Need some advice

[6546]

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I graduated in 2012 with a 2.87 GPA from undergrad. Did a post bacc and earned a 3.7 GPA there.
MCAT 25 : 10V 7 P 8 B.
Have very good LORs. One from MD one from a DO
Shadowed three doctors. Have a two years worth of clinical hours. Very involved with ECs.
I applied to two DO schools and was WL at both: Rowan and PCOM.

Should I retake my MCAT in August or apply again broadly?

 

[kj8210]

apply broadly. Focus on the mid-western region and you should be fine. If you are set on getting into Rowan or PCOM, retake the MCAT and aim for a 28+. Good luck!

 

[Awesome Sauceome]

So wait, what is your cGPA then with your undergrad and post bacc? Did you do the post-bacc during the current interview cycle? Like when you originally applied (and got the 2 WL) did you have the post-bacc on your record or is this a new thing that you added for this new cycle?

I figure either way you definitely need to apply to more schools. I mean even for really stellar applicants, they usually apply to at least a half dozen just to make sure they are playing the odds right. There are some things you can do to help your app (such as the post bacc - good job btw), but there is just so much randomness that you cannot control sometimes. So playing the numbers game helps buffer your chances a little.

Depending on your cGPA, your MCAT is not necessarily an app killer. It is a very average score, maybe a little below average, but its not necessarily keeping you out. Heck you got 2 interviews at some awesome schools with that MCAT. I mean if you have the time and patience to do the MCAT again, you would definitely help your chances (especially at these top tier schools you applied to) with a 28+. But if there is any chance that you would do the same or worse, or if you dont have the time or money to devote to a retake, then I would suggest to just focus on applying to more schools. People definitely get in with your scores, just not usually at those schools.

What state are you from? And where do you want to go to school (east vs west etc.) We could start working on a list once I get some of that info.

 

[6546]

Wow thank you for that reply!

I'm from New Jersey. My cGPA is 2.99. sGPA 2.92 and non science is 3.14. I finished my post bacc this past December so I applied with one year completed. I applied to Rowan in August and then to PCOM in January. (I really don't know why I did what I did, but I sincerely regret it) I want to stay on the east coast but I regret last years cycle and really want to make sure I do not make the same mistakes again.

I'm working on my PS now. Completely re-doing it from scratch. I transferred over my app from last year on aacomas so my transcripts and activities are already updated. Should I change the wording on my ECs?

I'm still hopeful that I might get off either of the WLs but I want to have a plan b if that doesn't happen.

 

[Awesome Sauceome]

Wow the post bacc only brought you up to a 2.99? You must have had a ton of undergrad credits...

So here is the best that I can suggest. Apply like right now, like as soon as physically possible. There was one possible flaw. There seems to be not much that you can do about the gpa. You did a post-bacc and obviously worked hard. I imagine that they will see that. GPA repair seems to not be a very good option. Definitely apply to more schools. Maybe NYIT, VCOM, CUSOM, MUCOM (technically not the east coast but not terribly far from you), try again at PCOM, and Rowan, and then maybe a few other schools that you could see yourself at.

Dont worry about the wording on your ECs, they wont remember any of it. Maybe just change a little for anything that you have continued. Like if there was any further growth or advancement in those positions.

Apart from that the only thing you could do is to kill the MCAT. You get a super solid score on that and it could definitely help carry you through the cycle, especially at some of the stat heavy schools (like Rowan). A good post bacc combined with a good MCAT makes you pretty darn competitive. But again, the whole MCAT thing is up for you to decide. Either way you will waste time and money. You could apply to more schools (like 12+), fill out more secondaries, go on more interviews (so all of that is time and money), or you could take the MCAT, take more practice tests, etc (time and money). I think you could be successful so long as you are strategic. But even if you bust out a 29 on your MCAT, I personally would still apply to more schools, just in case.

 

[6546]

Yeah I double majored in English and Biology so it didn't make much of a difference but I had some underlying issues as to why my undergrad was so low and I talked about them in a separate file on my aacomas app. Perhaps adcoms at Rowan and PCOM saw that?

I'm starting to realize just what you said. Killing the MCAT might be the only possible choice for me. I'm definitely going to apply to more schools. I actually have all the schools you said on my list and I even added some in the midwest. I do not want to be in the same position I'm in now. I think I got lucky to get the interviews I did this past cycle. And I don't want to rely on luck this cycle.

Thank you for your responses!

 

[Awesome Sauceome]

Sure thing, personal message me if you need any more help. I am going through the whole ordeal for the first time this cycle. So maybe we will see each other on the trail haha.

 

[Goro]

Apply broadly right now, and retake (but make sure you fix those deficits.) then updtae schools with new and hopefully improved score.
Good luck!

I graduated in 2012 with a 2.87 GPA from undergrad. Did a post bacc and earned a 3.7 GPA there.
MCAT 25 : 10V 7 P 8 B.
Have very good LORs. One from MD one from a DO
Shadowed three doctors. Have a two years worth of clinical hours. Very involved with ECs.
I applied to two DO schools and was WL at both: Rowan and PCOM.

Should I retake my MCAT in August or apply again broadly?

 

[kj8210]

I think some schools require a minimum of a 3.0 to apply so watch out for those

 

[DrRiz]

I graduated in 2012 with a 2.87 GPA from undergrad. Did a post bacc and earned a 3.7 GPA there.
MCAT 25 : 10V 7 P 8 B.
Have very good LORs. One from MD one from a DO
Shadowed three doctors. Have a two years worth of clinical hours. Very involved with ECs.
I applied to two DO schools and was WL at both: Rowan and PCOM.

Should I retake my MCAT in August or apply again broadly?

I would retake the MCAT. If possible, I would sign up for a review course. I had a friend that found that they did poorly in physics so they took a prep course just focused on that section and they raised their score by 4 points. I strongly suggest you retake the MCAT now. Imagine if you apply, waste time and effort, and end up not being accepted. At that point you might reconsider taking the MCAT but instead of the four hour exam, it will be 8 hours with added sections. Avoid the new MCAT at all costs! Its just too much additional work. Work hard now so you can avoid the mess later