Advice from someone with a 496 MCAT Acceptance

[DrStephenStrange]

Do not worry, friend. I am not listening, they are all only explaining the negatives of people like you and I. They are not discussing the great, successful physicians that arose from people like us.

And regardless, I am already accepted.

English is my second language, so I ended up taking the MCAT 4 times with my highest score being right at 500. I'm still in top half of my class as well OP. The thing is statistics will always be just that, STATISTICS. It doesn't mean anything more than that. What you do with your chance at being a doctor is up to you, and the effort you're gonna put in. Good luck OP.

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[Rogue42]

Those exceptional people have aced SMPs, are URM, veterans, have very compelling stories, killer ECs, or meet very specific missions of some schools. A few of them might be legacies too.

Well, tell that to the med schools whose medians are close to 500...talking to you, LUCOM.

It's true that you don't have a class of 20% failings, but as a cohort, it's cruel to admit them when they have such a high risk for failure, unless they have proved themselves via an SMP.

Yup. They passed the audition.

Goro, I am just wondering what you mean by all of this. You start by stating that people with low MCAT scores that get into medical school are exceptional people that can fall under several categories other than aced SMPs. But then follow it up with calling it cruel without doing so since they did not pass some sort of audition? Am I misunderstanding?

 

[hungrydoc710]

Do you seriously think that your personal anecdotes and secondhand information trump data from an official validation study conducted by the AAMC? No offense, but it sounds like you’re just engaging in wishful thinking.

Clearly he's shown he can do the work and will do fine on boards.

But hold on, let me guess.. you'd rather use the 2 year old 497 MCAT he has, rather than his past year 4.0 in med school to gauge how he'll do on COMLEX/STEP.

Lol.

 

[Deecee2DO]

Do you seriously think that your personal anecdotes and secondhand information trump data from an official validation study conducted by the AAMC? No offense, but it sounds like you’re just engaging in wishful thinking.

Go to med school and report back to me next year.

 

[Osminog]

Go to med school and report back to me next year.

What would my future anecdotes from medical school contribute to this discussion? We already have empirical data from the AAMC, so we don’t need to engage in futile efforts to generalize from our own experiences.

By medical school admissions standards, you did really poorly on the MCAT, and so now you wish that the MCAT didn’t matter and had zero predictive value. You’re misleading people by expressing your wishful thinking as though it were grounded in facts. I’m glad you’re doing well in medical school, dude, but it’s important to remember that you’re only a single data point and that your experience doesn’t necessarily reflect the general trend.

Clearly he's shown he can do the work and will do fine on boards.

But hold on, let me guess.. you'd rather use the 2 year old 497 MCAT he has, rather than his past year 4.0 in med school to gauge how he'll do on COMLEX/STEP.

Lol.

I’m not sure. GPA is the second best single-factor predictor of medical school performance. Anyway, I’m not making deterministic claims about OP’s future outcomes; I hope he does well, and I wish him the best. My point is that new DO schools are really scraping the bottom of the barrel when it comes to applicants’ MCAT scores, and that poses a serious risk because MCAT performance can help predict success in medical school.

 

[Goro]

Goro, I am just wondering what you mean by all of this. You start by stating that people with low MCAT scores that get into medical school are exceptional people that can fall under several categories other than aced SMPs. But then follow it up with calling it cruel without doing so since they did not pass some sort of audition? Am I misunderstanding?

Sometimes, you gamble on people

 

[hungrydoc710]

What would my future anecdotes from medical school contribute to this discussion? We already have empirical data from the AAMC, so we don’t need to engage in futile efforts to generalize from our own experiences.

By medical school admissions standards, you did really poorly on the MCAT, and so now you wish that the MCAT doesn’t matter and has zero predictive value. You’re misleading people by expressing your wishful thinking as though it were grounded in facts. I’m glad you’re doing well in medical school, dude, but it’s important to remember that you’re only a single data point and that your experience doesn’t necessarily reflect the general trend.

Maybe your wishful thinking that your "good MCAT" will mean more than your future sub-par perfomance in med school... who knows
Med school GPA > MCAT as far as predictors. Even Goro has stated.

Anyways
It's your summer before med school on a Fri evening...

Go hang with some girls and drink some vodka - hop off SDN for now, yeah?

 

[Angus Avagadro]

This is crap lol me and several of my other classmates had sub 500 mcats all are top quartile in our class. OP dont listen to this. I had a 497 MCAT and finished M1 with a 90% average. You have to work HARD, but the MCAT doesnt mean squat. The info you learned for the test youll never use again so dont worry about it. Good luck in med school. The best predictor of success in med school is being in med school and the best predictor of success on boards are pre-clinical grades.

It's not crap. 80% of people like yourself passed step 1 according to this study. If you can help me distinguish which 20% wont pass, I would appreciate it. That's the problem. Sometimes a school takes a risk. Less ethical schools just take the tuition

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

I too know people with sub-500 scores who are towards the top of the class, I also know sub-500 people who literally failed every course of first year. The problem is that with a sub-500 score it's hard to know which group you will fall into as there is a higher chance that you will fall into the second category compared to someone with an MCAT score above 500.

Congrats OP. Work hard and you will most likely be just fine. However everyone sitting here saying a low MCAT doesn't mean anything you are very wrong. There is published data that shows this. Anecdotes won't change that.

 

[hungrydoc710]

I too know people with sub-500 scores who are towards the top of the class, I also know sub-500 people who literally failed every course of first year. The problem is that with a sub-500 score it's hard to know which group you will fall into as there is a higher chance that you will fall into the second category compared to someone with an MCAT score above 500.

Congrats OP. Work hard and you will most likely be just fine. However everyone sitting here saying a low MCAT doesn't mean anything you are very wrong. There is published data that shows this. Anecdotes won't change that.

If you have a low MCAT, but do well in your classes.. I just don't see that subset failing boards.
If you have a low MCAT, mess up some classes first year, then yeah maybe that subset risk increases with boards failing.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

If you have a low MCAT, but do well in your classes.. I just don't see that subset failing boards.
If you have a low MCAT, mess up some classes first year, then yeah maybe that subset risk increases with boards failing.

You are missing the point. With a low MCAT you have no idea if you will do well in classes or not. That's the problem. There is a higher chance that you will be in the category that doesn't do very well.

 

[hungrydoc710]

You are missing the point. With a low MCAT you have no idea if you will do well in classes or not. That's the problem. There is a higher chance that you will be in the category that doesn't do very well.

I'm saying beyond that.

For the student that do get in to med school with a sub MCAT - either you crush year 1 or don't, that will divide the successful group vs part of the sub-500 stats who fail boards.

