3.67 sGPA, 3.58 cGPA, 28R

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JoshuaGuit

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Hi everyone,

I just got pretty disappointing grades back from my MCAT exam. The breakdown was:

PS: 8
VR: 10
BS: 10
Written: R


I had been hoping (and planning on) a score of >30, but that didn't happen and I need to roll with the punches and do the best I can. Here is some background info:

Major: Biomedical engineering
sGPA (self reported, not verified yet): 3.67
cGPA: 3.58
University: Top/middle tier engineering university

-Research/lab:
--1 publication being submitted, second author
-- 4 abstracts submitted, one being a first author
-- Invited to present a poster at the BMES national conference (first author on the abstract)
-- At my prehealth interview, they told me that they had never seen such a strong letter of recommendation for a student (verbatim) , was written by my PI
-- 70 hours/wk in the summer, 20 during the year
-- Put as most meaningful

-- Student intern at biopharma company, LOR from my boss there (strong letter according to my prehealth committee), only intern chosen for that year, meaningful research

-Extracurricular:
--Competitive powerlifting, takes up 10 hours a week of training

-Leadership:
-- Fraternity leadership role as a scholarship chairman, IFC delegate, greek peer supporter for my fraternity
-- Community service one year as a camp counselor for a medical camp, had been a camper there for 7 years. Put as most meaningful

-Other:
-- Physician shadowing, 82 hours total among different specialties, strong LOR (according to committee) from one physician I shadowed (DO, but board certified in 4 specialties), most meaningful experience

-Teaching/tutoring:
--10 hr week commitment being a cellular biology TA, taught a recitation class of ~20 students once a week, prepared lectures, quizzes, review sessions

-Community service:
-- certified EMT-b, volunteered on university ambulance

-Leadership not listed elsewhere:
-- Held many positions in RSA throughout undergrad, chairman of upperclassmen council sophomore year, once I moved off campus and became greek I became the liaison between greek life and RSA

-Intercollegiate:
-- Competitive ballroom dancing

-Community service non clinical:
-- Charity walks for IBD

My prehealth committee told me that my personal statement was extremely well written and that I had a very strong application (except not having a 4.0 GPA), however this was before I got the 28R. I honestly just screwed myself over on a magnetism question halfway through the exam, didn't pay attention to time, and the three remaining passages were very very rushed when they were topics I knew and should have done better on. My summer (May->July) was spent self studying for this test. I had not taken physiology or genetics, so I had to teach myself all of the required information for the MCAT. I underestimated the physics, gen chem, and orgo... but primarily the physics E&M.

At this point I don't know where I am competitive at. I am a CT resident, however I go to college in NY. I just feel like such a failure for this MCAT score, I put so much effort into it but did not live up to the expectations I had for myself.

With my EC's and letters, is it still even realistic to be looking at colleges whose 10% ranges begin at 30?

If anyone can help me with a list I would be completely appreciative.

This is my most updated list, but unfortunately I don't even know what is realistic or not (even for a matched consideration)
.match:

Chicago medical school rosalind franklin
Creighton university school of medicine
saint louis university school of medicine
Medical college of wisconsin
University of Miami Leonard M Miller School of medicine
Pennsylvania State university college of medicine
Wake forest school of medicine
Albany medical college

reach:
NY medical college
Rush medical college
George Washington university
Drexel University
Temple university school of medicine
Albert Einstein (LOR from former boss who is also a former AE professor)
New York University School of Medicine
University of Connecticut

more than reach:
Georgetown University
Mayo Medical
Tufts
Boston University
Duke
Keck School of Medicine
Mount Sinai
University of Pitt
Washington University in St. Louis

Thank you for any help, I am just completely distraught right now.

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Hey, I got a pretty similar score and slightly better GPA but my list looks pretty similar, aside from the reaches (no money to waste). I would consider DO school if I were in your position, there are *some* great DO schools and if you hurry you can still submit for this cycle... Or retake the MCAT. That's not something that I'm willing to do, as I don't think risking a lower score is worth it, and a 28 is okay at many schools. Good luck! :thumbup:
 
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Hey, I got a pretty similar score and slightly better GPA but my list looks pretty similar, aside from the reaches (no money to waste). I would consider DO school if I were in your position, there are *some* great DO schools and if you hurry you can still submit for this cycle... Or retake the MCAT. That's not something that I'm willing to do, as I don't think risking a lower score is worth it, and a 28 is okay at many schools. Good luck! :thumbup:

I have looked into DO programs in the past and just don't find their training style ideal. Even the DO I shadowed told me that if he had been given the choice, he would not have gotten a DO degree. Do you think there's any reasonable chance at these MD programs?
 
