SHOULD I APPLY?

The 6 is hurting you.

 

If you can get that 6 up to an 8 you are good to go. Stay positive, other than your six your scores are really strong.

 

If this is your first MCAT, then that's pretty good. You should however take it again but this time concentrate on the section that stumped you. From the way you wrote the scores, it seems to be the Biological Science section. The organic chemistry has a way of stumping people, I can sympathize and empathize with you.

Looking at your overall profile and the fact that you plan to apply to an osteopathic medical school (you've posted in the pre-osteopathic section), I think you have a pretty good shot right now of getting an interview and getting accepted. Give the osteopathic medical schools a shot.

However, if you plan to apply to an allopathic school, the 6 is just not going to fly. Eventhough you have a good overall GPA, you should know that med schools also look at your science GPA. What is your science GPA?

If your MCAT score is a reflection of how you did in what I'm assuming are the Bio courses at your college then you're going to have some trouble with the allopathic school and possibly even the osteopathic schools too. In order to be considered for admission to some schools (allopathic and osteopathic), you can not have a grade below a "C" (a 2.0 on a 4.0 scale)in any of the required courses. These include: Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physics, and English (sometimes even Calculus, Behavioral Science, and foreign languages). If you have a "C" or better (preferably better) in each of the required courses then you're in good shape GPA wise.

 

I think you should go ahead an apply. I know of a few people who like you scored a 6 in the verbal but did well in other areas (actually you did better on your MCAT) and they gained acceptance at medical schools.

Apply now and send the secondaries as fast as you can. The earlier you are, the less competition there is at the time.

And if you can demonstrate an osteopathic medicine commitment (shadowing a D.O. for several months, getting involved with the osteopathic community) then you'll be fine.

Good luck!

Arnold
FOUNDER/ADVISOR OMAS-UCSD CHAPTER
WESTERN UNIVERSITY/COMP CLASS OF 2004
http://members.xoom.com/omasucsd/logo.htm

 

MTY,

If Verbal is your problem, then I think you're in the same boat as most people are when they apply to med school. I think, that you're in good shape to apply to osteopathic med schools. You should definitely give them a shot. I think that when they get a load of your Physical Sciences and Biological Sciences scores, they are most surely going to offer you at least an interview and therefore a chance to explain your verbal score.

However, for the allopathic schools, I think when they look at the 6 on the verbal, at best they will frown and reluctantly offer an interview and at worst they will run the other way and not have anything to do with you. Quite a few of the allopathic med schools, really insist on a thirty. But then again, if you want to give the allopathic schools a shot, you should go right ahead and try. If they are totally taken by your overall GPA and your science GPA (which I'm assuming is really high since you got 11 and 10 on the MCAT science sections)then you will most likely be offered an interview. If you do apply to some allopathic schools, I suggest that you try some of the state sponsored schools in your own state.

Let me know if what I have said above seems logical and makes sense to you.

Amit