School List Advice/Where do I stand?

[Ging7452]

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I am looking for advice about where I stand and what schools to apply to. To give you some short background, I took the MCAT in 2016 and did god awful. I decided to stop my application process that year and I got another degree instead. During that year I also started to take post bacc courses. After graduating I still needed growth and improvement so I spent the last year continuing my post bacc courses as well and working. I just got my MCAT score and it was lower than anticipated 500 due to the cars score (I’m devastated because the other sections are solid). The score is uneven and I am worried about how it looks, so any input on that would be appreciated. I was wondering what schools are a must that should be on my list. I plan to apply very broadly to DOs. I was also wondering of there are any lower tier MD schools I might be a long shot for. I understand most MDs are out of my reach probably, but if there are any worth trying for, I am all ears. I initially planned to go for MD but plans change. As long as I get to practice medicine and help save lives I don’t necessarily care if I have a DO or MD. I’ll list some of my general ECs etc. Also I had a rocky start my freshman year of undergrad but my GPA only increased each semester after that so there is an upward trend.

cGPA: 3.6
sGPA: 3.4
Clinical/shadowing hours= 700+
non med volunteering= 500
medically related volunteering300


Thank you very much for your help in advanced. It has been a long journey to reach this point and I hope I am in a place to apply this cycle and have a well constructed list to apply to that will give me the best odds.

 

[precisiongraphic]

I am looking for advice about where I stand and what schools to apply to. To give you some short background, I have 2 BS degrees. I took the MCAT in 2015 and did god awful. I decided to stop my application process that year and I got my masters instead. During that year I also started to take post bacc courses. After graduating I still needed growth and improvement so I spent the last year continuing my post bacc courses as well and working. I just got my MCAT score and it was lower than anticipated 500 (121/127/125/127) due to the chem score (I’m devastated because the other sections are solid). The score is uneven and I am worried about how it looks, so any input on that would be appreciated. Due to my MCAT score I plan to apply to DO schools. I was wondering what schools are a must that should be on my list as a New York resident. I plan to apply very broadly to DOs. I was also wondering of there are any lower tier MD schools I might be a long shot for. I understand most MDs are out of my reach probably, but if there are any worth trying for, I am all ears. I initially planned to go for MD but plans change. As long as I get to practice medicine and help save lives I don’t necessarily care if I have a DO or MD. I’ll list some of my general ECs etc. Also I had a rocky start my freshman year of undergrad but my GPA only increased each semester after that so there is an upward trend.

New York resident

cGPA: 3.4
sGPA: 3.3
post bacc GPA: 3.98
grad GPA: 3.94
(all GPAs are assuming that the post bacc courses are assigned correctly by AMCAS/AACOMAS)

Research hours =1000+
Clinical/shadowing hours= 700+
non med volunteering= 500
medically related volunteering (volunteer emt): 400
General clubs, greek life, sports team in addition to this


Thank you very much for your help in advanced. It has been a long journey to reach this point and I hope I am in a place to apply this cycle and have a well constructed list to apply to that will give me the best odds.

What was your Chem score in the 2015 MCAT? I'm no expert on DO but I think the 121 might be deadly. @Goro might have some answers for you.

 

[Goro]

Your MCAT score is lethal for MD, but OK for DO. Skip the coastal Touros, AZCOM and CCOM. Apply broadly, but avoid Wm Carey, LUCOM and Nova. Do a search as to why.

 

[esob]

Thank you so much for your help. I have heeded your warnings about LUCOM and read up about the school, but I am having a hard time finding out why to avoid the other two. Can you tell me why or direct me to where I can find information on why?

Check his profile page and you will see the reasoning explained there

 

[precisiongraphic]

Your MCAT score is lethal for MD, but OK for DO. Skip the coastal Touros, AZCOM and CCOM. Apply broadly, but avoid Wm Carey, LUCOM and Nova. Do a search as to why.

@Ging7452 I'm glad Goro thinks you have a chance. I learned something from this today.

 

[MedicineN'Jazz]

Thank you so much for your help. I have heeded your warnings about LUCOM and read up about the school, but I am having a hard time finding out why to avoid the other two. Can you tell me why or direct me to where I can find information on why? If you cannot I completely understand why, and I trust your judgement without background info to be honest. Will the 121 chem/phys section cause my application to be filtered out at most schools also are there any schools I should avoid due to my NY state of residency?

Also, just a question about the advice I am getting. My advisor told me that with my high post bacc GPA, grad GPA, not so bad undergrad GPA and amount of degrees I have, that I should try to apply to some lower tier MD schools. He said after reading my letter of recommendations, he was beyond impressed with them but could not tell me more. That paired with my EC's he said could be enough to get attention from some more holistic-application reviewing MDs. He said in the past he's had students with 500-503 MCAT get attention from some MDs because they were non traditional and showed perseverance. I just wanted your opinions on this.