 

[Allosteopath]

I'm saying beyond that.

For the student that do get in to med school with a sub MCAT - either you crush year 1 or don't, that will divide the successful group vs part of the sub-500 stats who fail boards.

I don't think its necessarily so cut and dry. There could be a lot of reasons why someone didn't do well on the MCAT. Someone who generally does poorly on standardized tests, but rocks their medical classes, might still be at higher risk of failing a standardized test...

As I have said, statistics make generalizations about populations... they don't reflect what will happen on a case by case basis.

 

[Angus Avagadro]

I'm saying beyond that.

For the student that do get in to med school with a sub MCAT - either you crush year 1 or don't, that will divide the successful group vs part of the sub-500 stats who fail boards.

Going back to what I said earlier, please help me identify who will flounder and who will thrive. There is too much money on the line for students and the school. I will repeat for the third time about the student science major with a 3.7 and similar MCAT from a pre med mill who could not meet the criteria in a linked Post Bac program for admission. This also is why we dont only use the MCAT as the sole criteria for admission. A large percentage , 4 out of 5 will be successful. Sadly, a worrisomely high number,20% wont. It is very hard to predict who will sink or swim.

 

[Goro]

I don't think its necessarily so cut and dry. There could be a lot of reasons why someone didn't do well on the MCAT. Someone who generally does poorly on standardized tests, but rocks their medical classes, might still be at higher risk of failing a standardized test...

As I have said, statistics make generalizations about populations... they don't reflect what will happen on a case by case basis.

And when you're dealing with 3000-7000 applicants, you don't have the luxury of trying to figure out who will sink or swim.

And yes, there are different reasons why people do poorly on the MCAT. However, there are no good reasons. There are a number of bad reasons:
Being unprepared
Poor judgement
Poor test taking skills
Exam anxiety
Family pressure (see #2)
Poor knowledge base

 

[DrStephenStrange]

And when you're dealing with 3000-7000 applicants, you don't have the luxury of trying to figure out who will sink or swim.

And yes, there are different reasons why people do poorly on the MCAT. However, there are no good reasons. There are a number of bad reasons:
Being unprepared
Poor judgement
Poor test taking skills
Exam anxiety
Family pressure (see #2)
Poor knowledge base

In my case: Language barrier --> speed reading/comprehension. I've gotten better though in the last few years hence why I'm doing fine in medical school so far.

 

[Rogue42]

Y’all have all officially made me nervous for my first year at this point, that’s for sure

 

[chemdoctor]

Y’all have all officially made me nervous for my first year at this point, that’s for sure

SDN has a funny way of doing that to you...

 

[hungrydoc710]

Y’all have all officially made me nervous for my first year at this point, that’s for sure

Nahh ur fine dude.
There's a whole group of 20 or so that came from post bacc (most sub-500 MCAT's) and half of them are in Honors now (3.8+ GPA).

Study hard every day with the occasional day off if you have breathing room between tests.

 

[chemdoctor]

Y’all have all officially made me nervous for my first year at this point, that’s for sure

Nah. You'll be fine man. Study as hard as you can and you can make it.

SDN makes everybody nervous...

 

[chemdoctor]

Just a side note,

I could be wrong but couldn't the AAMC data that says people with below 500's got acceptances be skewed considering that AAMC data just reports MCAT scores all together? It doesn't include people's MCAT scores who RETOOK the MCAT? If someone got a 495 and then got a 506 wouldn't AAMC include the 496 as well?

 

[DrStephenStrange]

Just a side note,

I could be wrong but couldn't the AAMC data that says people with below 500's got acceptances be skewed considering that AAMC data just reports MCAT scores all together? It doesn't include people's MCAT scores who RETOOK the MCAT? If someone got a 495 and then got a 506 wouldn't AAMC include the 496 as well?

Aren't those school reported though? If so, then I would think they would report the highest scores to not mess up their average stats.

 

[chemdoctor]

Aren't those school reported though? If so, then I would think they would report the highest scores to not mess up their average stats.

I think they'd still report both scores... I don't think it accounts for retakes...

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

I think they'd still report both scores... I don't think it accounts for retakes...

It's school reported, and they have no incentive to include all takes.

 

[Td1718]

There's 2 known SMP's to mid tier DO schools, that have programs that with a 494 MCAT and 3.5 GPA, you get an auto-accept in the med school.

Hi which SMP's are you talking about?

 

[hungrydoc710]

Hi which SMP's are you talking about?

VCOM and WVSOM

 

[Gravityy97]

Y’all have all officially made me nervous for my first year at this point, that’s for sure

Hey OP would you mind PMing me, I tried but your profile is private.
Thank you

 

[ApplicantPerson88]

If you are reading this post, there are probably a lot of reasons why you tuned in; however, two of the most likely reasons are: either you are here to judge me or you are here to gain some hope and feel a little bit better about your own application during this cycle. I genuinely hope it is the latter. Note, I felt obligated to write this as I know that there are others in my position now.

First and foremost, I know this post is going to catch a lot of negative attention, but if you are here for the right reasons, then do not get so caught up in all the comments. I am going to do my best to lay out my application and answer as many questions as I can about the DO cycle from someone in my shoes. Please feel free to ask questions or make comments.

Application:
cGPA: 3.59 / sGPA: 3.52 / MCAT (1 and only take): 496 (124 / 123 / 123 / 126) / ECs: over 400 hours shadowing, 600 hours as a TA, 2000 hours as a scribe, 150 clinical and non-clinical volunteering hours, and research with a university research award and pending publication. Caucasian, first-generation rural college student. State University.

