How much will MCAT ruin my application?/Help with school list (International student, 3.86 GPA, 510 MCAT)

[MCAT_IS_ROUGH]

Hi Everyone,

Long time lurker but first time posting here. I just got my MCAT retake score back today and I completely bumped it. Now with my MCAT score not improving, I am getting super paranoid about my schoolist and would really appreciate some input and reality check.

Biographic Information:

• State of residence: International (oops) no green card , ORM
• Ties to other states (if applicable): UG in CA
• URM? (Y/N): N
• Undergraduate vibe: [Be as specific or vague as you want] Top competitive neurotic public school
• Undergraduate major(s)/minor(s): Biology and a humanity double major, research minor
• Graduate degree(s) (if applicable): N/A
• Cumulative GPA: 3.86
• Science GPA: 3.88
• MCAT Score(s) (in order of attempts): 510,509
• Gap years?: 2
• First application cycle? (If no, explain): Y
• Specialty of interest (if applicable): N/A
• Age at matriculation to medical school: 23

• Research experience: ~4000 hours (anticipated 6000 by matriculation)
• Publications?: 3, one mid-tier author CNS
• Clinical experience: 450 hours hospitial volunteer, 150 hours community health center
• Physician shadowing: 100 hours medical interpretation that I counted as shadowing
• Non-clinical volunteering: 300 hours community health education
• Other extracurricular activities: ~800 hours leadership, student orgs, etc
• Employment history: 2 research gap years (current)

School list:

MD/PhDs
1.Stanford
2. JHU
3. Penn
4. Columbia
5. Vanderbilt
6. WUSTL
7.Yale
8. Northwestern
9. UVA
10. Cornell
11. Harvard
12. BU
13. Stony Brooks
14. USC
15. Dartmouth
16. Emory
17. SUNY upstate
18. Medical College of Wisconsin

MD onlys:

1. Duke
2. Icahn
3. U Pittsburgh
4. UCLA
5. Saint Louis U
6. U Colorado
7. UNC
8. Sidney Kimmel
9. Tufts
10. Georgetown
11. Wayne State
12. U connecticut
13. UC DAvis
14. Tulane
15. Case Western
16. Brown
17. U Illinois Chicaco
18. Howard
19. Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson

My main concern is since most of the MD/PhDs I can apply to as a non-citizen are top tier, I feel like the schools on the top of the list are pretty much me throwing money away. I am wondering if I should retake the MCAT (some time mid July so it will hopefully get ready by Mid August which should still be in time)?? My FLs are mostly in 514/515 range so IDK what happended on the test day to me. Alas.

Thanks for reading this!!

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[Princeton Medical Student]

Your list is too top heavy even for a domestic applicant. Id focus on that instead of retake tbh.

 

[MCAT_IS_ROUGH]

Your list is too top heavy even for a domestic applicant. Id focus on that instead of retake tbh.

Hi there! I agree with you… the only issue is most of the mdphd schools I can apply to are T20s (because of funding issue) and I really want to try more mdphd with my interest. Do you think there are some schools that are target and safety that I can add to my list?

 

[MCAT_IS_ROUGH]

Your list is too top heavy even for a domestic applicant. Id focus on that instead of retake tbh.

I also totally don’t mind cutting down schools that have a Mcat median that are 10 points above my score😅

 

[candbgirl]

Hi there! I agree with you… the only issue is most of the mdphd schools I can apply to are T20s (because of funding issue) and I really want to try more mdphd with my interest. Do you think there are some schools that are target and safety that I can add to my list?

The real issue is that international students who are successful in the application process are rock stars. Most of the schools on your list would be unrealistic for residents with your stats. If you want a PhD, Maybe apply for that and finish it and then pursue the MD/DO if you are still interested.
Good luck.

 

[MCAT_IS_ROUGH]

The real issue is that international students who are successful in the application process are rock stars. Most of the schools on your list would be unrealistic for residents with your stats. If you want a PhD, Maybe apply for that and finish it and then pursue the MD/DO if you are still interested.
Good luck.

Thanks for the suggestion! I am considering applying PhD as a backup in case there are no interview invites later in the cycle. I will also probably remove most of the top schools on the list as well

 

[Faha]

You could receive interviews at DO schools with your stats. There are at least 12 that accept applications from internationals.

