Read please...what are my chances?!

[rymil358]

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So here is the deal... I just got my MCAT score back from April and lets just say I'm not too happy about how it went.

27Q (PS-10, VR-09, BS-08) That BS really killed me.

cGPA - 3.83
science and math GPA - 3.79

Experience:
2 separate hospital volunteer experiences (65 hours total)
2 shadowing experiences (50 hours total)
Volunteer experience with Youth for Christ (working with middle school students)
Highly involved in a few activities where I have leadership roles
Worked for chemistry dept., etc.
Will be taking EMT-Basic class this summer and becoming certified (will do some volunteering with this)
Will be doing research during the entire next school year

I am planning on taking the MCAT again on July 2nd... I need to get above a 30 for sure and I am pretty confident I can do so. Also, I am planning on submitting my AMCAS the first week of June.

What are my chances of getting into Medical schools first if I don't improve my MCAT, and second, if I get a 30? Is enough weight typically placed on the GPA that it can help compensate for my poor MCAT score?

 

[olemissbabydoc]

So here is the deal... I just got my MCAT score back from April and lets just say I'm not too happy about how it went.

27Q (PS-10, VR-09, BS-08) That BS really killed me.

cGPA - 3.83
science and math GPA - 3.79

Experience:
2 separate hospital volunteer experiences (65 hours total)
2 shadowing experiences (50 hours total)
Volunteer experience with Youth for Christ (working with middle school students)
Highly involved in a few activities where I have leadership roles
Worked for chemistry dept., etc.
Will be taking EMT-Basic class this summer and becoming certified (will do some volunteering with this)
Will be doing research during the entire next school year

I am planning on taking the MCAT again on July 2nd... I need to get above a 30 for sure and I am pretty confident I can do so. Also, I am planning on submitting my AMCAS the first week of June.

What are my chances of getting into Medical schools first if I don't improve my MCAT, and second, if I get a 30? Is enough weight typically placed on the GPA that it can help compensate for my poor MCAT score?

For your retake, focus on your BS section. If you can get about 3 pts there, you'll be in much better shape. Submit AMCAS first week of June, apply broadly, and best of luck!! Grab an MSAR and check your chances at various schools, especially in your state of residency.

 

[HrryUpNwait]

This is going to get me killed by everyone on SDN but..... I would say go ahead and apply now with the 27. I had a 27 from a mid june MCAT, studied all summer, re-took in Aug and got a 26. This cost me a point and more importantly three months in the cycle! I applied to 18 schools in OCT and still managed 3 interviewed with 1 rej, 1waitlist and 1 acceptance. I think you will get in the way you are if that is your worry- if an ivy league school is the goal then open the mcat books again...

 

[Mobius1985]

With an otherwise optimal application, considering your high cGPA, you might get accepted if you had a forgiving state school.

If you don't , an MCAT score of 30 would have a good chance of getting you in somewhere, except that your clinical experience is pretty lean and you don't have a research experience to help adcomms overlook that (and future plans won't help with this).

 

[J ROD]

First, get more clinical volunteering and shadowing. I have the same MCAT and my state school is still interested in me because I have the high GPA like you and tons of others like volunteering, shadowing, leadership, great LORs, etc. Plus, I asked for interviews with several of the admissions committee members already to make myself more a face than a number.

I would strongly advise submitting your app in June and retake the MCAT only if you know you can do better. Like a 30. Were your practice scores much higher? I averaged low 30's but get so nervous I can not produce on the real one. So, I worked on everything else. A retake MCAT and a higher score are gold. BUT, if you go down, that looks BAD!! My school warned me not to retake unless I knew I could go up. One bad MCAT is just a bad day. Two bad MCATs is a trend.

Chose wisely.......

 

[JJMrK]

I would retake and get that 30. You have over 100 hours of clinical experience, I think you'll be OK with that 30+.