>3.9 gpa and 34 MCAT

[confusedhokie]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hey guys,

I haven't taken the MCAT yet, but I think with the amount of work I put in and the diagnostics I've taken, I can hit a 34. With that in mind, I know I can also keep my gpa for the rest of college above a 3.9, I will have substantial volunteer experience in a hospital (over 300 hours), and about 75 hours of shadowing, my question is: with these stats and only a few significant EC's, minimal research experience, and slightly below average letters of rec, what are the chances of getting into a solid medical school? Any particular schools that would fit? Thanks for the advice in advance!

 

[mcloaf]

Do you have any non-clinical volunteering experience? Leadership?

Why are you expecting poor letters?

 

[deleted314957]

Solid medical school = essentially any accredited U.S. allopathic or osteopathic school. Therefore your chances are good.

 

[confusedhokie]

My nonclinical volunteering only extends to doing Relay for Life, Big Event, and Habitat for Humanity when they come around. I find it difficult to approach professors, something I've been trying to work on. I'm just trying to assume worst case.

 

[confusedhokie]

Oh, and as far as leadership goes, I really only have a leadership position in my prehealth fraternity and I'm an assistant manager at the dining hall on campus.

 

[ironlionzion]

Sounds a bit like me. 33mcat, 3.9sGPA, some research, some clinical experience, some volunteering. Significant, but not outstanding. I applied a little late in the 2012 cycle and had 4 interviews. All turned into waitlists and enventual rejections. Grades and scores matter, but the EC's need to be there to prove you're in it for the humanistic side of medicine. I'm taking a couple years off for research, more ECs, and volunteering. Gonna apply this cycle....and I'm pretty confident it will go well.

An AAMC report showed that post interview, LOR are the second most important thing for getting accepted (right behind the interview itself). While grades and MCAT are the most important for getting an interview, they are less important than the LOR for getting accepted. A suggestion to get great letters of rec is to do research for a professor who taught a class you did well in.

I've enjoyed my time off after college. If you're having doubts about getting in with poor ECs, it might be worthwhile just to take a year or two off. You could end up like me - forced to take time off anyways, albeit slightly poorer and slightly less confident.

 

[SOMBound13]

what are the chances of getting into a solid medical school?

Solid? Are you thinking that some US MD schools aren't "solid"?