Re-applicant, below average MCAT, no interviews last time

[deleted659912]

Just wanted to thank you all for reading this!

GPA: 3.8c, 3.8s
MCAT: 26 (7, 7, 12), 30 (10, 10, 10)
Top 10 Public School, Graduated May 2014
IL Resident
ORM
4 recs: 2 science profs, 1 psych, 1 boss from teaching job. I'm expecting my prof recs to be exceptional and my boss has a very high opinion of me but I'm not sure how well it translated into the rec.

200+ hours hospital volunteering
80 hours animal shelter volunteering
150+ hours nursing home volunteering
300+ hours babysitting
200+ hours psychology research - research conductor and coder
100+ hours educational assistant for student with disabilities
30 hours in emergency services club - CPR and First Aid certified
600+ hours educational instructor and ACT prep course teacher
800+ hours hospitality
80 hours shadowing
international volunteering at an elephant conservation center in Thailand

I have added the last four activities since my application last year and have also increased my hours in the nursing home and in my research since then. I also had to retake the MCAT last year in August and ended up completing my applications in early-mid Sept, which is understandably lethal with my stats. This year, I've completed all my apps in late July and in the very beginning of August. Last time I believe I treated it more like a college application and didn't prepare enough while now I've gotten feedback on my PS, activity summaries etc. so hopefully I can get some interviews and acceptances.

My target schools are:

University of Illinois
Southern Illinois University
Rush
Rosalind Franklin
Loyola
Medical College of Wisconsin
Oakland
Wake Forest
Quinnipiac
NYMC
George Washington
Drexel
Albany
PCOM-PA (DO)
PCOM-GA (DO)
NYIT (DO)

I am currently getting a DO letter soon, so hopefully I can apply and be complete at other DO schools around mid/late-Sept. I'm definitely applying to CCOM and looking at a few others. Any feedback would be appreciated!

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[GrapesofRath]

Only apply to Southern Illinois if you are from the southern part of the state. South of the I-180 corridor is often cited as a rough guideline.

You can be competitive at all the schools you listed but where have you applied previously? How many of these schools will you be a re-app?

 

[deleted659912]

I am a re-app at U of I, SIU, Rosalind Franklin, Rush, Loyola, Albany and Drexel. I'm originally from a suburb 5 miles above I-80 but I've lived south of I-80 during college and continued to live there even after I graduated so hopefully that has some weight.

 

[candbgirl]

Did you apply last cycle with the same MCAT score or is the 30 a new score? What is 800+ hospitality? Did you check to see if the schools you applied to average scores, super score or just use newest/best scores? If they average you'd have a 28 which is low for MD. If they super score you'd have a 32. Huge difference. Even a 30 is below average. You might want to add some more schools where you won't be a reapplicant. You should definitely focus on DO schools. Good luck this cycle!

 

[deleted659912]

I applied with the 30 last time also. Hospitality as in being a server, hostess etc at a fine dining establishment. Yeah I think my best chance at MD would be at Illinois schools so I think I'm probably going to send another 5-10 applications to DO when I get my letter. I think I want to pursue emergency medicine or anesthesiology so I'm totally open to going DO! I know GW and MCW superscore while U of I, Rosalind Franklin, Rush, SIU and Quinnipiac use the highest/most recent so I'm pretty happy that the Illinois schools will be a bit more forgiving.

 

[Goro]

EDIT: I didn't see the 30 on the 2nd try.
I suggest:


Rush
NYMC
Creighton
Albany
Rosy Franklin
Drexel
Temple
Loma Linda (but read their list of don'ts)
MCW
St. Louis U
WVU
Jefferson
Creighton
Tulane
Loyola
U Miami
Wake Forest
EVMS
VCU
Oakland-B
Western MI
Any DO program
Your state school(s).

Just wanted to thank you all for reading this!

GPA: 3.8c, 3.8s
MCAT: 26 (7, 7, 12), 30 (10, 10, 10)
Top 10 Public School, Graduated May 2014
IL Resident
ORM
4 recs: 2 science profs, 1 psych, 1 boss from teaching job. I'm expecting my prof recs to be exceptional and my boss has a very high opinion of me but I'm not sure how well it translated into the rec.

200+ hours hospital volunteering
80 hours animal shelter volunteering
150+ hours nursing home volunteering
300+ hours babysitting
200+ hours psychology research - research conductor and coder
100+ hours educational assistant for student with disabilities
30 hours in emergency services club - CPR and First Aid certified
600+ hours educational instructor and ACT prep course teacher
800+ hours hospitality
60 hours shadowing
international volunteering at an elephant conservation center in Thailand

I have added the last four activities since my application last year and have also increased my hours in the nursing home and in my research since then. I also had to retake the MCAT last year in August and ended up completing my applications in early-mid Sept, which is understandably lethal with my stats. This year, I've completed all my apps in late July and in the very beginning of August. Last time I believe I treated it more like a college application and didn't prepare enough while now I've gotten feedback on my PS, activity summaries etc. so hopefully I can get some interviews and acceptances.

My target schools are:

University of Illinois
Southern Illinois University
Rush
Rosalind Franklin
Loyola
Medical College of Wisconsin
Oakland
Wake Forest
Quinnipiac
NYMC
George Washington
Drexel
Albany
PCOM-PA (DO)
PCOM-GA (DO)
NYIT (DO)

I am currently getting a DO letter soon, so hopefully I can apply and be complete at other DO schools around mid/late-Sept. I'm definitely applying to CCOM and looking at a few others. Any feedback would be appreciated!

 

[deleted659912]

Thanks for the input everyone! I'm just scared that the same thing will happen this cycle.

 

[deleted659912]

Unfortunately got Screener's Alternate for SIU after a month under review. Pretty bummed =( Well I should have my DO rec next week so that's a positive! Any specific DO school recommendations?

 

[Faha]

For DO schools consider these schools where you have a good chance for an interview with your stats:
MU-COM
UP-KYCOM
LECOM (both schools)
LMU-DCOM
ACOM
BCOM
CUSOM
VCOM (all 3 schools)

 

[Stagg737]

Unfortunately got Screener's Alternate for SIU after a month under review. Pretty bummed =( Well I should have my DO rec next week so that's a positive! Any specific DO school recommendations?

Honestly, that's not a school I'd be bummed about not getting into. I'd say the schools mentioned in your other thread are decent choices for the DO route. Apply to 10-12 and you should be okay assuming you get your stuff turned in soon.

For DO schools consider these schools where you have a good chance for an interview with your stats:
MU-COM
UP-KYCOM
LECOM (both schools)
LMU-DCOM
ACOM
BCOM
CUSOM
VCOM (all 3 schools)

With OP's stats, he can aim higher than this...