3.66/3.52/ 21,23 mcat highest composite mcat: 25

[mj2323]

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My stats:
GPA: 3.66
Science GPA: 3.51
Non Science: 3.82

MCAT: Sept 2012 - V: 8, P: 7, B: 8 = 23
MCAT: Aug 2013 - V: 4, P: 9, B: 8 = 21

Highest Composite Score: 25

I felt that my aug mcat had an error in verbal so that is currently being rescored.

I called a few DO schools and they said they all take highest composite score as their priority.

I was an active member of a charitable childrens organization for more than a year. we sponsored education, and access to healthy foods for the less-fortunate children in South Asian countries who were subject to child labor.

I have volunteered at 3 different hospital settings (oncology, radiology, ICU) for a total of 2+ years.

I have 6 months of hands on research with drosophila flies.
I published a research article on cardiovascular disease during a research internship at a summer program (2 months)

I have worked 15-20 hours a week throughout my 4 years of college to support myself.

I just graduated with a BS in Bio, and a minor in Political science. I'm doing an EMT course currently since im taking a year off and i will be doing emt related work after december

I consider myself economically disadvantaged and I am a first generation student in NY.

It's been pretty hard for me to get any DO letters as of yet, but I'm using all my sources to try to shadow a DO. I will hopefully have an opportunity and a LOR very soon.

What DO Schools should I apply to? What are my chances?

 

[TriagePreMed]

To be honest, I'd say save your money. You hit a lower MCAT on your second try. They might take the best subscore, but there is no way to overlooking that drop That's just something that will stick out to the committee. I think when they say best subscore they mean (as in to be considered positive) a guy/gal who got a 23 then a 25 and best subscores adds up to a 26.

My recommendation for you is to retake the MCAT once more. If you can score at least a 25, you might have a chance at the lower end programs, but I'd also start preparing right now for a different career. Podiatry would be the easiest one to get into since they take the MCAT and their average is about a 22-23.

 

[user3]

chances are decent despite the MCAT drop, due to the balanced 23 on the first attempt. most schools look at your highest score.

I recommend these schools:
VCOM-VC
VCOM-CC
LMU
WVSOM
ACOM
MUCOM
LECOM-E/SH

reach but worth applying:
ATSU-SOMA
ATSU-KCOM
KCUMB
Touro-Middletown (apply through touro-ny)
NYIT (due to NY resident preference)

CUSOM (reportedly screens for 24, but not 100% sure)
LUCOM (reportedly screens for 24, but not 100% sure)

worth applying, but regionally biased:
WCU
PCOM-Ga
KYCOM
PNWU

 

[Lost Vagus]

To be honest, I'd say save your money. You hit a lower MCAT on your second try. They might take the best subscore, but there is no way to overlooking that drop That's just something that will stick out to the committee. I think when they say best subscore they mean (as in to be considered positive) a guy/gal who got a 23 then a 25 and best subscores adds up to a 26.

My recommendation for you is to retake the MCAT once more. If you can score at least a 25, you might have a chance at the lower end programs, but I'd also start preparing right now for a different career. Podiatry would be the easiest one to get into since they take the MCAT and their average is about a 22-23.

3.5 and 3.8 gpas with a 23 on the mcat after two tries and you are adivsing someone to prepare for a different career path? Please stop. There's no need to give false hope to people that is unrealistic but this is just wrong. I know a hand full of people that took the mcat 4... 5.. even 6 times that got in to medical school. With a gpa like that you could probably even get in to school with your 23. Don't give up. Apply and if you don't get in retake the mcat. Don't go to podiatry school because it's easier than medical school. That is just horrible advice. These kind of posts remind me why I should spend less time on sites like this.

 

[TriagePreMed]

3.5 and 3.8 gpas with a 23 on the mcat after two tries and you are adivsing someone to prepare for a different career path? Please stop. There's no need to give false hope to people that is unrealistic but this is just wrong. I know a hand full of people that took the mcat 4... 5.. even 6 times that got in to medical school. With a gpa like that you could probably even get in to school with your 23. Don't give up. Apply and if you don't get in retake the mcat. Don't go to podiatry school because it's easier than medical school. That is just horrible advice. These kind of posts remind me why I should spend less time on sites like this.

First try 23. Second try 21. If it were backward I'd have your faith, but it's realistic to say that if on the 3rd try they fail they should have at least looked into another option. That's called being responsible.

And yes, the GPA is nice, but with a 21 it won't look like anything other than inflation.

 

[mj2323]

Your demotivating comments about looking into another profession were unnecessary. If I may remind you that there is also a 3rd way to become a doctor, and that way is by going to the American affiliated Caribbean schools. And I should also remind you that not everything is about just mcat and gpa. Med schools also evaluate personal life, life crisis, family death, letter of recommendations, personal statement, and many other situations of students. You can't pass such a harsh judgment from the basic amount of information I provided.

