perfectly balanced 30 (retake or not??)

[AudreyP]

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Hey everyone, I just joined SDN, so I don't know if I'm posting in the right spot. Sorry if this first post isn't quite right LOL. I need your advice!

I have a 3.93 GPA (3.91 undergrad [Psych major] + 3.95 postbac). 🙂

AND

I got a 30R on the MCAT. Not so amazing, but it was a perfectly balanced score (10/10/10). Should I retake? 😕

A few factors to consider:
~Extenuating Circumstances: I've been pretty distracted from studying by an ongoing family health crisis. (My father has been recently diagnosed with a serious, life-threatening illness, and I'm very upset about it.)
~My Age: I'm 25 and do not want to have to wait another year and reapply! (I often wish I'd done premed as an undergrad, instead of being too unsure.)
~My Top-Choice Schools: I'm not stuck on the idea of going to schools like Harvard or NYU. My first choices are Georgetown, George Washington, & the University of Maryland (my state school).
~Helping Parents: I have no hospital volunteer experience, but I have had shadowing experience in hospitals, and I have spent a lot of time helping my two sick parents (physically disabled mother / serious ill father).

female, not URM, not disadvantaged

What are my odds of getting in to Georgetown/GW/UMD with a 30R?

 

[kautionwirez]

I believe you are still lacking clinical volunteering. I helped my terminally ill mother and friend but I do not think it counts as clinical work. Volunteering at the hospital will expose you to how physicians work with patients as well as nurses/technicians and the whole dynamic of hospitals.

Have you done any extracurricular? Research?

I think you should jump on any clinical volunteering opportunities as soon as possible.
I waited 2 years before I applied this cycle because I lacked in several fields.

I would suggest maybe waiting a year, get some clinical exposure and extracurric.
You could also retake the MCAT if you think u can get 3+ higher.

But it is your choice. You do have a shot.

 

[Eastern Blot]

No hospital volunteer (or even work) experience? I suggest you change this pronto on a long term basis. What's to say a talented applicant is accepted into medical school due to outstanding academic credentials but lacks any clinical experience, and shortly after beginning class, drops out because he or she didn't have any clue what it would be like to dedicate a life to healthcare. You'll want to obtain clinical experience not only to convince adcoms that you are dedicated to medicine even after you've seen the various cons, but also to ensure yourself that this is what you want to do. My state school didn't offer my friend (38MCAT) an interview cuz he had no clinical experience, but some schools may take the "chance" on the applicant still (he was accepted to Ohio State University only).

Back to the point, I think your 30 MCAT is fine, but you should definitely obtain clinical experience. Solid GPA by the way too!

 

[Catalystik]

I have a 3.93 GPA (3.91 undergrad [Psych major] + 3.95 postbac). 🙂

AND

I got a 30R on the MCAT. Not so amazing, but it was a perfectly balanced score (10/10/10). Should I retake? 😕

A few factors to consider:
~Extenuating Circumstances: I've been pretty distracted from studying by an ongoing family health crisis. (My father has been recently diagnosed with a serious, life-threatening illness, and I'm very upset about it.)
~My Age: I'm 25 and do not want to have to wait another year and reapply! (I often wish I'd done premed as an undergrad, instead of being too unsure.)
~My Top-Choice Schools: I'm not stuck on the idea of going to schools like Harvard or NYU. My first choices are Georgetown, George Washington, & the University of Maryland (my state school).
~Helping Parents: I have no hospital volunteer experience, but I have had shadowing experience in hospitals, and I have spent a lot of time helping my two sick parents (physically disabled mother / serious ill father).

female, not URM, not disadvantaged

What are my odds of getting in to Georgetown/GW/UMD with a 30R?

Stats-wise, I think you have a decent shot at consideration by all three, considering your excellent cGPA.

EC-wise, I have some concerns. While I have seen two individuals gain an acceptance on the basis of family care-giver experience for their clinical experience, n=2 is not a very reassuring number.

Also, presumably (and hopefully) you have other Experiences to list on your application. What do you have for research, employment, leadership, nonmedical community service, hobbies, and/or teaching? How many hours of shadowing can you list?

Next concern: if you cite your family health issues as a reason for a lack of activities, what will your response be when asked at an interview, "So, what is your plan if there is a family emergency when you have med school related responsibilities?"

Are you planning to apply to a geographically restricted area, which would seriously decrease your chances of an acceptance? If you are indispensable at home, have you considered waiting until the home situation is more stable?

 

[AudreyP]

a little bit of research experience in biology and organic chemistry

worked as a day camp counselor several years ago

28 hours of shadowing in hospitals

have already submitted my primary app., am not debating about applying this summer

am applying rather broadly, not to a geographically restricted area, but would prefer to be in the DC area if possible; will make medical school a priority over helping family if accepted

 

[Catalystik]

I think that your well-balanced MCAT of 30 is fine. Hopefully, you included more schools of similar selectivity to those you have a preference for. And it isn't too late to beef up your activities and make a difference in this application cycle by letting schools know via Secondary essays, periodic update letters (where allowed), and interview conversations.

 

[SeminoleVesicle]

Definitely don't take a year off.

I've talked to a member of FAU's adcom, and he said shadowing is looked at with much greater value than hospital volunteer work. Apply with confidence to realistic schools.

 

[thomallama]

Definitely don't take a year off.

I've talked to a member of FAU's adcom, and he said shadowing is looked at with much greater value than hospital volunteer work. Apply with confidence to realistic schools.

Thank you for that! I've been shadowing for over two months now, and I've been having an issue with the local hospital screwing me over with starting my volunteering (I've got 2 hours so far 😛). Not that I won't keep trying, but you just gave me a huge sigh of relief.

 

[SeminoleVesicle]

Thank you for that! I've been shadowing for over two months now, and I've been having an issue with the local hospital screwing me over with starting my volunteering (I've got 2 hours so far 😛). Not that I won't keep trying, but you just gave me a huge sigh of relief.

Yeah, it was a nice coincidence to meet an adcom member WHILE I was shadowing an internist at a hospital. I haven't done any hospital volunteering, but I can't imagine it being more informative that what I've learned shadowing. Based on what I've heard from my friends who've volunteered at hospitals, any dope can wheel elderly people around and fetch blankets from a stock room.

 

[AudreyP]

Thank you to everyone who provided feedback. I've decided not to retake the MCAT and... let's hope for the best!