Reapplicant Chances - Pls Help

[ughimpremed]

Hi everyone!

I applied to MD schools for the class of 2024, and I am now reapplying for the class of 2026. In my previous application, I received one interview and one waitlist. In the meantime, I had a slight increase in both sGPA and overall GPA and I took the MCAT again, doing a lot better this time. I also started a full time job as a clinical research coordinator and started some new volunteering experiences during the pandemic. I also continued shadowing.
MCAT scores (most recent to oldest): 519, 513, 505.
GPA: 3.66
sGPA: 3.57
Please let me know what you think my chances are at MD schools this round. Am I a competitive applicant?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Faha]

Where i your state of residence ? How many shadowing hours do you have and how many hours of clinical volunteering with patient contact ?

 

[biff_webster16]

Please elaborate a bit more/give range for hrs on research, clinical experience and shadowing. Not sure if schools avg your MCAT scores together or how they look at retakes but 519 puts you in a strong position.

 

[ughimpremed]

Where i your state of residence ? How many shadowing hours do you have and how many hours of clinical volunteering with patient contact ?

I am a CA resident. I have about 400 hours of clinical volunteering and about 200 of it is with patient contact. I have about 300 hours of shadowing experience.

 

[ughimpremed]

Please elaborate a bit more/give range for hrs on research, clinical experience and shadowing. Not sure if schools avg your MCAT scores together or how they look at retakes but 519 puts you in a strong position.

I have quite a bit of research experience (1100 hours total). And I started clinical research and by the time I matriculate I will have about 3000 hours of clinical research experience working directly with patients. I also was scribing in undergrad part-time and have about 1500 hours of scribing experience.

 

[Faha]

I suggest these schools with your stats:
Vermont
Quinnipiac
Tufts
Boston University
Hofstra
Einstein
Mount Sinai
Rochester
Seton Hall
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Pittsburgh
George Washington
Georgetown
Eastern Virginia
Wake Forest
Miami
USF Morsani
Tulane
TCU-UNT
Creighton
St. Louis
Loyola
Rush
Medical College Wisconsin
Western Michigan
Oakland Beaumont
Wayne State
Case Western
Ohio State
Cincinnati
Kaiser
California University
UC Davis
UC Irvine
UC Riverside (if you are from that region)
USC Keck
UCLA
UCSF
UCSD

 

[ughimpremed]

Specifically, I wanted to know my chances at schools like UCLA, UCI, UCSF, USC... etc as a reapplicant? How do they see reapplications/repeat MCATs?

 

[Faha]

Specifically, I wanted to know my chances at schools like UCLA, UCI, UCSF, USC... etc as a reapplicant? How do they see reapplications/repeat MCATs?

All those schools are very competitive. Your chances are better at the other schools I listed.

 

[ughimpremed]

All those schools are very competitive. Your chances are better at the other schools I listed.

Of course. Especially as a CA resident, its unfortunate the UCs aren't a bonus. Even though you included these schools on your list I was wondering how those schools view reapplicants as a whole and how they see MCAT retakes (I know davis averages MCAT scores, but was wondering if you guys know anything about the others).

 

[Faha]

Of course. Especially as a CA resident, its unfortunate the UCs aren't a bonus. Even though you included these schools on your list I was wondering how those schools view reapplicants as a whole and how they see MCAT retakes (I know davis averages MCAT scores, but was wondering if you guys know anything about the others).

I do not know if they average MCAT scores. @gyngyn may have more insight for the CA schools.

 

[candbgirl]

Your GPAs are below the average accepted applicant at UCLA, UCI AND UCSF and probably the others too. ( I didn’t bother to look them up). It’s hard to say how they will look at your 3x MCAT scores. Even If you call and they tell you they take the highest or the latest it’s hard to predict what biases the reviewer brings along to the table. As to reapplicants, who knows. Just develop the best possible application that shows the best possible you. There is nothing you can do about being a reapplicant.

 

[ughimpremed]

Your GPAs are below the average accepted applicant at UCLA, UCI AND UCSF and probably the others too. ( I didn’t bother to look them up). It’s hard to say how they will look at your 3x MCAT scores. Even If you call and they tell you they take the highest or the latest it’s hard to predict what biases the reviewer brings along to the table. As to reapplicants, who knows. Just develop the best possible application that shows the best possible you. There is nothing you can do about being a reapplicant.

Thank you! I appreciate it. My GPA is below the average for most schools I have on my list. Thankfully they aren't below the 10th percentile of accepted applicants for these schools. I did go to a top 20 university very much known for deflating grades... do you think they will take that into consideration?

 

[ughimpremed]

Sorry!! So many questions, but I really do want to be as mentally prepared as possible heading into this application cycle (I was not at all last time and I am def damaged LOL)

 

[gyngyn]

UCSD, UCI, UCLA and UCSF all have relatively new admissions deans (<2 years in office). We have yet to see how their views may change how re-applicants (or multiple MCAT's) might alter historical preferences.
UCR is more mission-driven that metrics-driven. The same could be said for UCD.
On whole, I would agree with @Faha. Your OOS chances (just like every other CA applicant!) are at least 1.5 times greater than IS.

 

[Banco]

With what you've described from your experiences + very high latest MCAT score, I think you definitely have a shot at MD. Whether or not they average MCAT is hard to know; and how schools look at reapplicants is very individual. Some schools do give some leeway to tough undergrads/majors, but again, this is very hard to generalize. But you've put yourself in a good position. I would apply broadly and to plenty of schools (25+). Faha gave you a good list.

 

[Goro]

I suggest these schools with your stats:
Vermont
Quinnipiac
Tufts
Boston University
Hofstra
Einstein
Mount Sinai
Rochester
Seton Hall
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Pittsburgh
George Washington
Georgetown
Eastern Virginia
Wake Forest
Miami
USF Morsani
Tulane
TCU-UNT
Creighton
St. Louis
Loyola
Rush
Medical College Wisconsin
Western Michigan
Oakland Beaumont
Wayne State
Case Western
Ohio State
Cincinnati
Kaiser
California University
UC Davis
UC Irvine
UC Riverside (if you are from that region)
USC Keck
UCLA
UCSF
UCSD

I agree with Faha list, but now that you're in your second cycle, and being a 3x MCAT taker, best to add some DO schools as insurance.

Suggest the western Touros, PacNW, both Westerns, AZCOM, and KCU.