And with regards to taking the highest subsection. I specifically called and asked each school; each school said that even if scores were lower on the second or third try, they will still look at the highest from each subsection. Yes, you are right that a lower score doesn't look good, but that's besides the point. And also, my mcat is being rescored. So the results I posted here are not final.

And thanks, yes I may have to take the MCAT again

 

[mj2323]

USER 3 - Thank you very much for your help! Much appreciated!

 

[TriagePreMed]

Your demotivating comments about looking into another profession were unnecessary. If I may remind you that there is also a 3rd way to become a doctor, and that way is by going to the American affiliated Caribbean schools. And I should also remind you that not everything is about just mcat and gpa. Med schools also evaluate personal life, life crisis, family death, letter of recommendations, personal statement, and many other situations of students. You can't pass such a harsh judgment from the basic amount of information I provided.

And with regards to taking the highest subsection. I specifically called and asked each school; each school said that even if scores were lower on the second or third try, they will still look at the highest from each subsection. Yes, you are right that a lower score doesn't look good, but that's besides the point. And also, my mcat is being rescored. So the results I posted here are not final.

And thanks, yes I may have to take the MCAT again

Take the comments as demotivational if you wish, but I call it being responsible. Like I said, retake the MCAT. If you fail to obtain a decent score a 3rd time, it is time to evaluate the alternatives. Seriously, having alternatives if you perform poorly is bad? I did it for myself when I did poorly on my first MCAT. I shadowed a podiatrist and I spoke to graduate students to see if DPM or a PhD would be a better choice for me just in case. Thankfully I did better my second time and didn't have to go that route.

As for the reason I didn't recommend the Caribbean is because I think podiatry is a better alternative. Aside from the horrendous attrition rate and debt, an MCAT of 21 is not one to expect being able to pass the USMLE. In fact, I've seen kids with your MCAT being rejected outright from SGU and Ross, so don't even think you're on lock for anything. You seem to know better than me though. Go ahead and apply. Go prove me wrong.

 

[GypsyHummus]

Take the comments as demotivational if you wish, but I call it being responsible. Like I said, retake the MCAT. If you fail to obtain a decent score a 3rd time, it is time to evaluate the alternatives. Seriously, having alternatives if you perform poorly is bad? I did it for myself when I did poorly on my first MCAT. I shadowed a podiatrist and I spoke to graduate students to see if DPM or a PhD would be a better choice for me just in case. Thankfully I did better my second time and didn't have to go that route.

As for the reason I didn't recommend the Caribbean is because I think podiatry is a better alternative. Aside from the horrendous attrition rate and debt, an MCAT of 21 is not one to expect being able to pass the USMLE. In fact, I've seen kids with your MCAT being rejected outright from SGU and Ross, so don't even think you're on lock for anything. You seem to know better than me though. Go ahead and apply. Go prove me wrong.

How does someone get rejected from the Caribbean?

 

[touchpause13]

Take the comments as demotivational if you wish, but I call it being responsible. Like I said, retake the MCAT. If you fail to obtain a decent score a 3rd time, it is time to evaluate the alternatives. Seriously, having alternatives if you perform poorly is bad? I did it for myself when I did poorly on my first MCAT. I shadowed a podiatrist and I spoke to graduate students to see if DPM or a PhD would be a better choice for me just in case. Thankfully I did better my second time and didn't have to go that route.

As for the reason I didn't recommend the Caribbean is because I think podiatry is a better alternative. Aside from the horrendous attrition rate and debt, an MCAT of 21 is not one to expect being able to pass the USMLE. In fact, I've seen kids with your MCAT being rejected outright from SGU and Ross, so don't even think you're on lock for anything. You seem to know better than me though. Go ahead and apply. Go prove me wrong.

This. All of this. 👍

 

[TriagePreMed]

How does someone get rejected from the Caribbean?

Typically it goes SGU > Ross = AUC > Saba. I think each school has to have a certain number of clinical spots for the number of seats they have. They first try to recruit all the ones with highest GPA/MCAT, and once their statistical model says that they have about the number likely to succeed, they start recruiting the rest to fill up the seats. Eventually the number of seats are full.

They have new tricks to try to retain people. For example, Ross made up "MERP" which is a program that gets you into the January class. SGU has a similar program and in addition they have 1 year MPH with linkage. Considering that there are 15,000 kids every year that don't make it into an MD program + those exclusively applying DO + those in Canada and other internationals, it is no surprise they have a surplus if even just a third of them try to go to the caribbean. This is why, shockingly, their average MCAT is around a 25. Now that people are waking up to how they are suckered in by these people is why we see Osteopathic averages exploding and mostly those regionally-seeking programs carry low MCAT scores.

