Typical "My Chances" Thread

[Shrizzle]

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Hey guys,

I am getting ready to apply to medical schools in a couple months and I want to know where I stand and what should be my strategy in the application process.

I'll be graduating Rutgers University with a double major in Biological Sciences and Philosophy.

Grades:
BCPM = 3.298
Cummulative = 3.535
(4.0 in philosophy, don't know if that matters)

Extracurriculars:
- Volunteered as EMT in first aid squad for past four years - close to becoming Crew Chief .
- Summer research internship at Bristol Myers Squibb company
- Experience in a research lab at RU for only one summer. PI didn't have enough funding so I had to quit after that summer.

Letters of Recommendation:
Pretty sweet.

MCAT
- Score of 28 (9PS,8VR,11BS) from 07/14/12
- Retaking exam 05/11/13

I understand that I am on the less competitive end of the spectrum. Please tell me what are my chances with my current stats, what are the schools to apply to, and what sort of MCAT score will "compensate" for the grades I have currently. I am sure there are many others in my position that can find this useful.

Thanks 🙂

 

[touchpause13]

Mods: Please move to WAMC

 

[red doctober]

MD chances = not good. MCAT and GPA are too low, and your ECs are not enough to make up for it. You should shoot for 34+ on your retake.

DO chances = good. However, you'll have to shadow a DO and get a letter of rec from him/her.

 

[BABSstudent]

Hey guys,

I am getting ready to apply to medical schools in a couple months and I want to know where I stand and what should be my strategy in the application process.

I'll be graduating Rutgers University with a double major in Biological Sciences and Philosophy.

Grades:
BCPM = 3.298
Cummulative = 3.535
(4.0 in philosophy, don't know if that matters)

Extracurriculars:
- Volunteered as EMT in first aid squad for past four years - close to becoming Crew Chief .
- Summer research internship at Bristol Myers Squibb company
- Experience in a research lab at RU for only one summer. PI didn't have enough funding so I had to quit after that summer.

Letters of Recommendation:
Pretty sweet.

MCAT
- Score of 28 (9PS,8VR,11BS) from 07/14/12
- Retaking exam 05/11/13

I understand that I am on the less competitive end of the spectrum. Please tell me what are my chances with my current stats, what are the schools to apply to, and what sort of MCAT score will "compensate" for the grades I have currently. I am sure there are many others in my position that can find this useful.

Thanks 🙂

Medical schools won't see your GPA broken down by major. They will just see science and cumulative GPA. The sGPA is very low and this will hurt your chances. The MCAT score is also lower than what you would want when you consider your GPA. You need to raise it to be in the thirties to help out.

Let me put it this way. With your GPA and MCAT, 34.1% of similar numbered applicants got an acceptance.

Source: https://www.aamc.org/download/321518/data/2012factstable25-4.pdf

If you raise the score to a 33-35, the acceptance rate is 69.1%

Check this link if you are a race other than white: https://www.aamc.org/data/facts/app...mcat-gpa-grid-by-selected-race-ethnicity.html

 

[1cor1311]

Hey guys,

I am getting ready to apply to medical schools in a couple months and I want to know where I stand and what should be my strategy in the application process.

I'll be graduating Rutgers University with a double major in Biological Sciences and Philosophy.

Grades:
BCPM = 3.298
Cummulative = 3.535
(4.0 in philosophy, don't know if that matters)

Extracurriculars:
- Volunteered as EMT in first aid squad for past four years - close to becoming Crew Chief .
- Summer research internship at Bristol Myers Squibb company
- Experience in a research lab at RU for only one summer. PI didn't have enough funding so I had to quit after that summer.

Letters of Recommendation:
Pretty sweet.

MCAT
- Score of 28 (9PS,8VR,11BS) from 07/14/12
- Retaking exam 05/11/13

I understand that I am on the less competitive end of the spectrum. Please tell me what are my chances with my current stats, what are the schools to apply to, and what sort of MCAT score will "compensate" for the grades I have currently. I am sure there are many others in my position that can find this useful.

Thanks 🙂

If your state schools are very in-state preferred you might have a chance there (assuming they are not top tier). You always have a chance, regardless of what anyone says, however realistically and statistically your MCAT score needs to go up quite a bit. Or if you consider doing a post-bac to boost your GPA.

this advice is for allopathic schools,

best of luck

 

[sinombre]

The most linked url on SDN:

https://www.aamc.org/download/157450/data/table24-mcatgpagridall2008-10.pdf.pdf

 

[911 Turbo]

Mods: Please move to WAMC

Was this annoying post really needed? Seeing posts like this more often in pre allo these days. Just let the mods do their job.

 

[BABSstudent]

Was this annoying post really needed? Seeing posts like this more often in pre allo these days. Just let the mods do their job.

Probably not helpful, but it makes it seem like he could do a mod's job. However, it does "teach" the OP that there is a specific forum for this.

Sometimes I like to think I could be a mod and how that awesome badge must feel. But then I think of how much time it might require... I am glad they donate their time to helping the site move smoothly.

 

[StudyShy]

You'd be great for DO as you stand. Good luck on your future MCAT! 🙂

 

[sector9]

Moving to WAMC

 

[Goro]

Fine for DO, but rather uncompetitive for MD. The 28 MCAT will hurt, as will the well-below avg sGPA, and the lack of patient contact experience. Yes, you're an EMT, but I think you need some other patient contact experience to go with that, as well as demonstrated evidence of altruism. Any shadowing?

Hey guys,

I am getting ready to apply to medical schools in a couple months and I want to know where I stand and what should be my strategy in the application process.

I'll be graduating Rutgers University with a double major in Biological Sciences and Philosophy.

Grades:
BCPM = 3.298
Cummulative = 3.535
(4.0 in philosophy, don't know if that matters)

Extracurriculars:
- Volunteered as EMT in first aid squad for past four years - close to becoming Crew Chief .
- Summer research internship at Bristol Myers Squibb company
- Experience in a research lab at RU for only one summer. PI didn't have enough funding so I had to quit after that summer.

Letters of Recommendation:
Pretty sweet.

MCAT
- Score of 28 (9PS,8VR,11BS) from 07/14/12
- Retaking exam 05/11/13

I understand that I am on the less competitive end of the spectrum. Please tell me what are my chances with my current stats, what are the schools to apply to, and what sort of MCAT score will "compensate" for the grades I have currently. I am sure there are many others in my position that can find this useful.

Thanks 🙂

 

[Shrizzle]

Fine for DO, but rather uncompetitive for MD. The 28 MCAT will hurt, as will the well-below avg sGPA, and the lack of patient contact experience. Yes, you're an EMT, but I think you need some other patient contact experience to go with that, as well as demonstrated evidence of altruism. Any shadowing?

I don't think shadowing, or any other extracurricular for that matter, can trump the amount of patient contact experience one has as an an EMT. Unfortunately, the whole concept of pre-med has made things like being an EMT just another check on a checklist. Hopefully the fact that I volunteered in the community weekly 12 hour shifts for the most part of four years shows that I'm "altruistic."

Anyways, thanks for the feedback guys, I'm definitely going IN on studying for this MCAT coming up so that I can get that 30+. I'm only considering MD schools and, with my relatively low credentials, I'm going to play the numbers game and apply to a ton of schools, with Carribean schools as the ultimate back up. I'll keep you guys posted.