Thank you for everything!

Are you applying economically disadvantaged? If so, you can apply to the NY schools in the AMSNY cohort. That would be your best shot for a NY state school. Otherwise, I wouldn’t bother. As one NY applicant to another, NY is a cold, cold city. You’ll have better luck in Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin

 

[CheeseIsLife]

OP:

Search MSAR for a list of MD schools with lower median MCAT scores. You'll notice that they're all essentially "mission-based" schools, dedicated to educating future primary care docs with a regional focus--i.e., your chances as at out-of-stater are very low. A few others are HBCUs. Others are the Puerto Rican schools. Take a look at the schools and see if you have regional ties you can use as a way of getting an interview. It would likely be wasted money though.

 

[Ging7452]

OP:

Search MSAR for a list of MD schools with lower median MCAT scores. You'll notice that they're all essentially "mission-based" schools, dedicated to educating future primary care docs with a regional focus--i.e., your chances as at out-of-stater are very low. A few others are HBCUs. Others are the Puerto Rican schools. Take a look at the schools and see if you have regional ties you can use as a way of getting an interview. It would likely be wasted money though.

Yeah I have come to realize that with my stats MD schools are ideally out of reach. I'm not white but I am also not black, so I'm not sure how I will fair at HBCUs. In terms of regional ties, I have some family members living in southern states like NC, LA etc but I don't know how far that will get me. What's ironic is that whatever MD state accepted me, I would be willing to move there permanently with arms wide open. I would want to thank and give back to the school/area that took a chance on me and saw my value as an applicant. I figured maybe some of the newer schools I might have a chance at, but my 500 isn't even so I'm not sure. If you have any suggestions or know of any schools that look holistically at applicants or value upward GPA trends and life experience/grad & post bacc it would be appreciated.

 

[MedicineN'Jazz]

Yeah I have come to realize that with my stats and being from NY, MD schools are ideally out of reach. I'm not white but I am also not black, so I'm not sure how I will fair at HBCUs. I'm considering Ponce since I am fluent in Spanish but moving "out of the country" (I know it's still US territory) is a big move and I haven't heard the greatest things about the area but it's an MD in America. In terms of regional ties, I have some family members living in southern states like NC, LA etc but I don't know how far that will get me. What's ironic is that whatever MD state accepted me, I would be willing to move there permanently with arms wide open. I would want to thank and give back to the school/area that took a chance on me and saw my value as an applicant. I figured maybe some of the newer schools I might have a chance at, but my 500 isn't even so I'm not sure. If you have any suggestions or know of any schools that look holistically at applicants or value upward GPA trends and life experience/grad & post bacc it would be appreciated.

Are you Hispanic? There are a few lads with your stats at Indiana State

 

[lostmed]

Yeah I have come to realize that with my stats and being from NY, MD schools are ideally out of reach. I'm not white but I am also not black, so I'm not sure how I will fair at HBCUs. I'm considering Ponce since I am fluent in Spanish but moving "out of the country" (I know it's still US territory) is a big move and I haven't heard the greatest things about the area but it's an MD in America. In terms of regional ties, I have some family members living in southern states like NC, LA etc but I don't know how far that will get me. What's ironic is that whatever MD state accepted me, I would be willing to move there permanently with arms wide open. I would want to thank and give back to the school/area that took a chance on me and saw my value as an applicant. I figured maybe some of the newer schools I might have a chance at, but my 500 isn't even so I'm not sure. If you have any suggestions or know of any schools that look holistically at applicants or value upward GPA trends and life experience/grad & post bacc it would be appreciated.

Just as an FYI, it isn’t a requirement to be Black to go to an HBCU. Check the stats on some HBCU medical schools. Since you’re in NY, i would check out Howard, Hampton and a few others. I know some people get scared by “HBCU” but a lot of non Black people attend them; especially medical and law schools. 🙂

 

[Robin-jay]

Your MCAT score is lethal for MD, but OK for DO. Skip the coastal Touros, AZCOM and CCOM. Apply broadly, but avoid Wm Carey, LUCOM and Nova. Do a search as to why.

121 for the chem. section isn't concerning?

 

[Goro]

121 for the chem. section isn't concerning?

Hmmm...I was thinking that it was CARS, but you're right, it would be concerning, because there are Faculty members for whom CP is a pet subcategory (mine is Bio).

 

[TheRealCookieMonster]

Are you Hispanic?

