is a BCPM of 3.3 too low, even with a stellar mcat ( 35-40) ?

[qualityhealth]

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lets say if someone's total gpa is 3.6 and BCPM of 3.2-3.3 with a 40 Mcat score, what are the chances for getting into a state med school?

 

[146233]

I'd say you stand a good shot. How's the rest of your application?

 

[littlealex]

Depends on what state. If you're from Texas/Michigan then you have a wider range of schools. If you're from California then your chances are not so great.

 

[intuition]

If you're from New Jersey with a BCPM of 3.1-3.3 and the rest of your app is pretty good, and with a 40 MCAT how would that look, what are the chances for getting into med school with this?

 

[kevster2001]

If you're from New Jersey with a BCPM of 3.1-3.3 and the rest of your app is pretty good, and with a 40 MCAT how would that look, what are the chances for getting into med school with this?

it's fine. they just want to see you can keep up with the classes in school. ECs matter more than a few digits in grades. this is especially true for state schools that aren't as obsessed w/ numbers

 

[HristosKaran]

Okay, if you really have a 40 MCAT, then you can probably get into med school with <3.0...so don't stress over it.

 

[Dendrite]

It should be fine. However, check with the individual schools first, because they have initial cutoffs; for example, for one particular FL school, the cut-off to receive a secondary for an OOS student is a 3.5.

However, this is not the case for the majority; you should be fine.

 

[Tanner82]

Those stats are great... but you might want to think about DO schools 👍

 

[surfstarj]

um, i hope not.

 

[BoilerWolverine]

Is this for real?

 

[Tanner82]

lol what's wrong with going to a DO school?

 

[Nasem]

lol what's wrong with going to a DO school?

lmao Tanner, you have to remember, this is the "al-mightly pre-allopathic", you can't be asking questions like that man

I can't stop cracking up at surfstarj's comment "um, i hope not.", ah god

 

[Tanner82]

what? I don't get it. I mean your a physician, and can do any allopathic residency in any field that you want... I mean it may not be exactly the same as an md but still, I don't think it should be shunned. Seriously...

 

[postbacker]

lmao Tanner, you have to remember, this is the "al-mightly pre-allopathic", you can't be asking questions like that man

I can't stop cracking up at surfstarj's comment "um, i hope not.", ah god

Yes, if surfstarj was knocking DO, I agree with you (I wish people would use the quote function...).

Surfstarj has a profile just like the one the OP asked about - 3.3 BCPM, mid 30s MCAT...and from his/her mdapps, not a lot of love so far from allo schools...

So surfstarj, were you knocking the idea of DO? Or were you commenting on something else you found in this thread to be objectionable?

 

[xcgirl]

If you're from New Jersey with a BCPM of 3.1-3.3 and the rest of your app is pretty good, and with a 40 MCAT how would that look, what are the chances for getting into med school with this?

Check out my MDApps. If your ECs are stellar, you probably have a good shot.

 

[Nasem]

Check out my MDApps. If your ECs are stellar, you probably have a good shot.

You have nice ECs.... actually, very nice 👍

 

[postbacker]

You have nice ECs.... actually, very nice 👍

Wow - I agree with this - xcgirl, you have an impressive collection of ECs, maybe the most interesting collection of them I have ever seen - if I were an Adcom, I would want to meet you to discuss your background...

 

[Maxprime]

Check out my MDApps - in a similar situation. If you really wreck the MCAT, it raises eyebrows and takes a lot of concern away from your GPA. I've made it past 2 pre-secondary screens and gotten an interview at my state school. I just sent in my AMCAS a few weeks ago - hopefully I'll have some more good news to share later this app cycle.

My adviser told me this and I have found it to be very true. You need someone to pick up your application and say, "WTF?" In my case, how is there such a big discrepancy between grades & MCAT. Then they start checking out your story, grade trend, etc. and it gives you a much better chance.

I'm not trying to be harsh, but identify what the problem has been for you. People who have 3.3's that aren't in chemE or something like that don't generally get 40's on the MCAT. I'm not saying it won't happen (best thing someone ever did to me was tell me it wouldn't happen). I'm saying that you need to identify what keeps you from excelling and fix that problem BEFORE you sit for the MCAT.

 

[xcgirl]

Wow - I agree with this - xcgirl, you have an impressive collection of ECs, maybe the most interesting collection of them I have ever seen - if I were an Adcom, I would want to meet you to discuss your background...

Aww thanks you guys!

 

[nova1983]

I'm not getting too much love either -- and I am pretty certain its because of my 3.23 BCPM GPA (which, by the way, includes only one B- and no Cs or Ds). Granted, I don't have a 40 MCAT, but a pretty respectable 34. As you can see on my MDApps, my ECs are definitely unique, so I can only surmise that it's the BCPM.... Not to burst your bubble, OP.

