Improve MCAT or GPA?

[metalmd06]

OK here's my situation:
3.2 GPA
30P MCAT (9PS, 9VR, 12BS)
9 months of clinical experience as an MA
Volunteered at a hospital for 1 year

I only applied to seven schools this year and I was rejected by two (1 interview), and haven't heard from two others. NYU didn't even acknowledge the fact that I applied and I withdrew from BU and Yale. So really, I have only to completed applications left for this year and I think that means that next year will be my best shot. I'm hoping something good happens but I'm starting to prepare to improve my application. What's more important, increasing my GPA or MCAT score??

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[armybound]

yes.

both are weak. do you have any kind of trend in your GPA or have you always been a low performer?

I think it requires less time and effort to get your MCAT up and can be used to offset the low GPA a little

 

[Bacchus]

Gpa

 

[RySerr21]

yes.

both are weak. do you have any kind of trend in your GPA or have you always been a low performer?

I think it requires less time and effort to get your MCAT up and can be used to offset the low GPA a little

30 is weak now? with a low GPA i agree the MCAT needs to be stellar but for someone w/ a 3.8 or something a 30 isn't going to kill your app, at least i hope not

 

[chessdude2]

GPA, obviously. Though the ECs could use some padding, I might argue...

 

[Crixivan]

How many hours do you have?

Why did you withdraw from BU?

Did you apply to state schools?

 

[Auron]

a 30 isn't weak, just not amazing. 31 was average for matriculation I believe.

 

[metalmd06]

I'm a non-traditional applicant who did a post-bac program while I was working full time. I didn't really have a choice. I started out at UMass and my GPA was over 3.5. Then when I got the job as an MA, which let me do a lot of clinical stuff, I took classes at harvard. My grades at Harvard are what killed me. I got 3 A's at Umass in Bio, Chem, Pre-Calc a B+ in Chem 2 and a C in calc. At Harvard I got B's in both Orgos, a B- in physics 1, a B in Bio 2 and a C in physics two. My last semester at Harvard I took Bio2, Orgo2 and Physics2 and I was working full time. I took the MCAT 2 months after I finished, after studying on my own. Also, I forgot to mention that I was a governing member of the pre-medical society at UMass. I feel my clinical experience was very important because I did some amazing things that taught me that I have a good clinical instinct.

I'm 24 and I want to be a doctor. Help.

 

[metalmd06]

Basically, I want to know what to prioritize over the next 6 months or so to improve my application, because I don't think I can do both. If I retake the MCAT I want to take a prep class so that maybe I can significantly increase my score. Also, I wanted to see if next year I can petition with AMCAS to include Pre-calc instead of Calc in my BCPM GPA to boost it up a little bit. The C will still be there, but I lost an A on my AMCAS because it wasn't included in the calculation.

 

[RySerr21]

Basically, I want to know what to prioritize over the next 6 months or so to improve my application, because I don't think I can do both. If I retake the MCAT I want to take a prep class so that maybe I can significantly increase my score. Also, I wanted to see if next year I can petition with AMCAS to include Pre-calc instead of Calc in my BCPM GPA to boost it up a little bit. The C will still be there, but I lost an A on my AMCAS because it wasn't included in the calculation.

i hear the prep classes are just a bunch of practice tests....so i dunno. your MCAT isn't bad its close/at at the average. your gpa is well below. i'd focus on the GPA.

 

[Jolie South]

As army said, you need to improve both. I guess if I had to choose though, I'd say go with the MCAT.

While a composite of 30 isn't bad per se, having 9s in 2 sections isn't too great.

I also hate to say it but the fact that you took classes at Harvard recently and didn't do well probably isn't doing much for you either. If anything, it discredits the good grades that you got at UMass.

 

[metalmd06]

Should I take a class like Biochem or Genetics or A&P? I don't really think I should retake any of the classes, rather I think I should try to ACE a few more difficlut ones. I probably didn't go about this in the smartest way, but I've never gotten grades like that before. It was just very difficult to do it the way I did it.

