Any 27-29 MCAT with interviews????

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mdhopeeful said:
Just wanted to update everyone here. I've posted here a few times already. I have a 27 MCAT and have been fortunate enough to receive 3 II's. This morning I received my first acceptance. Good luck everyone. I'm rooting for you all here.
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Congrats!! I thought I had posted this for a second lol.
 
Can you guys share your ECs? The non-URM stories are amazing, but there has to be something about you guys that makes you stand out. Is it ECs? Was it your personal statement?
 
Anastasia.Beaverhausen said:
So excited to finally be able to post in this thread!

28 MCAT - 7/11/10
4 MD II, 1 acceptance - first choice!
4 DO II, declined 2, accepted at 3 (MSUCOM doesn't interview)

Diverse but non-URM

Still waiting to hear from 3 MD schools.

I am re-applicant with 1 MD II and 0 acceptances last year. I decided not to re-take my MCAT and instead re-work my PS, essays, and apply to a broader range of schools. Don't overlook the importance of the personal statement! Many of the schools I interviewed at told me how much they enjoyed reading mine.
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How was your GPA?
 
type12 said:
Can you guys share your ECs? The non-URM stories are amazing, but there has to be something about you guys that makes you stand out. Is it ECs? Was it your personal statement?
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All my ECs are in my MDApps page 🙂. I feel like my letters and PS helped more with getting my two IIs though 😛
 
Anastasia.Beaverhausen said:
I wish I knew exactly what it was that has made my application stand out but I suspect it is a combination of factors

1. Personal statement is very strong - this is the one thing that I know for a fact. When I went on interviews, almost all of my interviewers told me how much they enjoyed reading it. I worked very hard on mine, revising it over and over again. I wrote about stories that impacted my interest in medicine. If you think medical schools don't fine comb through applications looking for qualities/characteristics that are consistent with their mission, you are wrong. I have found that they absolutely do. I wouldn't have gotten any interviews based on numbers alone.
2. Not the extracurriculars themselves, but they way you talk about them. I don't think my ECs very strong/interesting. I had some clinical work for a few months, research for 1 year with no pubs, student teaching, various volunteering. I would call my ECs average at best. When I wrote about them in my AMCAS, I included something that I learned from the experience and how it changed me. For instance, I tutored a few students outside of class. By the end of the semester, they had decided to pursue medicine because I was there to answer questions about it/encourage an interest in science. You can have amazing experiences in any EC - it just depends what you put into it.
3. Update letters/letters of interest - I didn't even know about this the first time I applied. This time, I actually have relevant updates to send to schools. Since submitting my AMCAS, I started a new job and new volunteer work. As soon as I submitted my secondary, I sent a update/LOI-hybrid letter explaining my updates and then talking about why I think I am a good fit at that school. One school even told me I was granted an interview because of the LOI.
4. Picking the right schools to apply to - this is very very important. I spent a lot of time researching schools that practice holistic admissions, who have MCAT medians ~30-31. If you don't have access to the MSAR, I would recommend buying it. There, you can see the 10-90th percentile breakdown of previous classes. I made a very targeted list of about 15 schools. I was going to apply to more but I also applied to 5 DO schools and got burned out with the secondaries after all of those.
5. Excellent interviews - I knew that if I had the chance to get to an interview, I could nail it. So I scrapped for interviews with letters of interest. Once I got II, I practiced for interviews. There are some interview videos online that made me go from mediocre interviewer to outstanding. I practiced with my brother, who is trained in interviewing.
6. Be confident - this isn't necessarily a requirement but it certainly helped. As a re-applicant with mediocre scores, I was terrified. But I would try to put this out of my mind and remember that even if the other people on Interview Day have a 33 and 4.0, I was also invited and the school saw something in me that they liked. I wasn't ready to attend medical school the first time I applied - I see that now. I was still in college and wasn't mature enough yet I think. Now I have been working in healthcare for the past 6 months and I have grown up so much. I can clearly articulate my reasons for going to medical school and I want it even more. If anyone is considering a gap year, I say DO IT. I wish I hadn't applied when I wasn't ready and did this right off the bat. It's the best decision I've ever made.

