non-trad applicant - somewhat low gpa, high mcat

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tulli

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I was hoping to get some type of feedback for my school list based on my gpa and mcat score. I've got a 3.4 uGPA from a top 10 school (upward trending at least), a 3.9 gpa from an MS in engineering and several years of experience working in biotech. I got a 40 on the mcat but I have experience teaching for the mcat and figure adcoms may discount the score b/c of that. Does this list seem reasonable for a mix of schools? Should I not even bother with some of the higher tier ones? Applying in-state is unfortunately not an option for me. Thanks for the feedback.

Northwestern
U of Chicago
Cornell

Columbia
Mt. Sinai
Duke

U of Pittsburgh
Stanford
UCSF
Emory

Tufts

NYU

U of Pennsylvania

UT Southwestern
U of Southern California
UCLA

Boston

U of N. Carolina

Georgetown

U of Maryland
Jefferson

Temple

GWU

Rush

Drexel



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I was hoping to get some type of feedback for my school list based on my gpa and mcat score. I've got a 3.4 uGPA from a top 10 school (upward trending at least), a 3.9 gpa from an MS in engineering and several years of experience working in biotech. I got a 40 on the mcat but I have experience teaching for the mcat and figure adcoms may discount the score b/c of that. Does this list seem reasonable for a mix of schools? Should I not even bother with some of the higher tier ones? Applying in-state is unfortunately not an option for me. Thanks for the feedback.

Northwestern
U of Chicago
Cornell
Columbia
Mt. Sinai
Duke
U of Pittsburgh
Stanford
UCSF
Emory
Tufts
NYU
U of Pennsylvania
UT Southwestern
U of Southern California
UCLA
Boston
U of N. Carolina
Georgetown
U of Maryland
Jefferson
Temple
GWU
Rush
Drexel

Why no in state school options? Have you looked to see how your numbers, etc. fit into the schools you listed?

As for your MCAT...that is quite impressive and I think it will spark enough interest that your app will probably be viewed a little more strongly. I can't see why your MCAT would be looked down upon because of your teaching MCAT prep classes...chances are you received that because of your good score. Don't sell yourself short. If your undergrad is also in engineering, the GPA might not be held against you since engineering courseloads are usually more strenuous than some others.

Good luck :luck::luck::luck::luck:
 
Congratulations on a terrific MCAT score.

You have the stat combo for a lot of the highly-selective med schools. Since these schools tend to be research powerhouses, do you also have substantive research experience so as to appeal to them? Or considerable strength in some other area, like leadership or extensive community service? Another factor that might help you decide to cut some of those top schools would be your BCPM GPA (which you didn't mention). Be sure it's at least above the bottom 10th %tile for each school. If you don't have the MSAR, the School Selection spreadsheet stickied at the top of this forum also has that information.
 
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Since these schools tend to be research powerhouses, do you also have substantive research experience so as to appeal to them?

+1. Research is going to be a factor at many of the highly selective schools.
 
Thank you very much for the responses. My stats haven't been verified by AMCAS yet but do they count my classes from my masters? If so, my BCPM will be a 3.5, and otherwise a 3.4. Sadly even tho I was in biotech, my classes seem to fall under engineering. I do have substantive research experience through work and I've been working long enough to have decent leadership experience through that as well. I tried the spreadsheet and it listed most schools as High Chance or Go For It, and only Wash U as Hopeful, which I find a little suspect given my GPA :)

Krisss17 - if only I could, but my hubby wants out of our state and my state schools aren't really anywhere he could get a job at.
 
Thank you very much for the responses. My stats haven't been verified by AMCAS yet but do they count my classes from my masters? If so, my BCPM will be a 3.5, and otherwise a 3.4. Sadly even tho I was in biotech, my classes seem to fall under engineering. I do have substantive research experience through work and I've been working long enough to have decent leadership experience through that as well. I tried the spreadsheet and it listed most schools as High Chance or Go For It, and only Wash U as Hopeful, which I find a little suspect given my GPA :)

Good stuff. Note that your Masters would fall under Graduate GPA, and would leave your uGPA untouched.
 
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