Re-app., Non-trad, 504 MCAT, 3.5 cGPA, 3.3 sGPA, 4.0 gGPA

[CaraS]

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So my inquiry has two parts:

1. I applied for the 2017 cycle and only got one interview invite. I graduated from a top ten, had family problems one year that brought my GPA down, which I addressed in my secondaries/primary, but besides that I had good grades, completed my masters with a 4.0 from a top 10, ~1000 volunteering hours (clinical, research, and non-medical), ~20 shadowing, and worked in research.

I am planning to retake the MCAT, but not sure if I will be able to take the retake by next month, so I am considering notifying schools that I will not be taking the MCAT so that they will consider me because most of them just put my application on hold, and then when I feel ready I will take it and update them with my score (maybe October)? Is this a terrible idea to have them evaluate me on my current MCAT?

2. This year I appied to UCLA, UC Riverside, UCSF, UC Irvine, USC-Keck, Columbia, Hopkins, FIU, UMiami, NYU, NYMC, UMD, Georgetown, George Washington, Mt. Sinai, UCSD, UC Davis, Tufts, Loyola, UIC, BU, U of Washington. I'm restricted to applying to Miami area, DC, MD, VA, Chicago, and NY besides my CA schools. Also, I personally find MD to be a much better fit for my goals, so going a DO route wouldn't be in the picture. Does this list look completely unrealistic? My advisor told me last year that my list was good, but it didn't work out for me. I would really appreciate any advice!

 

[Toutie]

So my inquiry has two parts:

1. I applied for the 2017 cycle and only got one interview invite and that was from UCLA. I graduated from a top ten, had family problems one year that brought my GPA down, which I addressed in my secondaries/primary, but besides that I had good grades, completed my masters with a 4.0 from a top 3, ~1000 volunteering hours (clinical, research, and non-medical), ~20 shadowing, worked at one of the largest biotech companies in the world, and just got a position doing clinical research.

I am planning to retake the MCAT, but not sure if I will be able to take the retake by next month, so I am considering notifying schools that I will not be taking the MCAT so that they will consider me because most of them just put my application on hold, and then when I feel ready I will take it and update them with my score (maybe October)? Is this a terrible idea to have them evaluate me on my current MCAT (124/128/125/127)?

2. I applied to 15 schools last year:
UCLA, UC Riverside, UCSF, UC Irvine, USC-Keck, Columbia, Hopkins, FIU, UMiami, NYU, NYMC, UMD, Georgetown, George Washington, and Mt. Sinai.

This year I reapplied to them all but added UCSD, UC Davis, Tufts, Loyola, UIC, BU, U of Washington. Due to my fiance's job I'm restricted to applying to Miami area, DC, MD, VA, Chicago, and NY besides my CA schools. Also, I personally find MD to be a much better fit for my goals, so going a DO route wouldn't be in the picture for me. Does this list look completely unrealistic? My advisor told me last year that my list was good, but it didn't work out for me. I would really appreciate any advice! If it makes a difference, my secondaries were not very good after re-reading them this year so I made drastic changes for this year, and I also submitted all secondaries (accept UCLA) at least two weeks after I received them last cycle, I am low-income so I imagine they know I have a fee waiver and had no reason to submit so late.

With your GPA and your current MCAT you will very likely do no better this year than last. Your choice of schools is quite poor. You have several on your list that a very high reaches and some that take very few OOS.

 

[Faha]

The GPA-MCAT grid shows that your chances for a MD acceptance are 30%. Your school list is not realistic based on your stats. U Washington accepts less than 1% of applicants who are not from states in the Northwest.Your MCAT is less than the 10th percentile for most of the schools you are applying to. I suggest these schools based on your geographic limitations:
New York Medical College
Quinnipiac
George Washington
Rosalind Franklin
Loma Linda
UC Davis
UCLA
UC Riverside

You are very limited as to which MD schools where you could receive an interview. If you are unwilling to consider DO schools then you may be a reapplicant next year. A MCAT of 510 would increase your chances for a MD acceptance to only 48%. The percentages I give are for all applicants, including those from states which have public state schools that accept large percentages of their own residents (CA is not one of them). So your chances are actually lower.

