High GPA Low MCAT

[andrewt2479]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I am currently a senior with roughly 121 credit hours. My major is Health Education & Promotion with a premed concentration. I have completed all of the required medical school prerequisites; 1 year of Physics, Gen Chem, Organic Chem, Biology, English, and Algebra. I hope to attend med school in the fall of 2009. I am a registered EMT-Basic and have shadowed a primary care physician for 180hrs over the summer. My cumulative GPA is 4.0 both science and non-science. Throughout my college career Ive taken approx 12 credit hrs a semester. At the moment I am enrolled for 13credit hrs, but am planning to drop down to 9 credits and prepare my application? Also I have only been able to score about a 25 on the AAMC practice tests. Should I wait to take the exam or try and get in with a 25?

 

[theroadtomed]

I am currently a senior with roughly 121 credit hours. My major is Health Education & Promotion with a premed concentration. I have completed all of the required medical school prerequisites; 1 year of Physics, Gen Chem, Organic Chem, Biology, English, and Algebra. I hope to attend med school in the fall of 2009. I am a registered EMT-Basic and have shadowed a primary care physician for 180hrs over the summer. My cumulative GPA is 4.0 both science and non-science. Throughout my college career Ive taken approx 12 credit hrs a semester. At the moment I am enrolled for 13credit hrs, but am planning to drop down to 9 credits and prepare my application? Also I have only been able to score about a 25 on the AAMC practice tests. Should I wait to take the exam or try and get in with a 25?

You can take a look at current averages for med schools in an MSAR at barnes and noble. 25 is generally considered exceptionally low to gain an acceptance somewhere. It calls into question the quality of your coursework. However, the rest of your application sounds like it's in the bag, so you may be best taking a year off and preparing to get a good mcat score in the interim. You could shoot for it this cycle, but unless you cast your net really wide I wouldn't bet on an acceptance.

 

[Mobius1985]

An acceptance with an MCAT of 25 is unlikely, and a later application makes it more unlikely yet. If you sent in your application today, it would take 5-6 weeks to get verified before finally reaching your intended schools. Your clinical exposure is good, and your GPA is fantastic, but you didn't mention a research experience which would increase the number of schools willing to consider you. If you haven't done this, consider working it into your final semester somehow. Also, taking Calculus and/or Statistics would also increase the number of schools you can apply to (if you haven't taken them already). Take more time to prepare for your MCAT and do practice tests until you are consistently scoring at 30 (mean score of those accepted) or above. There is no rush. Applying is a stressful, expensive process, so wait until you have a decent chance of success.

 

[andrewt2479]

An acceptance with an MCAT of 25 is unlikely, and a later application makes it more unlikely yet. If you sent in your application today, it would take 5-6 weeks to get verified before finally reaching your intended schools. Your clinical exposure is good, and your GPA is fantastic, but you didn't mention a research experience which would increase the number of schools willing to consider you. If you haven't done this, consider working it into your final semester somehow. Also, taking Calculus and/or Statistics would also increase the number of schools you can apply to (if you haven't taken them already). Take more time to prepare for your MCAT and do practice tests until you are consistently scoring at 30 (mean score of those accepted) or above. There is no rush. Applying is a stressful, expensive process, so wait until you have a decent chance of success.

Thanks for the post. I have taken biostatistics and as for research I have had several opportunities, but have not due to time and what I have heard from many premeds applying to my first choice of schools. All of them said that they had not even been asked about their research, but this may be also in part that I am looking at primary care oriented med schools and they tend to give much more emphasis toward clinical experience. Also my two top choices for med school have mcat averages of 26 and 27. I have been studying for about a month now and am seeing significant results, but I do need about another month to feel confident enough to score a 27 or better. I am scheduled to take my very first real MCAT tomorrow at 12:00. My plan is to void the exam and reschedule for Sept 13 (the last administration of the year). Hopefully I can make some much needed improvements in that time. Additionally, I am a nontraditional student with 5 years in the active duty Marine Corps and 1 tour in Iraq. Will this experience help to negate a less than average MCAT score? One last thing please dont anyone go running off at the mouth about grade inflation because I have a cum 4.0 and am only scoring around 25 on the MCAT for I commonly tutor my friend at DUKE in Chem by phone and Ill assure you that the name and ranking of the school does not always correlate with its difficulty. So my main dilemma is whether I should do my best on Sept 13th and see what happens or wait another year just to improve my MCAT score a few points. (I think it is kinda crazy that getting three more correct questions could have such an impact on acceptance in light of everything else)

 

[Mr Cookie Pants]

25 is low any way you slice it. As others have said it contrasts SHARPLY with your GPA, which can only mean that you took cake classes. Sorry. Even though your LizzyM score is fine, you would not be viewed the same as a 3.5/30 (who would be much more likely to get in).


Yes your experience will be good (thank you for your service) but it wont offset a 25. Best answer here is get at least a 27 and you can start looking at state schools.


And the issue of 3 more correct questions, would you want a doctor that misses 3 MORE out of 52 questions (diagnoses) than the next guy? Sorry but standardized tests are just that- to standaradize applicants across an otherwise incomparable set of variables.

My advice to you is just to do what it takes and do well on the MCAT. Or utilize some of the millitary options (unless you have NO desire to go back after school), they can help boost chances of acceptance.

 

[andrewt2479]

25 is low any way you slice it. As others have said it contrasts SHARPLY with your GPA, which can only mean that you took cake classes. Sorry. Even though your LizzyM score is fine, you would not be viewed the same as a 3.5/30 (who would be much more likely to get in).


Yes your experience will be good (thank you for your service) but it wont offset a 25. Best answer here is get at least a 27 and you can start looking at state schools.

