Chances, please!

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vermontah

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I just got my MCAT score back, so I thought I'd ask for advice.

MCAT: 32Q (11P, 10V, 11B)
cGPA: 3.78
BCPM: 3.68
English major, chemistry minor.

I graduated from the Honors College of my university last spring, earning cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, and a bunch of other honors.
ECs: Class Council for 3 years, volunteered in an ER for a while (probably accumulated 75 hours or so), worked for the student newspaper for a year, and played intramural sports.
Medical experience: Not much; I worked in a medical records office on and off during high school, and I was an aide to a mentally-challenged man one summer.
Research: Not much in college, except for my honors thesis, which was a 15-month process. I'm now working as a research tech in a prestigious lab co-run by a renowned med school and hospital.

That's pretty much it. I'm looking around for volunteering opportunities, but I haven't found much that fits with my work schedule quite yet. I mostly want to know if I should retake the MCAT; I could probably get a better score if I signed up for a Kaplan class, but I'd prefer to avoid that.
My top choice right now is UVM, my state school, which I hear is very kind to in-state students, and is pretty much all I can afford now.

Thoughts?

Thanks!
 
Considering UVermont's mean acceptee stats are GPA 3.7 and MCAT 30, I'd say you're in good shape for an admission there, provided your ECs are adequate. You have leadership and research experience, but your weak point is the clinical experience. Maybe the adcomm will consider 75 hours in an ER and personal aide experience enough, but you would be wise to get something else going as soon as possible to beef up that aspect of your application. Three to four hours per week in a hospital, clinic, nursing home, hospice, etc might be fine, provided you continue through your application year and mention it in update letters. (High school experiences should not be listed on a med school application, BTW.) I'd also try to get in some shadowing time with docs you meet along the way.
 
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