Application Submission: October 2nd

Statistics Advice:

1. SDN is a GREAT source of advice and free tips; I used SDN heavily to ask all kinds of questions, and there are individuals on here who are incredibly intelligent about the cycle and what it takes to make a great application. Equally, there are some people who do not. With that said, take every piece of advice you get with a grain of salt - including this post.
2. GPA: My GPA is about average. It is not spectacular, and it is not low. I would generally recommend having a 3.5 gpa or higher on both science and GPA. But there are plenty of people who get in with a lower GPAs. I am certain though, if I had a lower GPA, then I would not be attending medical school come August.
   • I believe that there is a balance beam when it comes to MCAT and GPA - they do weigh each other out in some way. But this is school dependent, and incredibly difficult to try and figure out. Some schools are known to favor one over the other.
3. MCAT: Let me be absolutely resolute here: I would NOT recommend applying with a 496. Did it work out for me? Absolutely. Would it work out for everyone? Absolutely not.
   • Am I at risk of failing or not passing boards? Most definitely. BUT, I KNOW that. And anyone who gets in with my score should know that. If you get in with a score similar to mine, then you should be prepared to beat a statistic and outwork your classmates.
   • You may be asking if I explained my MCAT score anywhere on paper, and the answer is ABSOLUTELY not. I knew my outcome was going to be one of two things. I was either going to get an interview with what I had or I was not. No 'on-paper' explanation was going to change that. So, do not explain it. If everything else on your application is good enough, they will ask you about it in an interview. Again, just my 2 cents.
   • DO NOT APPLY with anything lower than 496. DO not apply if you have a 496 with a subsection lower than a 123. This is just my advice though.
4. ECs:With a score as low as mine and a GPA just average, my ECs played a critical role in my acceptance and there is no doubt about it.
   • I did not do a single extra-curricula activity to fill space on any sheet. I did them because I wanted to - and I think this makes a huge difference in the long run. If you have time to develop your EC list, my biggest advice would be to do things you find fun, enjoyable, serves a purpose, and that you actually want to do. Nobody cares that you did 20 hours volunteering for underserved children, if you cannot make a single meaningful comment about it.
   • My advice would also be to have at least 8 humanistic activities to list. My next advice would be to have 15 activities to list in general. I listed 16 on my application, and it included my past jobs as well as my humanistic activities.
5. Writing Advice:
   1. Write everything with a purpose and a goal. I wrote every activity in my application to the max limits. But I did so in a way that was worth something. Do NOT, I repeat, DO NOT, write something half-tailed. Remember, you are already in the hole with your MCAT score.
   2. Even on jobs at Target, I tied my experience back into medicine. For example, I would write about what I learned at Target or Khols that I could use in the world of medicine. I did NOT write, "Worked here for a summer. It was fun. A Blast. I did 'x' things as my responsibilities'" until the character limit. Again, make it meaningful.
   3. Write proactively write in action tense. No one wants to read a passive, boring blurb about what you got out of being a TA.
   4. YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT MATTERS. Another one of the reasons I believe I have an acceptance. I did not have some unique story about how hard my life is or what amazing feats I have accomplished. But what I did was write a very deep, real, compelling explanation about why I am doing what I am doing. My pre-med advisor said it was one of the best personal statements that she has ever read in the past 20 years. <- I make this humble brag to make a point; some generic, half-tailed, boo-hoo personal statement is going to get your application thrown out - EVEN if you had a perfect MCAT score. Again, if your MCAT score is low, you do not have that luxury to screw up at any one other point. Make sure your personal statement is the best piece of prose you have ever written.
   5. Make sure your secondaries clearly convey an answer that they are asking for. Do not write about the blue-bird if they ask about the yellow snail. Do not talk about the yellow-snail and how it led to the blue-bird. Also, make sure this is the second best piece of prose you have ever written second to you Personal Statement. Third being your activities on your application.

Interview Advice:

1. Show up on time with a purpose and a passion!!!!! Honestly, make this a point in your writing as well.
2. Everything you do in this process, you should do it with a Purpose and a Passion. Pursue excellence!
3. Be yourself, and answer questions directly and concisely. One of my interviewers told me that he hated when people sat in the chair in front of him and BS'd some answers and was never genuine because he could tell and that person was always rejected. N=1 with that story. But, I know that I am a straightforward guy, and I think interviewers enjoy straightforwardness. As there is not any BS to weed through.
4. Explain yourself well. Think about what you would say in any hypothetical question, but do NOT prepare answers. You sound boring and like a brick wall to talk to, and no one wants to talk to a brick-walled physician.
5. I had a couple of friends pull the hardest questions off the internet and some of their own (about 100 in total), and off the wall interviewed me. It really showed where I needed to think about things at.
6. KNOW your application and you secondary inside and out. Be prepared for everything, and be prepared to tie your application into a question as needed.
7. Shake hands, make eye contact, and enjoy the day. If you get an interview, then you are there for a reason. Seize the day but enjoy it because...

General Advice:

1. ...because it might be the only interview you get and there may never be a second. Whether that be because you got in or you did not.
2. Have a back up plan. I got my MBA this cycle due to how low my score was. My thought was that if I never make it, I have a professional degree. Likewise, if I do make it, I can open my own practice one day and not be completely dumb to business.
3. Be prepared to reapply (if you so choose). I had my MBA in hand, but I was definitely ready to hit submit WAY before I got an interview.
4. Study for the MCAT again. I started studying and even paid to re-take it. I was prepared to give this whole thing another go, and you should too! But, you need to do it with a much better score.
5. Go with your gut. I was told MULTIPLE times on here that I would not get in with my ECs and GPA even with a 500. One high thought of SDNuser told me I would be "DOA" at his school based solely on my ECs. Now, I will give him credit, I WOULD be DOA at his school with my MCAT. Thank god I did not listen to them, because I would not be starting school.
6. Know you're limited. Yeah. Let's not be dumb. You are not going to Harvard and you are not going to DMU either. Get ready to be at a newer school.
7. LISTEN TO YOURSELF. Only you know how strong your application really is, but do not lie to yourself about it either.

In closing, I got into medical school based on everything but my MCAT. My MCAT did not get me into medical school. Everything else on my application did, and the way I handled myself in interviews did. So make sure that if your score is low like mine, that everything else on your application is flawless - literally. Understand that this is truly a shot-in-the-dark cycle, and that they truly evaluate the whole person - so be a whole person. I hated waiting 5 months before I got an interview, and I hated waiting 3 months before I knew I got in. High GPA and higher MCATs save you this trouble.

Lastly, if you are wondering at this point. I applied to only four schools - which I would not recommend. I was accepted at two of the four. VCOM and NYIT.

Best of wishes, and good luck!

Thank you for sharing your story and passing it forward for others in your situation. Your unexpected success clearly have provoked and bruised egos/expectations (including mine) and a large range of emotions as is expected. I do not believe your future is as dark as some of your detractors believe, but just to play it safe, I would recommend you keep close contact with MS2 students who knows which classes people tend to struggle and why or academic support staff that might offer help. It is clear that you have something outstanding in your application that has the admission committee at two different schools recommending you for acceptance (if you were truly controversial; you would have most likely been WL). I wish you the best of luck, and I know you will make a great physician one day.

 

[Rogue42]

This thread died for a little while and was then found again. While it is still living, I thought I would share an update.

I currently hold a 3.6 cGPA, sit in the top 25% of my class, I was voted class president, I am the chairperson of a different committee, and I am in 3 different clubs.

