAT got into JHU. A 30 MCAT with high GPA is not that bad.
 
Mansamusa said:
Downstate and Upstate both have average MCATs of 33, which is Tulane's average. Miami's MCAT average is 34.

You can add Jefferson Medical College
Click to expand...

I thought Jefferson had high MCAT? I'm basing this off of the MSAR "applicant MCAT" data. It doesn't show matriculant data but it shows the percentiles of applicants. And the SUNYs were lower than Jefferson I believe
 
JPSmyth said:
I thought Jefferson had high MCAT? I'm basing this off of the MSAR "applicant MCAT" data. It doesn't show matriculant data but it shows the percentiles of applicants. And the SUNYs were lower than Jefferson I believe
Click to expand...
http://www.jefferson.edu/university/skmc/admissions/faq.html

The average MCAT is 32. Don't know what the median is.

I remember MSAR giving a 33 median for Downstate last year and then https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SUNY_Downstate_College_of_Medicine says the average for the 2013 entering class was 33 and it cites the MSAR as the source

https://www.career.cornell.edu/career/customcf/iws_media_library/uploads/listofschools_llo_web.pdf
Go to slide number 10
 
Mansamusa said:
http://www.jefferson.edu/university/skmc/admissions/faq.html

The average MCAT is 32. Don't know what the median is.

I remember MSAR giving a 33 median for Downstate last year and then https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SUNY_Downstate_College_of_Medicine says the average for the 2013 entering class was 33 and it cites the MSAR as the source

https://www.career.cornell.edu/career/customcf/iws_media_library/uploads/listofschools_llo_web.pdf
Go to slide number 10
Click to expand...

Definitely wasted some money on SUNYs and Miami.

I'll add medical college of Wisconsin, Jefferson, and Commonwealth medical college. Are those reasonable?
 
JPSmyth said:
Definitely wasted some money on SUNYs and Miami.

I'll add medical college of Wisconsin, Jefferson, and Commonwealth medical college. Are those reasonable?
Click to expand...
A 508 is like a 30, so it wouldn't be crazy for you to get into a school with a 33 average- just put your best foot forward. The problem is that you are also OOS for the SUNYs on top of having the lower MCAT. I do think Tulane could be worth a shot.

I don't know anything about Wisconsin. Jefferson is good. Commonwealth looks for rural and rural PA students (but still interviews some people outside that category), so it's an option but I wouldn't hold my breath.

Edit: Looking at your current list though, I think you have a good shot at getting interviews.
 
Mansamusa said:
A 508 is like a 30, so it wouldn't be crazy for you to get into a school with a 33 average- just put your best foot forward. The problem is that you are also OOS for the SUNYs on top of having the lower MCAT. I do think Tulane could be worth a shot.

I don't know anything about Wisconsin. Jefferson is good. Commonwealth looks for rural and rural PA students (but still interviews some people outside that category), so it's an option but I wouldn't hold my breath.

Edit: Looking at your current list though, I think you have a good shot at getting interviews.
Click to expand...

I saw on the SUNY secondary prompt it asks about ties to New York. I work in Manhattan and will be living in New York by the time they read the secondary apps, hopefully that counts. I'll still be on my parents health insurance so I can't claim independent yet, but I would imagine that would qualify as a significant reason. My MCAT is still low but it can't hurt to try.

Thank you all for the input
 
JPSmyth said:
I saw on the SUNY secondary prompt it asks about ties to New York. I work in Manhattan and will be living in New York by the time they read the secondary apps, hopefully that counts. I'll still be on my parents health insurance so I can't claim independent yet, but I would imagine that would qualify as a significant reason. My MCAT is still low but it can't hurt to try.

Thank you all for the input
Click to expand...
Oh, hey. Save all your utility bills, rent statements, W2, and maybe register to vote in NY. It is easy to get in-state tuition in NY and you just need enough points of evidence to show you've been living there 12 months

http://sls.downstate.edu/admissions/est_residency.html

NJ residency you already have because your parents live there and you (presumably) did at least 3 yrs of high school there
 
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Also on the TCMC site their avg stats are 3.45/30, granted only 25% of their class comes from out of state. But Scranton is within 2 hours from my house so I feel like it might be worth the app. My MCAT is there and my GPA is .4 above their average, it's not much but maybe someone will see something that they like on my app as an OOS applicant
 
Would it be worth it to add California Northstate? their avg applicant MCAT 75th percentile last year was a 507... And their site says no IS preference
 
Northstate is ... Dubious...