 

[surfstarj]

"Um, I hope not" was actually an answer to the thread question since I have a 3.3 and a 35 MCAT....

If I had wanted to bash osteopathic schools, I would have quoted whoever suggested that (like, duh. lol, lmao,rofl, etc.)

 

[surfstarj]

Surfstarj has a profile just like the one the OP asked about - 3.3 BCPM, mid 30s MCAT...and from his/her mdapps, not a lot of love so far from allo schools...

Dude, that's a little passive aggressive. I've only been complete for 2 weeks.

 

[Phenol312]

anyone care to commento n my MDapp and my situation?

 

[Concubine]

anyone care to commento n my MDapp and my situation?

Hey, some suggested things to add to your app. I would recommend volunteering at the local Hospital. Even if you log only 30 hours or so, it will still be beneficial. I would also recommend getting at least some research experience. This may be difficult, but is very important at many schools.

 

[postbacker]

Hey, some suggested things to add to your app. I would recommend volunteering at the local Hospital. Even if you log only 30 hours or so, it will still be beneficial. I would also recommend getting at least some research experience. This may be difficult, but is very important at many schools.

It may be a bit late for this app cycle...the expectation is that the clinical and volunteer experiences are what shaped your interests in medicine, and for that to work, you need to do the activities prior to submitting the app...and those experiences would form the basis for your PS, etc...after the fact volunteering, etc., is great, but in your case, you have a huge hole in your app...

My guess is that you should still start right now on this with the expectation it will be for the next app cycle...any kind of clinical exposure is critical in the process...

 

[Concubine]

It may be a bit late for this app cycle...the expectation is that the clinical and volunteer experiences are what shaped your interests in medicine, and for that to work, you need to do the activities prior to submitting the app...and those experiences would form the basis for your PS, etc...after the fact volunteering, etc., is great, but in your case, you have a huge hole in your app...

My guess is that you should still start right now on this with the expectation it will be for the next app cycle...any kind of clinical exposure is critical in the process...

Agreed. Overlooked that he was applying this cycle. If you get in, way to go. If you don't, do not be suprised. Take this purely as constructive criticism, but I agree with the above post that there are some major gaps in your application. I think you could easily address these before next cycle.

 

[Phenol312]

What if my interest in medicine wasn't shaped by the volunteer experiences but by spending a lot of time in the hospital with sick and dying relatives as a young child or watching my grandmother fall and break her hip when i was about 5 and being helpless at the scene of the accident (i wrote about this in my PS and how it shaped my desire for knowledge and sense of moral obligation).

I understand that the volunteering is necessary and all that but you make it sound as if thats the only way someone could ever be gung-ho about the field.

 

[osli]

I think you should worry about passing Physics I before you start worrying about a 40 on the MCAT.

 

[postbacker]

What if my interest in medicine wasn't shaped by the volunteer experiences but by spending a lot of time in the hospital with sick and dying relatives as a young child or watching my grandmother fall and break her hip when i was about 5 and being helpless at the scene of the accident (i wrote about this in my PS and how it shaped my desire for knowledge and sense of moral obligation).

I understand that the volunteering is necessary and all that but you make it sound as if thats the only way someone could ever be gung-ho about the field.

These are not my rules or beliefs, this is the med school admissions "game" that we all have to play...

I think it is a bunch of crap myself, but I do respect the fact that med schools are trying to make sure we have some idea of what we are getting ourselves into - not sure how shadowing a dermatologist will do that - but nonetheless, that is more or less the way the "game" is played...

So to be clear, I have less problem with shadowing and clinical exposure than I do with the "volunteer" requirement...but that's just me...I would rather not do any of it myself...

 

[Phenol312]

So to be clear, I have less problem with shadowing and clinical exposure than I do with the "volunteer" requirement...but that's just me...I would rather not do any of it myself...

I'm apt to agree with you.

Also, I think in some cases you can learn more about how you will fit in medicine by having a conversation with a doctor about their practice, values, experiences in med school than you would get follow them around all day on rounds. The one thing I do have in abundance is spending a lot of time talking with physicians about their everyday life and how they like the state of things in the field. And although this isn't time in their clinic it still is a good taste of what I have in store for me.

Shame that the medical schools wont consider this as significant.

 

[Vihsadas]

3.3BCPM and a 40 good enough?

I sure hope so!
I'll let you know this application cycle goes for me and I'll get back to with the answer. hahaha. 😛

 

[Nasem]

Check out my MDApps - in a similar situation. If you really wreck the MCAT, it raises eyebrows and takes a lot of concern away from your GPA. I've made it past 2 pre-secondary screens and gotten an interview at my state school. I just sent in my AMCAS a few weeks ago - hopefully I'll have some more good news to share later this app cycle.
QUOTE]

You didn't wreck the MCAT, you practically raped it with no lube

 

[maestro1625]

a situation like this is pretty much why I always say that MCAT is more important than GPA.