If someone reads this post, feels like they are in my shoes, and makes it all the way to this update, then I will leave you with this;

You are ENOUGH. You CAN do this. Believe in yourself, but know that you still must work hard.

 

[deleted936470]

This thread died for a little while and was then found again. While it is still living, I thought I would share an update.

I currently hold a 3.6 cGPA, sit in the top 25% of my class, I was voted class president, I am the chairperson of a different committee, and I am in 3 different clubs.

If someone reads this post, feels like they are in my shoes, and makes it all the way to this update, then I will leave you with this;

You are ENOUGH. You CAN do this. Believe in yourself, but know that you still must work hard.

cool dude, gratz
looks like the ~*predictive power*~ behind misinterpreted stats did not apply to you!

 

[MDMechEngr]

Be sure to report back your board scores when you take them. GL.

 

[Deecee2DO]

Be sure to report back your board scores when you take them. GL.

497 MCAT—>254 Step 1. Hence why I still think the MCAT isnt the best predictor of success and still going against the grain. Really its a combo of grit and how you do in M1 and M2 that correlates with boards success vs the mcat

 

[Angus Avagadro]

497 MCAT—>254 Step 1. Hence why I still think the MCAT isnt the best predictor of success and still going against the grain. Really its a combo of grit and how you do in M1 and M2 that correlates with boards success vs the mcat

No one's arguing with grit and pre clinical performance. We still dont have a metric to determine who will develop academically and who wont. That is the rough part and yes we do give some applicants the benefit of the doubt. For every success like yourself, i would estimate we have 2 struggling who have stats that are below our average. We know that neural connections aren't complete in young adults until the mid 20's. I believe this partially explains why some are able to pull of good performances with less than stellar pre med stats. Congrats on the hard work and good board score. Good luck and best wishes!

 

[Deecee2DO]

No one's arguing with grit and pre clinical performance. We still dont have a metric to determine who will develop academically and who wont. That is the rough part and yes we do give some applicants the benefit of the doubt. For every success like yourself, i would estimate we have 2 struggling who have stats that are below our average. We know that neural connections aren't complete in young adults until the mid 20's. I believe this partially explains why some are able to pull of good performances with less than stellar pre med stats. Congrats on the hard work and good board score. Good luck and best wishes!

Thank God yall gave me the benefit of the doubt or I would have never had the opportunity to take Step 1. Agree with neural connections not being complete until mid 20s lol I was a ****head until my mid 20s when I starting getting my act together. Cheers Angus!

 

[CaliGal777]

I know of a student who got accepted into DO school at a 495 MCAT, yes you read that correct. and this person finished their first year with a 88% gpa and sat at around top 15%-20%.

 

[The_Real_Deal2021]

If you are reading this post, there are probably a lot of reasons why you tuned in; however, two of the most likely reasons are: either you are here to judge me or you are here to gain some hope and feel a little bit better about your own application during this cycle. I genuinely hope it is the latter. Note, I felt obligated to write this as I know that there are others in my position now.

First and foremost, I know this post is going to catch a lot of negative attention, but if you are here for the right reasons, then do not get so caught up in all the comments. I am going to do my best to lay out my application and answer as many questions as I can about the DO cycle from someone in my shoes. Please feel free to ask questions or make comments.

Application:
cGPA: 3.59 / sGPA: 3.52 / MCAT (1 and only take): 496 (124 / 123 / 123 / 126) / ECs: over 400 hours shadowing, 600 hours as a TA, 2000 hours as a scribe, 150 clinical and non-clinical volunteering hours, and research with a university research award and pending publication. Caucasian, first-generation rural college student. State University.

Application Submission: October 2nd

Statistics Advice:

1. SDN is a GREAT source of advice and free tips; I used SDN heavily to ask all kinds of questions, and there are individuals on here who are incredibly intelligent about the cycle and what it takes to make a great application. Equally, there are some people who do not. With that said, take every piece of advice you get with a grain of salt - including this post.
2. GPA: My GPA is about average. It is not spectacular, and it is not low. I would generally recommend having a 3.5 gpa or higher on both science and GPA. But there are plenty of people who get in with a lower GPAs. I am certain though, if I had a lower GPA, then I would not be attending medical school come August.
   • I believe that there is a balance beam when it comes to MCAT and GPA - they do weigh each other out in some way. But this is school dependent, and incredibly difficult to try and figure out. Some schools are known to favor one over the other.
3. MCAT: Let me be absolutely resolute here: I would NOT recommend applying with a 496. Did it work out for me? Absolutely. Would it work out for everyone? Absolutely not.
   • Am I at risk of failing or not passing boards? Most definitely. BUT, I KNOW that. And anyone who gets in with my score should know that. If you get in with a score similar to mine, then you should be prepared to beat a statistic and outwork your classmates.
   • You may be asking if I explained my MCAT score anywhere on paper, and the answer is ABSOLUTELY not. I knew my outcome was going to be one of two things. I was either going to get an interview with what I had or I was not. No 'on-paper' explanation was going to change that. So, do not explain it. If everything else on your application is good enough, they will ask you about it in an interview. Again, just my 2 cents.
   • DO NOT APPLY with anything lower than 496. DO not apply if you have a 496 with a subsection lower than a 123. This is just my advice though.
4. ECs:With a score as low as mine and a GPA just average, my ECs played a critical role in my acceptance and there is no doubt about it.
   • I did not do a single extra-curricula activity to fill space on any sheet. I did them because I wanted to - and I think this makes a huge difference in the long run. If you have time to develop your EC list, my biggest advice would be to do things you find fun, enjoyable, serves a purpose, and that you actually want to do. Nobody cares that you did 20 hours volunteering for underserved children, if you cannot make a single meaningful comment about it.
   • My advice would also be to have at least 8 humanistic activities to list. My next advice would be to have 15 activities to list in general. I listed 16 on my application, and it included my past jobs as well as my humanistic activities.
5. Writing Advice:
   1. Write everything with a purpose and a goal. I wrote every activity in my application to the max limits. But I did so in a way that was worth something. Do NOT, I repeat, DO NOT, write something half-tailed. Remember, you are already in the hole with your MCAT score.
   2. Even on jobs at Target, I tied my experience back into medicine. For example, I would write about what I learned at Target or Khols that I could use in the world of medicine. I did NOT write, "Worked here for a summer. It was fun. A Blast. I did 'x' things as my responsibilities'" until the character limit. Again, make it meaningful.
   3. Write proactively write in action tense. No one wants to read a passive, boring blurb about what you got out of being a TA.
   4. YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT MATTERS. Another one of the reasons I believe I have an acceptance. I did not have some unique story about how hard my life is or what amazing feats I have accomplished. But what I did was write a very deep, real, compelling explanation about why I am doing what I am doing. My pre-med advisor said it was one of the best personal statements that she has ever read in the past 20 years. <- I make this humble brag to make a point; some generic, half-tailed, boo-hoo personal statement is going to get your application thrown out - EVEN if you had a perfect MCAT score. Again, if your MCAT score is low, you do not have that luxury to screw up at any one other point. Make sure your personal statement is the best piece of prose you have ever written.
   5. Make sure your secondaries clearly convey an answer that they are asking for. Do not write about the blue-bird if they ask about the yellow snail. Do not talk about the yellow-snail and how it led to the blue-bird. Also, make sure this is the second best piece of prose you have ever written second to you Personal Statement. Third being your activities on your application.

