Advice?

[Sami335]

I was just wondering if anyone had any advice, I just checked my MCATs and they were horrible!!! I got a 6V, 8PS and 10BS, but an R on the essays. I have a 3.9 GPA and great EC's and LOR's. What should I do? Should I try to keep going with the application process or should I just plan on retaking the MCAT? I'm really lost. Any advice would be appreciated!!!

 

[sluox]

it depends what you want to do with your life:
if you want to be a family physician, then it's possible to get into lower-tier schools as well as DO schools with this type of stats. You may consider applying this year

if you are more interested in practicing in an academic setting, or go into competitive subspecialities, then you might want to consider retaking the MCAT and apply next year.

I strongly recommend talking to your pre-med advisor.

 

[jwin]

As far as going through with the admissions process, I think that unless you had prepared for this sort of scenario you might want to change what you are doing. I think it is possible to get in with these numbers because you have good grades, ec's, letters of rec BUT it would involve applying to all your state schools and as many lower tier schools as possible. If you applied to enough schools, you may stand a chance to overcome that low mcat. As someone mentioned, DO schools do have mcat averages a few points lower so that might be a good option.
But if you are talking about just applying to 10 schools or so, I do not know if it would be enought to get you in.
I would say go ahead and try this year if you are already in the midst of the admissions process but plan on retaking the mcat.
If you still do not score well, save up some money and apply to a ridiculous and obscene number of MD schools next year or try DO schools if that is what you want to do.

 

[jot]

retake the mcat and apply next year; everything else is strong so you will be good to go once that mcat is in place.