Feel free to PM me if anyone has any questions. I remember getting my MCAT score and bawling, having the paralyzing fear of retaking it again, and not doing it. I can't believe I am now sitting on an MD acceptance to one of my top choices. Don't lose hope 27-29ers! You can do it!!!
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As a fellow successful MD re-applicant with an MCAT in this range, I can't agree more with what what said here! Great advice and insight!
 
GOK<3 said:
Idk what med schools want 29 MCAT 3.9+ gpa no II.
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Feel ya bud same boat, I got a 30 MCAT, not much difference. Goes to show that this cycle is the definition of illogical. Bunch of bs is what I call it. Heck for all I know we might be plain unlucky in that the person(s) who reviewed our applications were in a bad mood and that's all she wrote.

This system sucks. Medical field news: "In the next few years we expect there to be a shortage of doctors especially with the passing of obamacare". Meanwhile medical schools send in their automated messages, "Were to sorry to inform you we can't invite you to interview, we get thousands of well qualified applicants... " Forget the rest. Right there in bold, there's a need for more doctors open up your fat ass wallets, expand, and meet a need that you claim to strive to achieve through action not bs mission statements and values.
 
I Have a friend that got accepted this cycle with a 21 mcat and a 22 on repeat. URM. He def deserved it, worked hard, great gpa (3.7-3.8) and I really felt he was passionate about med school and he was very worried what he would do otherwise. Mcat is a bs test that very poorly correlates with med school performance IMO.
 
Anastasia.Beaverhausen said:
I felt compelled to reply to this because it is a sentiment I expressed last year, when I was unsuccessful in getting into an MD program. It's easy to "blame the system" because it is difficult to admit that there may be deficiencies in your own application. We have worked for years on grades, extracurriculars, MCAT prep, and no one wants to think that there may be something wrong with them. I agree with you that the US needs more physicians. There are plenty of new DO and a handful of new MD schools opening to try of offset this. Until there is an increase in residency spots, the system is not going to change. So what does that mean? It means that as applicants, we have to learn how to play the game.

You're right - there are thousands of qualified applicants. What you need to do is make your application as strong as you can so that you stand out against everyone else. I truly believe that schools look for students who fit their mission and philosophies. Had they not, none of us 27-29 would have any chance. The only schools I got invites to were ones whose missions and philosophies deeply resonated through my application. In my opinion, it's not all numbers.

Medschoolmyname, I hope you end up with an acceptance this cycle. If not, I found it immensely helpful to objectively reflect on my application and improve what deficiencies I had. I contacted the medical school where I was invited but rejected and used their advice to strengthen my application. I re-wrote everything on my AMCAS. I applied to a broader range of schools. I practiced interviewing. I hope this helps anyone who feels dejected about the application process. I know it seems terrible but you just need to play the game to get through it.
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Thanks for your advice but my problem isn't that I don't want to admit there being deficiencies in my application (everyone has some type of deficiency) what's killing me is I did everything possible. 3.95 GPA in an engineering program that's cutthroat, 30 on the Mcat which I spent 6 months studying for, ecs of a wide range that I did not do just to cover my ass for medical school but actually doing it out of interest, wrote and rewrote my personal statement dozens of times having teachers and people who weren't too close to me review it, entire summer spent submitting secondaries to 26 schools. The only thing not in my control would be letters of recommendation but I tried my best to ask professors whom I got along with and who I felt actually liked me. I've gone over my application a million times already and don't know what else to do, especially when I hear someone with a 22 mcat get accepted and I haven't been invited to one stinking interview. Is it completely a numbers game no, your right on that one, it's an illogical game.
 
