My Chances at SGU???
Started by marauder3565
Get help with your application
Use all the free resources available to you from SDN: articles, guides, expert advising, forums discussions, and school research.
In my opinion you are competitive. With a strong Personal Letter and a good interview you probably have it sealed!
What are my chances at SGU or Ross?
MCAT: 1st Attempt 20M
2nd Attempt 19L 🙁
Undergrad Major: Biology 2.85 cum gpa
Masters in Public Health 3.5 gpa
4 months as a PCA in a hospital
About 200hrs volunteer in hospital
Extracurriculars include teen mentoring, tutoring, sexual health and peer educator
MCAT: 1st Attempt 20M
2nd Attempt 19L 🙁
Undergrad Major: Biology 2.85 cum gpa
Masters in Public Health 3.5 gpa
4 months as a PCA in a hospital
About 200hrs volunteer in hospital
Extracurriculars include teen mentoring, tutoring, sexual health and peer educator
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
definitely not SGU, AUC, or SABA.. maybe Ross? they'll take anyone, also try AUA.
Thanks for the insight guys. I've recently been accepted to SMU. What is your opinion on that school? Good? Bad? Ugly? I know it is not a "Big 4" school; is it at least #5?
you thought wrong..
I hate to say this, but going to medical school with such a low MCAT is somewhat dangerous. You will have to do well on the USMLE's or you will have difficulty getting a residency spot, esp from a lower tier carib medical school.
I don't want to burst your balloon, but you at least need to be realistic. You got into a medical school and that's great. However, there are plenty of stories of people like you who went to medical school for 2 years, were unable to pass the boards, and find themselves with $100K of debt and no future in medicine. There are plenty of other stories of people doing just fine. You take a risk of being the former. Step 1 is not an easy exam, and you will need to do well on it, not just pass it.
apply and see who'll jump on you first. ross accepts everyone and then fails them out. all part of making money.
I *strongly* agree with aProgramDirector. Undergrads and others try to "squeak" their way around standarized exams so much, thinking: "All I have to do is get in and I'll be fine, because I'll learn everything I'm supposed to learn while in school... after all, that's the school's job, right?"
You'll be taking standarized exams for the rest of your life; they're the only non-subjective measuring stick that we have to evaluate an individuals mastery (or lack thereof) of critical concepts. You can't *squeak* into a lower-tiered license by not passing the boards.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but sometimes people need to be realistic. I dreamed of playing in the NBA, but alas - I am 5'6'' and terribly uncoordinated. I'd never make it. Think about that.
You'll be taking standarized exams for the rest of your life; they're the only non-subjective measuring stick that we have to evaluate an individuals mastery (or lack thereof) of critical concepts. You can't *squeak* into a lower-tiered license by not passing the boards.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but sometimes people need to be realistic. I dreamed of playing in the NBA, but alas - I am 5'6'' and terribly uncoordinated. I'd never make it. Think about that.
Their websites plus the fact that Ross accepts 300-400 per term when AUC accepts 60-180 per term.
I'd go so far as to say that anyone who scores below 20 on multiple retakes should not even go to medical school. Don't get me wrong, I think that there are a lot more to what makes a quality physician than exam scores. But the fact is, if someone has to struggle to get a 20 on the MCAT, then that person will have a lot of time understanding the material in medical school and passing the boards. Ultimately that person would be better served by using that money and going into a different healthcare field or a different career altogether than trying to pass through medical school.
About the worst thing that could happen is for that person to get into a medical school and then have to drop out later because they couldn't pass the boards. That would mean flushing $150,000 in tuition costs down the drain.
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
I don't think the MCAT is any gauge on a person's ability to be successful in medical school or become a good physician. There are people with 30s that leave, and people with low MCATs that do great. I have a Ph.D. in Developmental Genetics, a M.S. in Pharmacology, multiple first author papers, I was a postdoc in one of the top aging genetics labs in the world where I might be published in the Journal science, I have given lectures to medical students in medical school classes.....I had no time to study my MCAT and did real crappy, (19). I probably will not get into an allo on the mainland, but I am applying to Puerto Rico schools and Osteos....which I welcome because I know I will be able to graduate top of my class. Nobody is going to ask you what your MCAT score is and as long as you pass your USMLE steps....you are good to go. But maybe I am an exception. I will admit that I am a freak.
I don't think the MCAT is any gauge on a person's ability to be successful in medical school or become a good physician. There are people with 30s that leave, and people with low MCATs that do great. I have a Ph.D. in Developmental Genetics, a M.S. in Pharmacology, multiple first author papers, I was a postdoc in one of the top aging genetics labs in the world where I might be published in the Journal science, I have given lectures to medical students in medical school classes.....I had no time to study my MCAT and did real crappy, (19). I probably will not get into an allo on the mainland, but I am applying to Puerto Rico schools and Osteos....which I welcome because I know I will be able to graduate top of my class. Nobody is going to ask you what your MCAT score is and as long as you pass your USMLE steps....you are good to go. But maybe I am an exception. I will admit that I am a freak.
while MCATs don't determine how good of a doc you'll be, neither do USMLE Scores. however all standardized exams, like the SATs, MCATs, USMLE's are pretty much all the same, and if you did poorly on the SATs and the MCATs there's a good chance you'll do poorly on the USMLE, just because they're all standardized exams and if you're a poor test taker you're poor test taker, unless you do some drastic changes you won't change... sure there are outliers but that's what it means when people say on average it means some might do better some might do worse.. but on average if you did poorly on the MCAT you'll do poorly on the USMLE, both exams have a lot of similarities.
also just simply passing the USMLE doesn't mean anything, you have to do well on the exam. this is the #1 criteria that residency program directors look at, and nothing can make up for a poor USMLE score.
I agree. The example of someone with a science PhD and multiple research papers, etc. who got a 19 without studying doesn't apply to someone who took the test twice, presumably did study, and got a 19/20. You have to be good at science and able to do mass-memorization to do med school and pass the USMLE's. I really worry about people with less than mid 20's MCAT's going to med school, particularly a foreign one. These are the types of applicants the school is setting up to take their tuition and then fail them...maybe 2/10 will make it, but the 8 others will probably fail out.
I hate to say this because the majority of my good friends and classmates did poorly on their MCAT, but it was not that difficult.Two of my sections are more than 19, so I have no idea how someone expects to do well on the USMLE with such a low score.
Similar threads
