4.0 GPA, 514 MCAT, help with school list

[laballsummer]

Hi everyone! Just got my score back from the Jan 22nd MCAT: 514 total (91st percentile), breakdown -- 130/127/129/128. First off, do you think it's worth considering a retake to shoot for 520+? I was hoping for a chance at some top 20 schools as I have strong interests in basic science research, but my MCAT seems to be on the lower end of their spectrum. If the conversion tables I'm reading are correct, a 514 roughly equates to a 34 on the old exam, right? Asian male, btw.

Academics

• 4.0 GPA, double major in biology and statistics, big midwestern state school
• 514 MCAT, relatively even spread.
• Around 4-5 school-wide honors/awards/scholarships

Research

• Extensive research for 3 years now in the same lab. 1 first author pub in low IF journal, second author pub incoming but not by the time I submit AMCAS (currently on resume as "in preparation"), multiple poster presentations (one at national conference)
• Two "prestigious" summer research fellowships (one Amgen, one NIH)

Medical EC's

• ~150 hours volunteering in the local university hospital geriatrics unit
• ~60 hours shadowing (all primary care)

Non-medical EC's

• Work at a local education non-profit for the past three years
• Founded an organization that provides free SAT prep to local students in inner-city high schools (typically from underserved populations). I teach at these high schools around 3-4 hours a week (250+ hours by now)
• University tour guide
• Work as a journalist for an international undergraduate research journal
• Work as an editor for two local journals (one research-based, one literary arts)
• Captain of local mens' league soccer team (2014/2015 state champions if that even matters lol)

Tentative school list:

Hofstra
Temple
University of Wisconsin in Madison
Boston University
Darthmouth (should I remove this? Hear they have a mission statement that may not match me)
Brown (same as above; does their mission statement exclude me?)
Tufts
Georgetown
George Washington
Emory
Thomas Jefferson
UIC (instate school)
UChicago
Northwestern
U Washington
U Michigan
Mayo
St. Louis
Tulane
U Pittsburg
Yale
Harvard (for HST, really love what I've read and heard about this program, aligns perfectly with my interests)
Vanderbilt
UCLA

What do you guys think? Anything to add/remove? Maybe too top-heavy? Any suggestions are much appreciated!

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[Prilozack]

You have to be trolling right now! haha! Seriously, I think if you have great ECs and experiences, you should be fine at most places. Nothing is for sure, but I see you not being rejected because of stats.

 

[GrapesofRath]

514 is a 33.

Not a bad list but try and double the number of schools you stand a pretty reasonable shot at getting a II at.

Go through MSAR and find another 10 schools or so that take at least 35% OOS where the MCAT median is 31-33. Start with the left over schools in your state you didnt list(except SIU unless you are south of I-180). Medical College of Wisconsin is another good one to add.

Out of your list I would certainly keep Emory, Jefferson, UIC, Saint Louis, Tulane and Wisconsin. I would also certainly dump GW, G-town, Brown, U of Washington and the majority of the top 20 schools you have listed where your MCAT is low(keep a few if you want and see if someone will bite on that research experience).

 

[laballsummer]

Thanks for the advice, all! I did suspect the list was sort of top-heavy. Any advice from the pros, @Goro @gyngyn ? What do you all think about my list, and what's your opinion on whether or not I should re-take the 514?

 

[Goro]

Retake a 514??? Are you trolling? Do I have to reach into your monitor and smack you upside the head? Do you realize anyone doing that would get rejected from gyngyn's school for being so foolish?


I suggest:

Hofstra
Temple
Rochester
University of Wisconsin in Madison
Boston University
Tufts
Emory
Einstein
Tulane
U Miami
U VT
IU
OH State
Thomas Jefferson
UIC (instate school)
Northwestern OR Pittsburgh
Mayo
St. Louis
Columbia OR Cornell
Case
Tulane
U AZ
U Cinci
U Toledo
UCLA or UCSD
Keck

 

[laballsummer]

Thanks for the response, @Goro . According to MSAR, the median MCAT at some of these top schools (e.g. Cornell/Columbia/Northwestern/Pitt/Emory, etc.) you've suggested floats around a 35-36, which is 2-3 points above what my score of a 514 translates to -- 33. Given this and the fact that I am an ORM, would you still discourage a retake? And furthermore, would a competitive scholarship such as a Goldwater/Fullbright/Marshall pick up some of the slack for that low-ish MCAT (of course the latter two would call for a gap year).

 

[Goro]

The odds are that your score will go down, stay the same, or maybe go up one point, and the this, plus the damage of you displaying poor choices of retaking a good exam, are so much that I can't advise it.

You're in striking distance given that your score in above these schools 10th%ile, but the higher you climb, the slipperier the pole gets.

I don't anything about these scholarships, so I can discern how they will help your app. I'll send up a flare for the wise @LizzyM and @gyngyn.

Thanks for the response, @Goro . According to MSAR, the median MCAT at some of these top schools (e.g. Cornell/Columbia/Northwestern/Pitt/Emory, etc.) you've suggested floats around a 35-36, which is 2-3 points above what my score of a 514 translates to -- 33. Given this and the fact that I am an ORM, would you still discourage a retake? And furthermore, would a competitive scholarship such as a Goldwater/Fullbright/Marshall pick up some of the slack for that low-ish MCAT (of course the latter two would call for a gap year).