27 MCAT, GPA greater than 3.6, Great EC's, accelerated College, Great LOR's
Applied to 2 DO - 2 interviews, 1 acceptance
MD - 3 Interviews (1 rejection, waiting to hear from 2)
It can happen!! Stay positive and busy -- the waiting is torture!
 
MrWonderful said:
I think everybody is making good points but my biggest advice for standing out is about consistency. Take your numbers, EC, recs, your entire application and develop a theme. It will be apparent to adcoms if your writers speak about you in a way that is reflected in your app or not.

So now take that theme and look at which med school it fits best. If you wrote your PS talking about how growing up your senator parents made you appreciate medical reform and thus drove you to do an internship at a government health facility, maybe GW or Georgetown will be receptive.

If instead you were President of the At Risk Youth club and factor that in to your application essays, inner city schools are more likely to give you an ii.

These application themes develop compelling reasons why a certain school should choose you, not simply because you have good numbers and want to help people.

Summary: develop a consistent application theme and make it fit your schools
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Kudos! I feel like so many people with high scores miss this.
 
MTme said:
Whats your secret? apply early and broadly?
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Yes to apply early, and apply broadly (>20 schools)...I know those two tips have been said ad nauseam, but it's true. I took the MCAT in July (having submitted my primary a month before), and was disappointed when I received my score. What kept me from withdrawing was that I did my research on schools beforehand (not top heavy; applied to schools within my MCAT range after 15 tests), and knew that if I scored around 30, I was somewhere within that school's MCAT percentile range.

While I do have some interesting ECs (I'm 24 y.o., decided to pursue becoming a chef after college), I think what also helped was having a strong PS...I know SDN is more stats driven, but there are schools out there that value persuasive and great writing. One of my interviewer's even mentioned to me that my PS was the best she's read this cycle, and was reciting my own work back to me! Haha, first time that's ever happened and before that point, I never thought the PS meant much. Even though this process can be a crapshoot at times, I'd like to think that the PS counts for something than just a checkbox on the primary.
 
lafamilia said:
Yes to apply early, and apply broadly (>20 schools)...I know those two tips have been said ad nauseam, but it's true. I took the MCAT in July (having submitted my primary a month before), and was disappointed when I received my score. What kept me from withdrawing was that I did my research on schools beforehand (not top heavy; applied to schools within my MCAT range after 15 tests), and knew that if I scored around 30, I was somewhere within that school's MCAT percentile range.

While I do have some interesting ECs (I'm 24 y.o., decided to pursue becoming a chef after college), I think what also helped was having a strong PS...I know SDN is more stats driven, but there are schools out there that value persuasive and great writing. One of my interviewer's even mentioned to me that my PS was the best she's read this cycle, and was reciting my own work back to me! Haha, first time that's ever happened and before that point, I never thought the PS meant much. Even though this process can be a crapshoot at times, I'd like to think that the PS counts for something than just a checkbox on the primary.
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If i do end up reapplying which is likely I am definetly going to apply on the 1st day(my current application got in late June, and secondaries were early July, but im gonna see if 3 weeks makes that much of a difference,
 
i really like this thread. gives hope us to all!
 
GPA- 3.7 (2 years CC, 2 years at a Uni)
Non-URM Asian- Male

First MCAT 27- 8/9/10 (2 MD interviews, no acceptances) [honestly was too nervous at both my interviews]

Second MCAT 29- 9/10/10 (5 MD interviews, 2 MD acceptances, 1 waitlist, and still need to hear back from the 2 other MD schools)

I was a long time lurker of this thread, finally can contribute! This thread definitely kept me going after my first cycle and reminded me to never settle even when the odds are against you. Hopefully I can inspire someone not to quit like the past posts did for me!! :highfive:
 
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Plain white guy with 29 MCAT. Ended up with 5 MD and 1 DO interview (out of 8 schools applied so 75% success rate). Got accepted to the DO early. Will hear about the MD schools next Monday on texas match day.
 
