How to improve my app?

[MEG@COOL]

---

Members do not see this ad.

MCAT 10,10,12, R : (retaking in june)
GPA: 3.8 overall, 3.7 sci.
Hospital volunteering, community service honors society, shadowing, research internship, other various volunteer work, few clubs

Right now Im teaching chemistry at the highschool level until the end of the school year (filling in for regular teacher).

Id be interested in doing some other stuff to improve my app, but dont have a ton of time as Im studying for the MCAT and also working. I likely will have more time after june though.

Id be very interested in mission trips as it would allow me to travel(fun) while also helping people. Ive looked into the peace corps but they reuqire a 2 year commitment.

Also what about a one year masters program?

Interested in any other advice also! Thanks!

 

[AtreyuRocks]

you are kidding, right? do you have a specific institution in mind?? your mcat and gpa are great... apply early, reshape your statement(s), and practice interviewing are the only tips i can suggest... 😕

EDIT: i meant no disrespect.. but your numbers and EC's seem great. if you didn't get in the first time, i am assuming something really strange happened in an interview or you applied late in the cycle...

 

[MEG@COOL]

I was told that my application was not competitive by a higher-up at a particular medical school due to my undergrad institution. I need to do things to compensate for this.

 

[AtreyuRocks]

have you actually applied once before though? i have heard this... about "great gpa's" not seeming so because of the UG institution... but your MCAT is fairly even across the board, >double digits in each. that's good in my book. unless you want UCSF, Harvard etc maybe someone else can help ya out cause my advice still stands. regardless, unless you think you can improve your MCAT significantly (more than say 6 points). i would scrap studying, apply yourself in some sort of full-time clinical experience and stick to my above advice. good luck

 

[MEG@COOL]

have you actually applied once before though? i have heard this... about "great gpa's" not seeming so because of the UG institution... but your MCAT is fairly even across the board, >double digits in each. that's good in my book. unless you want UCSF, Harvard etc maybe someone else can help ya out cause my advice still stands. regardless, unless you think you can improve your MCAT significantly (more than say 6 points). i would scrap studying, apply yourself in some sort of full-time clinical experience and stick to my above advice. good luck

6 points? where did you get this number. I think ill probably score 2-4 points higher but possibly more i guess.

 

[Jack Daniel]

You could try taping a Benjamin Franklin to the top left corner. One of the new ones with shiny, pretty colors.

 

[nibrocli]

MCAT 10,10,12, R : (retaking in june)
GPA: 3.8 overall, 3.7 sci.

mcat & gpa are NOT the reasons you weren't accepted this time. have you tried talking to an adcom at a school where you didn't get in? these types of meetings can be brutal, but it's your best bet at figuring out what went wrong.

seriously, your stats are great.

 

[AtreyuRocks]

6 points? where did you get this number. I think ill probably score 2-4 points higher but possibly more i guess.

mcat & gpa are NOT the reasons you weren't accepted this time. have you tried talking to an adcom at a school where you didn't get in? these types of meetings can be brutal, but it's your best bet at figuring out what went wrong.

seriously, your stats are great.

that IS my point. there is nothing wrong with your numbers-- i understand that your GPA may appear lower because of the institution you are from-- but regardless your MCAT alone is fine. unless you have a specific school in mind and you ask them what was wrong with your app, w/o the rest of your application i don't know if anyone can give you much advice at this point.

imo, studying for the MCAT is a waste of time and money because your score is fine. unless you are positive you will receive a SIGNIFICANTLY better score (possibly increasing 2-4 points is not sig. imo because of your current score(s); ie: 4 points overall from 27-->31 is more impressive and impacts a re-applicant's application more than one improving 4 points 32-->36), you are better off improving other areas of your app.

bottom line: based on your numbers, w/o seeing your EC's, knowing when you applied in the cycle, which schools you are aiming for, and which schools rejected you, i would think most others would agree that you have a good shot at many schools.

i think i've said this more than once now, so i won't pound it into your head. sorry, i can tend to do that because i feel that often times applicants get so focused on scores and don't realize 1) your scores are fine, and 2) the ENTIRE app is truly important (and i believe my acceptance despite my lower-than-the-average-matriculant scores is proof of that). best of luck

 

[MEG@COOL]

that IS my point. there is nothing wrong with your numbers-- i understand that your GPA may appear lower because of the institution you are from-- but regardless your MCAT alone is fine. unless you have a specific school in mind and you ask them what was wrong with your app, w/o the rest of your application i don't know if anyone can give you much advice at this point.

imo, studying for the MCAT is a waste of time and money because your score is fine. unless you are positive you will receive a SIGNIFICANTLY better score (possibly increasing 2-4 points is not sig. imo because of your current score(s); ie: 4 points overall from 27-->31 is more impressive and impacts a re-applicant's application more than one improving 4 points 32-->36), you are better off improving other areas of your app.

bottom line: based on your numbers, w/o seeing your EC's, knowing when you applied in the cycle, which schools you are aiming for, and which schools rejected you, i would think most others would agree that you have a good shot at many schools.

i think i've said this more than once now, so i won't pound it into your head. sorry, i can tend to do that because i feel that often times applicants get so focused on scores and don't realize 1) your scores are fine, and 2) the ENTIRE app is truly important (and i believe my acceptance despite my lower-than-the-average-matriculant scores is proof of that). best of luck

I already registered before I made this post, but I just scored a 12PS,11VR havent done bio yet on the aamc 4R test (just started studying) so I think I can improve with work.

ALso Im going to do some more shadowing.

 

[jpro]

I took the MCAT twice and increased my score by 6 points, but I was <30 to start with. Once you have >30 MCAT it becomes much more difficult to increase your score because a few questions here or there can cost you several points in every section. My advice would be to not take it unless you are consistantly scoring 4+ points higher on multiple practice exams. The last thing you need is a repeated MCAT that is the same or less. If you incresed your score by 1 or 2 points I don't think many people will care IMO.