Look up some threads on here about Northstate and do a little reading...I would describe them as something like The Devry University School of Medicine
 
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JPSmyth said:
In 2015 their applicant 75th percentile MCAT score was a 507, as opposed to 508/509 for RWJ and NJMS. I'm praying that score doesn't keep me out but only time will tell.
Click to expand...
Your score won't keep you out of cooper. Im going there and my MCAT was lower than yours. They're more about if you fit their mission. Good luck this cycle :)
 
The Knife & Gun Club said:
Northstate is ... Dubious...

Look up some threads on here about Northstate and do a little reading...I would describe them as something like The Devry University School of Medicine
Click to expand...
It's an accredited US MD school, I'd be curious to see their first match list. For profit or not, it got accreditation. That says something at least doesn't it?
 
It has provisional accreditation and will not be matching a class for 3 years. Also students there are not eligible for government loans and need to take private ones, which can be much more expensive.

Most damning though is that every person on here who is involved in academics/admissions in any way has a very negative view of the school. @gyngyn is particularly good at describing their issues.

The way Northstate put together their first class over the summer in 2 months without even using amcas seemed (at least to me) to be a very large red flag about how they plan to run the school.
 
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JPSmyth said:
It's an accredited US MD school, I'd be curious to see their first match list. For profit or not, it got accreditation. That says something at least doesn't it?
Click to expand...
The fact they chose NOT to make federal loans available to their students, instead choosing to align themselves with their "preferred" lenders, which in turn denies their students access to gov't programs for repaying their loans. THAT says something too, doesn't it? o_O
 
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JPSmyth said:
My MCAT is very borderline at 508, but my GPA is okay at 3.8+.
My ECs are relatively standard (full time research employment during gap year, undergrad research no pubs, clinical/nonclinical volunteering, college sport, etc.)
Committee LOR consisting of 3-4 professors and 1 third year MD resident
(NJ resident)

I've already applied to the following:
* Albany Medical College
* Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
* Creighton University School of Medicine
* Drexel University College of Medicine
* Eastern Virginia Medical School
* George Washington University Sch of Med & Hlth Sci
* Georgetown University School of Medicine
* Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
* Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medici
* New York Medical College
* Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine
* Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine
* Quinnipiac University SOM
* Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Scien
* Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
* Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
* State University of New York Downstate Medical Cen
* SUNY Upstate Medical University
* The University of Miami School of Medicine
* Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicin
* Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
* Wake Forest School of Medicine of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center
* West Virginia University School of Medicine
* Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine

I am thinking about adding some more schools that I've been looking at on MSAR:
Commonwealth Medical college
Wright State
University of Utah
Indiana University
Medical College of Wisconsin

Do you advise adding any of these new schools? Are the IS preferences too heavy to make it worth applying?

Thank you
Click to expand...
NJ and NY schools are going to be your best bet.
 
JPSmyth said:
My MCAT is very borderline at 508, but my GPA is okay at 3.8+.
My ECs are relatively standard (full time research employment during gap year, undergrad research no pubs, clinical/nonclinical volunteering, college sport, etc.)
Committee LOR consisting of 3-4 professors and 1 third year MD resident
(NJ resident)

I've already applied to the following:
* Albany Medical College
* Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
* Creighton University School of Medicine
* Drexel University College of Medicine
* Eastern Virginia Medical School
* George Washington University Sch of Med & Hlth Sci
* Georgetown University School of Medicine
* Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
* Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medici
* New York Medical College
* Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine
* Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine
* Quinnipiac University SOM
* Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Scien
* Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
* Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
* State University of New York Downstate Medical Cen
* SUNY Upstate Medical University
* The University of Miami School of Medicine
* Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicin
* Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
* Wake Forest School of Medicine of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center
* West Virginia University School of Medicine
* Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine

I am thinking about adding some more schools that I've been looking at on MSAR:
Commonwealth Medical college
Wright State
University of Utah
Indiana University
Medical College of Wisconsin

Do you advise adding any of these new schools? Are the IS preferences too heavy to make it worth applying?

Thank you
Click to expand...



Do you mind sharing where you got in?
 
funnyswimmer94 said:
Do you mind sharing where you got in?
Click to expand...

I received 9 or 10 interviews and was accepted to my two top choice schools so I withdrew from other schools. But overall a great cycle

Edit- accepted to NYMC, Jefferson, temple, penn state, creighton, U Buffalo. Once my state school accepted me I withdrew from everywhere else
 
Last edited:
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JPSmyth said:
I received 9 or 10 interviews and was accepted to my two top choice schools so I withdrew from other schools. But overall a great cycle

Edit- accepted to NYMC, Jefferson, temple, penn state, creighton, U Buffalo. Once my state school accepted me I withdrew from everywhere else
Click to expand...
Congratulations - best of luck in medical school!
 
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