MSTP with low verbal?

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Hi everyone, I've been giving some thought to MSTP programs and hope to apply this summer. However, I am afraid my low verbal score will keep me out of MSTP programs, and I don't know if I should even consider applying to them.

MCAT: 34Q 8VR/13PS/13BS
sGPA: 3.86
cGPA:3.89

I could use some opinions on whether I should apply or not. In terms of ECs I feel like my strengths are in research and I would be pretty well suited to MSTP programs.

I'm currently a junior and have been doing directed study in medical malacology during the semesters since I was a sophomore. I will have had two years of experience in this research if I apply this summer. My professor advises us, but my partner and I come up with the studies and design the experiments, so I'm not just washing glassware etc...
I applied for grant money offered by my school and presented a poster on campus as well.

I am also applying to some REU programs this summer, and really hope to get in. But they are really competitive and so the odds of me getting one for the summer are not high.

Also I was one of four campus nominees selected to apply for Goldwater. I'm working on my paper/application for it now, but the odds of me actually winning the scholarship are slim as well. Still I feel that being one of only four to be nominated from my campus may be worth something.

I really like research, and even if I do just MD, I hope to get involved with it as much as I can in medical school. Which is why I am happy applying to only MD schools if I am uncompetitive for MSTP. However, if I stand a decent shot at getting accepted into one, I'd like to apply.

I was looking at places like University of Rochester, but I might not be competitive for that. I was also considering MD/PhD programs if there are good ones out there.

 

[K31]

Is English not your first language? That can mitigate a low Verbal score to some extent.

I think that you'd still have a good chance at MSTPs if you applied wisely. Your stats and activities look fine, and I've seen people with worse VR scores than yours get interviews (I'm at a mid-tier MSTP).

 

[intricacy]

Granted I'm still in the application process myself, but for what it's worth, I had only a slightly higher verbal and slightly lower bio & physics, but still managed to get pretty awesome interviews and one acceptance so far (English is my first language and I'm not an URM)