I am going to repeat what I've said to 3 other OPs on this board. I had a really good GPA, did alot of EC's and good LOR's. I was floored when I got a 27Q on my MCAT!
That said, I applied broadly. I received interviews (after applying early) to Albert Einstein, Drexel, Creighton, West Virginia, University of Miami and University of Central Fl. I was accepted to Drexel and UCF and waitlisted at the rest.

Everyone told me to apply DO: that I would never get into an MD program. Well, I was determined and you should be, too. You have a really good app. Add a few more schools to your list.

I am currently in my 3rd year at University of Central Florida College of Medicine and love what I do. Incidently, I took my Step 1 and received a 242...really competitive by all accounts.

Let me know if I can help. Good luck!
 
I am going to repeat what I've said to 3 other OPs on this board. I had a really good GPA, did alot of EC's and good LOR's. I was floored when I got a 27Q on my MCAT!
That said, I applied broadly. I received interviews (after applying early) to Albert Einstein, Drexel, Creighton, West Virginia, University of Miami and University of Central Fl. I was accepted to Drexel and UCF and waitlisted at the rest.

Everyone told me to apply DO: that I would never get into an MD program. Well, I was determined and you should be, too. You have a really good app. Add a few more schools to your list.

I am currently in my 3rd year at University of Central Florida College of Medicine and love what I do. Incidently, I took my Step 1 and received a 242...really competitive by all accounts.

Let me know if I can help. Good luck!

I would absolutely love to get in contact with you, could you PM me your email by any chance?

Also, is your home state Florida?

edit: Just read a post from your history. :( I would love to to to UCF, but I think it being a public school really kills my chances
 
I count 10 schools on your list where you have a decent to good chance of an interview. Good luck!

I would give you a shot of this whipped cream vodka if I could :thumbup:

It was either going to be celebratory or... not celebratory, but I guess tonight is just being neutral.

I just got an email back from the pre-health advisor at my university and he said the "match" schools look good, and the only thing he'd change would be to wipe off NYU
 
I would give you a shot of this whipped cream vodka if I could :thumbup:

It was either going to be celebratory or... not celebratory, but I guess tonight is just being neutral.

I just got an email back from the pre-health advisor at my university and he said the "match" schools look good, and the only thing he'd change would be to wipe off NYU
I'll make my own! I wish you the best.
 
My home state is Florida but I know at least 1/4 (if not more) of the class is out-of-state. They looked at the whole package, not just the MCAT
 
I would absolutely love to get in contact with you, could you PM me your email by any chance?

Also, is your home state Florida?

edit: Just read a post from your history. :( I would love to to to UCF, but I think it being a public school really kills my chances
Read more of my old posts and you'll see how many doubters there were. Guess they were wrong. I was told tha because of my MCAT I would probably have problems passing Step 1...wrong again :)
 
I'll make my own! I wish you the best.

Thank you :)

Are there any other opinions on schools I should add/delete from my list before I spend the 800 bucks on these primaries?
 
don't wanna scare you, but if u haven't been verified yet, it doesn't look good for you...the GPA is mediocre, the MCAT is not competitive for MD, and the fact that you are a "later" applicant, just makes it even worse. If I were you, I'd consider DO as well.
 
don't wanna scare you, but if u haven't been verified yet, it doesn't look good for you...the GPA is mediocre, the MCAT is not competitive for MD, and the fact that you are a "later" applicant, just makes it even worse. If I were you, I'd consider DO as well.
On SDN, a 3.67 sGPA may be mediocre, however it is always in the upper range for medical school averages. I feel like my extracurriculars in leadership and my letters of recommendation (one of which pre-health committee chairman said was the strongest he has ever seen written by a PI for a student) make up for my lacking in the MCAT score.

I did really well in the actual PS classes (A in physics 1,2, B+ in Gen chem 1,2), does that mitigate any factors?
 
On SDN, a 3.67 sGPA may be mediocre, however it is always in the upper range for medical school averages. I feel like my extracurriculars in leadership and my letters of recommendation (one of which pre-health committee chairman said was the strongest he has ever seen written by a PI for a student) make up for my lacking in the MCAT score.

I did really well in the actual PS classes (A in physics 1,2, B+ in Gen chem 1,2), does that mitigate any factors?

im not sayin abandon your MD plans...but ALSO consider DO, because ur stats are borderline...and be aware that even the strongest LOR isn't going to offset ur MCAT or grades. Gotta be realistic with what you have.
 
im not sayin abandon your MD plans...but ALSO consider DO, because ur stats are borderline...and be aware that even the strongest LOR isn't going to offset ur MCAT or grades. Gotta be realistic with what you have.

Well, I just added the schools to my primary-- there goes $850. Hopefully well spent, let's wish :oops:
 
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