Low MCAT, decent gpa...where else should I apply?

[YBFdoctor]

Hey guys,

I'm getting ready to submit my AMCAS this weekend, but I wanted to add a couple more schools. Here are my stats:

24 MCAT (9PS, 7VR, 8BS WS:K)
3.55 cGPA, 3.35 sGPA (Would be higher because I retook a C in ochem and got an A. I don't think the adcoms care though...?)

I've got about 2 years of research (NSF grant, no pubs), a good amount of clinical volunteering, engineering leadership stuff, 6 months hospital volunteering, several merit based scholarships, work with developmentally disabled kids, lots of work with cadavers, and some other little things. I am also a female URM.

Here are the schools that I'm going to apply to:

Drexel
GWU
Howard
Meharry
Morehouse
NYMC
U of Arizona (my state school)
Tulane
UIC

Any schools that I should add or remove? I heard that Drexel screens for scores below 8, can anyone verify this? I'd like to save my money and apply elsewhere if this is true...

Thanks!

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[camaras2480]

Hey guys,

I'm getting ready to submit my AMCAS this weekend, but I wanted to add a couple more schools. Here are my stats:

24 MCAT (9PS, 7VR, 8BS WS:K)
3.55 cGPA, 3.35 sGPA (Would be higher because I retook a C in ochem and got an A. I don't think the adcoms care though...?)

I've got about 2 years of research (NSF grant, no pubs), a good amount of clinical volunteering, engineering leadership stuff, 6 months hospital volunteering, several merit based scholarships, work with developmentally disabled kids, lots of work with cadavers, and some other little things. I am also a female URM.

Here are the schools that I'm going to apply to:

Drexel
GWU
Howard
Meharry
Morehouse
NYMC
U of Arizona (my state school)
Tulane
UIC

Any schools that I should add or remove? I heard that Drexel screens for scores below 8, can anyone verify this? I'd like to save my money and apply elsewhere if this is true...

Thanks!

I can't verify that Drexel screens for the 8. However, it is a fact that many schools screen for that 8. Howard, Meharry, and Morehouse do not. I don't know about the rest of those.

Your GPA and MCAT are both on the lower end. Therefore, retaking orgo and getting an A would actually be a good idea. Not only to help your GPA, but also because orgo is looked at a little more closely than other classes.

I also think you need to add schools. You only had 9 - you should consider applying to ~15. Think about Albany, Jefferson, Temple, Northeastern Ohio, and Wayne as a start.

 

[YBFdoctor]

I can't verify that Drexel screens for the 8. However, it is a fact that many schools screen for that 8. Howard, Meharry, and Morehouse do not. I don't know about the rest of those.

Your GPA and MCAT are both on the lower end. Therefore, retaking orgo and getting an A would actually be a good idea. Not only to help your GPA, but also because orgo is looked at a little more closely than other classes.

I also think you need to add schools. You only had 9 - you should consider applying to ~15. Think about Albany, Jefferson, Temple, Northeastern Ohio, and Wayne as a start.

Thanks for your quick response! I will definitely look into those schools. Do you know which schools screen for below 8? I just don't wanna waste my time.

And I have already retaken ochem. I got an A the second time around. I guess I just worded it weird I believe that AMCAS counts ALL grades, including the initial grade. If they didn't my sGPA would be a bit higher.

 

[camaras2480]

Thanks for your quick response! I will definitely look into those schools. Do you know which schools screen for below 8? I just don't wanna waste my time.

Actually I don't know beyond the top tier. Most of the top tier employs this minimum 8 system. I would imagine there are not that many beyond the top tier.

And I have already retaken ochem. I got an A the second time around. I guess I just worded it weird I believe that AMCAS counts ALL grades, including the initial grade. If they didn't my sGPA would be a bit higher.[/QUOTE]

Ahhh ok, I probably read it incorrectly. Oops!

 

[Mobius1985]

you should consider applying to ~15. Think about Albany, Jefferson, Temple, Northeastern Ohio, and Wayne as a start.

Maybe you meant Toledo, rather than NE Ohio, which takes few OOS. And maybe Michigan State instead of Wayne State, for the same reason.

 

[camaras2480]

Maybe you meant Toledo, rather than NE Ohio, which takes few OOS. And maybe Michigan State instead of Wayne State, for the same reason.

Oops I did mean Toledo - thank you!

And I just checked the 2010-2011 stats for Wayne - wow, I didn't realize it jumped up to like 85% in state. Frankly, I don't like the odds at MSU either. How about we go with neither? haha wow I screwed up that last post on this thread. Thank goodness for Mobius!

 

[YBFdoctor]

Maybe you meant Toledo, rather than NE Ohio, which takes few OOS. And maybe Michigan State instead of Wayne State, for the same reason.

Thanks for the clarification! I'm still open to any other suggestions anyone might have

 

[camaras2480]

Thanks for the clarification! I'm still open to any other suggestions anyone might have

Creighton.

 

[WhatNEyeTem]

Thanks for the clarification! I'm still open to any other suggestions anyone might have

Re-take the MCAT... try to get a minimum of 30.