Interview Advice:

1. Show up on time with a purpose and a passion!!!!! Honestly, make this a point in your writing as well.
2. Everything you do in this process, you should do it with a Purpose and a Passion. Pursue excellence!
3. Be yourself, and answer questions directly and concisely. One of my interviewers told me that he hated when people sat in the chair in front of him and BS'd some answers and was never genuine because he could tell and that person was always rejected. N=1 with that story. But, I know that I am a straightforward guy, and I think interviewers enjoy straightforwardness. As there is not any BS to weed through.
4. Explain yourself well. Think about what you would say in any hypothetical question, but do NOT prepare answers. You sound boring and like a brick wall to talk to, and no one wants to talk to a brick-walled physician.
5. I had a couple of friends pull the hardest questions off the internet and some of their own (about 100 in total), and off the wall interviewed me. It really showed where I needed to think about things at.
6. KNOW your application and you secondary inside and out. Be prepared for everything, and be prepared to tie your application into a question as needed.
7. Shake hands, make eye contact, and enjoy the day. If you get an interview, then you are there for a reason. Seize the day but enjoy it because...

General Advice:

1. ...because it might be the only interview you get and there may never be a second. Whether that be because you got in or you did not.
2. Have a back up plan. I got my MBA this cycle due to how low my score was. My thought was that if I never make it, I have a professional degree. Likewise, if I do make it, I can open my own practice one day and not be completely dumb to business.
3. Be prepared to reapply (if you so choose). I had my MBA in hand, but I was definitely ready to hit submit WAY before I got an interview.
4. Study for the MCAT again. I started studying and even paid to re-take it. I was prepared to give this whole thing another go, and you should too! But, you need to do it with a much better score.
5. Go with your gut. I was told MULTIPLE times on here that I would not get in with my ECs and GPA even with a 500. One high thought of SDNuser told me I would be "DOA" at his school based solely on my ECs. Now, I will give him credit, I WOULD be DOA at his school with my MCAT. Thank god I did not listen to them, because I would not be starting school.
6. Know you're limited. Yeah. Let's not be dumb. You are not going to Harvard and you are not going to DMU either. Get ready to be at a newer school.
7. LISTEN TO YOURSELF. Only you know how strong your application really is, but do not lie to yourself about it either.

In closing, I got into medical school based on everything but my MCAT. My MCAT did not get me into medical school. Everything else on my application did, and the way I handled myself in interviews did. So make sure that if your score is low like mine, that everything else on your application is flawless - literally. Understand that this is truly a shot-in-the-dark cycle, and that they truly evaluate the whole person - so be a whole person. I hated waiting 5 months before I got an interview, and I hated waiting 3 months before I knew I got in. High GPA and higher MCATs save you this trouble.

Lastly, if you are wondering at this point. I applied to only four schools - which I would not recommend. I was accepted at two of the four. VCOM and NYIT.

Best of wishes, and good luck!

MCAT and USMLE Board performance relationship is something you need to take with your fingernails... if you develop top-class study habits, focus on learning the concepts, and apply spaced rep. with the details during your first years in medical school, the chances of having a great USMLE score are huge. Hence everything is about the perspective you have of yourself either fixed or growth mindset.

 

[futurexray]

Our Committee used to believe that you were not doing the applicant any favor by admitting them to the program to struggle and a 496 cam mean just that. Sometimes they would be pushed to accept someone because the Dean got alot of pushback from a legacy. I have seen those who could not pass COMLEX pulled from rotations until they passed and months went by without passing. The debt they have at that point is astronomical and you leave school with nothing, not even a certificate of some kind. Wish this person much luck. I do hate when you see some say they do not do well on standardized tests because they have two of the biggest waiting for them at the end of the proverbial rainbow.

 

[AspiringDoctorP`]

If you are reading this post, there are probably a lot of reasons why you tuned in; however, two of the most likely reasons are: either you are here to judge me or you are here to gain some hope and feel a little bit better about your own application during this cycle. I genuinely hope it is the latter. Note, I felt obligated to write this as I know that there are others in my position now.

First and foremost, I know this post is going to catch a lot of negative attention, but if you are here for the right reasons, then do not get so caught up in all the comments. I am going to do my best to lay out my application and answer as many questions as I can about the DO cycle from someone in my shoes. Please feel free to ask questions or make comments.

Application:
cGPA: 3.59 / sGPA: 3.52 / MCAT (1 and only take): 496 (124 / 123 / 123 / 126) / ECs: over 400 hours shadowing, 600 hours as a TA, 2000 hours as a scribe, 150 clinical and non-clinical volunteering hours, and research with a university research award and pending publication. Caucasian, first-generation rural college student. State University.

Application Submission: October 2nd

Statistics Advice:

