Chances with low mcat?

[Bazelet50]

Hi all,

Non trad 28 year old and just got sores back today and am obviously quite devastated with a 501. 124/126/124/127. Was averaging 510 on exams prior to test.
GPA is 3.94 two BA degrees one in middle eastern studies one in bio.
EC's are
Military infantry (non us military)
Wildland firefighter for Forest service (one season 5 months)
EMT 3 years
Endoscopy Tech 6 months
Volunteer firefighter 2 years
Research currently working full time at major US cancer hospital as a research assistant approx 1000 hrs by app submission
Volunteer at school mentoring incoming students with learning disabilities (I have dyslexia)

Any chance at MD/DO acceptance? I am scheduled to retake may 23 but not sure if I have it in me, the study process is so soul draining and just don't know. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

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[Faha]

Where is your state of residence ?

 

[Bazelet50]

MA ((((((

 

[Dream of the Endless]

If you plan to retake are you sure you want to take it so soon? I would recommend putting it off until June at the earliest, even if you've been diligently studying since your last take.

Do you know what your flaws were your first time studying for the exam?

 

[Bazelet50]

I believe it was timing as I ran out of time on almost every section and had to blind guess on a handful. Also I was averaging 129 on CARS and don't know what happened. It seemed like the actual exam passages were longer or something but it took me a long time to get through and the last two passages had to speed read.

 

[Dream of the Endless]

I believe it was timing as I ran out of time on almost every section and had to blind guess on a handful. Also I was averaging 129 on CARS and don't know what happened. It seemed like the actual exam passages were longer or something but it took me a long time to get through and the last two passages had to speed read.

Cool, so you know the major part of your prep if you plan on retaking. I would recommend giving yourself at least 1 minute less per passage than what would be typically required.

For example, 9 Passages in 90 mins in cars is an average of 10 mins per passage to finish with no time left. During practice give yourself 9 mins average per passage. It's tough at first, but you get used to it.

What about practice exams. 1. How many did you take. 2 what companies did you use?
3. Do you already have a plan of study to increase your score?

- Oh, sorry I don't mean to ignore your school list question. That's @Goro and Faha who can help you there. I'm no expert, but I'd say your MCAT score is lethal for most MD schools. Don't know how you'd rank at D.O.

 

[Bazelet50]

Cool, so you know the major part of your prep if you plan on retaking. I would recommend giving yourself at least 1 minute less per passage than what would be typically required.

For example, 9 Passages in 90 mins in cars is an average of 10 mins per passage to finish with no time left. During practice give yourself 9 mins average per passage. It's tough at first, but you get used to it.

What about practice exams. 1. How many did you take. 2 what companies did you use?
3. Do you already have a plan of study to increase your score?

Took all the AAMC's, 5 NS, 5 Altius. all within same range. good idea for the prep. might reschedule to June 15 instead of may 23.

 

[Faha]

You are competitive for the majority of DO schools with your stats. Consider all these schools:
UNECOM
ACOM
ARCOM
NYIT-Arkansas
BCOM
UIWSOM
UP-KYCOM
MU-COM
WVSOM
VCOM (all 3 schools)
CUSOM
PCOM Georgia and South Georgia
LECOM (all schools)
If you increase your MCAT to 508 you could apply to MD schools also.

 

[Dream of the Endless]

Took all the AAMC's, 5 NS, 5 Altius. all within same range. good idea for the prep. might reschedule to June 15 instead of may 23.

Well your problem isn't lack of practice. (Great choices of 3rd company btw.) Sounds like once you get your timing proper and are sure you're going through your FL exams with a very fine toothed comb to grasp all the critical thinking skills, you should be fine. I'd also recommend spending some time in C/P and B/B covering your weaker areas for content review.

 

[Bazelet50]

Well your problem isn't lack of practice. (Great choices of 3rd company btw.) Sounds like once you get your timing proper and are sure you're going through your FL exams with a very fine toothed comb to grasp all the critical thinking skills, you should be fine. I'd also recommend spending some time in C/P and B/B covering your weaker areas for content review.

Thanks for your feedback. Best to delay until June 1st you think for retake? or Stick with already scheduled May 23. Basically 3 vs 4 weeks?

 

[Bazelet50]

You are competitive for the majority of DO schools with your stats. Consider all these schools:
UNECOM
ACOM
ARCOM
NYIT-Arkansas
BCOM
UIWSOM
UP-KYCOM
MU-COM
WVSOM
VCOM (all 3 schools)
CUSOM
PCOM Georgia and South Georgia
LECOM (all schools)
If you increase your MCAT to 508 you could apply to MD schools also.

I will look into these. Thank you for listing!

 

[Dream of the Endless]

Thanks for your feedback. Best to delay until June 1st you think for retake? or Stick with already scheduled May 23. Basically 3 vs 4 weeks?

The answer is whenever you feel like you're ready. Personally, I'd push it back to mid-late June. That would give you some time to brush up on content and marathon your way through practice exams + Section Bank.

If you do it that way, would get your score back by Mid/late July. If you are interested in applying MD you can send off a "throwaway" school to get your application verified. And than make a school list based on your new averages of your x4 AAMC practice exams (Regression to mean analysis.) During that time you would prewrite secondaries for schools so once you have a score back you can apply ASAP. All goes well you would be complete by very early August. Which wouldn't make you "the earliest" but you'd be in decent standing considering the rest of your application. You would be in well before Labor Day which, to my understanding, is the latest you want to be complete ideally.

I want to highlight that plan is completely contingent on you feeling like you're ready to retake the exam. If you find yourself with no major improvements, just apply D.O. It's a rushed schedule and it is imperfect. It's for only if you're gunning for M.D, which would require a 510ish score. The worst thing you can do for yourself is retake with no improvement.

If you don't care if it's M.D vs. D.O, just apply D.O. You'll be a doctor all the same. And if you're concerned about getting certain subspecialties, just kill Step 1 and make the best application you can. You may have to work harder, but it isn't impossible.

Best of luck either way!