FML just took MCAT #3

[Kisspeptin]

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the mcat will be the death of me

2008: V8 P7 B8 23M
2009: V7 P8 B10 25M
2010: V5 P9 B10 24M

I just got my score back on my most recent mcat today and am absolutely appalled at my verbal score. that is the section i studied for the most this last time. anyways, i have no idea what i should do...i applied this past year MD unsuccessfully. i have a cGPA of 3.72 and sGPA somewhere around 3.5. I have worked in a lab for 3 years as an undergrad and this year im working full time in a lab. i have one publication and at least 6 posters ive presented at various meetings. i worked in an ortho clinic for 2 summers and am currently volunteering at a hospital. this year i also took an EMT-Basic class and got nationally certified. I applied to only MD last year, unsuccessfully, but am now looking into DO. My MCAT is below avg at all the DO schools i've looked at but my GPA is above/at avg...any thoughts? 🙁

 

[illegallysmooth]

Dear, don't double-post please.

 

[Kisspeptin]

someone told me to repost in DO! sorry 😳

 

[VooDooo327]

I've heard that a lot of schools don't like when people take the MCAT and do worse or the same since it kind of points to the idea that no matter how many times you take the test you are not going to do any better. I wouldn't advise you to take the test any more. BUT, don't give up! I had some interviews at some DO schools with someone who scored a 22 on his MCAT and got in. However, he was a URM and I believe it was his 3rd time applying. Apply to the newer schools like Touro-CA and NV and wherever else. Try to contact those schools before applying to see if they have any thoughts.

PS: I dont know if TOURO-CA is "new" but he was at that interview too.

 

[Everglide]

For one: delete those links in your post, they link directly to your actual score reports and ids 😳

People do get accepted with 24s and lower, though I have no idea what kind of spread they have. Of the schools I know screen, 5 is above their bare minimums. Apply very broadly and I think you have a shot.

 

[Kisspeptin]

oops! Thanks I changed it 😱 i can't believe you could see everything without a password?!

 

[gocatgo]

Apply EARLY !

If you haven't already done so, submit your application to AACOMAS, have all your transcripts sent in to AACOMAS asap. From my experience, AACOMAS takes approx. 4-6 weeks to process the applications. But I have heard of applicants waiting up to 8 weeks in the past to be verified. Again, apply EARLY.

There are some schools which may take the best set of MCAT scores.

Again, apply ASAP. And apply broadly like the others have mentioned.

Good luck! 🙂

 

[SurgGal128]

You should be ok with that, DO schools are known for looking at more than just your test scores. I had a similar situation, my scores were simlar to yours (I only took MCAT once though), but I had a previous degree & worked full time as a surgical tech while I was in school. I got interviews at all the DO schools I applied to and got accepted at two. You have a good shot 🙂

LECOM is a good school to try, that's where I go... they have a large class size so they tend to take a broad range of students, although it's becoming more competitive.

As was stated already... apply early. I'm pretty sure the reason I got so many interviews is because I applied the day you could. I was accepted into both schools by November.

Good luck 🙂

 

[Kisspeptin]

the site says the application isnt open until may...? do you know if it's the same as amcas? personal statement, grades, ECs, work, etc?

also, how much weight does a DO letter have vs MD? right now i have an MD but if it makes a huge diff ill try to get a DO to write me one...

 

[Helen Wheels]

Well, many (but not all) of the DO schools require a letter from a DO. Many of these will not allow you to substitute an MD letter. LECOM for example, requires a DO letter and won't accept a letter from an MD to be substituted. If you don't have a DO letter it will definitely limit where you can apply.

You can research the letter requirements for each school on their respective web sites. The school sites all list their letter requirements pretty clearly. This link is useful as it summarizes application info for all DO schools:

http://www.aacom.org/resources/bookstore/cib/Documents/2011cib/2011cib-whole.pdf

I am in the same boat. Applied MD last year and crashed and burned. I am scrambling right now to get a DO letter since I would love to go to LECOM (Seton Hill campus 45 minutes from my house).

 

[gocatgo]

the site says the application isnt open until may...? do you know if it's the same as amcas? personal statement, grades, ECs, work, etc?

also, how much weight does a DO letter have vs MD? right now i have an MD but if it makes a huge diff ill try to get a DO to write me one...[/QUOT

If you have your personal statement, your list of ECs/work experiences and your transcripts at your disposal (so you can list all the courses you ever took in your college), you can get started right away.

Some D.O. schools will only accept a letter from a D.O. physician. I believe one of the mods named Chocolate Bear has a link of all the schools which require a D.O. letter.

If you can try to find a D.O. to shadow, it would be better but for now, just submit everything even if you don't have a D.O. letter. An M.D. letter will suffice for other schools which don't require a D.O. letter. Later, when/if you obtain a letter from a D.O., you can submit it to your individual schools.

 

[jal06c]

also, how much weight does a DO letter have vs MD? right now i have an MD but if it makes a huge diff ill try to get a DO to write me one...

Some schools require a DO letter, and some just require a physician letter (although they 'recommend' a DO). I got this spreadsheet from one of Chocolate Bear's post in the FAQ thread.

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AkQjgkrQwlmCdDdPRG15djh5NGJfRFhoVWdLdVJIaFE&hl=en

Also, look into shadowing a DO. You probably won't start getting secondaries until August, which is when LOR's are due as well. So if you start shadowing a DO now, you can probably get a solid LOR come August. Good Luck!

 

[Biology101]

I was told by my pre-advisor that a minimum MCAT of 24 has been shown to correlate with success rates of applicants in medical school

 

[OhioG]

Wow man, it is odd that your score in verbal dropped each time. Anyways I know some schools look at your best scores from all the tests combined which gives you a 27M. I think Ohio U is one of the schools that does this.

Anyways I had a friend, white male, who got into a DO school with a 23 or 24. On top of that he was kind of late in applying. I mean I guess he killed the interview because he got his interview in March and got accepted the next day.

Keep your head up man and just apply early and broadly and I think you actually stand a good chance at OU with your scores.