3.7 GPA and 500 MCAT :(( What should i do?

[deleted983296]

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Hey everyone,

So I am in a problem, just got my mcat result and it's way off from my perfect score. I do feel that I have good everything else ( I have 4 years of research with 4 posters , and 2 pubs , good clinical >500, have lots of working experience, tutoring , managing- have business, open non profit when I was 19 - and more ; I am non traditional and I am also a mother.) So the mcat is the only thing that holding me down and i would rather not take again ( rather work and do others things before I apply- I am not applying this cycle but the 2020 cycle). What you guys think, do I have any chance anywhere for MD ( I am from NY) ? I will be open for DO , but would love to do MD . Honestly before the mcat I thought to apply to md/PhD even, now everything looks impossible.

 

[Engrailed]

Hey everyone,

So I am in a problem, just got my mcat result and it's way off from my perfect score. I do feel that I have good everything else ( I have 4 years of research with 4 posters , and 2 pubs , good clinical >500, have lots of working experience, tutoring , managing- have business, open non profit when I was 19 - and more ; I am non traditional and I am also a mother.) So the mcat is the only thing that holding me down and i would rather not take again ( rather work and do others things before I apply- I am not applying this cycle but the 2020 cycle). What you guys think, do I have any chance anywhere for MD ( I am from NY) ? I will be open for DO , but would love to do MD . Honestly before the mcat I thought to apply to md/PhD even, now everything looks impossible.

I would suggest re-strategizing your MCAT study plan and aiming for a high score. You have a unique background plus good ECs and publications. If you can get a great MCAT score, you would have a solid shot at many MD schools.

 

[907914]

So the mcat is the only thing that holding me down and i would rather not take again ( rather work and do others things before I apply- I am not applying this cycle but the 2020 cycle)

So, your app is STELLAR Save for that MCAT. No amount of work or clinical experience will really improve your application. You have 7 months to retake the MCAT, that is what you should do if you want to apply MD. You NEED to retake if you want to do MD/PhD. Even for DO, 500 may I’ve iffy next year.

As a father myself, I would caution you in the MD/PhD route as the time commitment is immense. However, I won’t discourage your career goals. Also, being that you have the time, here is my MCAT study strategy that is low-intensity for 6 months:

MCAT Advice from a 521 Non-Trad - its a marathon not a sprint

I have had 3 people ask for MCAT advice within a couple months of their test date. As a father who was also in the military reserves for the first 3 months of MCAT study time, I can tell you that I did not have massive amounts of dedicated study time. Mostly 2 or 3 hour sessions every other day...

forums.studentdoctor.net

 

[candbgirl]

Are you UIM by any chance?

You said you’d “rather work and do other things before you apply” instead of retaking the MCAT. But f you want MD you’ll have to retake! What were your scores on your FL practice tests?

 

[deleted983296]

Are you UIM by any chance?

You said you’d “rather work and do other things before you apply” instead of retaking the MCAT. But f you want MD you’ll have to retake! What were your scores on your FL practice tests?

UIM ? Meaning underrepresented minority? I am not really sure - I do come from low SES and I am first ge generation, but I am white women so I am not really sure. For the FL's the highest I ever hit was 512 ( I week before the exam , and before that it was a ranging from 503 and up- my biggest weakness is cars for sure ; English my third language).

I guess I really should re evaluate everything and just focus on the mcat . By 'doing other thing' , I meant working on my business, finish my last semesters in college , and actually spending time with the family before craziness starts.

 

[deleted983296]

So, your app is STELLAR Save for that MCAT. No amount of work or clinical experience will really improve your application. You have 7 months to retake the MCAT, that is what you should do if you want to apply MD. You NEED to retake if you want to do MD/PhD. Even for DO, 500 may I’ve iffy next year.

As a father myself, I would caution you in the MD/PhD route as the time commitment is immense. However, I won’t discourage your career goals. Also, being that you have the time, here is my MCAT study strategy that is low-intensity for 6 months:

MCAT Advice from a 521 Non-Trad - its a marathon not a sprint

I have had 3 people ask for MCAT advice within a couple months of their test date. As a father who was also in the military reserves for the first 3 months of MCAT study time, I can tell you that I did not have massive amounts of dedicated study time. Mostly 2 or 3 hour sessions every other day...

forums.studentdoctor.net

Thank you for the reply, I think you really have a valid point and I will start studying again. For the md/phd route , I think its really challenging but I am lucky enough that my husband really stay home dad and help alot ( actually it was his idea for me to think about the md-phd route) .

 

[candbgirl]

UIM ? Meaning underrepresented minority? I am not really sure - I do come from low SES and I am first ge generation, but I am white women so I am not really sure. For the FL's the highest I ever hit was 512 ( I week before the exam , and before that it was a ranging from 503 and up- my biggest weakness is cars for sure ; English my third language).

I guess I really should re evaluate everything and just focus on the mcat . By 'doing other thing' , I meant working on my business, finish my last semesters in college , and actually spending time with the family before craziness starts.

No your not UIM but speaking other languages(especially Spanish) is always a Bonus. Good Luck on your retake.

 

[bdawg0426]

Plan for 300-500 hours of work to be ready for the MCAT. I did the Berkely review and took 10 practice exams and did better on the real MCAT that the best of any of my 10 PEs.