 

[armybound]

30 is weak now? with a low GPA i agree the MCAT needs to be stellar but for someone w/ a 3.8 or something a 30 isn't going to kill your app, at least i hope not

for someone with a 3.2, a 30 isn't really helping. it's good, but it's not going to overshadow a 3.2. a 33-35 would be a completely different statement, imo

 

[Law2Doc]

OK here's my situation:
3.2 GPA
30P MCAT (9PS, 9VR, 12BS)
9 months of clinical experience as an MA
Volunteered at a hospital for 1 year

I only applied to seven schools this year and I was rejected by two (1 interview), and haven't heard from two others. NYU didn't even acknowledge the fact that I applied and I withdrew from BU and Yale. So really, I have only to completed applications left for this year and I think that means that next year will be my best shot. I'm hoping something good happens but I'm starting to prepare to improve my application. What's more important, increasing my GPA or MCAT score??

The GPA is where you are coming up short. The fact that your GPA went down when you took the sciences in a postbac is probably giving schools huge concern as to whether you would thrive in an intense science based program. So either take a bunch of upper level science courses and ace them, or consider an SMP where you can prove yourself in a med school type curriculum.

The other thing that probably killed you was only applying to 7 schools. Someone with a 4.0/40 can get away with that. Someone with a 3.2/30 can't. You needed to be applying to 2-3 times that many. And not wasting applications on places like Yale -- your credentials are simply not top school ready.

 

[medsrchr]

I think you should keep in mind that the advice you're getting will be from each poster's personal experience (either from the poster her/himself or from what s/he's seen). I was in your situation a year ago and I chose to boost my GPA with an incredible turn-around in one year (3.2 to 3.6). I think that made a huge difference because a MCAT 30 won't get you screened out, but a 3.2 will. You should calculate how many A's it'll take for you to boost your GPA from a 3.2 to a 3.5, and if it's not feasible to take that many classes (+ a few more because there will inevitably be a B+ somewhere), I would focus on the MCAT score.

 

[shiftingmirage]

I think you also need to reconsider where you apply to. BU, NYU, Yale, you simply aren't competitive at with your stats. You should have applied to schools with ~3.5 (probably lowest average you will see) and 30. Not schools with 3.8 and 34. Even some state schools have very high stats. If you're applying again next year, take some upper level bio/chem or even physics b/c of the C, try the MCAT again, and apply to schools you will actually be competitive at. Some reach schools are ok, as long as there are others that you have a chance at.

 

[Law2Doc]

Some reach schools are ok, as long as there are others that you have a chance at.

If you are only applying to 7 schools, none should be reaches. If you are applying to 20, then sure, a couple reaches are fine.

 

[RySerr21]

for someone with a 3.2, a 30 isn't really helping. it's good, but it's not going to overshadow a 3.2. a 33-35 would be a completely different statement, imo

thats pretty much exactly what i said. i agreed w/ you.

 

[scowdeva]

I was in a very similar situation as you...slightly low MCAT, slightly low GPA due to extinuating life circumstances. I would suggest that you really buckle down to improve that GPA. I was able to raise mine .13 in just one semester, made up of 13 credits (and mine was higher than yours when I started, so yours should raise more than that). Retaking DOES NOT replace the grade in AMCAS, so don't waste time and money doing that. Take other classes, preferably those that you will have to take anyways in med school, and ace them. Show them that the classes that actually apply to a medical career (anatomy, physiology, genetics, biochem, etc) you can master. All of my lowest grades were in PHYSICS!!! I think it has helped to show that I can dominate courses like advanced microbiology after getting 3.0s in physics...

 

[OnlyFearGOD]

that seems like a good stat ....... overall doesnt mcat matter the most people with 4.0 that get like 29 gets into med school why cant that score get in

 

[Heimerfink]

OK here's my situation:
3.2 GPA
30P MCAT (9PS, 9VR, 12BS)
9 months of clinical experience as an MA
Volunteered at a hospital for 1 year

I only applied to seven schools this year and I was rejected by two (1 interview), and haven't heard from two others. NYU didn't even acknowledge the fact that I applied and I withdrew from BU and Yale. So really, I have only to completed applications left for this year and I think that means that next year will be my best shot. I'm hoping something good happens but I'm starting to prepare to improve my application. What's more important, increasing my GPA or MCAT score??

A) you need to prove to schools that you are capable. Your 30 is not bad, but your 3.2 makes me think you are not good at school. However, if you raised the 30 a few points, I would think a lot higher of you. It's also easier to raise your 30 to a 33 for example than to raise your 3.2 to a 3.5...