 

[gyngyn]

I can not recommend re-taking a 514 for any theory.

 

[laballsummer]

Great, thank you both for the advice!

 

[Rainbow Zebra]

Hi everyone! Just got my score back from the Jan 22nd MCAT: 514 total (91st percentile), breakdown -- 130/127/129/128. First off, do you think it's worth considering a retake to shoot for 520+? I was hoping for a chance at some top 20 schools as I have strong interests in basic science research, but my MCAT seems to be on the lower end of their spectrum. If the conversion tables I'm reading are correct, a 514 roughly equates to a 34 on the old exam, right? Asian male, btw.

Academics

• 4.0 GPA, double major in biology and statistics, big midwestern state school
• 514 MCAT, relatively even spread.
• Around 4-5 school-wide honors/awards/scholarships

Research

• Extensive research for 3 years now in the same lab. 1 first author pub in low IF journal, second author pub incoming but not by the time I submit AMCAS (currently on resume as "in preparation"), multiple poster presentations (one at national conference)
• Two "prestigious" summer research fellowships (one Amgen, one NIH)

Medical EC's

• ~150 hours volunteering in the local university hospital geriatrics unit
• ~60 hours shadowing (all primary care)

Non-medical EC's

• Work at a local education non-profit for the past three years
• Founded an organization that provides free SAT prep to local students in inner-city high schools (typically from underserved populations). I teach at these high schools around 3-4 hours a week (250+ hours by now)
• University tour guide
• Work as a journalist for an international undergraduate research journal
• Work as an editor for two local journals (one research-based, one literary arts)
• Captain of local mens' league soccer team (2014/2015 state champions if that even matters lol)

Tentative school list:

Hofstra
Temple
University of Wisconsin in Madison
Boston University
Darthmouth (should I remove this? Hear they have a mission statement that may not match me)
Brown (same as above; does their mission statement exclude me?)
Tufts
Georgetown
George Washington
Emory
Thomas Jefferson
UIC (instate school)
UChicago
Northwestern
U Washington
U Michigan
Mayo
St. Louis
Tulane
U Pittsburg
Yale
Harvard (for HST, really love what I've read and heard about this program, aligns perfectly with my interests)
Vanderbilt
UCLA

What do you guys think? Anything to add/remove? Maybe too top-heavy? Any suggestions are much appreciated!

consider adding Ohio State, OOS friendly, IS tuition after first year, big academic med center. For U of Michigan, their OOS MCAT averages about 36, the MSAR only shows the blended IS/OOS, put it in the reach column. IF you PI writes you a glowing research letter, I would add Stanford (a friend got into STanford with a 32 MCAT, but a glowing PI letter and a first author pub in a low impact journal). Good luck to you.

 

[Rainbow Zebra]

Hi everyone! Just got my score back from the Jan 22nd MCAT: 514 total (91st percentile), breakdown -- 130/127/129/128. First off, do you think it's worth considering a retake to shoot for 520+? I was hoping for a chance at some top 20 schools as I have strong interests in basic science research, but my MCAT seems to be on the lower end of their spectrum. If the conversion tables I'm reading are correct, a 514 roughly equates to a 34 on the old exam, right? Asian male, btw.

Academics

• 4.0 GPA, double major in biology and statistics, big midwestern state school
• 514 MCAT, relatively even spread.
• Around 4-5 school-wide honors/awards/scholarships

Research

• Extensive research for 3 years now in the same lab. 1 first author pub in low IF journal, second author pub incoming but not by the time I submit AMCAS (currently on resume as "in preparation"), multiple poster presentations (one at national conference)
• Two "prestigious" summer research fellowships (one Amgen, one NIH)

Medical EC's

• ~150 hours volunteering in the local university hospital geriatrics unit
• ~60 hours shadowing (all primary care)

Non-medical EC's

• Work at a local education non-profit for the past three years
• Founded an organization that provides free SAT prep to local students in inner-city high schools (typically from underserved populations). I teach at these high schools around 3-4 hours a week (250+ hours by now)
• University tour guide
• Work as a journalist for an international undergraduate research journal
• Work as an editor for two local journals (one research-based, one literary arts)
• Captain of local mens' league soccer team (2014/2015 state champions if that even matters lol)

Tentative school list:

Hofstra
Temple
University of Wisconsin in Madison
Boston University
Darthmouth (should I remove this? Hear they have a mission statement that may not match me)
Brown (same as above; does their mission statement exclude me?)
Tufts
Georgetown
George Washington
Emory
Thomas Jefferson
UIC (instate school)
UChicago
Northwestern
U Washington
U Michigan
Mayo
St. Louis
Tulane
U Pittsburg
Yale
Harvard (for HST, really love what I've read and heard about this program, aligns perfectly with my interests)
Vanderbilt
UCLA

What do you guys think? Anything to add/remove? Maybe too top-heavy? Any suggestions are much appreciated!

Delete U of Washington. If you ain't for Pacific NW states, you aren't going to get an II. They are very OOS unfriendly.