Hello everyone,
I am planning to apply MD/PhD this coming 2018 cycle and I was wondering if I could ask for some thoughts on how a 517 MCAT (CP: 130, CARS: 128, BC: 129, PS: 130) might fair as far as being competitive enough for top-tier programs (Penn, Johns Hopkins, etc.)? I'm sorry for putting out another "chances" post, but I have been working myself up quite a bit recently trying to gauge whether my application would be competitive enough at all. I've looked through the sticky posts but am a little confused what the situation would be with the new MCAT.
My main concern is, in terms of the numbers part of the application, whether my MCAT of 517 (paired with a GPA of 3.98 from a state school) would be less competitive at programs like Penn where it is just near their average for those matriculated 2016-2017 (from the preliminary data I saw on MSAR I think)? Would this GPA/MCAT be sufficient to at least get a 'foot in the door'? I'm mainly hoping to get in a MSTP program in the Northeast, since my SO is in school there.
I know a lot of other factors are involved, but I guess my main reason for asking is to figure out whether I should retake the exam if my score might be too borderline to be competitive at these programs, but I'd of course prefer not to have to dive back into another round of MCAT..!
Also, just wondering if awards like the Goldwater scholarship reasonably improves my application in any way?
Thanks very much for your time and any input is greatly appreciated!
I am planning to apply MD/PhD this coming 2018 cycle and I was wondering if I could ask for some thoughts on how a 517 MCAT (CP: 130, CARS: 128, BC: 129, PS: 130) might fair as far as being competitive enough for top-tier programs (Penn, Johns Hopkins, etc.)? I'm sorry for putting out another "chances" post, but I have been working myself up quite a bit recently trying to gauge whether my application would be competitive enough at all. I've looked through the sticky posts but am a little confused what the situation would be with the new MCAT.
My main concern is, in terms of the numbers part of the application, whether my MCAT of 517 (paired with a GPA of 3.98 from a state school) would be less competitive at programs like Penn where it is just near their average for those matriculated 2016-2017 (from the preliminary data I saw on MSAR I think)? Would this GPA/MCAT be sufficient to at least get a 'foot in the door'? I'm mainly hoping to get in a MSTP program in the Northeast, since my SO is in school there.
I know a lot of other factors are involved, but I guess my main reason for asking is to figure out whether I should retake the exam if my score might be too borderline to be competitive at these programs, but I'd of course prefer not to have to dive back into another round of MCAT..!
Also, just wondering if awards like the Goldwater scholarship reasonably improves my application in any way?
Thanks very much for your time and any input is greatly appreciated!