 

[MDRus]

Dude, that's a little passive aggressive. I've only been complete for 2 weeks.

um, looks like about a month to me. surfstar, why does everyone give you such a hard time?

 

[utahjazz]

The responses in this thread are soooo typical SDN. 🙂

 

[postbaccer2006]

deleted for unnecessary snarkiness. sdn gets to you after a while...

 

[maestro1625]

deleted for unnecessary snarkiness. sdn gets to you after a while...

snarkiness is NEVER unnecessary... what would SDN be without it?

 

[xogh]

I have a BCPM of 3.25 and an overall GPA of 3.53. I got a 33Q on my MCAT and received an acceptance from New Jersey Medical School. That being said, I don't think I would have had a chance if I didn't apply early.

 

[Revenant]

Yes, you'll have a decent shot at your average MD school, a pretty good shot at a DO school. Unless you're Cali you're got good chances at in-state schools and DO.

 

[Vihsadas]

Check out my MDApps - in a similar situation. If you really wreck the MCAT, it raises eyebrows and takes a lot of concern away from your GPA. I've made it past 2 pre-secondary screens and gotten an interview at my state school. I just sent in my AMCAS a few weeks ago - hopefully I'll have some more good news to share later this app cycle.

My adviser told me this and I have found it to be very true. You need someone to pick up your application and say, "WTF?" In my case, how is there such a big discrepancy between grades & MCAT. Then they start checking out your story, grade trend, etc. and it gives you a much better chance.

I'm not trying to be harsh, but identify what the problem has been for you. People who have 3.3's that aren't in chemE or something like that don't generally get 40's on the MCAT. I'm not saying it won't happen (best thing someone ever did to me was tell me it wouldn't happen). I'm saying that you need to identify what keeps you from excelling and fix that problem BEFORE you sit for the MCAT.

Holy crap! Our MCATs are exactly the same breakdown!
...and our MDApps are similar. Your MD Apps is basically screaming at me to GET ON my secondary applications! Thanks for the passive dose of encouragement. Good luck to you!

 

[nova1983]

Holy crap! Our MCATs are exactly the same breakdown!
...and our MDApps are similar. Your MD Apps is basically screaming at me to GET ON my secondary applications! Thanks for the passive dose of encouragement. Good luck to you!

Wait, you haven't submitted your secondaries? Or are you applying next year?

 

[jebus]

i'm hung like a horse. still...

 

[surfstarj]

um, looks like about a month to me. surfstar, why does everyone give you such a hard time?

Can we compromise on 3 weeks?!

I am perpetually unaware of the date, but besides that, some of those are just estimations and I never updated when I actually found out I was complete.

So can't a sister get some love over here?

 

[Maxprime]

Holy crap! Our MCATs are exactly the same breakdown!
...and our MDApps are similar. Your MD Apps is basically screaming at me to GET ON my secondary applications! Thanks for the passive dose of encouragement. Good luck to you!

Turn those bad boys around FAST - schools love to see you send it back in the day they send it to you. Prepare to be poor . . . oh so poor. 🙁

 

[Maxprime]

zomg. those numbers are almost me. i don't quite have a 40 - only a 36 🙄- and i'm struggling. plus i'm hung like a horse. still...

But I don't even believe in Jebus . . . help me Jebus!

 

[pakbabydoll]

Do you have a 40 MCAT ?

 

[ask1andy]

So can't a sister get some love over here?

I love you! And I am happy that there are so many other people with stats simmilar to my own. And for all the mean people out there... don't be so mean. Your bitterness will only give you cancer.😉

 

[osli]

Do you have a 40 MCAT ?

No. He's taken a couple of pre-reqs with mediocre scores, including a withdrawal or two in physics I, and is dreaming about a 40 on the MCAT.

I can't believe people took this thread seriously.

 

[ashbrant]

My science GPA is only a 3.0, overall is 3.2, MCAT 33, and I've been accepted at both DO and MD schools. Granted, I have stellar extra curriculars and a graduate degree (MPH). I believe my positive grade trend is what has saved my GPA - I screwed around for the first two years and then did really well my second two years when I took the upper level science courses. I also did really well in grad school.

If you're really committed to medicine, it's never too late to improve your application.

 

[Vihsadas]

My science GPA is only a 3.0, overall is 3.2, MCAT 33, and I've been accepted at both DO and MD schools. Granted, I have stellar extra curriculars and a graduate degree (MPH). I believe my positive grade trend is what has saved my GPA - I screwed around for the first two years and then did really well my second two years when I took the upper level science courses. I also did really well in grad school.

If you're really committed to medicine, it's never too late to improve your application.

100% agree.