Are my chances higher or lower?

[zpxoci11]

Hey guys, I'm a reapplicant in the state of Texas considering whether I should reapply this cycle. I'll make it quick: between last year and now, three major things have changed.

- I earned a Master's degree in Biomedical Engineering. I managed to accomplish it in one year despite it being a two year program.
- I earned a C in Gross Anatomy (I know, I sucked)
- I'm planning to retake my MCAT (the last one was a 29 on the old MCAT)

In your opinion, given these changes and assuming that I manage to improve my MCAT, do you think I have a better chance or a worse chance of getting in? I'm not looking for an absolute "your chances aren't that good." I just want to know if it's higher or lower than before.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

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[Faha]

What is your cGPA and sGPA ?

 

[DokterMom]

Why didn't you get in last year? And what was your cycle like? # Interview invitations, wait lists, etc.

The master's degree in itself will be only a slight positive; anatomy grade a slight negative; MCAT still unknown. So no way to answer the question with the information we've got other than to quote the standard 'better not to be a re-applicant'...

 

[zpxoci11]

cGPA 3.50, sGA 3.51, mostly B's in the fall semester, all A's and one C in the spring semester, so GPA's are mostly unchanged.

Last year was a very late application turned in two days before the deadline (due to personal reasons). Two II's, no waitlists.

 

[Faha]

cGPA 3.50, sGA 3.51, mostly B's in the fall semester, all A's and one C in the spring semester, so GPA's are mostly unchanged.

Last year was a very late application turned in two days before the deadline (due to personal reasons). Two II's, no waitlists.

Applying early (this month) will have a much greater influence on your chances than your new activities in the previous year. A new MCAT of 512 or higher would also improve your chances.

 

[DokterMom]

Two days before the deadline? That suggests there was also a pretty serious 'How the application process works' knowledge gap as well, so I'd suggest a major overhaul of your application in light of everything you know now but didn't know then. (Your app may have been good since you got 2 IIs, but pretty hard to tell.)

Come to see that you're very new here -- Have you been lurking a while but just not posting?

 

[zpxoci11]

Well, if you must know, I had the application prepared early, but due to mental health issues, there was a huge question mark on whether or not I'd be capable of getting through medical school. I only received the recommendation from my therapist to apply in late September, so I submitted everything then. It probably was better to just wait until now to apply, looking back in hindsight, but too late now...

I'm a pretty big time lurker. I don't like posting questions unless they're very specific or unless I can't find a previously posted answer. That being said, I think I'm relatively knowledgeable of the application process and how to improve my chances.

 

[DokterMom]

OK - Makes more sense now. Yes, it would have been better to wait so you wouldn't be a reapplicant, but water under the bridge...

If you apply now, you'd still be early-ish, which is good. But you'd have a 'satisfactory' in the GPA and MCAT categories. Your GPA will be hard to improve given the number of classes you've already taken, so that's going to be pretty much what it is.

ECs have not been discussed really. How are yours? And would an extra year improve them significantly? (In most cases, that answer can be 'yes')

MCAT is still a big unknown, and if you apply now, you'll be applying with the one you've got. Any hypothetical future retake would likely be too late in the process to do you any good in this year's application cycle. So even if you absolutely kill it, it's unlikely to help you this year... On the other hand, yours is adequate for some of the TX schools. Cold hard truth -- How do you think you are likely to do on a retake? And how soon could you retake it and expect to get your best score? Do you test well? Test anxiety?