Good Enough? Postpone?

[EAPoetic]

I take the MCAT in a week. Took AAMC FL2 yesterday and got a 504. My past few practice exams have been right around this score also. I was really hoping for 510+. Should I postpone? Would a 504 be good enough to get into med school? MD or DO, leaning more towards DO.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[CloverBale]

You'd be competitive for DO for sure.

 

[DBC03]

Do you feel like you have hit a plateau? Or do you think you could do better? It might depend on the spacing of your practice exams (they are all very similar, but have they been spaced out or close together?). Also, do you tend to do better or worse on the actual exam than on practice exams? I would consider all of this together. If you feel that this is as prepared as you could possibly be, then take it. But if you are feeling rushed, think you could get more content or more strategy down, or feel that you need more time, postpone. Then give yourself adequate time to prepare and focus on your weak areas.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[PreMedMissteps]

What's your state?

What are your cum and science GPAs?

If you're wanting MD, it's kind of late to be applying unless you're from a real lucky state and your GPA is awesome. Your MCAT isn't great for MD w/o a hook

Tell us more.

 

[Lawpy]

I take the MCAT in a week. Took AAMC FL2 yesterday and got a 504. My past few practice exams have been right around this score also. I was really hoping for 510+. Should I postpone? Would a 504 be good enough to get into med school? MD or DO, leaning more towards DO.

504 is fine for DO schools.

 

[EAPoetic]

What's your state?

What are your cum and science GPAs?

If you're wanting MD, it's kind of late to be applying unless you're from a real lucky state and your GPA is awesome. Your MCAT isn't great for MD w/o a hook

Tell us more.

3.0 cGPA
2.7 sGPA
499 1st take MCAT
Solid EC's. URM. Texas Resident.

Not applying until next cycle. Considering smp/post bac during gap year.

 

[Goro]

I take the MCAT in a week. Took AAMC FL2 yesterday and got a 504. My past few practice exams have been right around this score also. I was really hoping for 510+. Should I postpone? Would a 504 be good enough to get into med school? MD or DO, leaning more towards DO.

EDIT: your stats are lethal for MD schools. For DO, try the newest schools.

What ethnic group do you represent?

 

[EAPoetic]

EDIT: your stats are lethal for MD schools. For DO, try the newest schools.

What ethnic group do you represent?

Mexican American

 

[Goro]

Mexican American

I can't recommend applying. Even though Chicanos are URM, no med school is doing you any favors by admitting you as I'm not convinced that you can handle med school. The only caveat is if you have a massive rising GPA trend.

 

[license43]

3.0 cGPA
2.7 sGPA
499 1st take MCAT
Solid EC's. URM. Texas Resident.

Not applying until next cycle. Considering smp/post bac during gap year.

Not impossible. Try a special masters or post bAcc and get in.
I.e of those DO schools with contingencies deals: Touro NY, LECOM, etc.

 

[license43]

Not impossible. Try a special masters or post bAcc and get in.
I.e of those DO schools with contingencies deals: Touro NY, LECOM, etc.

But i think MD is hard with those stats.

 

[EAPoetic]

I can't recommend applying. Even though Chicanos are URM, no med school is doing you any favors by admitting you as I'm not convinced that you can handle med school. The only caveat is if you have a massive rising GPA trend.

That's understandable. I'm strongly considering smp/post bac to prove myself. But I'm applying broadly next cycle. Doing SMP/post bac during gap year. Then reapplying with SMP under my belt if first app cycle doesn't result in any acceptances.

The main reason for this thread is that I'm taking MCAT in a week, scoring around 504 and was wondering if that was acceptable.

 

[Goro]

That's understandable. I'm strongly considering smp/post bac to prove myself. But I'm applying broadly next cycle. Doing SMP/post bac during gap year. Then reapplying with SMP under my belt if first app cycle doesn't result in any acceptances.

The main reason for this thread is that I'm taking MCAT in a week, scoring around 504 and was wondering if that was acceptable.

A 504 should be good enough for the TX schools, but the GPAs are lethal.

It will be foolish to apply until after you complete the SMP, and show that you can handle med school.

