3.8+ GPA; 503 MCAT

[toothking03]

Scored a 503 in August 2021, taking a gap year after graduation to work and do EC's. I have the time to retake, but mainly looking at DO schools. Is it worth retaking so I can be more competitive for schools like DMU, or just apply broadly? Not sure if there is any school I shouldn't bother applying to. CCOM average is now 510 and I feel like I'll be at a disadvantage by 2023 cycle. Thoughts? Really stuck.

IL resident
Graduating May 2022, applying in 2023

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[Mr.Smile12]

How were your practice scores?

 

[toothking03]

How were your practice scores?

504, 507, 507, 508

 

[TragicalDrFaust]

Have you taken a look at user paradoxic_toxic's sheet of average MCAT/GPA for each DO school (ripped from choose DO website)? Might help you get a sense of your fit at the different schools. Seeing as the average is 504.x and increasing every year, it might be worth a retake. Getting a 508+ would put you in the ballpark for more established DO schools and some MD schools. 503 is an ok score for newer DO schools and wouldn't necessarily keep you out of the older ones.

 

[NY_Med]

n=1 but 504/3.8 and I got plenty of MD (4 II/ 2 A) and DO (6 II/ 5 A's) love. Apply broadly, and wherever you want within MCAT 10%ile and I am sure some will land.

 

[Dr Meow]

I had a 508/3.95 and I got 0 II from any MD. And only low tier DO. I applied to over 60 schools. All mid to low tier. For me it's just get in where-ever you can. Each year you wait it becomes more insane. When I started studying for the MCAT, that was 7 years ago. What a different world it is now. I voided my mcat a bunch of times. Gave up, and came back accepting anything. Low tier DO is a prize to me.

 

[NY_Med]

I had a 508/3.95 and I got 0 II from any MD. And only low tier DO. I applied to over 60 schools. All mid to low tier. For me it's just get in where-ever you can. Each year you wait it becomes more insane. When I started studying for the MCAT, that was 7 years ago. What a different world it is now. I voided my mcat a bunch of times. Gave up, and came back accepting anything. Low tier DO is a prize to me.

I guess that just goes to show just how big of a crapshoot this whole process is tbh. One of my MD acceptances was even an OOS school with a 10th%ile MCAT of 506.

 

[toothking03]

n=1 but 504/3.8 and I got plenty of MD (4 II/ 2 A) and DO (6 II/ 5 A's) love. Apply broadly, and wherever you want within MCAT 10%ile and I am sure some will land.

That's amazing I can only wish for that. Does it matter that I'm not really looking to do competitive specialities? I'll apply broadly regardless and hope for the best.

 

[toothking03]

Have you taken a look at user paradoxic_toxic's sheet of average MCAT/GPA for each DO school (ripped from choose DO website)? Might help you get a sense of your fit at the different schools. Seeing as the average is 504.x and increasing every year, it might be worth a retake. Getting a 508+ would put you in the ballpark for more established DO schools and some MD schools. 503 is an ok score for newer DO schools and wouldn't necessarily keep you out of the older ones.

I haven't, ill take a look. I feel like I can probably get in somewhere, but whats the true difference between newer programs and older established ones? Does the specialty you want to do come into play? For example, I'm thinking of primary care, psych, and anesthesia. If my EC's don't hinder me, I can study again this June - beginning of 2023.

 

[dial1010usa]

I think your GPA will compensate for your low MCAT even though your MCAT is not bad still >500. Apply broadly. How's your rest of app?

 

[TragicalDrFaust]

I haven't, ill take a look. I feel like I can probably get in somewhere, but whats the true difference between newer programs and older established ones? Does the specialty you want to do come into play? For example, I'm thinking of primary care, psych, and anesthesia. If my EC's don't hinder me, I can study again this June - beginning of 2023.

They very new ones have lower board pass rates. I think Liberty and Burrell have had years where only 80-85%of students passed boards. Newer schools may lack other kinds of support such as research connections, good rotation sites and career advising for getting a desired (or any) residency. It’s riskier to go to a newer school, generally speaking.

As far as specialty, it’s probably most helpful to look up each individual school’s recent match lists. I think there is a rough trend of more established schools matching more competitive residencies but that’s a pretty broad generalization.

 

[Goro]

Scored a 503 in August 2021, taking a gap year after graduation to work and do EC's. I have the time to retake, but mainly looking at DO schools. Is it worth retaking so I can be more competitive for schools like DMU, or just apply broadly? Not sure if there is any school I shouldn't bother applying to. CCOM average is now 510 and I feel like I'll be at a disadvantage by 2023 cycle. Thoughts? Really stuck.

IL resident
Graduating May 2022, applying in 2023

Apply broadly, skipping the for-profit, and those schools that haven't graduated a Class (and ARCOM, LMU and LUCOM), and you'll have success.

 

[PapaGuava]

Thread moved to WAMC.

 

[toothking03]

I think your GPA will compensate for your low MCTA even though your MCAT is not bad still >500. Apply broadly. How's your rest of app?

My EC's are currently lacking (hence the gap year) but I'll end up basically cookie cutter with scribing experience, volunteering, a little research, shadowing, etc. Unless I retake, I'm planning to apply broadly (state schools, ~20 DO schools)

 

[Mr.Smile12]

My EC's are currently lacking (hence the gap year) but I'll end up basically cookie cutter with scribing experience, volunteering, a little research, shadowing, etc. Unless I retake, I'm planning to apply broadly (state schools, ~20 DO schools)

Please be more specific what your "cookie cutter" activities are planned to be?