B) You applied to 7 schools? With numbers like yours, you should be applying to 20 schools. Judging by the 3/7 schools you mentioned, you are applying to the wrong schools. (fyi, i had a 3.5+/35+ and did not get into any of these schools when i applied)

 

[Vihsadas]

I think you need to improve both. Reasons:

GPA: (Obvious)
MCAT: Although its true that a 30 is 'ok', a few points:
1) It's actually below the national average slightly (31.something)
2) You have two subsections below 10 (not good)
3) Your GPA is low enough where a non-stellar MCAT will simply not cut it.

Do what you can to improve both.

 

[metalmd06]

Vihsadas, what's up? You know me from the Kaplan forums, you sent me all of those extra review materials. Thanks for the input, but I don't know if I can improve both if I want to re-apply next cycle. I think I need to improve one aspect significantly, if possible. You know the situation I'm in, non-traidtional, mid 20's, etc. I really would like to move forward with my life, not backward. Anyway I hope that you have better luck than me in this process.


As for everybody elses responses, I appreciate your candor and your suggestions, but there is no need to be demeaning. I understand that the truth is tough to swallow, but I am very serious about medical school and I will do what it takes to be accepted. The truth is I crammed too much into two years and I didn't have the proper advising when it came to applying. There are specific reasons why I applied to every school I chose, and I was probably reaching for the stars with many of them. For instance, BU is my alma matter. If I do not have a chance this cycle, I want to do what is necessary to give me the best chance next time around. I will most certainly broaden my scope and apply to many more schools. This time I had extenuating family reasons that did not allow me to do so. I will take your comments to heart and do my best to improve, but realize that this is my dream too.

 

[metalmd06]

Do you guys think that because I am a non-traditional student that if I just improve my MCAT it will be enough for a state school.? What if I retake it and get a 40? Do you think I will have a shot then? Because I do have circumstances that will make it difficult for me to take classes, but, I can study my ass off in my free time for the MCAT. My family is strugling right now and I am working 50+ hours a week in order to help out. What I'm asking is, considering I am not a traditional student, do you think that a marked improvement in my MCAT would show enough promise and dedication?

 

[Maxprime]

Do you guys think that because I am a non-traditional student that if I just improve my MCAT it will be enough for a state school.? What if I retake it and get a 40? Do you think I will have a shot then? Because I do have circumstances that will make it difficult for me to take classes, but, I can study my ass off in my free time for the MCAT. My family is strugling right now and I am working 50+ hours a week in order to help out. What I'm asking is, considering I am not a traditional student, do you think that a marked improvement in my MCAT would show enough promise and dedication?

Being a non-trad doesn't change anything - you don't get extra slack or something like that. You may not be as accountable for really old numbers, but not terribly often.

While it's a great idea that getting a really high MCAT score will fix all your problems, remember to be realistic about the chance of that happening. A 40 is in the 0.4%ile, not saying you can't do it - they're just rare.

I appreciate that you're in a tough spot - with a better MCAT score you may have a shot. If you have to pick just one, the MCAT is higher yield - but your GPA won't disappear.

 

[metalmd06]

I'm not expecting any special treatment. I'm just hoping that my prospective schools would understand my situation and see the improvement that I posted. While 40 is a lofty goal, it's not impossible. Even though my GPA isn't great, it doesn't reflect my true academic ability and I know that. So, let's be more realistic, what if I get a 35? is my GPA still going to drag me down, or will adcoms see the drastic improvement and be more willing to give me a shot?

 

[Vihsadas]

Hey man, how's it going? Didn't know that was you there. If you do better on the MCAT, say 35+, you'll probably be considered more closely.At this point, you really just have to decide how far you are willing to go. If this is what you want to do, you gotta be ready to do everything in your power to make it happen. I know that when I started down this road (a few years before my MCAT) I was ready to go anywhere or do anything. I planning on attending an SMP, and if that didn't work out going to Ireland or the Caribbean. Fact of the matter is, I'll probably have to attend an SMP next year to improve my chances. And you know what? If that's what it takes, I'll sacrifice one year, go through hell, and do it. If you have the fortitude to stick with this for a few more years, and really push for where you want to be, it can happen. Just realize that the road is long and hard.
Congratulations on your interview. If I were you, I'd call them and ask them how you can improve your application for next cycle and see what they say.
Good luck!