Anastasia.Beaverhausen said:
Congratulations! This thread inspired me as well when I was re-applying. I made an account specifically to post on this thread. We did it!
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Congratulations too! Definitely feels so good to be accepted to schools that have average scores of 32-33 MCATs! Anything is possible! :banana::soexcited:
 
I have posted on this thread a couple of times, and it has always proved inspiring to me to watch so many people defy the odds and excel! While my MCAT is mediocre and considered crap by some I have been fortunate enough to have received 12 MD IIs so far this season to phenomenal schools. 2 from Top 10s and 7 from Top 20s, and I am currently holding my first acceptance from a Top 20 that has been one of my top choices! Even though, a vast majority of people told me it was pointless applying to these schools, I believed in myself and I knew that despite my MCAT score, I will be able to succeed in these schools if given the opportunity, and getting that opportunity would have to start by me applying and demonstrating my love and enthusiasm for this career path. While numbers do play a huge role, showing that you are a well rounded individual who genuinely loves healthcare helps to balance other aspects of your application which may not be stellar! I still have a few more interviews to go to, and hopefully I will be hearing more good news. But so far so good! Fear not people, it can and it will be done!!!!! Good luck everyone!
 
gookies said:
I've read through all of these posts and they are inspiring for the most part, but the majority of users posting in here aren't really defying any odds. Not trying to bash, but being a URM gives you a great advantage, even with average stats. I end up reading most to give me hope if I do subpar on the MCAT, but then realize the individual is also a URM. I believe a vast majority of people told you that without realizing how much URM status matters or even knowing about it. Also, yes, not only numbers play a huge role, other factors are significant as well. But you just can't just look the other way and disregard being a URM is a significant factor as well. I guess it gets my hopes up for nothing when I realize that even if I had the same stats, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have as much "luck" getting in as you.
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While it may play a role, there are many other things these folks are not disclosing within their apps themselves. None of us know what different hoops they've jumped through or what skills they have to offer because of their ec background. And if you look at the panic thread, you will find just as many urms with no IIs so far.

It's also true you may not expect this amount of love from top tiers as an orm, it's not to say it's impossible if your application was otherwise "perfect." You shouldn't bank on someone else's significant success to be an indicator that you will fare the same way anyway. As they say, ymmv even with everything else being equal.

Point is, some have been able to overcome this setback in their app both as urms and non urms. This thread is just to show that it can still possible in light of those flaws at times given a strong enough application and background. 😉
 
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gookies said:
I've read through all of these posts and they are inspiring for the most part, but the majority of users posting in here aren't really defying any odds. Not trying to bash, but being a URM gives you a great advantage, even with average stats. I end up reading most to give me hope if I do subpar on the MCAT, but then realize the individual is also a URM. I believe a vast majority of people told you that without realizing how much URM status matters or even knowing about it. Also, yes, not only numbers play a huge role, other factors are significant as well. But you just can't just look the other way and disregard being a URM is a significant factor as well. I guess it gets my hopes up for nothing when I realize that even if I had the same stats, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have as much "luck" getting in as you.
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While I understand the URM status seems to provide some sort of "advantage", as Jennyfishy mentioned, I have other URM friends who have better stats than I do, applied to similar schools and some different ones and some are yet to receive IIs, and I know ORMs with similar stats to mine that have had success in the system. Don't get me wrong, I understand that URMs are/were generally expected to perform lower in standardized tests (attested by the fact that you stated we aren't defying any odds since we are URM, inferring that lower stats are expected) and as such, it may give us a small boost, but to kind of discredit my now 13 MD IIs to the fact that I'm an URM is honestly offensive and insulting. I can say without a doubt, there are certain aspects of my application which have made me stand out and convinced some adcoms that I can succeed as a physician and positively influence the medical field. And honestly, the whole "URM advantage" is a little overrated imo, and at the end of the day if you compare the number of URMs that enter into Med School, especially schools in the Top 30s, the numbers are still astonishingly low (sorry I don't have exact numbers). If it were such an advantage we should have seen vast improvements in this area by the now, but numbers seem to remain stagnant year by year. Finally, being black, latino/a, native america or LGBTQ does not automatically mean you will be a good physician which I believe is something adcoms are generally looking for. If you are URM with average to below average scores, and haven't demonstrated your potential to succeed, the color of your skin or identification as a URM will definitely not "save" you. And no I don't believe it is just "luck", I have worked extremely hard to get where I'm at, and has helped steer my application in its current direction.
 
