Need advice! What do I do??

[99445]

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Hi all, would appreciate any advice on whether or not I should retake mcat. Applied this cycle to only MD, chances not looking too good. Applied to 10 schools. Anticipate reapplying MD and applying DO early this June. Have taken the MCAT twice. June 2013- (10P, 6V, 9B) and August 2013- (10P-9V,9V).

Applied with: cGPA 3.53 sGPA 3.40. might worthwhile to list the trend starting from freshmen year:

3.35 --> 2.4 (i know, awful -_-) --> 3.85 --> 3.78 --> 3.83 --> 3.94 (i'm hoping the upward trend will compensate for the horrific freshman year) Also, last semester I had a 4.0, and anticipate a 4.0 this semester too, which would bring my cGPA to roughly 3.65 and sGPA 3.5.

Homestate: New York

Research:
-4 semesters, 500+ hours. Researching effects of alcohol on early development
-worked full-time past summer as lab technician in same lab

E.C.

-EMT-Basic at university ambulance agency (300+ hours)
-Youth leader at church, led several out of country mission's trips (over 3 years)
-volunteer at community free clinic
-shadowing: 60 hours
-teacher's assistant (Orgo 1 & 2 and Cell Bio)

Work

-pharmacy technician at retail pharmacy (over 4 years)
Anticipate doing Americorps at a free community clinic during year off.


What do I do?? I feel that my stats are fine for DO, but what about MD? With no MCAT retake, my application would be improved with a higher GPA and a year of clinical experience. I'm having a hard time motivating myself to study for the MCAT again, especially with the risk of doing worse. However, if it's recommended by most, I think I can take one last crack at it.

 

[3838]

You fall below avg on both MCAT and GPA... I would say that DO is honestly your best bet. If you take a year off, I'd re-take for the MCAT -- keeping in mind that you will be taking the new MCAT. Prepare properly; have the material down cold and use metacognitive strategies to change trends in your thought processes in response to the types of passages and questions you're presented with. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metacognition. Why do you think you've been doing poorly on the MCAT? What were your scores like? The one semester of a bad GPA shouldn't be that much of an issue if you can explain it. Of course...I'm not an adcom...

 

[Stoptheclot]

I'm a 3x MCAT taker here, and it is worth retaking if you can keep improving.

Also, make sure you research schools that you want to apply to the next time around. Some schools look down upon reapps (like I was) and I didn't even know about the stigmatism against reapplicants at these schools. With your stats, I agree that you have a decent shot at DO programs!

 

[dudeliness]

As you currently stand with GPA and MCAT, along with your list of EC's and research, you'd pretty much be a shoe-in at most DO schools. I say most because some don't really care about research and some only want people from certain areas or who are interested in rural medicine. For they most part though, your stats would put you above average accepted.

That being said, with a good score on a retake of the MCAT you could have a shot at MD if that's what you really want.

Either way, applying early in the cycle and having strong personal statement and essays will be vital for your application. Good luck

 

[dancingmate]

I agree with everything the above posters said. In addition, I highly suggest applying broadly for both DO and MD (20+ schools). While 10 schools seems like a lot, you definitely should expand a little bit, especially as a reapplicant.

 

[TexasSurgeon]

Hi all, would appreciate any advice on whether or not I should retake mcat. Applied this cycle to only MD, chances not looking too good. Applied to 10 schools. Anticipate reapplying MD and applying DO early this June. Have taken the MCAT twice. June 2013- (10P, 6V, 9B) and August 2013- (10P-9V,9V).

Applied with: cGPA 3.53 sGPA 3.40. might worthwhile to list the trend starting from freshmen year:

3.35 --> 2.4 (i know, awful -_-) --> 3.85 --> 3.78 --> 3.83 --> 3.94 (i'm hoping the upward trend will compensate for the horrific freshman year) Also, last semester I had a 4.0, and anticipate a 4.0 this semester too, which would bring my cGPA to roughly 3.65 and sGPA 3.5.

Homestate: New York

Research:
-4 semesters, 500+ hours. Researching effects of alcohol on early development
-worked full-time past summer as lab technician in same lab

E.C.

-EMT-Basic at university ambulance agency (300+ hours)
-Youth leader at church, led several out of country mission's trips (over 3 years)
-volunteer at community free clinic
-shadowing: 60 hours
-teacher's assistant (Orgo 1 & 2 and Cell Bio)

Work

-pharmacy technician at retail pharmacy (over 4 years)
Anticipate doing Americorps at a free community clinic during year off.


What do I do?? I feel that my stats are fine for DO, but what about MD? With no MCAT retake, my application would be improved with a higher GPA and a year of clinical experience. I'm having a hard time motivating myself to study for the MCAT again, especially with the risk of doing worse. However, if it's recommended by most, I think I can take one last crack at it.

Like everyone said, you're good for DO. If you have your heart set on MD, maybe take another year and take more science classes, retake the MCAT, and maybe do more volunteering.

 

[3838]

I'm a 3x MCAT taker here, and it is worth retaking if you can keep improving.

Also, make sure you research schools that you want to apply to the next time around. Some schools look down upon reapps (like I was) and I didn't even know about the stigmatism against reapplicants at these schools. With your stats, I agree that you have a decent shot at DO programs!

What I'm concerned about is OP's stagnating scores. OP did you change up your study strategy? If it didn't work the first time, it's not going to work the second...

 

[Goro]

Concur

You fall below avg on both MCAT and GPA... I would say that DO is honestly your best bet. If you take a year off, I'd re-take for the MCAT -- keeping in mind that you will be taking the new MCAT. Prepare properly; have the material down cold and use metacognitive strategies to change trends in your thought processes in response to the types of passages and questions you're presented with. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metacognition. Why do you think you've been doing poorly on the MCAT? What were your scores like? The one semester of a bad GPA shouldn't be that much of an issue if you can explain it. Of course...I'm not an adcom...

 

[woltej1]

Not to beat a dead horse, but DO is looking good for you. It looks like you only crashed once in your academics so retaking some of those classes along with a MCAT of 32+(just to show improvement of 4 or more points) would be what you need to stand a good shot at MD.