1. SDN is a GREAT source of advice and free tips; I used SDN heavily to ask all kinds of questions, and there are individuals on here who are incredibly intelligent about the cycle and what it takes to make a great application. Equally, there are some people who do not. With that said, take every piece of advice you get with a grain of salt - including this post.
2. GPA: My GPA is about average. It is not spectacular, and it is not low. I would generally recommend having a 3.5 gpa or higher on both science and GPA. But there are plenty of people who get in with a lower GPAs. I am certain though, if I had a lower GPA, then I would not be attending medical school come August.
   • I believe that there is a balance beam when it comes to MCAT and GPA - they do weigh each other out in some way. But this is school dependent, and incredibly difficult to try and figure out. Some schools are known to favor one over the other.
3. MCAT: Let me be absolutely resolute here: I would NOT recommend applying with a 496. Did it work out for me? Absolutely. Would it work out for everyone? Absolutely not.
   • Am I at risk of failing or not passing boards? Most definitely. BUT, I KNOW that. And anyone who gets in with my score should know that. If you get in with a score similar to mine, then you should be prepared to beat a statistic and outwork your classmates.
   • You may be asking if I explained my MCAT score anywhere on paper, and the answer is ABSOLUTELY not. I knew my outcome was going to be one of two things. I was either going to get an interview with what I had or I was not. No 'on-paper' explanation was going to change that. So, do not explain it. If everything else on your application is good enough, they will ask you about it in an interview. Again, just my 2 cents.
   • DO NOT APPLY with anything lower than 496. DO not apply if you have a 496 with a subsection lower than a 123. This is just my advice though.
4. ECs:With a score as low as mine and a GPA just average, my ECs played a critical role in my acceptance and there is no doubt about it.
   • I did not do a single extra-curricula activity to fill space on any sheet. I did them because I wanted to - and I think this makes a huge difference in the long run. If you have time to develop your EC list, my biggest advice would be to do things you find fun, enjoyable, serves a purpose, and that you actually want to do. Nobody cares that you did 20 hours volunteering for underserved children, if you cannot make a single meaningful comment about it.
   • My advice would also be to have at least 8 humanistic activities to list. My next advice would be to have 15 activities to list in general. I listed 16 on my application, and it included my past jobs as well as my humanistic activities.
5. Writing Advice:
   1. Write everything with a purpose and a goal. I wrote every activity in my application to the max limits. But I did so in a way that was worth something. Do NOT, I repeat, DO NOT, write something half-tailed. Remember, you are already in the hole with your MCAT score.
   2. Even on jobs at Target, I tied my experience back into medicine. For example, I would write about what I learned at Target or Khols that I could use in the world of medicine. I did NOT write, "Worked here for a summer. It was fun. A Blast. I did 'x' things as my responsibilities'" until the character limit. Again, make it meaningful.
   3. Write proactively write in action tense. No one wants to read a passive, boring blurb about what you got out of being a TA.
   4. YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT MATTERS. Another one of the reasons I believe I have an acceptance. I did not have some unique story about how hard my life is or what amazing feats I have accomplished. But what I did was write a very deep, real, compelling explanation about why I am doing what I am doing. My pre-med advisor said it was one of the best personal statements that she has ever read in the past 20 years. <- I make this humble brag to make a point; some generic, half-tailed, boo-hoo personal statement is going to get your application thrown out - EVEN if you had a perfect MCAT score. Again, if your MCAT score is low, you do not have that luxury to screw up at any one other point. Make sure your personal statement is the best piece of prose you have ever written.
   5. Make sure your secondaries clearly convey an answer that they are asking for. Do not write about the blue-bird if they ask about the yellow snail. Do not talk about the yellow-snail and how it led to the blue-bird. Also, make sure this is the second best piece of prose you have ever written second to you Personal Statement. Third being your activities on your application.

Interview Advice:

1. Show up on time with a purpose and a passion!!!!! Honestly, make this a point in your writing as well.
2. Everything you do in this process, you should do it with a Purpose and a Passion. Pursue excellence!
3. Be yourself, and answer questions directly and concisely. One of my interviewers told me that he hated when people sat in the chair in front of him and BS'd some answers and was never genuine because he could tell and that person was always rejected. N=1 with that story. But, I know that I am a straightforward guy, and I think interviewers enjoy straightforwardness. As there is not any BS to weed through.
4. Explain yourself well. Think about what you would say in any hypothetical question, but do NOT prepare answers. You sound boring and like a brick wall to talk to, and no one wants to talk to a brick-walled physician.
5. I had a couple of friends pull the hardest questions off the internet and some of their own (about 100 in total), and off the wall interviewed me. It really showed where I needed to think about things at.
6. KNOW your application and you secondary inside and out. Be prepared for everything, and be prepared to tie your application into a question as needed.
7. Shake hands, make eye contact, and enjoy the day. If you get an interview, then you are there for a reason. Seize the day but enjoy it because...

General Advice:

1. ...because it might be the only interview you get and there may never be a second. Whether that be because you got in or you did not.
2. Have a back up plan. I got my MBA this cycle due to how low my score was. My thought was that if I never make it, I have a professional degree. Likewise, if I do make it, I can open my own practice one day and not be completely dumb to business.
3. Be prepared to reapply (if you so choose). I had my MBA in hand, but I was definitely ready to hit submit WAY before I got an interview.
4. Study for the MCAT again. I started studying and even paid to re-take it. I was prepared to give this whole thing another go, and you should too! But, you need to do it with a much better score.
5. Go with your gut. I was told MULTIPLE times on here that I would not get in with my ECs and GPA even with a 500. One high thought of SDNuser told me I would be "DOA" at his school based solely on my ECs. Now, I will give him credit, I WOULD be DOA at his school with my MCAT. Thank god I did not listen to them, because I would not be starting school.
6. Know you're limited. Yeah. Let's not be dumb. You are not going to Harvard and you are not going to DMU either. Get ready to be at a newer school.
7. LISTEN TO YOURSELF. Only you know how strong your application really is, but do not lie to yourself about it either.

In closing, I got into medical school based on everything but my MCAT. My MCAT did not get me into medical school. Everything else on my application did, and the way I handled myself in interviews did. So make sure that if your score is low like mine, that everything else on your application is flawless - literally. Understand that this is truly a shot-in-the-dark cycle, and that they truly evaluate the whole person - so be a whole person. I hated waiting 5 months before I got an interview, and I hated waiting 3 months before I knew I got in. High GPA and higher MCATs save you this trouble.

Lastly, if you are wondering at this point. I applied to only four schools - which I would not recommend. I was accepted at two of the four. VCOM and NYIT.

Best of wishes, and good luck!

It’s has been 5 ish years since this post. How did you make out your M1 year? What are somethings you did to outwork your classmates? Etc

 

[Rogue42]

It’s has been 5 ish years since this post. How did you make out your M1 year? What are somethings you did to outwork your classmates? Etc

Great question! Just to clarify though, it has only been about 2 1/2 years since I made this post. Currently, I am halfway through my third year of medical school, and am going through rotations!

First; I found out that medical school came really easy to me. It did not bring the anxiety that undergraduate school brought, which made school a whole lot less stressful - at least for me.

Second; when M1 began, I found myself going to class, paying attention, and writing notes. Then I would go home, study those notes, rewatch lectures, Anki the related material, and do board questions on the days' topics. This would usually make my days from like 8 am to 8 pm of studying minus lunch, dinner, and self grooming time. I usually would spend 2-3 hours a night after I was done playing video games or something. I did not really go out unless it was a Saturday night or some huge social event for school. I got into a solid groove for my first block of school. But again, it came easy to me, or you could say I worked hard? Either way, I ended my first block with a near 4.0. I realized that I could dial back on the studying and still be successful which is what the rest of my first two years of school were made up of.

