need help - thanks

[X]

I am thinking of applying this june, but am a bit confused.

Here are quick stats - good school (cali), MCAT (10,11,10,P), and a 3.4 overall (~3.2 science), double major, got some extra-curric.

What I am confused about is how this compares these days - what are my chances(i know the GPA will hurt)? Also how many schools should I be applying to about?

Thanks

X
ps. would anyone have a guess to where a 31 may fall on the percentile range?

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[Nogpa]

Hi x. I'm a bit curious myself...with similar numbers and all. From what I've read, though, it's pretty much a crapshoot anyway. Someone once posted something to the effect that if Hitler had a 40 on the MCAT he'd get accepted, but there are people on here with high scores and GPAs that have seen no love, and people with less impressive numbers that get a bunch. I'm really not looking forward to applying in June.

 

[reesie0726]

You have solid mcats, so that is good. I would apply in June as you plan. GET THE APPLICATIONS OUT EARLY! Since your gpa esp. you sci. gpa is on the lower end, it will be very important to get the application done early. I assume you are a cali resident. You can ask other cali residents on the board, they have to apply to more schools than say a tx resident. I am not a cali resident so one of them might help better but offhand I would say that you should apply to 15-20 schools. If you had a higher gpa and was not a cali resident you could apply to less schools. Your 31 is a solid competitive mcat. The average for accepted applicants is around a 30. Choose a good mix of schools, only a couple of reach schools, a number of middle and lower tier med schools. Off hand, I think that if you apply early, to a good mix of schools, you have a decent shot to get in. So go for it. Try to make high grades from here on out to show the adcoms.

 

[Epi]

You should do a search on the boards here to get more information as well b/c there have been a lot of other people who have asked that same exact question. You might want to look at the other threads that have helpful hints for people applying this summer. I know I have seen two of them so far, you might want to do a search on them ( search terms could be: helpful hints for 2003 applicants, amcas 2003, etc). I'm sure that you'll find a lot of useful information on many different schools and what their stats are like.

It just takes a little bit of work on here to find what you are looking for, but the answers are here somewhere.

 

[willy]

i got a 30, a 3.5. Graduated ivy league. 5 interviews. Rejected everywhere. Unless you're not a white male, fine-tune your interview savvy.

 

[Darwin]

•••quote:••• Unless you're not a white male, fine tune your interview savvy ••••Umm...ok. Here's some better advise. Fine tune your interview savvy no matter who you are. I think it's obvious why this guy was flattened.

 

[rincon]

X,

You should definitely apply if that is what you want to do, but definitely include lower tier schools and possibly some DO schools. Your stats are pretty good and competitive at many schools but you never know what will happen in this process. As you are a CA resident, or I am assuming you are as you went to school there, you will have a difficult time getting interviews at any UC so investigate many other out of state schools. I only say this because I am currently applying and I thought that I had a good application. [3.5 from UCSD, 35S on the MCAT decent ECs (EMT, volunteer work, All-American athlete in college, research while I was in school and now for a few years afterwards)] But I have only gotten three interview offers, and none at a UC. I thought that I applied to a good range of out of state and private schools, but my low success rate seems to indicate otherwise. I haven't heard back from my interviews yet, as none of them were on rolling admissions (I should be hearing in the next week or two) but I feel that the only other thing that I could have done would have been to choose more "lower tier" schools (if there really is such a thing for an MD program in the US)...well I'm not too sure if this helps but good luck whatever you may choose...

 

[willy]

That might be so, but previous experience clearly shows that URMs with 3.4's and 31's are doing just fine in this process.

And I wasn't flattened, I was devastated.

 

[ssd]

i'm a cali resident. white guy. 3.4 gpa, 32S. second time applying with little change in my app.

i applied to 25 schools. got 6 interview invitations (1 acceptance, 2 waitlists, 1 waiting to hear, 1 interview declined, 1 interview upcoming). the one thing that i learned between applying last year that this year is: GET EVERYTHING IN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. this seems pretty self-evident, but it can't be overemphasized. you can get in with your stats, but there are no guarantees. you can PM me if you have any specific questions

 

[yunfat]

Hey X,
I am also a Cali resident, with almost the exact stats as yours... (except I did a masters program right after undergrad)

when I talked to my premed advisor, I was told "you're definitely not looking at the top programs" ... but so far, I've only gotten interviews/acceptances from mid to upper tier programs! My point is that you should definitely apply to some safety (or safer) schools... but don't be discouraged to aim high also. As you've probably heard by now, much of this process really seems random... also, there are always going to be schools that will spend the time to examine your application as a whole, and look beyond the numbers...

As for the UC schools, they are definitely going to be tough... since they tend to focus more on numbers. As I posted elsewhere, I was invited for an interview at UNC (an out of state school that I should have had no chance at all), yet all of my state schools (the UCs) thus far have shown me no love...

either way, give it your best and try to get things in on time... you definitely have a good chance at getting in!!!

Remember, you can only go to one med school... so all you need is (at least) one acceptance!!!

good luck!

 

[reesie0726]

I know somebody, my kaplan teacher who had good stats. 33 mcat, 3.7-8 gpa, published many research papers, taught microbiology lab. Applied like 3 years without getting in. He is now at st. georges. Why? I will tell you. He always got plenty of interviews but he was an arrogan a**hole. So some adcoms are getting pretty good at spotting these types already. Some people might do well to analyze themselves instead of complaining about urm's.

 

[willy]

I'll never lie and say I'm not arrogant, reesie, dear. On that note, so long as you're not arrogant during your interviews, your chances will go up dramatically. I will note that to self when I re-apply next year. Why is everybody so tight in here?

 

[Badgerbabe]

I had VERY similar numbers, 3.5 overall, slightly lower sci. 32 MCAT. I applied to 7 schools, rejected at 1, accepted at 1, waitlist/hold at others. Not to sound arrogant, but I am good at interviewing, and I think that helped my case greatly. I also have varied HC related (and non-HC related) ecs, including research.
A year ago I really thoguht I couldn't get in, but here I am, matriculating in August. I think you will be quite competitive if you can interview well, so good luck!
Shannon

 

[X]

Thanks guys,

So far there seems to be good advice.
I am planning on applying early - wait let me change that - I will apply early. I am a CA resident, but don't care where I end up in med school (as long as it is in US).
I was just wondering about chances anywhere - I just need one school and I will be happy, they all have the same quality these days, so no biggie.

Well let me ask a related question - what are my chances on getting interviews? (out of state - places like chicago, new york, etc.).
Will definitely apply mainly to lower-tier, a few middle tiers, and one or two high ones (never know).

Thanks

X

 

[X]

Rincon,

what type of schools did you apply to and how many? Just wondering.

Thanks
X

 

[praying mantis]

I am also an average applicant. 3.5 gpa (3.3 Sci), 30 MCAT: 12 V 9PS 9BS S WS. White female.

I applied to 22 schools and received 8 interviews and recently an acceptance to my first choice (state) school.

I think the key is to have a lot of clinical experience. Although I didn't have research, I have had a lot of experience of what it would be like to be placed in emotionally difficult clinics/hospitals. I have worked many years at Hospice, a year as a surgical assistant, 2 years as a high school chemistry teacher, and many summers in international clinical rotations.

I think being out of college for a few years and having real world experience helps as well.

Just my $.02

Best of luck to you!

 

[Epi]

Definetely apply to a wide range of schools and the things you can control to get a leg up in the process ( apply early, get lor's in fast, edit essays so they are perfect, send in secondaries fast, etc) make sure you do.

 

[X]

Seems like the personal statement is key....any advice on how to write one? Seems like an overwhelming task.

Thanks

X