[Pre-M.D./D.O.] cGPA 3.3 sGPA 3.3 MCAT 2015 510

[torts]

I just got my MCAT score back and would love some advice from all of you.

Here's the breakdown:
C/P - 130 (97%)
CARS - 124 (44%) << very very very very worrisome, should I consider retaking?
B/B - 127 (77%)
P/S - 129 (93%)

Realistically, during my practice, I was definitely most inconsistent with CARS, there would be days I could score 86% (like on the sample FL) and other days I could score just like I did there. Yikes. I have a feeling it will be fairly detrimental to my M.D. applications, but do I still stand a chance at maybe some lower tier M.D. schools? Will I be good enough for better D.O. schools?

More info:
I am a CA resident.
I finished a post-bacc and got my GPA back up to a 3.3 for both cGPA and sGPA.
Graduated from UC Berkeley 2013.
Worked as an EMT (1 year) and ER Tech (7 months; quit to study for MCAT).
Volunteered in various ERs.
Shadowed a PA in Cardiothoracic surgery (thought I might go that route).
Shadowed another PA and M.D. in a GI private practice.
I have 1 letter of recommendation from an ER M.D. I used to work with at the ER.
I have a committee letter from my Post-Bacc.
I was President of Colleges Against Cancer.
I was Co-President of a community service organization.
I interned at the City of Berkeley's City Manager's Office.
I sat on the board for the City of Berkeley's Community Health Commission for a summer.
I worked as an after-school teacher at an underprivileged school.
I mentored a couple students from an underprivileged neighborhood.
I did research for 4 months in a lab, but did not get published.

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[efle]

Your Verbal is equivalent to between a 7 and 8, and paired with a 3.3 GPA as a Californian is going to make MD extremely unlikely unless you are URM.

 

[LuluLovesMe]

You are a good candidate for almost all DO schools though the GPA will limit your chances for some.

For MD, you really need to raise the GPA and verbal score

 

[GrapesofRath]

You're fine for most DO programs. Being below the 10th percentile GPA for almost every MD OOS lower tier school you can apply to will make things rather difficult. How much of an upward trend do you have GPA wise from the post-bacc? It might still be worth applying to some lower tier MD's but it'll be a rough ride.

If you're really boning for the MD you sound like a candidate who might be good for an SMP program.

 

[torts]

You're fine for most DO programs. Being below the 10th percentile GPA for almost every MD OOS lower tier school you can apply to will make things rather difficult. How much of an upward trend do you have GPA wise from the post-bacc? It might still be worth applying to some lower tier MD's but it'll be a rough ride.

If you're really boning for the MD you sound like a candidate who might be good for an SMP program.

Hi, thanks for the reply.

I got all A's in my post-bacc! So, in your opinion, is the tough ride mostly because my GPA is on the lower side and not because my Verbal score is low? My real question here is, should I really be considering a retake in order to increase my Verbal score?

Do you have any recommendations for SMP programs to look into?

 

[GrapesofRath]

Hi, thanks for the reply.

I got all A's in my post-bacc! So, in your opinion, is the tough ride mostly because my GPA is on the lower side and not because my Verbal score is low? My real question here is, should I really be considering a retake in order to increase my Verbal score?

Do you have any recommendations for SMP programs to look into?

Your GPA is the biggest thing holding you back .

I wouldn't retake the MCAT unless you have a really strong reason to believe you can do significantly better on the re-take.

Search the post-bacc, non trad and re-applicant forums. You'll get a lot of good advice and input there. There lots of SMP options out there from Tufts, to Georgetown, to Boston U, to Cincinnati, to Rosalind and many others. Do some research and figure out which one is best for you

 

[torts]

You are a good candidate for almost all DO schools though the GPA will limit your chances for some.

For MD, you really need to raise the GPA and verbal score

Which DO schools do you think are too much of a reach? I'm not completely sure what the difficulty level of each school is...

 

[torts]

Your GPA is the biggest thing holding you back .

I wouldn't retake the MCAT unless you have a really strong reason to believe you can do significantly better on the re-take.

Search the post-bacc, non trad and re-applicant forums. You'll get a lot of good advice and input there. There lots of SMP options out there from Tufts, to Georgetown, to Boston U, to Cincinnati, to Rosalind and many others. Do some research and figure out which one is best for you

Thanks for the sound advice!

 

[LuluLovesMe]

Which DO schools do you think are too much of a reach? I'm not completely sure what the difficulty level of each school is...

None are too much of a reach. But the more difficult ones that come to mind are DMU especially, Touros, CCOM, AZCOM

 

[torts]

None are too much of a reach. But the more difficult ones that come to mind are DMU especially, Touros, CCOM, AZCOM

Thanks for the advice Lulu! I'm definitely going to focus most of my attention on DO schools now. It would take quite a lot to raise my GPA any higher, and if anything I'll be sure to consider an SMP and retake the MCAT. Unlike some, I quite enjoy the DO philosophy.

 

[Anomandaris]

Just FYI, this belongs in WAMC, not here. You might get more adcom attention in there as well.

 

[torts]

Just FYI, this belongs in WAMC, not here. You might get more adcom attention in there as well.

I'm sorry, what is WAMC?

 

[Anomandaris]

I'm sorry, what is WAMC?

"What Are My Chances" forum. You'll probably get more insight regarding your chances from adcom members like Goro, LizzyM, gonnif, gyngyn, etc.