 

[Mobius1985]

I'd have to agree that retaking the MCAT and getting a verbal above 7 should be on your to-do list. Your best shot right now is at your state school. Their bottom tenth percentile for verbal is 7, with the median at 9.8.

 

[Stratego]

Actually wayne state considers most recent work and a lot of postbac and what not. But they expect that if your gPA is lower that you should have a decent MCAT score and an upper trend and will look more at your newer stuff then older stuff.

I've known quite a few out of staters to get into Wayne State and most of them were postbac students

Thanks, gujuDoc. I didn't know this.

OP, if you're an engineering major, adcomms might give you a bit of credit for the slightly low cGPA due to the difficulty of the courses.

 

[YBFdoctor]

People just throw the phrase "re-take the MCAT and get 30+" around like it's just some easy feat to do. It's not. I studied incredibly hard for the MCAT, and I still did less than stellar. I have considered re-taking it, but truthfully, I don't know if I will do better. I studied on my own using EK, TPR, and Nova for physics, and I have gone through all but one of the AAMC tests. I don't know what else to use or where to even begin. I'm pretty sure I will have the time for it, but I'm also concerned about the money and I don't want to delay my application any further.

My goal is to get into any US MD school, not just the Harvards, Yales, and Stanfords. I feel like my app is strong everywhere else except for the MCAT. I'm just hoping that the adcoms will be able to look past it and see me for the person I am, rather than what I scored on a test.

 

[camaras2480]

People just throw the phrase "re-take the MCAT and get 30+" around like it's just some easy feat to do. It's not. I studied incredibly hard for the MCAT, and I still did less than stellar. I have considered re-taking it, but truthfully, I don't know if I will do better. I studied on my own using EK, TPR, and Nova for physics, and I have gone through all but one of the AAMC tests. I don't know what else to use or where to even begin. I'm pretty sure I will have the time for it, but I'm also concerned about the money and I don't want to delay my application any further.

My goal is to get into any US MD school, not just the Harvards, Yales, and Stanfords. I feel like my app is strong everywhere else except for the MCAT. I'm just hoping that the adcoms will be able to look past it and see me for the person I am, rather than what I scored on a test.

Good post. How did you do on all those AAMC tests?

As far as your application, assuming you really are strong everywhere else, there certainly is a chance you will gain admission this cycle. Granted, it won't be easy, but you already know that so I won't grill that haha

Make sure your personal statement is brilliant. Ask a lot of people to read it. Like you said, the rest of your package needs to be stunning to cover that 24.

In the meantime, I'd keep practicing more and more verbal passages, just in case you have to take the MCAT again.

 

[YBFdoctor]

Good post. How did you do on all those AAMC tests?

As far as your application, assuming you really are strong everywhere else, there certainly is a chance you will gain admission this cycle. Granted, it won't be easy, but you already know that so I won't grill that haha

Make sure your personal statement is brilliant. Ask a lot of people to read it. Like you said, the rest of your package needs to be stunning to cover that 24.

In the meantime, I'd keep practicing more and more verbal passages, just in case you have to take the MCAT again.

I got between 24 and 27 on AAMC 3-9, most of them were about 26. I will definitely start practicing more verbal passages, just in case I have to retake. This is great advice! Thank you.

 

[camaras2480]

I got between 24 and 27 on AAMC 3-9, most of them were about 26. I will definitely start practicing more verbal passages, just in case I have to retake. This is great advice! Thank you.

Glad to help!

 

[Dazedaisy]

People just throw the phrase "re-take the MCAT and get 30+" around like it's just some easy feat to do.

My goal is to get into any US MD school, not just the Harvards, Yales, and Stanfords. I feel like my app is strong everywhere else except for the MCAT. I'm just hoping that the adcoms will be able to look past it and see me for the person I am, rather than what I scored on a test.

I hear ya! I have taken the MCAT 3 times already, I'm still waiting on my third set of scores to come in. I'm actually postponing sending in apps until i get my score, (which is soon), because it will give me a better idea of what schools to apply to. But does anyone know about MSU, do they give priority to residents? MSAR says they consider state of residence, I'm not sure what that means?

Also, they require 2 sem of humanities, does economics count?

 

[Dr. Manhattan]

Hey guys,

I'm getting ready to submit my AMCAS this weekend, but I wanted to add a couple more schools. Here are my stats:

24 MCAT (9PS, 7VR, 8BS WS:K)
3.55 cGPA, 3.35 sGPA (Would be higher because I retook a C in ochem and got an A. I don't think the adcoms care though...?)

I've got about 2 years of research (NSF grant, no pubs), a good amount of clinical volunteering, engineering leadership stuff, 6 months hospital volunteering, several merit based scholarships, work with developmentally disabled kids, lots of work with cadavers, and some other little things. I am also a female URM.

Here are the schools that I'm going to apply to:

Drexel
GWU
Howard
Meharry
Morehouse
NYMC
U of Arizona (my state school)
Tulane
UIC

Any schools that I should add or remove? I heard that Drexel screens for scores below 8, can anyone verify this? I'd like to save my money and apply elsewhere if this is true...

Thanks!

Have you considered DO schools as an option?