 

[EAPoetic]

A 504 should be good enough for the TX schools, but the GPAs are lethal.

It will be foolish to apply until after you complete the SMP, and show that you can handle med school.

By next cycle my GPAs should be
~3.1 cGPA
~3.0 sGPA

...if that makes any difference

 

[PreMedMissteps]

By next cycle my GPAs should be
~3.1 cGPA
~3.0 sGPA

...if that makes any difference

How will you be raising your sGPA from a 2.7 to a 3.0? How many credits does that 2.7 represent?

And how many science credits will you be taking next year?

Haven't you already graduated? What classes will you be taking during this gap year?

As for your original question about postponing. When would you postpone to? Isn't the last MCAT of the year in a couple of weeks?

 

[EAPoetic]

How will you be raising your sGPA from a 2.7 to a 3.0? How many credits does that 2.7 represent?

And how many science credits will you be taking next year?

Haven't you already graduated? What classes will you be taking during this gap year?

As for your original question about postponing. When would you postpone to? Isn't the last MCAT of the year in a couple of weeks?

16 4.0 science hours will bring me just above 3.0

Nope. I graduate in May.

And by postpone I meant VOID retake in Jan.

 

[Med Ed]

That's understandable. I'm strongly considering smp/post bac to prove myself. But I'm applying broadly next cycle. Doing SMP/post bac during gap year. Then reapplying with SMP under my belt if first app cycle doesn't result in any acceptances.

The main reason for this thread is that I'm taking MCAT in a week, scoring around 504 and was wondering if that was acceptable.

Look, your metrics are not good, so you can do this one of two ways: 1.) rush, which will probably lead to a series of decisions that you later consider regrettable, or 2.) do the SMP, get yourself shored up academically, and apply after you have achieved a respectable MCAT score.

I see many applicants whose fundamental sin is impatience, and they often end up faring quite poorly.

 

[PreMedMissteps]

16 4.0 science hours will bring me just above 3.0

How many science credits represent the 2.7 GPA?

What's the likelihood that a traditional student with a 2.7 science GPA so far will suddenly get a 4.0 in 16 science credits in one year?

Don't do the retake until April, earliest. And practice, practice, practice.

And actually, once this first semester is over and you see how those grades are, you may realize that you will need that SMP and then your MCAT retake may be in 2019

 

[EAPoetic]

Look, your metrics are not good, so you can do this one of two ways: 1.) rush, which will probably lead to a series of decisions that you later consider regrettable, or 2.) do the SMP, get yourself shored up academically, and apply after you have achieved a respectable MCAT score.

I see many applicants whose fundamental sin is impatience, and they often end up faring quite poorly.

What's wrong with putting in an application prior to the smp? I'm doing the smp regardless, if an app before it nets an acceptance then great. If not, that year was spent being productive and helps improve an application weakness. I know a 3.0/504 is a stretch, but don't people get in with lower numbers? I realize Harvard is out of the question lol, but I couldn't land an acceptance ANYWHERE?

 

[gyngyn]

What's wrong with putting in an application prior to the smp? I'm doing the smp regardless, if an app before it nets an acceptance then great. If not, that year was spent being productive and helps improve an application weakness. I know a 3.0/504 is a stretch, but don't people get in with lower numbers? I realize Harvard is out of the question lol, but I couldn't land an acceptance ANYWHERE?

You are a good candidate for the 3 Puerto Rican schools that consider main-landers (if your Spanish is fluent...).

 

[Med Ed]

What's wrong with putting in an application prior to the smp? I'm doing the smp regardless, if an app before it nets an acceptance then great. If not, that year was spent being productive and helps improve an application weakness. I know a 3.0/504 is a stretch, but don't people get in with lower numbers? I realize Harvard is out of the question lol, but I couldn't land an acceptance ANYWHERE?

Being a reapplicant sucks. If you don't believe me, spend some time hanging around in the reapplicant forum. No one can tell you that you won't get in if you throw in an application next year. But I can assure you that if you wait and apply with strong SMP grades (and a commensurately stronger MCAT) you will get much more traction and many more schools.

 

[PreMedMissteps]

What's wrong with putting in an application prior to the smp?

