So I feel that I need to improve my application if I don't get into med school this year. I currently have a 32 mcat, 3.4 UGPA's w/ 3.83MPH. I really don't want to take the mcat again b/c although my bio score is sort of low...i'm afraid I can't score as high on the other 2 sections (11V 11P 10B)...so I was thinking about retaking science courses I did terribly in (C+ in 2nd semester of organic chem)...what do you all think? Or should I strengthen other parts of my app..(more clinical volunteer work?) Or just take the MCAT again and make sure I do better? Thanks!
Improving my application for 2008??
- Thread starter Sarak510
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What are your EC's? What do you think your app weaknesses are? What makes you interesting? Why do you think you won't get in this year? Where did you apply? How are you being received? Usually people post their mdapplicants link when they ask what you're asking.
Tell us how to tell you apart from the other 39,000 people who applied.
Yeah. It's up to 39,000 again. http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/
Tell us how to tell you apart from the other 39,000 people who applied.
Yeah. It's up to 39,000 again. http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/
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Your MCAT and GPA sound fine. I would focus on the ECs; get more clinical experience, volunteer, and do some research. I would NOT retake the MCAT. That is a good score and why risk it going down. I can't believe you won't get in with those numbers. Good luck!
I have pretty good EC's-NIH researcher 2 summers, current clinical research associate in radiation oncology, volunteer 3 yrs in homeless clinic undergrad, worked at interesting jobs about 10 hours per week during undergrad and grad school. My weaknesses are definitely my prereq science classes (mostly B's, B+'s and a couple C's). I have 4 rejections already...no interviews...I applied to 18 total but added 4 of them a month or so ago. So I'm not expecting anything this cycle...and I wanted to get started with retaking classes in january even if i hadn't heard back from all the schools.
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EC's look fine. Everything looks fine. Sigh. But if nobody gives you love this year, then next year you have to look better. Or at least different.
Here's my top 3 things I'd do in your shoes:
1. Get out of the country and help people. See all the posts for service learning. Do 2 weeks or a month or whatever you can. I have yet to hear an adcom NOT say that this looks good. Plus I keep doing it and liking it.
2. Raise the GPA. Plan a full load that is interesting to you, some new stuff, some retakes. So for example I can't stand o-chem, but I thought physics was fun and I'd do that again. I think it's a good story to show you can handle 15 units of hard upper div science, so I'd aim for that. PM me with your email address if you want my GPA calculator spreadsheet, so you can model the impact of your plan.
3. Yeah, I'd retake the MCAT. You did Kaplan or something? See if you can squeeze a 35 out of it.
Basically if you have the time and the willingness to improve your app, you're in a good position. Be ready for another app cycle on June 1. Lots of people reapply. Oh yeah, see the reapplicants forum for more advice.
Hang in there, you'll make it. And this cycle's not over yet. Best of luck to you.
Here's my top 3 things I'd do in your shoes:
1. Get out of the country and help people. See all the posts for service learning. Do 2 weeks or a month or whatever you can. I have yet to hear an adcom NOT say that this looks good. Plus I keep doing it and liking it.
2. Raise the GPA. Plan a full load that is interesting to you, some new stuff, some retakes. So for example I can't stand o-chem, but I thought physics was fun and I'd do that again. I think it's a good story to show you can handle 15 units of hard upper div science, so I'd aim for that. PM me with your email address if you want my GPA calculator spreadsheet, so you can model the impact of your plan.
3. Yeah, I'd retake the MCAT. You did Kaplan or something? See if you can squeeze a 35 out of it.
Basically if you have the time and the willingness to improve your app, you're in a good position. Be ready for another app cycle on June 1. Lots of people reapply. Oh yeah, see the reapplicants forum for more advice.
Hang in there, you'll make it. And this cycle's not over yet. Best of luck to you.
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Its still a lil early to write this cycle off completely. Your stats sound great. However, the numbers are only part of it. As ppl mentioned ECs are critical, LoRs, or your P-statement too all play some factor in there too. Theres a few threads talking about differences in low UGPAs vs doing masters, you might want to look at also.
Two additional thoughts:
1. Which school are you targeting and how many did you appy too? By that I mean are they all top tiered schools only, or is there a mix. All that may make a difference too.
2. Not sure I would focus on the MCAT, since that is a very respectable score. Sure it can be improved, but if you dont think you can improve more than 3 points overall, I wouldnt go that approach. The uGPA might be a better area to look for improvement. Maybe some post-bacc classes or new ECs maybe.
Good Luck!
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DO NOT TAKE the MCAT AGAIN. EVER EVER EVER! please. dont listen to anyone.
