Help please! what are my chances?

[Adilpickle]

I am a Junior at the University of California, Irvine.
I have a 3.48 overall and a 3.42 BCPM
My MCAT score was a 27Q
I have a lot of research and am published in 2 papers.

I am planning on re-taking my MCAT sometime mid-September, and I was wondering whether it'd be best if I applied this year, or waited another year.

My older bro (a neurosurgeon who went to Hopkins for med school), says that if I apply next year, my chances will go way down unless I am doing something very significant during my year off (ie a Masters program). Is this true? What are my chances of getting into med school (or DO school) if I apply this cycle?

Please help! I need your advice!

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[bravofleet4]

I wouldn't say I know more than anyone else but your stats don't look good. Having two publications is nice but if it came at the sacrifice of your grades, it wasn't worth it. You have to set your priorities straight.

It would also help if you provide a breakdown of your MCAT score, so we could see if there's any one area that keeps you out of being considered. An example is low verbal score of 8 or lower. At that point, you should evaluate yourself and whether you think you can improve upon your original score.

If you want a picture of the stats for those accepted at each medical school, I would highly recommend purchasing MSAR.

 

[COMBAT MEDIC172]

I am not expert on this matter, but I can offer my advice. You would make for a competitive DO applicant. You could also apply to your state schools as well as less competitive MD Schools. Your GPA and MCAT are below average for MD, however, every year several applicants matriculate with your stats. I believe if you apply broadly you will get a handful of DO interviews as well as one or two MD interviews. That's with your current stats. If you wait until next year, you should improve your GPA by taking some courses as well as retaking your MCAT, and increase your shadowing, volunteering, and other ECs ect. Come out super early next year as a competitive applicant. It really depends on where you want to go to school, but if you don't mind where you go then I think you have a solid shot of matriculating next year. Good luck

 

[bravofleet4]

deleted

 

[Naijaba]

I am a Junior at the University of California, Irvine.
I have a 3.48 overall and a 3.42 BCPM
My MCAT score was a 27Q
I have a lot of research and am published in 2 papers.

I am planning on re-taking my MCAT sometime mid-September, and I was wondering whether it'd be best if I applied this year, or waited another year.

My older bro (a neurosurgeon who went to Hopkins for med school), says that if I apply next year, my chances will go way down unless I am doing something very significant during my year off (ie a Masters program). Is this true? What are my chances of getting into med school (or DO school) if I apply this cycle?

Please help! I need your advice!

Your results would not come back until October which puts you very late in the application season. I also went to UC Irvine and I know they have a very competitive (insane curve) biology program. I would suggest spending your senior year focusing upon your GPA. Try to get it to 3.5 and achieve a 32+ on the MCAT. Just my two cents.

 

[camaras2480]

I am a Junior at the University of California, Irvine.
I have a 3.48 overall and a 3.42 BCPM
My MCAT score was a 27Q
I have a lot of research and am published in 2 papers.

I am planning on re-taking my MCAT sometime mid-September, and I was wondering whether it'd be best if I applied this year, or waited another year.

My older bro (a neurosurgeon who went to Hopkins for med school), says that if I apply next year, my chances will go way down unless I am doing something very significant during my year off (ie a Masters program). Is this true? What are my chances of getting into med school (or DO school) if I apply this cycle?

Wait til next year. You cannot apply this year, retaking the MCAT in mid-September. Some schools won't even accept that MCAT since results are not available until mid to late October.

You cannot apply to state schools; whoever suggested that, just fyi, 3.4 or 3.5 with 27 has basically no shot in the UC system.

Now, on the flip, your research is stellar. However, from this point on, note that MORE research won't help you. For example, a 3rd publication will not make you a stronger candidate than having 2 publications.

However, unless you have other ECs that you did not mention, you have no experience in clinical settings (shadowing, etc), nor community service/volunteer work to show you have been exposed to direct interaction with the underserved or sick or whatever. You need something here.