And the issue of 3 more correct questions, would you want a doctor that misses 3 MORE out of 52 questions (diagnoses) than the next guy?

Sorry but standardized tests are just that- to standaradize applicants across an otherwise incomparable set of variables.

My advice to you is just to do what it takes and do well on the MCAT. Or utilize some of the millitary options (unless you have NO desire to go back after school), they can help boost chances of acceptance.

Although I agree that a physician who misses 3 less diagnoses questions is more desired, but when it comes to the MCAT I can confidently assume that everyone who takes it guesses on at least a few questions in each section so what it really comes down to is pure luck and who's to say that the guy that got lucky on his MCAT is going to be that lucky throughout his medical career. I guess I should have been more clear about why this standardized test is not a perfect representation of ones abilities. This became evident when two of my friends took the MCAT last year. They both ran short on time in every section and estimated that they had to guess blind on at least 6 questions so can it be honestly said that Brad who scored 4 points higher, did so because of pure ability? I agree that there needs to be a standardized way to account for ability, but there is room for improvement on how this is accomplished. I will just plan on taking my MCAT only when I am constantly scoring mid 30's on practice tests. This way I should be fine even if my guesses are wrong I will still make the cut. I think that this system just makes it easier to reduce the amount of applicants med schools have to choose from.

 

[StPlayrXtreme]

I recommend waiting till next year to apply. A 25 is below average at any medical school, and whether you like it or not, admission committees are probably going to come to the conclusion that you took easy classes with such a sharp contrast in GPA and MCAT.

12 credit hours is also a very light course load...at my university, that's the minimum to be considered a full-time student (my courseload was higher than average 18-22 credits a semester, while most people have 14-17) I would definitely not recommend dropping to 9 credits, while you will need to put in some time to write a quality application, dropping down that low would make you seem even less prepared.

It also doesn't help that you'd be applying late. AMCAS primary applications take at least 4 weeks to be verified, which means you won't get your secondaries in until many spaces are already filled through rolling admissions at most schools.

I would not recommend starting the application process unless you feel totally prepared. You're off to a good start, but it's a very expensive and time consuming process. And I wouldn't recommend treating the MCAT as something you can retake....it doesn't look great, and no one wants to go through the MCAT twice. If you submit the primary to schools now, you would be considered a reapplicant in future application cycles, even if you withdraw pre-secondary.

It's pretty common to apply a year "late", and there are actually some really cool gap year jobs out there, which might be a nice intermission and give you the chance to try something new before you commit yourself to the next four years of school.

 

[nontrdgsbuiucmd]

Should I wait to take the exam or try and get in with a 25?

I applied last year, upper mid 20s overall mcat score, over 3.7 gpa, and was screened out by dozens of schools, had no luck even getting an interview due to a single section score of 6. I've got some experiences that are unusual and I, too, thought that these would carry weight. They didn't.

To decide realistically if you should apply this year, take a look at the MSAR to get a feel for the number of students accepted with any specific MCAT score, and keep in mind that there are the puerto rico schools + a few out east that have much lower stats than the majority of schools; the PR schools have averages I think in the low 20's.

The MCAT can be studied for, and the score can improve quite a bit with more studying/prep work, I brought mine up 4 points overall in under a year. Do the same and you'd be competitive at quite a few schools, with that GPA. good luck!

 

[terryf2008]

What if you are applying as a Disadvantaged applicant? Will that make any difference?

I applied last year, upper mid 20s overall mcat score, over 3.7 gpa, and was screened out by dozens of schools, had no luck even getting an interview due to a single section score of 6. I've got some experiences that are unusual and I, too, thought that these would carry weight. They didn't.

To decide realistically if you should apply this year, take a look at the MSAR to get a feel for the number of students accepted with any specific MCAT score, and keep in mind that there are the puerto rico schools + a few out east that have much lower stats than the majority of schools; the PR schools have averages I think in the low 20's.

The MCAT can be studied for, and the score can improve quite a bit with more studying/prep work, I brought mine up 4 points overall in under a year. Do the same and you'd be competitive at quite a few schools, with that GPA. good luck!

 

[Mr Cookie Pants]

Although I agree that a physician who misses 3 less diagnoses questions is more desired, but when it comes to the MCAT I can confidently assume that everyone who takes it guesses on at least a few questions in each section so what it really comes down to is pure luck and who's to say that the guy that got lucky on his MCAT is going to be that lucky throughout his medical career. I guess I should have been more clear about why this standardized test is not a perfect representation of ones abilities. This became evident when two of my friends took the MCAT last year. They both ran short on time in every section and estimated that they had to guess blind on at least 6 questions so can it be honestly said that Brad who scored 4 points higher, did so because of pure ability? I agree that there needs to be a standardized way to account for ability, but there is room for improvement on how this is accomplished. I will just plan on taking my MCAT only when I am constantly scoring mid 30's on practice tests. This way I should be fine even if my guesses are wrong I will still make the cut. I think that this system just makes it easier to reduce the amount of applicants med schools have to choose from.

No it is not a perfect representation, but it's the ONLY way to set a bar, fair or not. (I think it's fair). And yes people will guess. And you have a 2.63x10^-9 chance of completely guessing on all 52 questions and getting a perfect score. But still are you going to try and argue with me that the MCAT is not a good equalizer? And your 4.0 in kinesiology is "better" than a 3.8 in physical chemistry? Sorry, that doesnt hold water. Thats why they invented standardized tests. They're not perfect, but neither is a system where 1/2 of all qualified applicants dont get in ANYWHERE.

Just go rock it (or not).