The 2 things you can do next year are:
1) APPLY EARLY
2) APPLY WIDELY (18 schools might not cut it)
Your onco research will make up for your low science grades (plus your MPH will defineltly help)...but try to publish. That's all i would do personally...concentrate on publishing...
If you have time and money I would volunteer overseas like the other poster has said (makes a great interview conversation)....but again not really necessary.
good luck.
Edit: Your GPA and MCAT combo isnt bad.
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WOW! I have a hard time believing that you won't get in with everything on your application. But, if that actually happens I would go ahead and take some more classes in the spring, add some more ECs, and make sure your personal statement and LORs are REALLY great for next year. Make sure you have everything ready to go the day AMCAS starts accepting applications. As for right now, why don't you send out letters of interest to the schools and/or a letter of intent to one if there is one that is your top pick. That might help. Good luck!
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Just one woman's opinion:
- Those ECs sound golden, especially all the research.
- The only reason I would re-take the MCAT again, if I were you, is if you didn't study the first time, or something unusual and identifiably catastrophic happened (you had to go to the restroom in the middle of the biology section). Plenty of people get in with 32. Probably not your limiting factor.
- Now we get to what I have some experience with: the limiting factor of a bad GPA. It doesn't matter what you've done right if they spreadsheet-sort you right to the bottom of the list and ignore you after that. Also, this part is not based on experience, but if I were the adcom, I would bite off on the C in o-chem as a pretty good reason not to admit you. "Can't handle med school coursework" and all that.
So my plan, if I were you, would be to re-take that class spring semester and crush it. Don't overschedule yourself with other stuff; make sure you can devote time and attention to it. Get an A.
As a side note, you could never hurt yourself by signing up for a mock interview and getting somebody to critique your essays.
Hope this helps.
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That's irritating that that helps so much and shows how elitist the whole process is. I couldn't do that because I had to work fulltime to support myself. It wasn't feasible to quit my job for a couple of months to go overseas and then come back. Younger students whose parents don't have money can't do it either. Another reason why I think subjective factors should be minimized in the application process.
Anyway, to the op, the only possible weakness in your application is your gpa, mainly it seems your science gpa. I'm with Pemberley, retake organic and made an A. If you can retake some of those other B classes and made As. Your odds are still good for this year, though, so it might be a non-issue. Also, as has been suggested earlier, you might need to apply earlier and tweak the list of schools you apply to.
Thank you all....very great advice
So ya...when I first applied I got verified in early august, but all my letters didn't get in until the end of August. Not to mention I had only applied to about 15 schools-all in California, plus Columbia, NYU, NYMC, GW, Boston Georgetown, Mount Sinai, and JH...BIG mistake to apply to such great schools, I THOUGH GW and georgetown might give me an interview, but they rejected me flat out....I later added (in october and nov) st. louis, drexel, temple, albany....so I think the key might have been to get my letters in earlier and have submitted on June 5th. But you live and you learn, huh?
I will see what happens and I won't sweat it if I don't get in cuz next time around I will be on top of my game with a couple more A's maybe, and plus, who doesn't want to make some cash before those 4 years?
So please--all you non trads with that low gpa or mcat...apply widely to as many schools as you can!!!
So ya...when I first applied I got verified in early august, but all my letters didn't get in until the end of August. Not to mention I had only applied to about 15 schools-all in California, plus Columbia, NYU, NYMC, GW, Boston Georgetown, Mount Sinai, and JH...BIG mistake to apply to such great schools, I THOUGH GW and georgetown might give me an interview, but they rejected me flat out....I later added (in october and nov) st. louis, drexel, temple, albany....so I think the key might have been to get my letters in earlier and have submitted on June 5th. But you live and you learn, huh?
I will see what happens and I won't sweat it if I don't get in cuz next time around I will be on top of my game with a couple more A's maybe, and plus, who doesn't want to make some cash before those 4 years?
So please--all you non trads with that low gpa or mcat...apply widely to as many schools as you can!!!
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Your gpa and mcat are not low, they are average. You simply applied to schools that are out of reach for that average GPA and MCAT, applying to "safety" schools only after you started to panic. I second the advice to next year, apply widely and early. Your app looks good but not for the schools you choose. A good lesson in taking the time to read through MSAR to look at the average MCAT and GPA of incoming matriculant.
I'm sure you know that retaking those classes might move your gpa to a 3.5 and only DO schools take the most recent grade while the others average it.
You can also schedule an appointment with the admissions rep of your top choice school to see why they didn't admit you and what they suggest to do for the following year. I have heard other non-trads on this forum speak of this.
I'm sure you know that retaking those classes might move your gpa to a 3.5 and only DO schools take the most recent grade while the others average it.
You can also schedule an appointment with the admissions rep of your top choice school to see why they didn't admit you and what they suggest to do for the following year. I have heard other non-trads on this forum speak of this.
