AACOMAS GRADE REPLACEMENT ADVICE!

[Dr.Burns]

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@Goro I had multiple interviews this cycle but was either rejected or placed on a waitlist. If I don't get pulled off a waitlist (praying daily I do), I will have to re-apply next cycle.

So the question is: how should I approach this new policy for retakes? My recalculated sGPA/cGPA will be 3.30 and 3.24. down substantially bc I retook 5 classes (all C's -> A's). Do I look into a SMP? retake the mcat (scored in the 50th %).

Any one can hop in for the 2 cents. THANKS!

 

[cjcarter]

How are your interviewing skills? Multiple interviews with 0 acceptances kind of seems like they may be lacking.

Are you confident you can increase your MCAT score if you take it again? What were your practice exam scores?

 

[Dr.Burns]

I feel like i interview great ! yeah two schools told me it was my MCAT. I have taken it 3 times and consistently score in the same neighborhood. Avg scores 498-502.

 

[cjcarter]

That's likely your ceiling so I wouldn't retake. So you contacted the schools who rejected you for feedback then? I guess your best bet is either a SMP, I'd do one through a med school. Or you can take a bunch of upper level science courses but it could take awhile to get your GPA up to the competitive range this way. Fingers crossed you get off a waitlist!

Edit: your GPA isn't horrible without those retakes, so maybe taking upper level courses may be the best route to save you $. Try to calculate how many courses you'd need to increase your GPA to what you want, granted this is if you get As in them. If you have to reapply, target new schools.

 

[Dr.Burns]

Yeah its not good to have 4 takes at the mcat although admissions says "it shows commitment" but I think it shows lack of improvement if you aren't achieving higher scores. I did contact the schools, the two I was rejected from said it was my MCAT (one told me to take upper division courses to boost my GPA and apply next year but that seems counterproductive with this AACOMAS policy coming into play). The other two are waitlist and they just said they have a ton of competitive applicants at the moment so I mean there still is hope.

I tried but its 2k+ for one freaking class! I have a ton of upper division classes already so that doesn't seem like an option. Which SMP are through med schools?

 

[cjcarter]

There is still hope! Don't give up yet.

Some med schools have a 1 year masters program that is basically an audition for med school. You take med school classes, but the risk is that you need to do well. Some schools require a certain GPA to be considered for an interview at the COM. I know CCOM has one, KCU, I believe KCOM, etc. If you are interested in certain schools, look on their website and see if this is something they offer if this sounds appealing to you.

 

[Dr.Burns]

There is still hope! Don't give up yet.

Some med schools have a 1 year masters program that is basically an audition for med school. You take med school classes, but the risk is that you need to do well. Some schools require a certain GPA to be considered for an interview at the COM. I know CCOM has one, KCU, I believe KCOM, etc. If you are interested in certain schools, look on their website and see if this is something they offer if this sounds appealing to you.

Not giving up yet! I will try to apply to some programs as a safety net here in the next couple of weeks. I have also drafted a LOI to these two schools (don't quite know if it will help but it def wont hurt)!

A part of me wants to retake the MCAT and shoot for a 505+ but that takes a lot of time and energy. Just sucks that my sGPA will dip 0.3 points due to the change. Where are you starting next fall?

 

[cjcarter]

What two schools are you WLed at if you don't mind saying? If you are drafting letter of intents I would only send it to one of the schools, whichever you prefer. Maybe send them an update letter if you have done anything significant since you applied.

Yeah I know how you feel. I had to take the MCAT three times as well. It's definitely a huge time investment and super stressful. I'm going to CCOM.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

If you had multiple invites and no acceptance, there's something wrong with your interview. No more MCAT or classes will do it, so the next step is an SMP with linkage.

 

[Goro]

Agree 100%

How are your interviewing skills? Multiple interviews with 0 acceptances kind of seems like they may be lacking.
Are you confident you can increase your MCAT score if you take it again? What were your practice exam scores?

Most people are terrible judges of their own interviewing performances. I can't recommend a repeat either.

I feel like i interview great ! yeah two schools told me it was my MCAT. I have taken it 3 times and consistently score in the same neighborhood. Avg scores 498-502.

Never, ever believe the "shows commitment" nonsense. Tons of SMPs are given by med schools; LECOM, Drexel, the Touros, BU, U Miami, Gtown, Western, Mt Sinai, Rosy Frnaklin, for example.

Yeah its not good to have 4 takes at the mcat although admissions says "it shows commitment" but I think it shows lack of improvement if you aren't achieving higher scores. I did contact the schools, the two I was rejected from said it was my MCAT (one told me to take upper division courses to boost my GPA and apply next year but that seems counterproductive with this AACOMAS policy coming into play). The other two are waitlist and they just said they have a ton of competitive applicants at the moment so I mean there still is hope.

I tried but its 2k+ for one freaking class! I have a ton of upper division classes already so that doesn't seem like an option. Which SMP are through med schools?

 

[Dr.Burns]

Okay! Which of these SMP programs would you recommend ?

 

[Alienman52]

That's likely your ceiling so I wouldn't retake. So you contacted the schools who rejected you for feedback then? I guess your best bet is either a SMP, I'd do one through a med school. Or you can take a bunch of upper level science courses but it could take awhile to get your GPA up to the competitive range this way. Fingers crossed you get off a waitlist!

Edit: your GPA isn't horrible without those retakes, so maybe taking upper level courses may be the best route to save you $. Try to calculate how many courses you'd need to increase your GPA to what you want, granted this is if you get As in them. If you have to reapply, target new schools.

I'd concur, but not for the quantitative effect on the GPA. If OP were to ace a whole bunch of upper level science division courses, his/her GPA would improve yes, but what's more important is the qualitative "wow" factor. Adcoms will see that OP can handle upper level science coursework regardless of what his/her GPA says. Just be sure to do really well in those courses OP. Your GPA as it stands will push through all screens so you don't have to worry about that.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[Goro]

Any of them.

Okay! Which of these SMP programs would you recommend ?

 

[Dr.Burns]

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