How bad is a 508 MCAT

[Turin Turambar]

Hey guys I am an international student with 3.64 sGPA, 3.76 cGPA at an ivy.
My MCAT is 508 129/126/127/126.
I don't know why I bombed the CARS. In practice tests I usually get like 129,130.
I am applying to MD PhD programs, I feel like they require higher MCAT scores.
However I also hear that they sort of care less about the cars and behavioral sciences part.
I really don't know if I will get in any, especially since I am international(no green card)
How do you guys think? Would you guys suggest me taking a year off and retake the MCAT? I am a junior.
I literally just need to get in any school and since I will just be doing research, I don't really care about the school it's just the PI that matters. How much do you guys think I have a chance?

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[Ryomagoku]

Hey guys I am an international student with 3.64 sGPA, 3.76 cGPA at an ivy.
My MCAT is 508 129/126/127/126.
I don't know why I bombed the CARS. In practice tests I usually get like 129,130.
I am applying to MD PhD programs, I feel like they require higher MCAT scores.
However I also hear that they sort of care less about the cars and behavioral sciences part.
I really don't know if I will get in any, especially since I am international(no green card)
How do you guys think? Would you guys suggest me taking a year off and retake the MCAT? I am a junior.
I literally just need to get in any school and since I will just be doing research, I don't really care about the school it's just the PI that matters. How much do you guys think I have a chance?

Not to be rude or anything, this is coming from an experience.

As far as I know, US medical schools require applicants to have at least permanent residency (green card), or at least most.

Unless you're Canadian, that's your disadvantage 1 right there which makes you ineligible in many schools.

2. Your gpa and MCAT are low for MD/PhD program in general. I'm not quite sure if you're going to be competitive for DO/PhD either.

But what I know is there are very few schools in the east coast that accept very very few students who are in "international" category, which includes students fro around the world you're competing against.

For DO school, MSU accepts some Canadian students.

Other than that, I hate to tell it doesn't look so favorable.

To give you an idea, take a look at this.

http://premedusa.blogspot.com/2014/06/US-Medical-Schools-for-Internationals-Updated.html

This post shows for MD programs, not MD-PhD.

I hope this helps.

 

[sleepyhead22]

do you have a lot of research experience? good EC's? I do know many who have gotten into MDPhD with around a 30 MCAT with somewhat similar GPA, but they all had really great applications (both many years of research and service). It will be tough as an international applicant, although the fact that you attended an Ivy may help. Personally, I think it's worth applying while studying for a retake and improving EC's in the even that you need to reapply.

 

[Bleu]

Not to be rude or anything, this is coming from an experience.

As far as I know, US medical schools require applicants to have at least permanent residency (green card), or at least most.

Unless you're Canadian, that's your disadvantage 1 right there which makes you ineligible in many schools.

2. Your gpa and MCAT are low for MD/PhD program in general. I'm not quite sure if you're going to be competitive for DO/PhD either.

But what I know is there are very few schools in the east coast that accept very very few students who are in "international" category, which includes students fro around the world you're competing against.

For DO school, MSU accepts some Canadian students.

Other than that, I hate to tell it doesn't look so favorable.

To give you an idea, take a look at this.

http://premedusa.blogspot.com/2014/06/US-Medical-Schools-for-Internationals-Updated.html

This post shows for MD programs, not MD-PhD.

I hope this helps.

Have to agree. Most schools don't take international students. That's not the case for residencies.

 

[Turin Turambar]

Not to be rude or anything, this is coming from an experience.

As far as I know, US medical schools require applicants to have at least permanent residency (green card), or at least most.

Unless you're Canadian, that's your disadvantage 1 right there which makes you ineligible in many schools.

2. Your gpa and MCAT are low for MD/PhD program in general. I'm not quite sure if you're going to be competitive for DO/PhD either.

But what I know is there are very few schools in the east coast that accept very very few students who are in "international" category, which includes students fro around the world you're competing against.

For DO school, MSU accepts some Canadian students.

Other than that, I hate to tell it doesn't look so favorable.

To give you an idea, take a look at this.

http://premedusa.blogspot.com/2014/06/US-Medical-Schools-for-Internationals-Updated.html

This post shows for MD programs, not MD-PhD.

I hope this helps.

Thanks for your information. Yeah I quite understand how many schools accept international students as I did some school search, I would say quite a few of them do accept, like 50 or so.
There are like 20 or so treat international students the same manner as domestic ones, mostly private institutions, like Jefferson, loma linda, etc.