 

[Goro]

You're barely on life support, MCAT-wise. However, if you applied broadly, you should eb able to get in somewhere, especially at some of the newer schools.

My stats:
GPA: 3.66
Science GPA: 3.51
Non Science: 3.82

MCAT: Sept 2012 - V: 8, P: 7, B: 8 = 23
MCAT: Aug 2013 - V: 4, P: 9, B: 8 = 21

Highest Composite Score: 25

I felt that my aug mcat had an error in verbal so that is currently being rescored.

I called a few DO schools and they said they all take highest composite score as their priority.

I was an active member of a charitable childrens organization for more than a year. we sponsored education, and access to healthy foods for the less-fortunate children in South Asian countries who were subject to child labor.

I have volunteered at 3 different hospital settings (oncology, radiology, ICU) for a total of 2+ years.

I have 6 months of hands on research with drosophila flies.
I published a research article on cardiovascular disease during a research internship at a summer program (2 months)

I have worked 15-20 hours a week throughout my 4 years of college to support myself.

I just graduated with a BS in Bio, and a minor in Political science. I'm doing an EMT course currently since im taking a year off and i will be doing emt related work after december

I consider myself economically disadvantaged and I am a first generation student in NY.

It's been pretty hard for me to get any DO letters as of yet, but I'm using all my sources to try to shadow a DO. I will hopefully have an opportunity and a LOR very soon.

What DO Schools should I apply to? What are my chances?

 

[mj2323]

Take the comments as demotivational if you wish, but I call it being responsible. Like I said, retake the MCAT. If you fail to obtain a decent score a 3rd time, it is time to evaluate the alternatives. Seriously, having alternatives if you perform poorly is bad? I did it for myself when I did poorly on my first MCAT. I shadowed a podiatrist and I spoke to graduate students to see if DPM or a PhD would be a better choice for me just in case. Thankfully I did better my second time and didn't have to go that route.

As for the reason I didn't recommend the Caribbean is because I think podiatry is a better alternative. Aside from the horrendous attrition rate and debt, an MCAT of 21 is not one to expect being able to pass the USMLE. In fact, I've seen kids with your MCAT being rejected outright from SGU and Ross, so don't even think you're on lock for anything. You seem to know better than me though. Go ahead and apply. Go prove me wrong.

I got a 21 on the MCAT which is possibly an error and that's why I'm rescoring. I also got a 23 and if you take the highest of my scores it's a 25. With regards to passing the steps, I personally know students who got mid to low 20s on the MCAT and ended up doing great on the USMLE. They are two different tests. There might be a correlation, but correlation is not causation. And speaking of Caribbean schools, my friend got a 21, 23, and a 24 and he's attending St Georges University right now (matriculated Aug 2013). Like I said, it's not all about stats. I don't have to prove you wrong because you've already been proven wrong by many students who've gotten into med schools with low scores.

 

[TriagePreMed]

I got a 21 on the MCAT which is possibly an error and that's why I'm rescoring. I also got a 23 and if you take the highest of my scores it's a 25. With regards to passing the steps, I personally know students who got mid to low 20s on the MCAT and ended up doing great on the USMLE. They are two different tests. There might be a correlation, but correlation is not causation. And speaking of Caribbean schools, my friend got a 21, 23, and a 24 and he's attending St Georges University right now (matriculated Aug 2013). Like I said, it's not all about stats. I don't have to prove you wrong because you've already been proven wrong by many students who've gotten into med schools with low scores.

It is possibly an error because you don't like the score. I have yet to see a challenge to MCAT scoring that goes on to be successful, but whatever.

Look, I have nothing against you. If you get into medical school, good for you. If you pass your boards, good for you. It affects me in no way whatsoever. I'm warning you about the realities of the Caribbean. Everyone thinks they are a special cookie (myself included), but with the attrition rate at SGU, also composed of kids like you that thought they were the exception, you should take a hard look at yourself and see if you really want to do that and gamble that.

As for being proven wrong, I'm speaking about your case and only your case, but that's besides the point. Good luck in your journey, and yes, I sincerely mean that.

 

[TopTomato]

I got a 21 on the MCAT which is possibly an error and that's why I'm rescoring. I also got a 23 and if you take the highest of my scores it's a 25. With regards to passing the steps, I personally know students who got mid to low 20s on the MCAT and ended up doing great on the USMLE. They are two different tests. There might be a correlation, but correlation is not causation. And speaking of Caribbean schools, my friend got a 21, 23, and a 24 and he's attending St Georges University right now (matriculated Aug 2013). Like I said, it's not all about stats. I don't have to prove you wrong because you've already been proven wrong by many students who've gotten into med schools with low scores.