@gookies Apologies accepted. I understand that you aren't trying to bash, but it doesn't stop it from being offensive. You are absolutely right, it is a small sample size, so is the sample size of the successful applicants in this thread. I may have ECs that every other student have, but the why and the how I did it may be different and that plays a great role in the holistic nature of this process. I am not denying it is an advantage, what I am stating is that it is an overrated advantage. As a black man, based on last years numbers 1/3 of black applicants were accepted as opposed to 1/2 of white and asian applicants accepted. My qualms with it is that the accomplishments (i.e. acceptance to Med Schools) of most URMs end up being reduced to a lot of people assuming they achieved these feats because of their URM status. To be clear, I never mentioned that people browsing the forums didn't work hard enough, or people not receiving IIs didn't work hard enough, I was merely speaking of my own experience and what I put into my interests and applications, and stating that it was the major factor in my receiving these IIs. And again back to the not defying odds because I am URM, I have been discouraged by people ranging from faculty members, to advisors from applying to some of the schools I applied to because of students who were both URM and ORM who applied with similar stats and didn't succeed. So receiving these IIs, are defying odds believe it or not. Med School is a heavy numbers game for EVERYONE, and if you don't have those "competitive" numbers and you receive IIs and acceptances, you are defying the odds. I apologize if I didn't clarify enough, but I wasn't implying that you were saying being URM automatically means being a good physician, on the contrary, there is no correlation. What I meant was that, adcoms are not going to place a heavy emphasis on your skin color when deciding if they think you could be a good physician, hence it doesn't factor in as much as people make it seem to be.
No I don't believe my IIs are due solely to my MCAT/GPA/ECs/PS but a combination of my life experiences which is closely related to my ethnicity, academic performance, EC pursuits and future interests. Do I think I would be in the same situation if I was ORM, given the same application? Absolutely (call me naive I guess). I didn't leave it blank because it is a part of who I am, and not something I don't want to disclose. I haven't said that it didn't help, i'd be a fool to think it didn't, but again, it wasn't all because of the "luck" of my skin color, but rather a much more complex combination of factors. There are fantastic URMs with numbers that are way higher than mine, who haven't received IIs in the places that I have, and vice versa. So please don't place a major emphasis of our success on our skin color. And good luck to you in your endeavors.
 
Haha thanks to everyone and their support!
 
@gookies There really isn't any point in going back and forth on this topic, since it seems like nothing is going to get resolved. You are entitled to your opinion and so am I, and I guess we can agree to disagree. The main point of this thread was about individuals with 27 - 29 MCAT with interviews, and thats why I posted it here. While my story may not be inspirational to you, it may be to someone else who can relate, as it did for me before I received my IIs. The final point I am going to reiterate is that I am not only (key word: ONLY) getting these invites because of my status as URM, it is a complex system that neither you or myself will get to fully understand at this stage in our careers.
 
I like this whole URM argument... Do URMs have somewhat of an advantage when applying to med school? Yes... Do veterans (people who were in the military) have somewhat of a advantage when applying to med school? Of course. But you won't see anyone accuse them (veterans) in taking their spots... I guess when things go wrong, lets blame AA or Hispanics.,.
 
