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- Jan 19, 2010
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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.
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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