research for top tier?

[macmedder]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I'm entering my third year of biochem in a co-op program which means when I graduate I will have 16 months of full time research or work experience (it's a 5 year program). Its apparently pretty hard core with past students working at Stanford, UCSF, Hopkins etc.

Next week I'm taking the MCAT and I'm hoping for a 32-35, which I know is generally a little low for top tier schools. I'm wondering if 16 months of research + thesis and other research courses will help offset a lower MCAT score?? I should be able to get published from my thesis alone and I expect to make a big impact in co-op, not just pipetting and running gels all day. My GPA will hopefully be between 3.8-3.9 as well.

Also, any one know of any research intensive schools with MCAT averages that aren't 35+?

 

[sunflower18]

I haven't interviewed there yet, so all I know is what is on their website, but University of Rochester has some really great research opportunities (you can take a full, tuition free research year between M2 and M3 or M3 and M4 I believe) and their average MCAT score is 34.

 

[Ismet]

Keep in mind that an MCAT average is just that, an average. Of course it would always be nice to be above the average, but half of the people accepted have an MCAT below that average. If you score in the 32-35 range, have a solid GPA, substantial research and pub, and no red flags in LORs or elsewhere on your app, I would say that a top school isn't out of reach. You would be fine to apply to my school, even though our average MCAT is 35/36.