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BestDoctorEver said:
I like this whole URM argument... Do URMs as somewhat of an advantage when applying to med school? Yes... Do veterans (people who were in the military) have somewhat of a advantage when applying to med school? Of course. But you won't see anyone accuse them (veterans) in taking their spots... I guess when things go wrong, lets blame AA or Hispanics.,.
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Lol, I agree, some people just need a chill pill in the form of an acceptance to a medical school! :banana::banana:
 
MCAT in this range, high GPA: 1MD acceptance , 2 DO acceptances.... The MD school could care less about URM vs. ORM, my close friend (ORM) got admitted with a lower MCAT, GPA. So excited we might be in the same class 🙂 Interview was much longer than any other I've had to really ensure everyone was a good fit, that seemed to be a larger factor than stats - as it should be !

Edit: Just got into another MD program! Last year no interviews, this year 2 acceptances .... ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!
 
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Hey SDNers, just wanted to give hope to everyone with a 27-29 MCAT. I've seen this thread for several years and was hoping one day I could post a cool story about myself getting into an MD with a sub 30 MCAT, that day has come! I thought I would have to go DO or Caribbean with my 28Q MCAT but I never gave up. I applied last year, interviewed at 4 MD schools and was waitlisted at all of them, never got off the waitlist. I applied again this year and so far I have received 7 MD interviews (1 acceptance, 3 waitlists, and 3 pending decisions). I have a 3.85 GPA, excellent extra-curriculars and letters, and I am as white as they come! Plus I'm from CA, so I can't bank on getting into my home state schools. I did not apply DO. As competition gets more and more difficult each year, unfortunately the MCAT is being weighted higher and higher. I took the MCAT twice, two years apart, first time was a 20Q then a 28Q. Biggest advice I can give is to not give up. Super lame advice, but so true. If MD is what you want, then don't give up. You'll need a solid GPA and activities but it's doable. Rock the interviews and show them a great personality. Good luck to everyone, I was in your position so I know the feelings, (should I re-apply, should I go DO or Caribbean, should I re-take the MCAT?). Again good luck to everyone, you can do it!!!
 
BestDoctorEver said:
I like this whole URM argument... Do URMs have somewhat of an advantage when applying to med school? Yes... Do veterans (people who were in the military) have somewhat of a advantage when applying to med school? Of course. But you won't see anyone accuse them (veterans) in taking their spots... I guess when things go wrong, lets blame AA or Hispanics.,.
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How can you compare the two? One is getting an advantage based SOLELY on the "color" of their skin, whereas the other one actually did something. On another note, congratulations to everyone who were recently accepted!
 
3.6/29P. Applied broadly to DO/MD schools.

Invited to 3 DO, attended 2, wait-listed at 1 and accepted at the other.
Invited to 1 MD and accepted.

It only takes one school to bite! Do not give up guys...Give it your best and Impress them at the Interview! Good luck!
 
not-trad, URM applicant with a 29 MCAT (8VR/10PS/11BS) and 3.6 GPA. Completed most of my secondaries towards the end of September.
10 II, attended 6 (UCLA geffen and Drew, UCI, UCSF pittMed and Uni of Iowa)
2 acceptances, 1 waitlist and still waiting to hear from 3 schools

Let me just say I created an account just so that I can post (my very first on SDN) on this particular forum and I am very glad I have been fortunate enough to be able do so.
 
I feel that my EC's were unique and plentiful. I spent a lot of time editing/getting my writing edited for my personal statement and essays and my interviewing skills are very good (at least that's what I've been told).
 
My cycle has been over since October, but also non-URM (I think) with 3.78 cGPA, 28 MCAT from CA. 2 MD interviews - 1 acceptance (Nov.) with scholarship, 1 "high alternate" waitlist. Didn't apply DO. Probably would've had more love if I wasn't so picky about OOS schools, but very happy about the school I'll be matriculating too!

The moral is probably that school selection can play just as big of a factor in your "success" as your MCAT score if you apply early and smarter than I did. :laugh:
 
Well sure, I'll take a stab at this...5 interviews, 3 waitlists...now down to two waitlists. My MCAT was a 29, GPA ~3.6. Very UNbalanced MCAT though...like, extremely.

I'm not saying it is hopeless, but you should really give the MCAT your all because it makes life so much easier.
 
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