Texas Resident with Rare Circumstance Question

[HopefulDoc3ml]

Now before I ask, please note I take complete responsibility for my grades and understand no one else is to blame for how I've performed.

I got a 23 on my mcat (my average range was 26-27) practice tests. This was saddening but it didn't surprise me as I was expecting the worst. I know this is low and am already signed up for the January Mcat before it switches to the new version. I've identified which areas I think I need to tackle (some physics and ochem as I honestly didn't study ochem at all except for barron's ochem flash cards).

cGPA without current semester: 3.25 (grade replacement)
cGpa Projecting 3 As 1C: 3.278 (current semester)
sGpa: 3.07
sGpa including med term class: 3.118 (its listed as bio in my university but not sure if they'll take it as science)
If my med term counts, I anticipate having about a 3.15-3.2 sGpa by the time I'm done.

I have considered not applying for graduation this semester to continue classes like immuno and virology. I have some volunteering but no medical experience as I was waiting to see how I did but I will be calling up some DOs or MDs in the area to see if I can get some shadowing. I have some professors willing to do the LOR for me as I did well in their classes.

The circumstance that set me back mentally and gradewise...
Long story short I was brought in to the country with no documentation as an infant, I spent years trying to fix the issue and it ended with a good lawyer that said I'd leave the country for 5 weeks and come back with no issues. Immigration set my appointment date in early December and I couldn't finish my classes during one semester and I was given incompletes, but was failed in all because I couldn't come back in January since I was kept out of the country for 4 months to the date. It was an awful time not knowing if I could come back ever (I was given a 10 year ban and had to file waivers, etc) and when I came back I had failing classes that tanked my GPA. I took the classes again and did well but that ruins my MD chances I think since it'll average my new grade with an F (I'm thinking gpa cutoff points).

Anyway, I take responsibility and have come back really strong the last 90 hours acing ochem and chem and more but I have barely been able to raise my gpa. I am looking at taking more classes to help myself out but am going to spend the next 4 months doing some mcat prepwork in my areas of weakness because I think I can definitely get at least a 27 next time around. I work nights in IT so my sleep schedule is all messed up with school but I make it work. I consider myself non traditional with what I've had to deal with and work and being married and my wife and I bought our home at 21. We joke that we're old people since we're not the normal university students

Question:
1)How do you think it will look that I've had a 23 mcat in the past now (very recent)
2)Do you think Adcoms will consider that I had to leave during the semester and couldn't come back (I have documentation)
3)While I don't necessarily want to be accepted this way (I tried to read some past links using "search"), do you think there's some merit to the URM (under represented minority) theory (Mexico) ?Would this 23 be something that falls under URM if I got my EC up high? I hate that score and plan on doing better but I want all the information available.

I'm in Texas but I know I can't get in to the schools with this score even with 90% instate. I saw some schools like Pikeville COM, Lake Erie,West Virgina osteo that from other sites have acceptances with low mcat, but on their sites they show averages of 28 or so on their mcats. Anyone have any info on this since multiple sources show different criteria? If this is linked somewhere else, just paste the link. I've browsed a bit myself

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[naijapride]

Whats your immigration status because any leeway URM status gets thrown out the window if you arent a U.S permanent resident/ Citizen at time of application. If you have dont have the green card ( and the paper showing that) then I would wait. I know people with 3.7 36 mcat who didnt get in because they they are permanent residents/citizens .

 

[HopefulDoc3ml]

Whats your immigration status because any leeway URM status gets thrown out the window if you arent a U.S permanent resident/ Citizen at time of application. If you have dont have the green card ( and the paper showing that) then I would wait. I know people with 3.7 36 mcat who didnt get in because they they are permanent residents/citizens .

Thanks for taking the time to reply. Everything is actually taken care of now and I am a lawful permanent resident with my card and all thankfully! Do you think the URM is a legitimate option with even that score?

 

[naijapride]

Some schools have a subscore cutoff as well as a score cutoff so it might be in best interest to retake some of your failed classes (DO schools do grade replacements so a retooken f for an a is like just an a) and the MCAT (mcat scores are good for three years) if you are really set on this year URM may be an legit option in places that have very very low URM populations in general (like Iowa Montana, Utah, states like those) andeven then it really isn't. URM ness would really be like oh I have good stats but shadow little and didn't do much outside score. Although a 3.2 for DO isnt bad

 

[HopefulDoc3ml]

Some schools have a subscore cutoff as well as a score cutoff so it might be in best interest to retake some of your failed classes (DO schools do grade replacements so a retooken f for an a is like just an a) and the MCAT (mcat scores are good for three years) if you are really set on this year URM may be an legit option in places that have very very low URM populations in general (like Iowa Montana, Utah, states like those) andeven then it really isn't. URM ness would really be like oh I have good stats but shadow little and didn't do much outside score. Although a 3.2 for DO isnt bad

OK, so it's not so much stats that get a URM benefit so much as smaller things like ECs. I know the mcat is good for 3 years but I'm making sure that MCAT score is too low for even URM. I've started studying again for my round 2 MCAT! Thanks for the response though!

 

[naijapride]

There is some stats boost like 28 mcat vs a 31 for md programs but yeah a 23 is too low. It probably be below the cutoff (cutoffs can be bypassed but only like if you intimately know the dean I.e. grandkid of that dean or the main donor to the hospital)

 

[HopefulDoc3ml]

There is some stats boost like 28 mcat vs a 31 for md programs but yeah a 23 is too low. It probably be below the cutoff (cutoffs can be bypassed but only like if you intimately know the dean I.e. grandkid of that dean or the main donor to the hospital)

Excellent, this helps out a lot. I didn't quite believe some if the sites I saw that had some of the schools I originally posted that showed like a 24-25 MCAT with an SD of 4. That's large range

 

[naijapride]

Remember that you want the average mcat scores among people who get in not applicants because its will be lower so people who have no chance will throw away money to the school that apply (like George Washington University lot of apps so average applicant scores are lower.)
Another route that you could try (if your Puerto Rican and fluent in Spanish) is the three schools in Puerto Rico (same accreditation as MD schools in the rest of the United States. Average matriculation mcat use to hover around 24 but got to be Puerto Rican to even have a snowball chance in hell to get in (very in territory/cultural and some classes are in spanish)

 

[HopefulDoc3ml]

Remember that you want the average mcat scores among people who get in not applicants because its will be lower so people who have no chance will throw away money to the school that apply (like George Washington University lot of apps so average applicant scores are lower.)
Another route that you could try (if your Puerto Rican and fluent in Spanish) is the three schools in Puerto Rico (same accreditation as MD schools in the rest of the United States. Average matriculation mcat use to hover around 24 but got to be Puerto Rican to even have a snowball chance in hell to get in (very in territory/cultural and some classes are in spanish)

Yeah that makes sense. I'm not Puerto Rican (Mexican but yes fluent). I plan on doing well on my next MCAT though. I'm not really a fan of getting in because of race/ethnicity but if its the only way its the only way. Thank you so much. School counselor didn't really have much info and said they don't know what schools would have that or what their criteria would be for urm

 

[loving medicine]

I know this post is two years old but if you're still working on your undergrad I would recommend meeting an advisor regarding retroactive withdrawal. Have all the documents showing what happened etc and set up a meeting with the dean or someone in charge. Explain your situation, you do have a genuine reason and was beyond your control.