Now, what are we calling dialing back? My school operates on blocks with tests every Tuesday and Friday. So for me, I would go to class, and study for whatever test was next instead of pay attention (granted everyone has different opinions of this, but my time was better used studying than listening to lectures). For example, I would study on Sunday 12-6 pm. Wake up, and study Monday from around 8am-8 pm (again minus lunch, dinner, and self grooming). Wake up Tuesday, and review a study guide about an hour before the test. I would spend the rest of Tuesday as a day off. Go play intramurals, volunteer, hangout with friends, play video games, really do whatever I wanted. The grind would start for the Friday test on Wednesday with pretty much the same study schedules as the Tuesday exam. Then i would take Friday and Saturdays completely off, and do what I wanted too.

I was successful with this schedule. It allowed me to be successful in school (top 25%) while also being able to balance my mental health. Granted, it took me working really hard during my first block to ensure I could be successful and how much i could "slack" off and still be successful. Many of my classmates had to spend much more time studying to be successful.

When board season came around. I would study boards from 9-10 am till 7-9 pm, everyday, for about 2 1/2 months. Now granted, did I study straight 8-10 hours? No. I would go grab lunch with friends and talk questions, or some nights I would take off and do something else. I definitely could have been a better board studier.

Either way, I made the average score on COMLEX, and now sit in the middle of my third year as Class President, in the top 25% of my class, a part of three or four clubs/organizations, some volunteering under my belt, and looking forward to step II.

 

[Deecee2DO]

MCAT and USMLE Board performance relationship is something you need to take with your fingernails... if you develop top-class study habits, focus on learning the concepts, and apply spaced rep. with the details during your first years in medical school, the chances of having a great USMLE score are huge. Hence everything is about the perspective you have of yourself either fixed or growth mindset.

This couldnt be more true. 497 MCAT—>25x/26x Steps 1/2. I didnt know how to study before med school or for the MCAT. i also hate physics math and chem. My brain doesnt work that way and it never will. Learning medicine in med school (preclinical/clinical) is so much different than learning chem/math and physics which is why I think your grades in an upper level A&P or Micro or pharm class is a heck of a lot more indicative of how youll make out in med school than an MCAT score testing you on useless bullcrap. I have multiple classmates in med school who had 515+ MCATs that did dead avg in med school and did below avg on USMLE and COMLEX. Anyways just wanted to drop my 2 cents as an MS4

 

[MDMechEngr]

This couldnt be more true. 497 MCAT—>25x/26x Steps 1/2. I didnt know how to study before med school or for the MCAT. i also hate physics math and chem. My brain doesnt work that way and it never will. Learning medicine in med school (preclinical/clinical) is so much different than learning chem/math and physics which is why I think your grades in an upper level A&P or Micro or pharm class is a heck of a lot more indicative of how youll make out in med school than an MCAT score testing you on useless bullcrap. I have multiple classmates in med school who had 515+ MCATs that did dead avg in med school and did below avg on USMLE and COMLEX. Anyways just wanted to drop my 2 cents as an MS4

There are always outliers, but statistics don't lie. Congrats on your high steps and I hope you match to a program befitting of those scores. GL

 

[Rogue42]

There are always outliers, but statistics don't lie. Congrats on your high steps and I hope you match to a program befitting of those scores. GL

What a useful and additive comment to the conversation

 

[helpmeouthere]

If you are reading this post, there are probably a lot of reasons why you tuned in; however, two of the most likely reasons are: either you are here to judge me or you are here to gain some hope and feel a little bit better about your own application during this cycle. I genuinely hope it is the latter. Note, I felt obligated to write this as I know that there are others in my position now.

First and foremost, I know this post is going to catch a lot of negative attention, but if you are here for the right reasons, then do not get so caught up in all the comments. I am going to do my best to lay out my application and answer as many questions as I can about the DO cycle from someone in my shoes. Please feel free to ask questions or make comments.

Application:
cGPA: 3.59 / sGPA: 3.52 / MCAT (1 and only take): 496 (124 / 123 / 123 / 126) / ECs: over 400 hours shadowing, 600 hours as a TA, 2000 hours as a scribe, 150 clinical and non-clinical volunteering hours, and research with a university research award and pending publication. Caucasian, first-generation rural college student. State University.

Application Submission: October 2nd

Statistics Advice:

1. SDN is a GREAT source of advice and free tips; I used SDN heavily to ask all kinds of questions, and there are individuals on here who are incredibly intelligent about the cycle and what it takes to make a great application. Equally, there are some people who do not. With that said, take every piece of advice you get with a grain of salt - including this post.
2. GPA: My GPA is about average. It is not spectacular, and it is not low. I would generally recommend having a 3.5 gpa or higher on both science and GPA. But there are plenty of people who get in with a lower GPAs. I am certain though, if I had a lower GPA, then I would not be attending medical school come August.
   • I believe that there is a balance beam when it comes to MCAT and GPA - they do weigh each other out in some way. But this is school dependent, and incredibly difficult to try and figure out. Some schools are known to favor one over the other.
3. MCAT: Let me be absolutely resolute here: I would NOT recommend applying with a 496. Did it work out for me? Absolutely. Would it work out for everyone? Absolutely not.
   • Am I at risk of failing or not passing boards? Most definitely. BUT, I KNOW that. And anyone who gets in with my score should know that. If you get in with a score similar to mine, then you should be prepared to beat a statistic and outwork your classmates.
   • You may be asking if I explained my MCAT score anywhere on paper, and the answer is ABSOLUTELY not. I knew my outcome was going to be one of two things. I was either going to get an interview with what I had or I was not. No 'on-paper' explanation was going to change that. So, do not explain it. If everything else on your application is good enough, they will ask you about it in an interview. Again, just my 2 cents.
   • DO NOT APPLY with anything lower than 496. DO not apply if you have a 496 with a subsection lower than a 123. This is just my advice though.
4. ECs:With a score as low as mine and a GPA just average, my ECs played a critical role in my acceptance and there is no doubt about it.
   • I did not do a single extra-curricula activity to fill space on any sheet. I did them because I wanted to - and I think this makes a huge difference in the long run. If you have time to develop your EC list, my biggest advice would be to do things you find fun, enjoyable, serves a purpose, and that you actually want to do. Nobody cares that you did 20 hours volunteering for underserved children, if you cannot make a single meaningful comment about it.
   • My advice would also be to have at least 8 humanistic activities to list. My next advice would be to have 15 activities to list in general. I listed 16 on my application, and it included my past jobs as well as my humanistic activities.
5. Writing Advice:
   1. Write everything with a purpose and a goal. I wrote every activity in my application to the max limits. But I did so in a way that was worth something. Do NOT, I repeat, DO NOT, write something half-tailed. Remember, you are already in the hole with your MCAT score.
   2. Even on jobs at Target, I tied my experience back into medicine. For example, I would write about what I learned at Target or Khols that I could use in the world of medicine. I did NOT write, "Worked here for a summer. It was fun. A Blast. I did 'x' things as my responsibilities'" until the character limit. Again, make it meaningful.
   3. Write proactively write in action tense. No one wants to read a passive, boring blurb about what you got out of being a TA.
   4. YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT MATTERS. Another one of the reasons I believe I have an acceptance. I did not have some unique story about how hard my life is or what amazing feats I have accomplished. But what I did was write a very deep, real, compelling explanation about why I am doing what I am doing. My pre-med advisor said it was one of the best personal statements that she has ever read in the past 20 years. <- I make this humble brag to make a point; some generic, half-tailed, boo-hoo personal statement is going to get your application thrown out - EVEN if you had a perfect MCAT score. Again, if your MCAT score is low, you do not have that luxury to screw up at any one other point. Make sure your personal statement is the best piece of prose you have ever written.
   5. Make sure your secondaries clearly convey an answer that they are asking for. Do not write about the blue-bird if they ask about the yellow snail. Do not talk about the yellow-snail and how it led to the blue-bird. Also, make sure this is the second best piece of prose you have ever written second to you Personal Statement. Third being your activities on your application.