 

[907914]

Plan for 300-500 hours of work to be ready for the MCAT. I did the Berkely review and took 10 practice exams and did better on the real MCAT that the best of any of my 10 PEs.

Not necessarily true - it is an individual experience. I spent MAYBE 200-250 hours and only took the 4 AAMC FLs (same though, did better than all of my FLs).

 

[Kardio]

What is your CARS score?

 

[Faha]

You are competitive for the majority of DO schools with your stats but would need to apply broadly to at least 12 schools. If you increase your MCAT to 508 you have a 2/3 chance for a MD acceptance versus your current chances of 25% with your 500 (these chances are from the GPA-MCAT grid).

 

[Goro]

Hey everyone,

So I am in a problem, just got my mcat result and it's way off from my perfect score. I do feel that I have good everything else ( I have 4 years of research with 4 posters , and 2 pubs , good clinical >500, have lots of working experience, tutoring , managing- have business, open non profit when I was 19 - and more ; I am non traditional and I am also a mother.) So the mcat is the only thing that holding me down and i would rather not take again ( rather work and do others things before I apply- I am not applying this cycle but the 2020 cycle). What you guys think, do I have any chance anywhere for MD ( I am from NY) ? I will be open for DO , but would love to do MD . Honestly before the mcat I thought to apply to md/PhD even, now everything looks impossible.

MCAT is lethal for mD; as per the wise Faha's advice, apply broadly to DO. I can't recommend Touro-NY, Nova, Wm Carey, LUCOM, for different reasons. MSUCOM? Read up on Larry Nasser and you decide. LMU has an accreditation warning, which concerns me. CalHS is too new and appears to be too limited in rotations sites.

If you're boning for the MD, you have to retake the MCAT, but do better than 510.

 

[JACKRABBIT27]

You are competitive for the majority of DO schools with your stats but would need to apply broadly to at least 12 schools. If you increase your MCAT to 508 you have a 2/3 chance for a MD acceptance versus your current chances of 25% with your 500 (these chances are from the GPA-MCAT grid).

@Faha @Goro How many DO schools would you recommend with a 508 MCAT? so far I have sent my primary to 5

 

[Faha]

@Faha @Goro How many DO schools would you recommend with a 508 MCAT? so far I have sent my primary to 5

What is your cGPA and sGPA ? Do you have any physician shadowing hours or clinical volunteering or employment with patient contact hours ?
Where is your state of residence ?

 

[JACKRABBIT27]

What is your cGPA and sGPA ? Do you have any physician shadowing hours or clinical volunteering or employment with patient contact hours ?
Where is your state of residence ?

@Faha @Goro

cGPA, sGPA 3.42, DIY post bacc GPA 3.96
100 + hours of physician shadowing
~700 hours of clinical volunteering (ED department, UCSF spine center, hospice)
CA Resident
Sent my primary to CCOM, Touro (CA, thinking of adding NY), Western CA, NYITCOM
Also have completed secondaries to 24 MD schools

*money is limiting me from adding more DO at the moment, your advice is appreciated

 

[Goro]

@Faha @Goro

cGPA, sGPA 3.42, DIY post bacc GPA 3.96
100 + hours of physician shadowing
~700 hours of clinical volunteering (ED department, UCSF spine center, hospice)
CA Resident
Sent my primary to CCOM, Touro (CA, thinking of adding NY), Western CA, NYITCOM
Also have completed secondaries to 24 MD schools

*money is limiting me from adding more DO at the moment, your advice is appreciated

With a 500 score. Add
All LECOMs
VCOM
ACOM
BCOM
UIW
ARCOM
WVSOM
MUCOM
NYITCOM.AR

 

[Goro]

@Goro I have a 508 and 505

Sorry, I was looking at the thread title.
With your MCATs, MD is not likely except your state MD schools.
For DO, add:
PCOM
UNECOM
LECOM (any)
VCOM
KCU
DMU
CUSOM
AZCOM

 

[JACKRABBIT27]

@Goro @Faha

Sorry, I was looking at the thread title.
With your MCATs, MD is not likely except your state MD schools.
For DO, add:
PCOM
UNECOM
LECOM (any)
VCOM
KCU
DMU
CUSOM
AZCOM

Thank you, I wanted to added PCOM but my MCAT is expired. So you would say about 13 schools?

 

[Goro]

@Goro @Faha

Thank you, I wanted to added PCOM but my MCAT is expired. So you would say about 13 schools?

That's about right

 

[JACKRABBIT27]

That's about right

Okay, I was learning towards ~8 schools. What are your thoughts on Pacific Northwest WU?
Also you agree that adding more DO schools anytime in the next month (or two before Thanksgiving) would not put me at a disadvantage? @Goro

 

[Goro]

Okay, I was learning towards ~8 schools. What are your thoughts on Pacific Northwest WU?
Also you agree that adding more DO schools anytime in the next month (or two before Thanksgiving) would not put me at a disadvantage? @Goro

How would adding more schools put you at a disadvantage???

PacNW is fine if you're from that region.

 

[JACKRABBIT27]

How would adding more schools put you at a disadvantage???

PacNW is fine if you're from that region.

I meant the timing, adding them in the next month instead of ASAP