So, summary: in the upcoming year, get 4.0s to pull that GPA over 3.5, and close to 3.6. Retake that MCAT when you feel you are ready. Break 30. Participate in clinical exposure and community service, assuming you have none. If you are having time conflict with research, just stop it. You are overqualified in that area.

So was your brother right? To some extent. But with a 3.6/30, no one would expect you to go do a Masters. You just need to be doing something substantial - like an intense program with the community. Perhaps go abroad to work with the unprivileged.

Lastly, about DO schools. A 3.5/27 is the average accepted DO student last year. You would just below the average, because it seems you only have research experience, and no clinical exposure. That being said, if you apply to DO now, you will still get interviewed, and a stellar interview will gain you acceptance.

So, your choice. MD or DO?

 

[shiftingmirage]

With those stats, and I assume you're a cali resident, it's a long shot. I would suggest doing some kind of masters degree, and perhaps moving to a less competitive state (Texas). Also, were you scoring 27 on practice tests or something higher?

 

[camaras2480]

With those stats, and I assume you're a cali resident, it's a long shot. I would suggest doing some kind of masters degree, and perhaps moving to a less competitive state (Texas). Also, were you scoring 27 on practice tests or something higher?

Still, the candidate is a junior. I'm not sure it has reached the crisis level of moving to another state. They have also only taken the MCAT once. Statistics suggest the retake will increase. And, with another year of classes, I think they will be fair game - just not in California.

 

[GoSpursGo]

Moving to What are my Chances.

 

[Mobius1985]

I am a Junior at the University of California, Irvine.
I have a 3.48 overall and a 3.42 BCPM
My MCAT score was a 27Q
I have a lot of research and am published in 2 papers.

I am planning on re-taking my MCAT sometime mid-September, and I was wondering whether it'd be best if I applied this year, or waited another year.

My older bro (a neurosurgeon who went to Hopkins for med school), says that if I apply next year, my chances will go way down unless I am doing something very significant during my year off (ie a Masters program). Is this true? What are my chances of getting into med school (or DO school) if I apply this cycle?

If you have sufficient clinical experience and shadowing already, you will get a DO acceptance this year if you apply now. Waiting a year and getting straight As will improve your cGPA to a more competitive range and give you more time to study for the MCAT retake without pressure. If you don't have clinical experience and shadowing already, get them started ASAP. I agree that your research experience is sufficiently strong that you should give more priority to your grades. If you wait to apply until next year, you can spend the off year continuing to raise your cGPA with upper-level science classes or get a job, but with either, you'd want to continue with your clinical volunteering so as to have good fodder for update letters.

 

[OphthalDoc]

.

 

[Stratego]

OphthalDoc, I''d suggest you remove this post, by editing but leaving a period behind before you save, then repost your own thread so it will get the proper attention.

 

[camaras2480]

OphthalDoc, I''d suggest you remove this post, by editing but leaving a period behind before you save, then repost your own thread so it will get the proper attention.

Yeah. Otherwise, this is considered

And if you are a pirate, I would say you have no shot at med school.

 

[camaras2480]

OphthalDoc, I''d suggest you remove this post, by editing but leaving a period behind before you save, then repost your own thread so it will get the proper attention.

And also, when you repost, try to cut it down a bit. No offense, but people like Stratego and I can address 5 other posts by the time we get through half of yours.

 

[camaras2480]

OphthalDoc, I''d suggest you remove this post, by editing but leaving a period behind before you save, then repost your own thread so it will get the proper attention.

Stratego, PM?

 

[fuzzy dog]

I am in a slightly similar situation with a 29S MCAT (7 VR, 11 PS, 11 BS) and science GPA of 3.53 (3.92 as a doctoral student) non science GPA of 3.3. I have a Ph.D. in Neuroscience with 3 first author publications and very good extracurriculars (I have worked 2 years at a hospital and have shadowed 3 physicians, all MDs). I also volunteered at a hospital for several months. I applied to 8 DO schools and 8 lower tier MD schools. What are my chances of being admitted?

