Below average stats Lots of research What can I do to improve?

[jaeded]

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Applying for 2010 matriculation:
Age: 25

Applied for 2007 matriculation wasn’t accepted… applied mostly to high tier schools… waste of $

MCAT:
2006: 26N
2008: 30M

Biochem major at University of Oregon and Portland State University
BCPM GPA: 3.39
Total GPA: 3.48

Some bad grades in important classes:
D+ in calc 3, retook and received an A
C+ in Biochem: enzymes
C in Biochem: DNA/RNA

Note: I’m seriously thinking about taking a grad level course in one of the biochem subjects next fall… Would that help me or be too late?

Sophomore yr: worked ~10hrs a week plus volunteering
Junior: “”
Senior: worked ~15hrs, tough course load, volunteering, family issues
Super senior: Full-time work, volunteering, ~10credit/term

EC:
Volunteering as ED Clinical Research Assistant: ~400hrs
Boys and Girls Club as music teacher and mentor: ~100hrs
Non-profit community clinic as clinic assistant and completed Clinic Admin. Internship: ~200hrs

Research ( I have been working for the Neurosurgery Dept at OHSU for 5yrs):
Publication in Neuroscience (not first author)
One in press
One in prep
5 abstracts
Award from AANS (not first author)

Leadership:
-Lead on project to put a music room in at the Boys and Girls Club, which involved a benefit show, food, painting room, procuring instruments and other music supplies. LORs will mention this.
-Manager at DQ from 15-17yrs old… don’t know if this matters much…

I truly appreciate anyone willing to give me some advice 🙂

 

[dragonfly99]

The 2nd MCAT score is all right, except for the writing sample score, which is awful. The adcoms tend to not care as much about that part, but an M might raise a few eyebrows, particularly if your verbal score was not high.
How does the MCAT score break down?

It looks like you've worked a lot during undergrad, and are kind of all over the place in terms of activities. I think you have a good amount of volunteer work n the health care setting, and more than enough research.

Your academic record and GPA are kind of spotty. I think if you have any semesters left, you really need to put full concentration on the academic work...I mean get all A's and A- grades. If you are graduating, then hard to do GPA work now.

Your best bet would be at your state school...you should be able to check and see the rate of admission there for someone with your stats. Beyond that, I would apply really early this summer, and apply to some of the less competitive private schools out of state. It may be hard to get in with your current GPA/MCAT combination.

I agree with taking some more biology and/or chem. classes. You might want to consider more upper level undergrad biology courses, since that will raise the undergrad GPA (taking master's level classes will not).

I would keep up with the hospital volunteering, but consider dropping some of the other activities if you don't have time to do them plus study well for your classes.

 

[jaeded]

Thanks so much DragonFly!

MCAT:
VR 9
PS10
BS11

I know my essay score is really bad…

I should have added that I graduated in 2008 and I am currently working full-time and volunteering at the community clinic 8hrs a week.

I want to apply in early June, but I won’t be able to take anymore classes until next fall. I would have to send schools an updated transcript, way late in the application cycle, if I took a class. Do you think its worth a try? I wish I had taken a class this year, but coulda, shoulda, woulda...

My thinking was that I would take a grad level course as a post-bacc so it would still be included in my undergrad GPA, but I’m not sure exactly how that would work…