Should I wait or apply next cycle?

[Haziqz]

Hello folks,

I am currently a junior in undergrad with a cum. GPA of 3.5 and a science GPA of 3.3. The world recently smacked me in the face and I now realize that my chances of getting to medical school this cycle are pretty slim. I took my MCAT the past summer and scored a 27 (11 Physical, 10 Biological, and 6 Verbal). I know my MCAT score is not the greatest and plan on retaking it this April. My extracurriculars are nothing special (~30 hours volunteering at a hospital, student senate for one year, and some other non-board positions in clubs). So my question to you guys is do I have any shot at all applying this cycle (assuming I score better on my MCAT and start researching/shadowing soon)? I hope to apply to MD schools if possible but would not mind DO schools either... Also if I do decide to take a year off, can you please recommend what I should do in that period of time? Can someone please provide me with some feedback as I am starting to panic now :/

Thank you all!

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[flodhi1]

Hello folks,

I am currently a junior in undergrad with a cum. GPA of 3.5 and a science GPA of 3.3. The world recently smacked me in the face and I now realize that my chances of getting to medical school this cycle are pretty slim. I took my MCAT the past summer and scored a 27 (11 Physical, 10 Biological, and 6 Verbal). I know my MCAT score is not the greatest and plan on retaking it this April. My extracurriculars are nothing special (~30 hours volunteering at a hospital, student senate for one year, and some other non-board positions in clubs). So my question to you guys is do I have any shot at all applying this cycle (assuming I score better on my MCAT and start researching/shadowing soon)? I hope to apply to MD schools if possible but would not mind DO schools either... Also if I do decide to take a year off, can you please recommend what I should do in that period of time? Can someone please provide me with some feedback as I am starting to panic now :/

Thank you all!

OP thanks for the detailed post. Your chances at DO school are high assuming you retake and do slightly better on the VR section, get some shadowing and volunteering under your belt. You might also be ready to apply to MD schools if your MCAT is high enough on the retake and you pour yourself into extracuricular activities. Please read my MDapp since it gives the very thorough explanation that you need. It is actually designed for individuals with low stats. Please let me know if you need anymore help. Good luck!

 

[emtthink]

Hello folks,

I am currently a junior in undergrad with a cum. GPA of 3.5 and a science GPA of 3.3. The world recently smacked me in the face and I now realize that my chances of getting to medical school this cycle are pretty slim. I took my MCAT the past summer and scored a 27 (11 Physical, 10 Biological, and 6 Verbal). I know my MCAT score is not the greatest and plan on retaking it this April. My extracurriculars are nothing special (~30 hours volunteering at a hospital, student senate for one year, and some other non-board positions in clubs). So my question to you guys is do I have any shot at all applying this cycle (assuming I score better on my MCAT and start researching/shadowing soon)? I hope to apply to MD schools if possible but would not mind DO schools either... Also if I do decide to take a year off, can you please recommend what I should do in that period of time? Can someone please provide me with some feedback as I am starting to panic now :/

Thank you all!

I would wait until next cycle, and apply on the first day. I had similar stats as you and I had 10 interview invites out of 16 schools that I applied to, I submitted my application on June 1st

 

[LieutenantDan]

I second that. I applied late this year because I wanted to wait until my Summer transcripts could be submitted and finalized, and due to some mishaps I wasn't complete until November. Now I am getting interviews mostly in Feb - March, I had an interview at University of Kentucky in late February and I just got an email this morning saying the class is full so I will be interviewing for the waitlist. Bottom line is that applying early in a cycle is almost as important as getting good grades and MCAT scores, and this is something I learned the hard way.
If you were to apply now the schools would be considering mostly what you have done, I think that if you just start shadowing or doing research it does look good but I dont think it will make a huge impact on this application cycle. Also many schools require or strongly recommend a letter of rec from a doctor so if you havent gotten one yet definitely shadow with that in mind.
Keep doing hospital volunteering but consider non-clinical volunteering, or "community service" too, because schools look for commitment to serving the community. For example I just started tutoring at a local high school and I enjoy it, and I tie it back into being a doctor because as a doc you have to be able to teach and explain things to people below your level of expertise.
Employment in a medical field also is highly valued, it is something I really wish I had more of. I recommend doing a CNA program if that interests you, or looking into medical scribe work. A lot of people have tons of paid clinical experience and this can go a long way toward making them a strong candidate even if other factors aren't as strong.
But your stats are not weak by any means, in fact with an MCAT of 27 your have the median score at many DO programs and you are above the median for many others. I have heard that medical schools prioritize the MCAT scores by BS>PS>VR, although I have no firm evidence. Point is you have no reason to panic, you will make it happen sooner or later.
You could apply to some low or mid tier DO programs and you may even get in this year, but when I was in your position my thoughts were that I should wait to spend the money until I had the best chance, and that I would rather wait a year for the best school I can get than settle for what I can get now. Good luck!