Apply this year or wait?

[Biological]

As the title states, I'm struggling with the decision of whether or not to apply this year, and would really appreciate some input.

Brief overview of the good/acceptable parts of my application:

• cGPA ~3.7, sGPA ~3.65
• Will take the MCAT June 1
• 1 year clinical volunteering (~200 hours)
• 2 years research (~1500 hours) between 2 labs, 3 pubs, 1 invited talk, 4 posters, honors thesis, awarded grant money, fellowship
• Part-time work throughout undergrad (manual labor), 1 year TA
• Minor involvement in personal hobby continued from major involvement (world competition level) in high school

Areas of concern:

• Non-clinical volunteering: I only have a few hours here and there from various organizations (60 hours total). I am currently involved in non-clinical volunteering that I will continue for at least another year, so I would enter roughly 100 hours completed and ~100 projected on AMCAS. The only thing I have going for me with those spotty 60 hours are that they're all from organizations that put me in "uncomfortable" situations (e.g. working with poor, disabled, criminals, etc).
• Gap in activities: I had about a year and a third where I wasn't involved in any volunteering due to a family member's illness that was quite time-consuming. I maintained a good GPA, research, and employment throughout this time, but simply couldn't take on volunteering as well during this period.
• Shadowing: I have 4 hours shadowing at this point. I have more experiences lined up and will complete 45-50 more hours before June 1, however this will very likely come across as box-checking.
  
• Leadership: I have very minimal leadership experience. ~15 hours as the student rep on a faculty committee, ~40 hours as a club secretary.

If I apply this cycle, I plan to submit to a single school for verification June 2. If my MCAT score comes back below 508 I won't apply.

That said, I am waffling about if I should apply this cycle assuming a satisfactory MCAT score or if I should sit out this cycle so that I can address those 3 points of weakness, or if they aren't nearly bad enough to justify sitting out a cycle.

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[Turkishking]

Never mind

 

[LizzyM]

I think you should sit this one out. Do it once. Do it right. Reapplication does carry a stigma.

How many MCAT practice tests have you taken and how many do you plan to take in the next 2 months? I'd reschedule the MCAT to late August if your initial practice test is anything less than 512. With the amount of research you've done, you should be shooting for 517 or better and a top heavy list of schools. The lower tier schools will be suspicious of your heavy involvement in research (those schools that aim to prepare primary care docs) and the research intensive schools will want to see high MCAT. Your GPA is marginal for a top school so you need to rock the MCAT to have a good shot. Taking the MCAT more than once due to poor preparation the first time is not a good thing.

Your record of community service is weak and a year of service in an impoverished community would be useful to you. It could be full-time volunteer (with a small stipend paid for living expenses, something like CityYear) or paid (such as Teach for America) or part-time volunteer while you hold down a full-time job.

If you work your family member's illness, including approximate dates, into your personal statement, it will add some context to your experience list and explain your gap in service activities to anyone who is interested enough to dig into it.

 

[hopflyacptd123]

If you get that 508 or above that you are aiming for, I think you are in a good position. However, it does look like you have a lot of things planned that may end up affecting your study time, for example, sending in your AMCAS the day after. Getting a good MCAT score is the most important thing you should be worrying about right now. And if you feel like you can give it 100%, then I say go for it and apply this cycle!

 

[Biological]

I think you should sit this one out. Do it once. Do it right. Reapplication does carry a stigma.

How many MCAT practice tests have you taken and how many do you plan to take in the next 2 months? I'd reschedule the MCAT to late August if your initial practice test is anything less than 512. With the amount of research you've done, you should be shooting for 517 or better and a top heavy list of schools. The lower tier schools will be suspicious of your heavy involvement in research (those schools that aim to prepare primary care docs) and the research intensive schools will want to see high MCAT. Your GPA is marginal for a top school so you need to rock the MCAT to have a good shot. Taking the MCAT more than once due to poor preparation the first time is not a good thing.

Your record of community service is weak and a year of service in an impoverished community would be useful to you. It could be full-time volunteer (with a small stipend paid for living expenses, something like CityYear) or paid (such as Teach for America) or part-time volunteer while you hold down a full-time job.

If you work your family member's illness, including approximate dates, into your personal statement, it will add some context to your experience list and explain your gap in service activities to anyone who is interested enough to dig into it.

I've taken one practice test at this point and my score was right on the money for what you're suggesting. I plan to take 10 more before my test date.

If I do receive a score in the range you're suggesting, would you be more likely to recommend applying this cycle or would you still recommend sitting this one out?

EDIT: no idea if this is even worth mentioning or not, but since I didn't include it in the original post, I will be graduating this spring, so I am planning on at least one gap year. Sitting out this cycle would mean 2 years. I'm not horribly opposed, but if it's fairly reasonable to apply this cycle I'd really like to.

 

[LizzyM]

I've taken one practice test at this point and my score was right on the money for what you're suggesting. I plan to take 10 more before my test date.

If I do receive a score in the range you're suggesting, would you be more likely to recommend applying this cycle or would you still recommend sitting this one out?

EDIT: no idea if this is even worth mentioning or not, but since I didn't include it in the original post, I will be graduating this spring, so I am planning on at least one gap year. Sitting out this cycle would mean 2 years. I'm not horribly opposed, but if it's fairly reasonable to apply this cycle I'd really like to.

OK, if you can pull at least 130 in three sections and not less than 127 in the fourth, you should be good. Any plan for the gap year yet? I'd recommend starting now and through next year doing face-to-face service to the needy in a non-clinical capacity. Coach Special Olympics, cook and serve in a soup kitchen, help settle refugees... there are thousands of opportunities if you look around.

