Advice Please

[crazygal]

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Here is my current situation. I have a 27 (10,9,8) MCAT and a 3.9 GPA from a well known midwest university. I also have two waitlists (Creighton and UNMC). In the past, these statistics have been competitive at these schools. However, this year seems to be different as is the case across the country. I don't have any exact information on my acceptance chances, but I have a negative gut feeling. My question is what do I do to improve???

I've recently started thinking about taking the August MCAT in order to be able to apply for 2005 rather than 2006. I know my main downfall is my MCAT and how it does not correlate to my GPA. I felt confident when I came out of the August MCAT, so I was disappointed with my scores. However, I don't want to wait until April to retake, but the August only leaves me a month and a half to review. I also don't want to retake and not improve.

I don't really want to take more classes because my GPA is so high already, and I don't wish to jeopardize it by taking more difficult upper level science classes. I have a decent amount of clinical and volunteer experience (no research though).

I was also an athlete at a Division I institution, and I actually have a year of eligibility remaining. Should I go back to school for a semester and use my last year of eligibility for athletics and take a few classes to stay eligible? Should I take the August MCAT? I am so perplexed. One more thing...another mistake of mine was to only apply to two schools last year. I would definitely apply to many more this year. Thanks for the help!!!!

 

[vandypatty]

I think it mainly depends on the sport... 🙂

I would wait the summer out and see if anything happens, and if not plan on taking the MCAT again next April after putting in a month or two of hard studying (perhaps Kaplan/Princeton Review if you have the financial means).

If you're worried about losing your GPA, stay away from the upper level science courses and just pick up some easy ones and play some tennis/softball/track/soccer/etc. But I'd also make sure you still maintain some level of ECs that are health related.

If not, try and find a job within a health related field and take the year to relax and regroup. Also, I really think there is no Bible to applying to med school, so this stuff is just all opinion. Hope this helps.

 

[MoosePilot]

There's a bunch of stuff you can do! Awesome GPA, btw. That's so money. If you can get 3 points you'll be a stellar candidate and even if you don't, you're a competitive candidate for a lot of schools.

You could apply this cycle to more schools. Take the August MCAT with some intense, but rather short prep. If you do better, it will open up your choices. If you don't do any better, I think you'd still be likely to get in to several schools as long as you apply to a good range.

Or do intensive preparation next Spring for the April MCAT. Kill that sucker. Then you'll have the full range of schools open for you.

Either way, do lots of ECs in the meantime. No need to take more classes, that's clearly not a weakness.

Totally opinion, good luck!

 

[adamj61]

What is your major...what sport do you play?

 

[crazygal]

Thanks to everyone for their answers! I'm a runner with a year of XC eligibility left. My major was Ex Physiology, which consisted of many biology classes such as physiology, anatomy, and the like. If at all possible, I don't want to retake the MCAT. I'm afraid I won't improve, and I already took Kaplan and studied fairly intensely for it. However, if I do retake, I want to do it in August, so I need to get started studying!!! Thanks again!

 

[crazygal]

bump..............

 

[LP1CW]

People assume that a retake means that they'll do better. The data doesn't support this. You might do worse.

I think if you submit now and apply earlier and to a wider range of schools, you'll find more success. Your August MCAT slowed you down a bit.

 

[skypilot]

If you are really serious and spend a month and a half taking MCAT practice exams that would be plenty of preparation for the August exam. That and a very broad application to schools might do the trick. Good luck with the waitlists! 🙂

 

[themann]

I don't think your MCAT score was the nail in the coffin as much as only applying to two schools. If you really don't want to take it again and you don't think that you will do better then just reapply to more schools- that should do the trick.

 

[elephunt]

If you truly have a bad feeling about your waitlists, then I would plan to take the August MCAT. Six weeks is plenty of time to study since you've already been through the material intensively once. And since you took the Kaplan class already you should have all of the materials; you have those printouts that they give you showing you what areas you need to focus your studying on. Your GPA is so great, and all you would need is to bring your score up a few points and you would go from being a good candidate to a VERY good candidate. Plus, if you think you might not get off the waitlists at either of the two schools you applied to before, then you'll have to reapply anyway, so it's worth it to at least attempt to better your stats.

Just my two cents! Good luck with everything!

 

[gschl1234]

Crazygal,
What did you do to prepare for the MCAT the first time you took it? I definitely think it would be worthwhile to retake (either in Aug or Apr) but without more info on how you went about it the first time around, it's hard for anyone to advise you on how to improve.

 

[sistahnik]

I think that you should apply for this cycle but to more schools and check the box that tells them that you will retake in august if you want to retake. I must say that I agree with the other poster in saying that you should just use the scores you have and just apply to a larger variety of schools. what ever you decide just remember this, retaking isn't going to guarantee anything just as not retaking will guarantee anything, so the decision is yours to make!!!! just my .02.

 

[beanbean]

I certainly understand why you don't want to go through the whole MCAT experience again! However, I think you should and herer is why.

When I review an applicant's file before I interview them I look for any 'red flags" and also little things that don't fit. Someone with a 3.9 and a 27 MCAT who has no plans to retake after getting rejected would qualify as something that doesn't quite fit. Of course I would ask the applicant about during the interview and some people would have a valid reason, but just not wanting to go through it again isn't a good reason.

Applying the first time with a 27 is one thing - maybe you had a bad test day, illness, etc. If the rest of your application is solid then you may get the benefit of the doubt about the lower MCAT. Applying a second time around with the same score would definitely raise a few eyebrows. Why didn't this applicant retake? They have a very high GPA, yet they were rejected last year...why didn't they take the opportunity to fix the weaker area of their application?

Don't get me wrong - a 27 is not awful, but it is a little low for most allopathic schools. In some ways your GPA/MCAT combination complicates things a bit....if this person is bright enough and driven enough to do so well academically...why are they not retaking? The other issue is the fact that you are a Div 1 athlete - which I think is awesome - but it might lead someone to wonder if your high GPA is the result of some grade inflation. People hear all the bad press about athletes getting easy tests and tutors taking exams, etc. I know that most athletes and schools are honest and do not partake in such activities, but if you go out and really kick it on the MCAT you would definitely erase any such negative thoughts.

I don't want to freak you out here...mostly I am trying to play devil's advocate. I do think you can do better on the MCAT. It is ironic that you are a runner - many people use the analogy that preparing for the MCAT is like training for a marathon. I believe that is true. The MCAT is as much if not more a test of endurance and mental attitude as it is a test of knowledge and test-taking ability.

Best of luck and if you do decide to jump in for the august exam, check out the MCAT forums here. The best MCAT advice I recieved was given on SDN.