 

[TheRealCookieMonster]

Oh sorry, technically yes but it's not my majority ethnicity so I don't know if that counts

Might be a good idea to find out.

 

[Ging7452]

Might be a good idea to find out.

I don't think there really is a way of finding out what should be the standards. Usually people just put what they are, so I guess i'll just put the ethnicities I am. It's not like it's only 10% because obviously that doesn't count but I don't think it has to be more than 50%. When you look at me people usually have no issue defining me as hispanic so I think that's enough, not sure. I'm, more concerned right now about whether I should apply now or not. I was going to literally submit today or tomorrow thinking I had a chance at least.

 

[MedicineN'Jazz]

I don't think there really is a way of finding out what should be the standards. Usually people just put what they are, so I guess i'll just put the ethnicities I am. It's not like it's only 10% because obviously that doesn't count but I don't think it has to be more than 50%. When you look at me people usually have no issue defining me as hispanic so I think that's enough, not sure. I'm, more concerned right now about whether I should apply now or not. I was going to literally submit today or tomorrow thinking I had a chance at least.

It’s definitely possible for you to get into medical school if you’re a disadvantaged Hispanic URM. But...what are your volunteering hours looking like? Where have you volunteered? Was it with Hispanic communities? If not, adcoms will question your sincerity to serve Hispanic populations following residency. The #1 reason why lower stat minorities have gotten admitted into medical school, is not because adcoms felt sorry for us—despite what many fools on sdn will tell you. It’s because despite the growing diversity in our country, there is still an alarming disparity in access to care amongst minority populations (particularly African American, Hispanic, and now LGBT communities). As such, there has also arisen a need for physicians who will practice within these areas. Surveys show that minorities who become physician are more likely to practice in underserved minority communities than their ORM counterparts.

 

[MedicineN'Jazz]

That's the thing, I'm not disadvantaged but I spent the last 4-5 years volunteering at food pantries, homeless shelters etc and as an EMT I would say the totally is 500+ hours easily. It was all at organizations in a city where I went to college which is in a bad area. I also volunteer where I grew up throughout college on breaks another a ~400 hrs but it's not in an area in need. Between being white and hispanic, not being disadvantaged, and not having a hispanic last name I don't think they will see that 🙁

Honestly, either way my goal is to hopefully practice in underserved or disadvantaged areas. I didn't feel that way before college, I didn't really think about it much because it was so far down the road but after living in a poor neighborhood for 5 years I really cannot think of a good enough reason as to why I would work somewhere where I am not needed as much.

Is the only way I have a chance at DO because of URM status?

I was talking strictly about MD schools (which tend to be a little stuck up imo). I find that the “hollistic” process for allopathic schools differs greatly (and not in a good way) from the hollistic process in osteopathic schools. The DO schools you apply to will likely welcome you with open arms despite your stats. You sound like a really great applicant with a promising future, and I’m fairly certain your schools will see that 😉

 

[Robin-jay]

Hmmm...I was thinking that it was CARS, but you're right, it would be concerning, because there are Faculty members for whom CP is a pet subcategory (mine is Bio).

Ya, its a 14th percentile (121) for the Chem. section. I don't know how ADCOMs look at that. He may get lucky is he applies broadly? If I were the OP, I'd consider retaking the MCAT and getting that score up. Even if the OP scored an overall lower score, it should be more balanced.

Again though, I have no idea how ADCOMs see a low (14th percentile) chem. score. Usually people get tripped up on the CARS or Psych. get more leeway from what I've seen.

 

[Goro]

Ya, its a 14th percentile (121) for the Chem. section. I don't know how ADCOMs look at that. He may get lucky is he applies broadly? If I were the OP, I'd consider retaking the MCAT and getting that score up. Even if the OP scored an overall lower score, it should be more balanced.

Again though, I have no idea how ADCOMs see a low (14th percentile) chem. score. Usually people get tripped up on the CARS or Psych. get more leeway from what I've seen.

I have a feeling it's going to be lethal. One might suspect that the OP can only fire on 3/4 cylinders. OP would get an II at my school, but s/he generate a lot of discussion in the Adcom meeting. To tell the truth, I don't recall any of our interviewees having such a discordant score like that, even for CARS (which does get cut the most slack).

 

[Goro]

Just as an FYI, it isn’t a requirement to be Black to go to an HBCU. Check the stats on some HBCU medical schools. Since you’re in NY, i would check out Howard, Hampton and a few others. I know some people get scared by “HBCU” but a lot of non Black people attend them; especially medical and law schools. 🙂

One doesn't need to be black to get into the HBCs (~10% of their matriculants are Asian), BUT one needs significant service to communities of color.