What MCAT score would I need?

[MaxPlancker]

Hello all, longtime lurker here! I am a current Senior planning to apply in the upcoming cycle and am taking the MCAT in January. What MCAT score would provide me a good shot at top tier medical schools? I have an estimate but I'd like some input! Thanks in advance to all!

3.9 c/sGPA, Top 200 state school...

Clinical Experience
1 year Scribe
~100 hours shadowing various specialties
100 hours hospital volunteering

Volunteer Experience
Organized an ongoing volunteer program at a major service center
~100 hours working with disabled athletes over the course of 2 years
Volunteer group tutor, 4 years

Research
3+ years, very strong LOR; worked on several projects
1st author paper in medium impact journal, basic science
Numerous national level research honors, including Goldwater
Several travel grants and supply grants
Very competitive summer research internship (equally or more competitive than AMGEN)
A few plenary speaker invites to research conferences
20+ posters/podium presentations

Leadership
President of 3 campus organizations for multiple years
University's annual leadership award recipient (1 award given)
Physics Teaching Assistant x3 years
ACT Test Prep instructor x 4 years
Various leadership committees, such as homecoming judging etc
Student Government Senator

EC's
1x National champion in a sport that is outside NCAA, involved since age 11
Photography (beginner)

Misc Honors
Rhodes Finalist
Potential Fulbright research grant for gap year
10+ national awards, academic
several athletic honors and 1 American record

Background
Grew up in a rural area for half of my life...really love nature, outdoorsy activities, and gardening (even though I'm a guy). Not planning to put any emphasis on this.
I'd say I am a fairly good interviewer (lots of practice with national awards) who can definitely express enthusiasm and break down complicated things
I'd say LORs are pretty strong since I was a Rhodes finalist and had 8 recs...

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[DaMedDude]

35+ for a good chance. You have really good ECs so could land an interview with 33-34.

 

[MaxPlancker]

Thanks for the reply! I have found myself about 50 days out from the MCAT and haven't begun studying for it yet, and I feel as if I don't have time to study much with all my EC commitments. I'm just trying to get a rough idea of how much I need to study based on what MCAT would give me a good chance.

 

[Doug Underhill]

In general, it takes at least 100 hours to fully prepare for the MCAT, and many applicants take more than that. Taking the eight AAMC practice exams under timed conditions- a minimum for many applicants- requires 32 hours, and that doesn't include preparation or understanding why you got a given answer incorrect.

I'd second the score of 35. You could get a MD acceptance to a regular med school with 29 or 30, though.

 

[MaxPlancker]

Input from the famous adcoms would be particularly appreciated @Goro @LizzyM

 

[DaMedDude]

Thanks for the reply! I have found myself about 50 days out from the MCAT and haven't begun studying for it yet, and I feel as if I don't have time to study much with all my EC commitments. I'm just trying to get a rough idea of how much I need to study based on what MCAT would give me a good chance.

Yeah 50 days isn't a long time man. You need to get at it. I studied about 5 hours everyday for 6 weeks with Sundays off in order to prepare. But I did think that was plenty of time and felt ready after about 4 weeks. You need to make a schedule and stick to it. You can read through the Kaplan book in just a few days to brush up on the material, I used Kaplan from 2011 to prepare. Highly recommend exam krackers 101 verbal passages but not the other practice passages books. You can relearn all the material in under a week but then need a little time to get the timing down...especially on verbal. I took one Kaplan practice exam and thought it was silly, nothing like aamc. Take all the aamc practices obviously. First exam I took with no prep I got a 30 but then after a few weeks got it up to high 30s and then I got a 36 on the real thing so I was really happy. You can be prepared in 50 days but you need to start going at it now or you're going to screw yourself over. I am actually a believer than cramming for the mcat is a good thing for some people. Take an aamc practice exam and see where you are at.

 

[ProudMD]

35 is a good and realistic score to shoot for.

 

[MaxPlancker]

DaMedDude, thanks for the tip! I will make a schedule tonight while I'm on thanksgiving break

 

[Goro]

Concur. Your packet looks golden.

35+ for a good chance. You have really good ECs so could land an interview with 33-34.

 

[MaxPlancker]

Thanks Goro!

 

[Lamel]

You have 50 days so you should really start studying ASAP. Get rid of some ECs for now if they are taking too much time, MCAT will dictate where you are competitive.

 

[Afford]

If you were a Rhodes Finalist, you will probably stand a chance with an MCAT as long as it's above their 10th percentile. At the very top schools, that's a 32-33.

 

[MaxPlancker]

That seems possible for an actual Rhodes Scholar...doubt finalist plays that big of a role IMHO.

 

[Doug Underhill]

Can you explain what a Rhodes Finalist is and how it differs from a Rhodes Scholar? I'm not sure everyone on SDN understands how it works.

 

[MaxPlancker]

The process works like this: 1) your institution has an internal competition process and you must be one of the nominees (generally most state schools will nominate 1-2 and then 2) you compete against ~1000 other nominees in the national application then 3) 12-16 people are selected for interviews in each of 16 districts and this is the Rhodes finalist stage and finally 4) 2 people out of the 12-16 in each district are selected as Rhodes Scholars