 

[MCAT_IS_ROUGH]

You could receive interviews at DO schools with your stats. There are at least 12 that accept applications from internationals.

Thanks for the advice! I am also considering DO schools right now. I haven't really thought about it earlier since my application is heavy research focused. But it definitely makes sense with my stats.

Do you think my background makes sense for me to even try MD schools this cycle? There are about 10 schools on this list that are matching my GPA and MCAT. However being international I assume the same standard probably won't apply to me.

Thanks for the suggestions again!

 

[gyngyn]

Thanks for the advice! I am also considering DO schools right now. I haven't really thought about it earlier since my application is heavy research focused. But it definitely makes sense with my stats.

Do you think my background makes sense for me to even try MD schools this cycle? There are about 10 schools on this list that are matching my GPA and MCAT. However being international I assume the same standard probably won't apply to me.

Thanks for the suggestions again!

Here's a list of DO schools that consider internationals:

• Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine of Midwestern University
• California Health Sciences University College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine of Midwestern University
• Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine†
• Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine†
• Liberty College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Lincoln Memorial University–DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine§
• Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine
• Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine–New York
• University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Western University of Health Sciences–College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific (Pomona campus)
• William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine

 

[MCAT_IS_ROUGH]

Here's a list of DO schools that consider internationals:

• Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine of Midwestern University
• California Health Sciences University College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine of Midwestern University
• Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine†
• Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine†
• Liberty College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Lincoln Memorial University–DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine§
• Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine
• Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine–New York
• University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Western University of Health Sciences–College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific (Pomona campus)
• William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Thank you! I will make sure to check them out.

 

[noodlechicken1]

MCAT is fine; I wouldn’t worry too much. The real issue here is your school list homie. Go on MSARS and apply to schools around 510, you are too too heavy.

 

[MCAT_IS_ROUGH]

MCAT is fine; I wouldn’t worry too much. The real issue here is your school list homie. Go on MSARS and apply to schools around 510, you are too too heavy.

Definitely! There are schools on my list that have an median close to 510. Do you think if I throw most of the top schools and apply to these schools, it will make more sense?

15. Dartmouth
16. Emory
17. SUNY upstate
18. Medical College of Wisconsin
Sidney Kimmel
Tufts
Georgetown
Wayne State
U connecticut
UC DAvis
Tulane
Case Western
Brown
U Illinois Chicaco
Howard
Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson

Thanks!

 

[gyngyn]

Definitely! There are schools on my list that have an median close to 510. Do you think if I throw most of the top schools and apply to these schools, it will make more sense?

15. Dartmouth
16. Emory
17. SUNY upstate
18. Medical College of Wisconsin
Sidney Kimmel
Tufts
Georgetown
Wayne State
U connecticut
UC DAvis
Tulane
Case Western
Brown
U Illinois Chicaco
Howard
Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson

Thanks!

Delete Davis, Howard and any of the rest that matriculated fewer than 3 internationals (e.g. Rutgers). They are likely to be internal candidates.
Delete the schools where your MCAT is at or below the 10th percentile (e.g. Case).

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

I would say dartmouth, brown, Emory, case aren’t realistic

 

[MCAT_IS_ROUGH]

Delete Davis, Howard and any of the rest that matriculated fewer than 3 internationals (e.g. Rutgers). They are likely to be internal candidates.
Delete the schools where your MCAT is at or below the 10th percentile (e.g. Case).

Thanks for the suggestion! May I ask a dumb question: what are internal candidates? Are they students from the same UG? Also why is UC Davis a bad choice?

 

[MCAT_IS_ROUGH]

I would say dartmouth, brown, Emory, case aren’t realistic

Right, thanks for the input!

 

[Faha]

Thanks for the suggestion! May I ask a dumb question: what are internal candidates? Are they students from the same UG? Also why is UC Davis a bad choice?

UC Davis admitted one non resident last year (not an international). Jefferson, Tulane and Medical College Wisconsin are realistic from your list above.

 

[MCAT_IS_ROUGH]

UC Davis admitted one non resident last year (not an international). Jefferson, Tulane and Medical College Wisconsin are realistic from your list above.

Ah that makes sense. Thank you very much! I will revise my school list and add in some DO programs. I will probably also use PhD only as a backup

 

[gyngyn]

Also why is UC Davis a bad choice?

Their DACA students appear as internationals.