Interview Advice:

1. Show up on time with a purpose and a passion!!!!! Honestly, make this a point in your writing as well.
2. Everything you do in this process, you should do it with a Purpose and a Passion. Pursue excellence!
3. Be yourself, and answer questions directly and concisely. One of my interviewers told me that he hated when people sat in the chair in front of him and BS'd some answers and was never genuine because he could tell and that person was always rejected. N=1 with that story. But, I know that I am a straightforward guy, and I think interviewers enjoy straightforwardness. As there is not any BS to weed through.
4. Explain yourself well. Think about what you would say in any hypothetical question, but do NOT prepare answers. You sound boring and like a brick wall to talk to, and no one wants to talk to a brick-walled physician.
5. I had a couple of friends pull the hardest questions off the internet and some of their own (about 100 in total), and off the wall interviewed me. It really showed where I needed to think about things at.
6. KNOW your application and you secondary inside and out. Be prepared for everything, and be prepared to tie your application into a question as needed.
7. Shake hands, make eye contact, and enjoy the day. If you get an interview, then you are there for a reason. Seize the day but enjoy it because...

General Advice:

1. ...because it might be the only interview you get and there may never be a second. Whether that be because you got in or you did not.
2. Have a back up plan. I got my MBA this cycle due to how low my score was. My thought was that if I never make it, I have a professional degree. Likewise, if I do make it, I can open my own practice one day and not be completely dumb to business.
3. Be prepared to reapply (if you so choose). I had my MBA in hand, but I was definitely ready to hit submit WAY before I got an interview.
4. Study for the MCAT again. I started studying and even paid to re-take it. I was prepared to give this whole thing another go, and you should too! But, you need to do it with a much better score.
5. Go with your gut. I was told MULTIPLE times on here that I would not get in with my ECs and GPA even with a 500. One high thought of SDNuser told me I would be "DOA" at his school based solely on my ECs. Now, I will give him credit, I WOULD be DOA at his school with my MCAT. Thank god I did not listen to them, because I would not be starting school.
6. Know you're limited. Yeah. Let's not be dumb. You are not going to Harvard and you are not going to DMU either. Get ready to be at a newer school.
7. LISTEN TO YOURSELF. Only you know how strong your application really is, but do not lie to yourself about it either.

In closing, I got into medical school based on everything but my MCAT. My MCAT did not get me into medical school. Everything else on my application did, and the way I handled myself in interviews did. So make sure that if your score is low like mine, that everything else on your application is flawless - literally. Understand that this is truly a shot-in-the-dark cycle, and that they truly evaluate the whole person - so be a whole person. I hated waiting 5 months before I got an interview, and I hated waiting 3 months before I knew I got in. High GPA and higher MCATs save you this trouble.

Lastly, if you are wondering at this point. I applied to only four schools - which I would not recommend. I was accepted at two of the four. VCOM and NYIT.

Best of wishes, and good luck!

I'm really late to this, but as someone applying this cycle with a less than stellar MCAT your post and progress have been really inspiring. I'm so proud of you for excelling in medical school against the odds. Unfortunately, there will be people who don't want you to do well as it's obvious in this post but I'm happy for you and I know I will succeed like you when I get in this cycle Keep killing it man!

 

[Rogue42]

The update of all updates.

- I graduated in the top 25%
- I graduated as the Class President
- I did average and then above average on my boards, respectively
- I matched into OBGYN at my second rank.

I succeeded, and you can too. Never give up, never surrender.

 

[Angus Avagadro]

The update of all updates.

- I graduated in the top 25%
- I graduated as the Class President
- I did average and then above average on my boards, respectively
- I matched into OBGYN at my second rank.

I succeeded, and you can too. Never give up, never surrender.

Well done!

 

[Real McCoy]

The update of all updates.

- I graduated in the top 25%
- I graduated as the Class President
- I did average and then above average on my boards, respectively
- I matched into OBGYN at my second rank.

I succeeded, and you can too. Never give up, never surrender.

This is really encouraging and inspiring for those with less than average stats. One of your earlier posts to me highlighted some key concepts/principles:

1) Be introspective about potential obstacles before you and your individual strengths/weaknesses.
2) Medical school is different than undergraduate.
3) Studying for boards is different than studying for class.
4) You're not going to succeed without a plan and working hard to execute the plan.
5) Adjusting your plan as new information or data come is a valuable life skill.

Kudos to you for figuring it out and crushing it!

 

[Fluidity of Movement]

The update of all updates.

- I graduated in the top 25%
- I graduated as the Class President
- I did average and then above average on my boards, respectively
- I matched into OBGYN at my second rank.

I succeeded, and you can too. Never give up, never surrender.

Well earned, doctor! Time for your physician tag here =]

I have two friends who just started DO school this semester with 497's. They are crushing it.

 

[KO_TV]

Had a 24 on the old scale. Did above average on boards, matched IM, became chief, matched crit/care at my number one choice at an "ivory tower" academic fellowship. MCAT doesn't matter.