 

[camaras2480]

I am in a slightly similar situation with a 29S MCAT (7 VR, 11 PS, 11 BS) and science GPA of 3.53 (3.92 as a doctoral student) non science GPA of 3.3. I have a Ph.D. in Neuroscience with 3 first author publications and very good extracurriculars (I have worked 2 years at a hospital and have shadowed 3 physicians, all MDs). I also volunteered at a hospital for several months. I applied to 8 DO schools and 8 lower tier MD schools. What are my chances of being admitted?

Fuzzy I've already responded to you in one of your other posts. Please act accordingly.

 

[Adilpickle]

bravofleet4 - my breakdown was 9V, 9BS, 9PS, so the same all the way through
shifting mirage - i WAS scoring higher on my practice tests, in fact i thought the specific MCAT that i took was harder than the practice tests themselves.

Also, I got a C- in one of my O Chem classes, but i'm planning on re-taking it next year, How will this effect my chances?

 

[Glass]

I will be as honest as I can. Every year students like you matriculate, but generally, you are considered a "weak" applicant by almost all medical schools in the United States.

I won't go on to tell you what to do, but I will tell you what would help. Unless you a minority (Black or Native Indian), have a documented disability that can explain your grades or otherwise had one very "bad" semester, you are better off bringing your grades up, retaking the MCAT and coming back bigger and stronger next year.

If you really feel life can't go on if you don't apply this year, then look at either DO schools or MD schools in the Carribbean.

Cheers.

 

[camaras2480]

I will be as honest as I can. Every year students like you matriculate, but generally, you are considered a "weak" applicant by almost all medical schools in the United States.

I won't go on to tell you what to do, but I will tell you what would help. Unless you a minority (Black or Native Indian), have a documented disability that can explain your grades or otherwise had one very "bad" semester, you are better off bringing your grades up, retaking the MCAT and coming back bigger and stronger next year.

If you really feel life can't go on if you don't apply this year, then look at either DO schools or MD schools in the Carribbean.

Cheers.

I am not a fan of blatant opinions, but I have to interject - taking the year off to improve your application, or DO school, are both better alternatives. The disaster/running into trouble % is too high in the Caribbean. Not worth the risk.

 

[Stratego]

Also, I got a C- in one of my O Chem classes, but i'm planning on re-taking it next year, How will this effect my chances?

Having below a C in a prerequisite class looks bad. I think you have no choice but to repeat no matter where you apply. If you are applying to DO schools, the repeat grade will replace the C- when they calculate your application GPA and sGPA (provided credit hours are the same), whereas AMCAS the MD application service will just average it in with all your other grades.

 

[Adilpickle]

thank u all of u for your advice! I think i def will look into DO schools, but i would def want to stay in California if I could.
I haven't really looked into them yet but I guess if you guys know off the top of ur head I could ask you right off the bat, are my stats good enough for a DO school in California?

 

[camaras2480]

thank u all of u for your advice! I think i def will look into DO schools, but i would def want to stay in California if I could.
I haven't really looked into them yet but I guess if you guys know off the top of ur head I could ask you right off the bat, are my stats good enough for a DO school in California?

I am not the most informed on this, but I think the only DO schools in Cali are Western and Touro. Either way, you have a reasonable shot at almost all DO schools with a 3.5/27. Just need to have a strong overall application and a great interview.

 

[Mobius1985]

thank u all of u for your advice! I think i def will look into DO schools, but i would def want to stay in California if I could.
I haven't really looked into them yet but I guess if you guys know off the top of ur head I could ask you right off the bat, are my stats good enough for a DO school in California?

I think the two in California are fairly selective. Here is a link to a booklet with all the DO schools and their requirements. The folks in the Pre-Osteo Forum would be happy to help you further wiith this question. Or go to the school specific threads in Pre-Osteo and ask there. Good luck.

 

[camaras2480]

I think the two in California are fairly selective. Here is a link to a booklet with all the DO schools and their requirements. The folks in the Pre-Osteo Forum would be happy to help you further wiith this question. Or go to the school specific threads in Pre-Osteo and ask there. Good luck.

Just FYI Mobius, there is no link lol