couple questions about grades/mcat

[cloosh]

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Hey guys

My parents and I were discussing my options the other day over how I should apply to places this coming year. I am a re-applicant for a good reason. I took the MCAT twice before, getting a 24 each time. In my defense, I didn't study each time (I was an idiot). I took it again and got a 32. My GPA is 3.56 (3.61 including gpa from my transfer credits), and there's a high upward trend starting my junior year through my senior year (I kind of messed around freshmen, sophomore years, including a W on my transcript from sophomore year).

My question is to you guys, is whether ADCOMS will look at my application and say "oh look he's done better" or "oh look he did badly before"? It's really bothering me a lot, and I'm wondering whether to just apply only to my state school but I was looking at other schools in the new york area specifically (nyu, etc). I don't have any research experience (although I have had a lot of teaching experience as a TA for intro bio) either, although that may change next fall. Thanks for your help.

 

[Simran1]

Hey guys

My parents and I were discussing my options the other day over how I should apply to places this coming year. I am a re-applicant for a good reason. I took the MCAT twice before, getting a 24 each time. In my defense, I didn't study each time (I was an idiot). I took it again and got a 32. My GPA is 3.56 (3.61 including gpa from my transfer credits), and there's a high upward trend starting my junior year through my senior year (I kind of messed around freshmen, sophomore years, including a W on my transcript from sophomore year).

My question is to you guys, is whether ADCOMS will look at my application and say "oh look he's done better" or "oh look he did badly before"? It's really bothering me a lot, and I'm wondering whether to just apply only to my state school but I was looking at other schools in the new york area specifically (nyu, etc). I don't have any research experience (although I have had a lot of teaching experience as a TA for intro bio) either, although that may change next fall. Thanks for your help.

First of all, congratulations on improving your MCAT score! That is an incredible increase. I was in a similar situation to yours (gpa not so great freshman and sophomore, and then significantly higher for junior and senior years). I had a 31 on the MCAT. I believe that the ADCOMS will definitely look at your application and focus on the improvement rather than the poor grades in the beginning.I know that when I went to my interview at my state school the panel of interviewers noted the upward trend in my grades and asked me to discuss it. It is definitely a positive to see the trend, just make sure you are prepared to discuss/explain why your grades were lower before. I would apply to your state school as well as other schools which are within range of your MCAT and overall gpa (based on the MSAR). My gpa was a 3.34 when I first applied and I did not receive admission anywhere. But by the end of my senior year, I had brought it up to a 3.5 and I applied the summer after my senior year and was offered interviews by 4 schools, 3 of which were out of state for me. I received admission into my state school in February and will be going there this fall. Although research is not officially required for admission, I definitely feel that it would benefit you greatly to do some research, even if it is just a little. Hope this helps! PM me if you have any other questions.

 

[Law2Doc]

My question is to you guys, is whether ADCOMS will look at my application and say "oh look he's done better" or "oh look he did badly before"? It's really bothering me a lot, and I'm wondering whether to just apply only to my state school but I was looking at other schools in the new york area specifically (nyu, etc).

There will be adcoms at schools which will look at your application with each of those above viewpoints. In general, if you have blemishes in your app, which you do, you want to apply to more, not fewer places. I would shoot for more like 20 rather than 1. And not too many longshots.