 

[gyngyn]

1.No school has to wait for another MCAT to make a decision.
2. Your list is unrealistic.

 

[Goro]

Here is a more realistic list:

Uniformed Services University/Hebert (just be aware of the military service commitment)
Oakland U Beaumont
Loyola
Loma Linda (only if you are SDA or a very devout Christian)
WVU
MCW
Creighton
VCU
Albany
Any DO school. I can't recommend Touro-NY, or LUCOM, for different reasons.

Frankly, I surprised you got an interview at UCLA with a 504. What do think that they saw in you?

So my inquiry has two parts:

1. I applied for the 2017 cycle and only got one interview invite and that was from UCLA. I graduated from a top ten, had family problems one year that brought my GPA down, which I addressed in my secondaries/primary, but besides that I had good grades, completed my masters with a 4.0 from a top 3, ~1000 volunteering hours (clinical, research, and non-medical), ~20 shadowing, worked at one of the largest biotech companies in the world, and just got a position doing clinical research.

I am planning to retake the MCAT, but not sure if I will be able to take the retake by next month, so I am considering notifying schools that I will not be taking the MCAT so that they will consider me because most of them just put my application on hold, and then when I feel ready I will take it and update them with my score (maybe October)? Is this a terrible idea to have them evaluate me on my current MCAT (124/128/125/127)?

2. I applied to 15 schools last year:
UCLA, UC Riverside, UCSF, UC Irvine, USC-Keck, Columbia, Hopkins, FIU, UMiami, NYU, NYMC, UMD, Georgetown, George Washington, and Mt. Sinai.

This year I reapplied to them all but added UCSD, UC Davis, Tufts, Loyola, UIC, BU, U of Washington. Due to my fiance's job I'm restricted to applying to Miami area, DC, MD, VA, Chicago, and NY besides my CA schools. Also, I personally find MD to be a much better fit for my goals, so going a DO route wouldn't be in the picture for me. Does this list look completely unrealistic? My advisor told me last year that my list was good, but it didn't work out for me. I would really appreciate any advice! If it makes a difference, my secondaries were not very good after re-reading them this year so I made drastic changes for this year, and I also submitted all secondaries (accept UCLA) at least two weeks after I received them last cycle, I am low-income so I imagine they know I have a fee waiver and had no reason to submit so late.

 

[CaraS]

Here is a more realistic list:

Uniformed Services University/Hebert (just be aware of the military service commitment)
Oakland U Beaumont
Loyola
Loma Linda (only if you are SDA or a very devout Christian)
WVU
MCW
Creighton
VCU
Albany
Any DO school. I can't recommend Touro-NY, or LUCOM, for different reasons.

Frankly, I surprised you got an interview at UCLA with a 504. What do think that they saw in you?

Thank you everyone for the advice, I appreciate it. As I am sure you know, UCLA is very holistic when it comes to admissions and people with a 499 have matriculated. I think besides my mcat everything else was strong enough/made up for the mcat to warrant enough interest for an interview. Additionally, I think my story coming from a disadvantaged background showed drive and probably helped my chances of getting an interview. Lastly, although I understand no one has to wait for my mcat score, most of my secondary applications literally say that my file is complete but will not be reviewed until they get my new mcat. So does it look bad to notify schools that I will not be retaking it? I will possibly take it at a later time, I've been scoring ~507 but that obviously does not warrant a re-take yet.

 

[Goro]

Thank you everyone for the advice, I appreciate it. As I am sure you know, UCLA is very holistic when it comes to admissions and people with a 499 have matriculated. I think besides my mcat everything else was strong enough/made up for the mcat to warrant enough interest for an interview. Additionally, I think my story coming from a disadvantaged background showed drive and probably helped my chances of getting an interview. Lastly, although I understand no one has to wait for my mcat score, most of my secondary applications literally say that my file is complete but will not be reviewed until they get my new mcat. So does it look bad to notify schools that I will not be retaking it? I will possibly take it at a later time, I've been scoring ~507 but that obviously does not warrant a re-take yet.

It's bad in that your file will either not get looked at, judged as is, which means a probable quick trip to the reject pile.

The person with a 499 who was accepted probably was a URM, veteran, legacy, had a compelling life story or killer ECs.