My chances?

[SoCar]

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I'm new to the site, but I've been browsing and I would appreciate any input you guys could give.

I'm currently on the wait-list at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). I'm at the bottom half though, so I'm not expecting to get in this round. So I'm just curious what you guys think of my chances to get in next year.

I graduated from the Honors College at the College of Charleston. cGPA: 3.524 (i had applied with a 3.47), sGPA: 3.432. MCAT: PS: 7, VR: 11, BS: 10. 28K. I know, terrible writing score, not sure what happened. I'm considering taking the MCAT again, but last time I took it I treated it like a full time job studying 5-10 hours a day for 3 months, and I'm worried my score may drop if I retake it.

100+ hours shadowing Pathologist, Oncologist, Surgical Urologist
700+ hours research: Department of Neuroscience and Center for Drug and Alochol Programs (both at MUSC). From the research I have 3 acknowledgements, one poster, and one authorship.

EC's: Honors College, tennis club, intramural kickball/field hockey/soccer, study abroad (spain), campus tour guide, LeaderShape Institute, honor board, animal shelter, dance marathon, student government election commission, CPR and AED certified, LeaderShip CofC, founding father of Phi Gamma Delta

I know people generally say to switch up your personal statement, but I got compliments from most of my interviewers last year - one saying it was incongruent with my writing score. I changed a few small things, but overall I think I'm going to keep it almost the same.

Also, reading the advice on here has made me rethink applying early decision to MUSC next year. I want to broaden my list of schools to apply to, but I had always heard that it is much easier to get in during ED, because the applicant pool is smaller.

I'm also considering applying to some osteopathic schools, as I am most interested in primary care anyways.

But anyways, I got a job as a Research Specialist at MUSC for my year off, is there any suggestions on what else I should be doing with my time? I will definitely try to do more shadowing, and I'm looking at volunteering with an over the phone counseling service (i'm interested in psychiatry) but any other suggestions would be much appreciated!

 

[dragonfly99]

I think you should consider retaking the MCAT. You would need to start studying again ASAP. IMHO physical sciences is one of the easiest sections to raise your score...you can memorize a lot of that physics stuff and know it cold. The writing score is weird. I'm wondering if you did something strange last year and didn't turn in the sample or something, or they lost it. You basically got a score that is so low I've never heard of it...unless you can't write a complete sentence I don't see how you could have truly gotten a score that low. Perhaps you should have asked that it be regraded. You can study for the essay section of that test as well...just have to write the essay like they want it.

I think cross-applying to MD and DO schools is a smart idea. You also might consider which school(s) might particularly like someone interested in psych. I know someone who went to Vermont as an out of state student several years ago, and was interested in psych...though I don't know that that was the reason they took her. She had a better MCAT score than yours, but not great.

 

[SoCar]

yeah I was shocked by my writing score. i took the Kaplan prep course and was scoring from O's and P's on the 16 practice tests I took. Is it too late to ask them to regrade it if I took it last August?

 

[J ROD]

I'm in SC so I know our schools well.

I would say first the PS 7 is a problem. If it were an 8, I would say possibly stay. I would suggest taking the MCAT again. But, if you truly feel you may drop, then don't take it again. Going down is really bad.

I see where you have shadowed enough and done alot of research. BUT, you do not have any clinical volunteering! To me, that is number one on the list besides grades. Volunteer in an ER and get around 150+hrs. This is the easiest and best thing you can do.

Also, your GPA is not quite average either. So, you have a slightly below MCAT and GPA. So, your academic numbers are subpar. You are going to need to raise both or one to compensate overall.


The rest of the applications sounds fine. I would not worry about the writing that much. I have a L because I used the time to rest for BS. I told them so and it was not that big a deal. I proved I could write with my PS.


Start volunteering somewhere where you can get clinical experience, work on the MCAT, and try to pull the GPA up to a 3.65+. Maybe do a Masters while waiting to raise the GPA.