 

[Turin Turambar]

do you have a lot of research experience? good EC's? I do know many who have gotten into MDPhD with around a 30 MCAT with somewhat similar GPA, but they all had really great applications (both many years of research and service). It will be tough as an international applicant, although the fact that you attended an Ivy may help. Personally, I think it's worth applying while studying for a retake and improving EC's in the even that you need to reapply.

Thanks for your reply.
I have research experience in 2 labs for 3 years.
I have one non-first author paper and a first-author paper coming out (this year). I think my research experience wouldn't hinder my application according to the MDPhD coordinator at my school (Penn) but I also don't know if it is that great at all.
As far as clinical volunteer, I have like 2000 hour volunteering at a local clinic back in my home country and I was licensed to do acupuncture. Here in the US I volunteered with Children's Hospital of Philly in ophthalmology. We had a little project and it's like only 200h.

I wonder if this gives a better view of my application.
And the ivy I attend is Penn, which is like an okay school for GPA inflation.

The schools I am looking at are like Jefferson, Geisel, SUNY Upstate, Rosalind Franklin, Rutgers, and UPitts, Hawaii, Tulane for MD only programs.

 

[Ryomagoku]

Thanks for your information. Yeah I quite understand how many schools accept international students as I did some school search, I would say quite a few of them do accept, like 50 or so.
There are like 20 or so treat international students the same manner as domestic ones, mostly private institutions, like Jefferson, loma linda, etc.

Again, your status although they treat international as "same manner" the usual priority goes to the perm residents or citizens.

Also, your scores are low for MD. With MD-PhD, it's still low. Unless you get stellar MCAT score, your chance is very slim.

 

[Turin Turambar]

Again, your status although they treat international as "same manner" the usual priority goes to the perm residents or citizens.

Also, your scores are low for MD. With MD-PhD, it's still low. Unless you get stellar MCAT score, your chance is very slim.

Thanks for your reply although simply discouraging me ain't that helpful.
I will still be applying this year and will retake MCAT if I don't get interviews as I am a junior and I have time.

 

[Ryomagoku]

Thanks for your reply although simply discouraging me ain't that helpful.
I will still be applying this year and will retake MCAT if I don't get interviews as I am a junior and I have time.

I can be all bubbly and tell you you're going to get the MD-PhD degree. But, I'm pretty sure when you first posted on this forum, you were looking for a realistic advice, not half fake and half truth advice.

I'm not saying you shouldn't apply.
If you want to be an MD, you have a better chance there.
Did you look at the table I posted up here? the statistic says much already.

Your stats are good for DO programs. Look into DO-PhD programs if PhD is something you really want.

Another person wrote here that your status makes it difficult to get into a medical school. But, that's not the case for the residency programs.

Here's a thing,
your status already makes it disadvantageous. Do you really want to risk applying, not getting to a program, and getting the title of "re-applicant"? Like you said, you have time. Don't rush it.

If you feel your MCAT score is low, then you decide if you should retake it. We can only give you so many opinions what you could do.

 

[Turin Turambar]

I can be all bubbly and tell you you're going to get the MD-PhD degree. But, I'm pretty sure when you first posted on this forum, you were looking for a realistic advice, not half fake and half truth advice.

I'm not saying you shouldn't apply.
If you want to be an MD, you have a better chance there.
Did you look at the table I posted up here? the statistic says much already.

Your stats are good for DO programs. Look into DO-PhD programs if PhD is something you really want.

Another person wrote here that your status makes it difficult to get into a medical school. But, that's not the case for the residency programs.

Here's a thing,
your status already makes it disadvantageous. Do you really want to risk applying, not getting to a program, and getting the title of "re-applicant"? Like you said, you have time. Don't rush it.

If you feel your MCAT score is low, then you decide if you should retake it. We can only give you so many opinions what you could do.

Thanks for your advice.
Reapplication is what I discussed with my advisor recently. As I will have a new MCAT, another year of research, more science courses to improve my sGPA, it seems that I will be changing my application quite a lot.
I will be applying to some MD only programs, like what I mentioned in a previous reply up here. I am planning on applying to like a combination of MD and MD/PhD programs.
However I also heard that MD/PhD programs might care less about CARS and behavioral science part MCAT, although that definitely depends on each program, I believe.
As for DO or DO/PhD programs, I have to say that I really don't understand what is going on with DO medicine. Thus I am not sure if that is the right track I should pursue.
I will take a look into those.