3.65 GPA 30Q MCAT Chances?

[cark]

Thanks for reading and helping me out!

I'm a California student at a UC with a 3.65 GPA (approximately the same for science GPA) and a 30Q MCAT score (10 physical, 11 verbal, and 9 biological sciences). I'm majoring in Bioengineering. My grades have been making an upward trend. Freshman and sophomore year I didn't realize that I wanted to be a doctor, and my grades reflected that. Junior year I've been getting A's in everything I've taken so far. I have also made the dean's list several times.

The 9 in bio seemed rather odd, given that I've aced every single bio class I've taken. Would that work in my favor in the application process?

I have 120+ hours volunteering in a hospital ICU. I also volunteered during one summer in a rural Indian leprosy colony for a little less than a month (one of the more fulfilling activities in my life). I promptly joined the leadership board of the club with whom I went to this colony with when I got back to college.

I've also had solid research experience as a full time research assistant for an entire summer (so that puts it at about 320 hours of research). I also have a publication pending.

Does anyone know medical schools where I'd be competitive at, or at least have a decent chance of getting interviews? I appreciate your consideration!


- cark

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[Catalystik]

Your ECs appear to be on the sparse side from what you've shared. You might give consideration to waiting a year to apply to beef them up further, besides raising your cGPA. You didn't menton your BCPM GPA.

Based on stats alone, with a 3.65/30, some schools you might check for "fit" that have a decent OOS matriculation rate (per the 2011-2012 MSAR):

UIllinois, Wayne, Buffalo, Toledo, UNebraska, Drexel, Temple, Vermont, VCU, Virginia Tech Carilion (newer),
GWU, FIU, Louisville, Tulane, UNevada (from region and [W]WAMI), NYMC, MUSC, SCarolina, EVMS, Florida Atlantic University (new),
Rush, Michigan State, Oakland (new),
Commonwealth MC in Pa

 

[cark]

Your ECs appear to be on the sparse side from what you've shared. You might give consideration to waiting a year to apply to beef them up further, besides raising your cGPA. You didn't menton your BCPM GPA.

Based on stats alone, with a 3.65/30, some schools you might check for "fit" that have a decent OOS matriculation rate (per the 2011-2012 MSAR):

UIllinois, Wayne, Buffalo, Toledo, UNebraska, Drexel, Temple, Vermont, VCU, Virginia Tech Carilion (newer),
GWU, FIU, Louisville, Tulane, UNevada (from region and [W]WAMI), NYMC, MUSC, SCarolina, EVMS, Florida Atlantic University (new),
Rush, Michigan State, Oakland (new),
Commonwealth MC in Pa

Thanks for your input Catalystik! I appreciate it.

As far as the sparse ECs are concerned, I have three more ECs that I could put in. Specifically, mentoring in my engineering society's mentor/mentee program (2 years), a stint in my college's honor society (1 year), and participation in an ethnic interest club (2 years). That's all I can think of off the top of my head. I'm also still involved with the research lab where I worked over the summer (I attend lab meetings, help out with research proposals, and sometimes do wet work).

I've tried to go for fewer ECs, but put more time into the ones I do. I figured that having fewer but richer ECs would be better than having numerous ones that I put hardly any time into. As an engineering major, free time for ECs is already hard to come by. I hope that having such few ECs doesn't put me at too much of a disadvantage.