I think you are taking his advice the wrong way. Like he's stated he has no reason to "want" you to fail in your goal of going to medical school. I've seen him call it like it is when people ask what their chances are of getting into medical school. Technically speaking if you send in your app you have a "chance" of matriculating, however it can be unlikely.

 

[kj8210]

Dude if you're not here for honest advice why would you even post your situation here? He's not trying to be rude but just honest. With your MCAT and doing worse the second time, its going to be ALOT harder for you to get into US DO schools. It's always good to have a back up just in case because like everything on this planet, nothing is guaranteed (well very few things). Yea schools might look at your best score or your best composite but they aren't going to completely look over your other scores. I'm also just applying so I don't know much but every persons situation is different so you can't use people you personally know as a sample size when comparing stats. Just my two cents.

 

[Instatewaiter]

Your demotivating comments about looking into another profession were unnecessary. If I may remind you that there is also a 3rd way to become a doctor, and that way is by going to the American affiliated Caribbean schools. And I should also remind you that not everything is about just mcat and gpa. Med schools also evaluate personal life, life crisis, family death, letter of recommendations, personal statement, and many other situations of students. You can't pass such a harsh judgment from the basic amount of information I provided.

The carribean is a terrrible, terrible idea for the OP.

In the Carribean, even the best schools have tremendous attrition rates. That attrition comes from failing classes and failing the USMLE. For someone who does not break 24, a failure on the USMLE is a relatively high likelihood (has been studied). Furthermore, someone with lower scores likely needs the help that a US school would provide. In the Carribean, you are left largely to your own devices and if you get through, great. If not, too bad.

If you think taking the MCAT is hard, just wait until you take the USMLE/COMLEX. Your best bet is to take the MCAT again after taking time off to study and hope you do well enough for a mainland school.

A LOR isn't going to overcome a 21 on the MCAT. Using your family situation, life crisis or personal life as an excuse does not raise confidence in your ability to succeed in medical school. The repeat MCAT belies your assertion that a single thing caused the first bad score. Schools will wonder, "are you just going to crumble at the first sign of difficulty?"

I am not trying to be a dick, just realistic. Think about these things, study hard for the next MCAT and do well on it. Then, none of this will even be an issue. Don't just jump into another MCAT unprepared.

How does someone get rejected from the Caribbean?

Same way they get rejected from MD schools and DO schools. Stats aren't up to par. For many of the big 4 carribean schools, their stats rival DO schools. Unlike most DO schools, you just aren't given many ancillary services like help if you are struggling.

 

[GypsyHummus]

Why in the world would someone who can get into a DO school go to the Caribbean? The only reasoning I could see is because they are not a US citizen, because if you can graduate and pass your board scores, someone should be able to get a primary care residency as a Carrib grad, which in my mind would be better than not being a physician at all.

 

[m1021]

No one is even addressing the lower score due to VERBAL, which is highly dependent on the actual MCAT that day. You improved PS, which is great, and you kept BS at a reasonable score. Your first score shows you can get the verbal score you need.

Personally, which most people would probably disagree with me... I would retake the MCAT and get that verbal score up. Depending on the practice test, I would get anywhere from 6-12 on verbal. Work on that section, try to get your other sections just up one or two points.

I took the MCAT three times. I took it twice last cycle, and once more before applying this cycle.
It's September, and I am sitting on an acceptance. During my interview, they didn't even address the fact I took it three times.

Improve your sciences or AT LEAST, keep them where they are at.
Improve verbal.
You're most likely in somewhere.

 

[Beautiful Game]

Your demotivating comments about looking into another profession were unnecessary. If I may remind you that there is also a 3rd way to become a doctor, and that way is by going to the American affiliated Caribbean schools. And I should also remind you that not everything is about just mcat and gpa. Med schools also evaluate personal life, life crisis, family death, letter of recommendations, personal statement, and many other situations of students. You can't pass such a harsh judgment from the basic amount of information I provided.

And with regards to taking the highest subsection. I specifically called and asked each school; each school said that even if scores were lower on the second or third try, they will still look at the highest from each subsection[/B]. Yes, you are right that a lower score doesn't look good, but that's besides the point. And also, my mcat is being rescored. So the results I posted here are not final.

And thanks, yes I may have to take the MCAT again

If you do not mind can you list the schools you called and they confirmed this. I am in an almost similar situation and trying to finalize adding more schools.

 

[mj2323]

I got accepted into WVSOM Class of 2019! Even though people doubted me I still made it. So can you!

 

[chemguy79]

Congratulations!

 

[candbgirl]

2019?

 

[mj2323]

Yes 2019. They offered me a rollover admission. Guaranteed seat so long as I pay the deposit. So I will start school next fall and graduate in 2019.

 

[mj2323]

Congratulations!

Thank you