 

[Biological]

OK, if you can pull at least 130 in three sections and not less than 127 in the fourth, you should be good. Any plan for the gap year yet? I'd recommend starting now and through next year doing face-to-face service to the needy in a non-clinical capacity. Coach Special Olympics, cook and serve in a soup kitchen, help settle refugees... there are thousands of opportunities if you look around.

I just (3 weeks ago) started non-clinical volunteering at a therapeutic riding center where I spend an hour at a time with a particular child talking to them, helping them with tasks, etc. My plan is to continue this activity up until matriculation. The only thing that would throw a damper in it is moving for a job, in which case I'd try to find a similar experience or take up a new experience if I can't find a therapeutic riding center within a workable distance. As I hinted at, I also plan to work full-time during that gap year.

 

[LizzyM]

Therapeutic riding center can seem like a service to disabled children (good) of the wealthy (not so good). Do not label it "clinical"; I have not seen that go well. Unless the therapeutic riding center is free and accepts kids living in poverty, it might not be the best place to show that you want to help those in great need with their basic survival needs. Seriously, this is the biggest gap in your application and you are leading kids around on a horse?

In part this is a game and getting in is about being able to play the game. You are weak in this one area and you need to pick up the pace or you will be left behind.

 

[Biological]

Therapeutic riding center can seem like a service to disabled children (good) of the wealthy (not so good). Do not label it "clinical"; I have not seen that go well. Unless the therapeutic riding center is free and accepts kids living in poverty, it might not be the best place to show that you want to help those in great need with their basic survival needs. Seriously, this is the biggest gap in your application and you are leading kids around on a horse?

In part this is a game and getting in is about being able to play the game. You are weak in this one area and you need to pick up the pace or you will be left behind.

I definitely see your point here. I certainly don't consider it clinical, nor would I list it as such. In terms of addressing the concerns about it being service to the wealthy, would it make any difference that many of the families receive the service for free because they cannot afford it and that this is occurring in a very rural area where families often have very little access to any sort of support for disabled children?

 

[LizzyM]

I definitely see your point here. I certainly don't consider it clinical, nor would I list it as such. In terms of addressing the concerns about it being service to the wealthy, would it make any difference that many of the families receive the service for free because they cannot afford it and that this is occurring in a very rural area where families often have very little access to any sort of support for disabled children?

You've got to sell this as service to people who could not afford it and who are very needy. Typically, non-clinical volunteering is with the homeless, those living in poverty and depending on soup kitchens and food pantries, tutoring kids whose parents are working class or in deep poverty, helping elderly shut-ins, being a companion/mentor to a fatherless child or a person with a mental disability.

 

[Biological]

You've got to sell this as service to people who could not afford it and who are very needy. Typically, non-clinical volunteering is with the homeless, those living in poverty and depending on soup kitchens and food pantries, tutoring kids whose parents are working class or in deep poverty, helping elderly shut-ins, being a companion/mentor to a fatherless child or a person with a mental disability.

Thank you very much for all of your advice and your patience with my endless questions. It is greatly appreciated and really helped me see what my options are and what I need to do moving forward.

 

[Biological]

Sorry for resurrecting this, but I'd like some advice now that this situation has changed a bit.

I have decided to push my MCAT back to early August. Since this pushes my whole timeline back for applications this cycle (as I wouldn't have my score back until September 5), would it then be unreasonable to apply this cycle assuming that 1. I score in the target range (517+) on the MCAT and 2. I have my primary application verified and ready to go (with LORs already submitted to the AMCAS letter service, etc) so that all I need to do when I get my score back is add the schools I want it sent to? In theory, this would have schools receiving my complete primary application, LORs and all, September 6-7.

 

[DrHart]

If you're still waffling, I say sit out a cycle. Pushing back the mcat + little shadowing + little sustained non clinical volunteering is a good recipe for taking a gap year. Maximize your chances and only do this once. You'll have your stuff together to really hit the mark and apply early if you take a breath and wait an extra year. As all the adcoms say on here, med schools aren't going anywhere anytime soon


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[Biological]

If you're still waffling, I say sit out a cycle. Pushing back the mcat + little shadowing + little sustained non clinical volunteering is a good recipe for taking a gap year. Maximize your chances and only do this once. You'll have your stuff together to really hit the mark and apply early if you take a breath and wait an extra year. As all the adcoms say on here, med schools aren't going anywhere anytime soon


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Thank you, I think I just really needed to "hear" someone say this. Everyone around me is baffled that I might not apply this year and is strongly encouraging me to. I know what the smart decision is, I think I just needed someone to confirm that I wasn't going overboard with neuroticism about my application.

 

[Aerus]

Your application will go from weak to very strong with just this 1 year. The benefits far outweigh the cons.

 

[Biological]

Your application will go from weak to very strong with just this 1 year. The benefits far outweigh the cons.

Thank you for the voice of reason. It's greatly appreciated!

 

[Biological]

Post MCAT update: I ended up with a 516 (129/132/128/127). I didn't end up shadowing, but did get employed as a scribe at an IM clinic. I've also started volunteering at a soup kitchen a couple hours a week and am continuing to volunteer at the therapeutic riding center. Are there any other areas that I need to focus on during this gap year? @LizzyM your input would be much appreciated, since you've been so helpful to me!

 

[LizzyM]

Congrats! You're good for maybe all but the number ***** schools.

 

[Biological]

Congrats! You're good for maybe all but the number ***** schools.

Thanks! I can't tell you how much I appreciate all of your advice and your patience with me.