Chances with a 3.94 cGPA and a 30 MCAT

[theOcho8]

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I just got my MCAT score back and it was lower than I anticipated. My practice tests had been averaging about a 34, so it was a little surprising. Problem is that I don't think I have time to retake the test. I'm getting married in mid-August, so needless to say i'm a little busy. I was hoping for some advice regarding my chance this year, if September is too late for a retake (I'm pretty sure it is), and really just any advice in general about my application.

Again, MCAT score was 30 with a 8VR/10PS/12BS breakdown.

My cGPA is 3.94, and sGPA is 3.86. I attended BYU as an undergrad. BS in Psychology.

Random list of things that might help you give advice:
- ~80 hours of shadowing
- volunteered in utah state psychiatric hospital (only about 30 hours)
- research experience in a neuroscience lab for about two years (ongoing) published once (third author) and also have an abstract. I anticipate an additional 2-3 pubs by summer 2015, possibly before interviews.
- I'm a California resident
- I did two years of LDS missionary service in Houston, TX
- Many hours of community volunteer service: leukemia and lymphoma society, tutor, teacher, etc.
- I received academic scholarships all four years of undergrad (3 full-tuition and 1 half-tuition)
- deans list (3x), Magna Cum Laude graduate, multiple honors societies, etc.
- Neuroimaging internship at BCM in Houston (2x)
- Training on MRI at BYU currently for reserach purposes

I have put applications into:
- LSU
- Baylor (I'm fairly certain this one is off the list with the 30 MCAT)
- UT Houston
- UT SA
- UT SW
- Texas Tech
- UC Davis
- Loma Linda
- UCSD (also pretty sure this one is off the table, too)
- UCLA
- UC Riverside
- Oklahoma
- Kentucky
- U- Louisville
- Ohio State
-St. Louis U
- Toledo
- UA Phoenix
- U Nevada
- U of Utah

Any help/advice/funny jokes would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your help!

 

[gyngyn]

Start by deleting all the schools where your MCAT is at or below the 10th%. Add the other Jesuits.

 

[Goro]

Goro suggests:


Rush
Penn state
Albany
Rosy Franklin
Drexel
Temple
- UC Davis
- Loma Linda (but read their list of don'ts)
MCW
-St. Louis U
Jefferson
GWU
Georgetown
Tufts
U Miami
Wake Forest
EVMS
VCU
All new MD programs except Va Tech and Hofstra
Any DO program (Western and TUCOM-CA are in your backyard)

 

[alpinism]

I just got my MCAT score back and it was lower than I anticipated. My practice tests had been averaging about a 34, so it was a little surprising. Problem is that I don't think I have time to retake the test. I'm getting married in mid-August, so needless to say i'm a little busy. I was hoping for some advice regarding my chance this year, if September is too late for a retake (I'm pretty sure it is), and really just any advice in general about my application.

Again, MCAT score was 30 with a 8VR/10PS/12BS breakdown.

My cGPA is 3.94, and sGPA is 3.86. I attended BYU as an undergrad. BS in Psychology.

Random list of things that might help you give advice:
- ~80 hours of shadowing
- volunteered in utah state psychiatric hospital (only about 30 hours)
- research experience in a neuroscience lab for about two years (ongoing) published once (third author) and also have an abstract. I anticipate an additional 2-3 pubs by summer 2015, possibly before interviews.
- I'm a California resident
- I did two years of LDS missionary service in Houston, TX
- Many hours of community volunteer service: leukemia and lymphoma society, tutor, teacher, etc.
- I received academic scholarships all four years of undergrad (3 full-tuition and 1 half-tuition)
- deans list (3x), Magna Cum Laude graduate, multiple honors societies, etc.
- Neuroimaging internship at BCM in Houston (2x)
- Training on MRI at BYU currently for reserach purposes

I have put applications into:
- LSU
- Baylor (I'm fairly certain this one is off the list with the 30 MCAT)
- UT Houston
- UT SA
- UT SW
- Texas Tech
- UC Davis
- Loma Linda
- UCSD (also pretty sure this one is off the table, too)
- UCLA
- UC Riverside
- Oklahoma
- Kentucky
- U- Louisville
- Ohio State
-St. Louis U
- Toledo
- UA Phoenix
- U Nevada
- U of Utah

Any help/advice/funny jokes would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your help!

Unless you are a Nevada, Louisiana, or Oklahoma resident and/or have very strong ties to the state your chances are very low at these schools due to significant IS bias. The same goes for UC Riverside due to their preference for Inland Empire residents interested in primary care.

Your MCAT is also low for UCLA and UTSW.

I'd replace the above schools with another 5-10 mid tier schools (private or state schools with >20% OOS acceptance rates). At the same time you can always keep a few reaches.

Goro has a good list of suggestions.

MCW, EVMS, VCU, Jefferson, Albany, Vermont, Tulane, RFU, Loyola, Miami, etc...