Don't you want med schools to consider your (hopefully) good results from a SMP? How could they do that if you apply prior? What would you want med schools to think about you taking a SMP if you applied prior? They're going to have no idea how you'd do. They'd likely assume that you're going to have the ho-hum results that you had in undergrad. What would be the point?

 

[EAPoetic]

You are a good candidate for the 3 Puerto Rican schools that consider main-landers (if your Spanish is fluent...).

It's better than most. Wouldn't say fluent though

 

[EAPoetic]

Being a reapplicant sucks. If you don't believe me, spend some time hanging around in the reapplicant forum. No one can tell you that you won't get in if you throw in an application next year. But I can assure you that if you wait and apply with strong SMP grades (and a commensurately stronger MCAT) you will get much more traction and many more schools.

I'd only be a reapplicant to the schools I already applied to, correct? If I target newer DO schools, an app prior to SMP shouldn't be the end of the world right? Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[PreMedMissteps]

I'd only be a reapplicant to the schools I already applied to, correct? If I target newer DO schools, an app prior to SMP shouldn't be the end of the world right? Please correct me if I'm wrong.

So you want to limit your apps next cycle (pre SMP) to new DO schools? Why?

Here's my 2 cents. Don't apply next cycle. Do the SMP and prepare to take the MCAT in spring 2019. That way you'll know what your situation is. If you're then good enough for MD or established DO schools, then apply that route. If not, then apply to the newer DO schools. JMHO, but there could be risks in going to a newer DO school, so if you can improve enough to be accepted to a MD or established DO, then you could fare better in the unified match.

 

[EAPoetic]

So you want to limit your apps next cycle (pre SMP) to new DO schools? Why?

Here's my 2 cents. Don't apply next cycle. Do the SMP and prepare to take the MCAT in spring 2019. That way you'll know what your situation is. If you're then good enough for MD or established DO schools, then apply that route. If not, then apply to the newer DO schools. JMHO, but there could be risks in going to a newer DO school, so if you can improve enough to be accepted to a MD or established DO, then you could fare better in the unified match.

Thank you! I genuinely appreciate your point of view. I'll consider it, but I'm not picky. With that said, I obviously have to do what makes the most sense for me. From career, financial, and life perspectives.

 

[Med Ed]

I'd only be a reapplicant to the schools I already applied to, correct? If I target newer DO schools, an app prior to SMP shouldn't be the end of the world right? Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Why are you hellbent on attending some strip mall DO school?

 

[gyngyn]

It's better than most. Wouldn't say fluent though

Then. apply once with the best application you can put together.
Even if you get in somewhere, you are going to wonder how much better you might have done with a really good ap.

 

[PreMedMissteps]

Why are you hellbent on attending some strip mall DO school?

^^ this

You may think that you're not picky, but when you're in the thick of things, it will matter to you.

 

[EAPoetic]

Why are you hellbent on attending some strip mall DO school?

I'm hellbent on attending medical school. Period. Any avenue that helps me attain that goal is appealing to me.

 

[PreMedMissteps]

I'm hellbent on attending medical school. Period. Any avenue that helps me attain that goal is appealing to me.

Impulsiveness and immaturity are the foundation for being hellbent on taking any path regardless of the soundness.

 

[EAPoetic]

Impulsiveness and immaturity are the foundation for being hellbent on taking any path regardless of the soundness.

Attending an accredited institution in America that grants medical degrees seems pretty sound to me.

 

[PreMedMissteps]

Attending an accredited institution in America that grants medical degrees seems pretty sound to me.

At this point, you don't know what your desired specialty will be. Coming from a new DO school can mean not matching into a competitive residency or a more desirable program for a less competitive specialty.

And you're possibly dismissing an opportunity to attend a MD or better DO school. You're a URM in Tx. With a SMP and improved MCAT, your chances would be much better.

 

[Med Ed]

At this point, you don't know what your desired specialty will be. Coming from a new DO school can mean not matching into a competitive residency or a more desirable program for a less competitive specialty.

And you're possibly dismissing an opportunity to attend a MD or better DO school. You're a URM in Tx. With a SMP and improved MCAT, your chances would be much better.

Move on, my friend. We can't save people from themselves.