MD Waitlisted. 4.0 GPA, 501 MCAT. What are my chances?

[alaskan_bull_worm]

.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[TakotsuboOkazaki]

My $0.02...

GPA is STELLAR.

MCAT(s) is(are) low.

Volunteer EC hours, especially for clinical volunteering, are low.

Your work with lacrosse and your research are good.

 

[alaskan_bull_worm]

My $0.02...

GPA is STELLAR.

MCAT(s) is(are) low.

Volunteer EC hours, especially for clinical volunteering, are low.

Your work with lacrosse and your research are good.

thanks for the feedback. My plan is to just solely focus on the MCAT as of now. After test day I'd look into getting those hours up. Would you mind commenting on what you think my chances are, with the schools median stats in mind?

 

[TakotsuboOkazaki]

It’s hard to say on numbers alone. If you have an interview you have a shot, but one thing that does not bode well is the class size.

Only time will tell.

Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.

 

[calivianya]

I have a decent MCAT (515) with little community service, but good healthcare volunteering/employment at the time of application and one school straight up told me in the interview the lack of community service is what killed my application. Their median MCAT's a 506, for reference, and I would have been an above 75th percentile matriculant for that school if they'd accepted me. A high MCAT does nothing for you if you don't have the ECs schools are looking for.

If you don't get in this year, don't reapply this next cycle unless you can seriously beef up those hours before you submit your primary. I think your idea to focus solely on the MCAT and not on racking up volunteer hours is a mistake.

 

[alaskan_bull_worm]

I have a decent MCAT (515) with little community service, but good healthcare volunteering/employment at the time of application and one school straight up told me in the interview the lack of community service is what killed my application. Their median MCAT's a 506, for reference, and I would have been an above 75th percentile matriculant for that school if they'd accepted me. A high MCAT does nothing for you if you don't have the ECs schools are looking for.

If you don't get in this year, don't reapply this next cycle unless you can seriously beef up those hours before you submit your primary. I think your idea to focus solely on the MCAT and not on racking up volunteer hours is a mistake.

I have a decent MCAT (515) with little community service, but good healthcare volunteering/employment at the time of application and one school straight up told me in the interview the lack of community service is what killed my application. Their median MCAT's a 506, for reference, and I would have been an above 75th percentile matriculant for that school if they'd accepted me. A high MCAT does nothing for you if you don't have the ECs schools are looking for.

If you don't get in this year, don't reapply this next cycle unless you can seriously beef up those hours before you submit your primary. I think your idea to focus solely on the MCAT and not on racking up volunteer hours is a mistake.

On the other hand, MCAT is more of a priority for my application. It would be a greater mistake to concentrate on clinical hours so much that my MCAT studying suffers and I do poorly a third time.

 

[calivianya]

On the other hand, MCAT is more of a priority for my application. It would be a greater mistake to concentrate on clinical hours so much that my MCAT studying suffers and I do poorly a third time.

It would be, I agree, but unless you're working greater than 60 hours a week or something I don't see why you can't do both. Definitely doesn't have to be an either/or situation.

 

[dillydilly2]

On the other hand, MCAT is more of a priority for my application. It would be a greater mistake to concentrate on clinical hours so much that my MCAT studying suffers and I do poorly a third time.

This is the wrong mindset. Yes the MCAT is a priority but even more so are the clinical hours. Why do you want to be a doctor? Your clinical hours (lack there of) don't answer the why. I could argue that your 20 hours of volunteering shows how you don't want to interact with patients. Now your 200 shadowing hours show that you like to walk around with doctors and see what the profession is about but why don't you get your hands dirty?

 

[candbgirl]

On the other hand, MCAT is more of a priority for my application. It would be a greater mistake to concentrate on clinical hours so much that my MCAT studying suffers and I do poorly a third time.

This isn’t looking at the whole picture. Your ECs are pretty weak so it’s not JUST your MCAT. What have you done this year to significantly improve your application? Schools will expect significant improvement when you reapply. Since it isn’t wise or smart to reapply in June 2018, you should find some volunteer opportunities and start doing those now. You should still have plenty of time for MCAT studying. And how are you readjusting your study techniques for this go at the MCAT? Did you apply to any DO schools? Oh and stop shadowing. You have way more than enough, almost to the point of overkill.

 

[WhereMyLiberalsAt]

Everything feels off on your app (and by that I mean everything makes sense why you got on the WL)... 20 hours of volunteering!?! I mean bruh! That’s like insulting to your “fellow man”! Especially when you have 200 HOURS of shadowing! You spent ~140 more hours than necessary just watching someone work instead of volunteering and actually helping someone less fortunate than you. You were extremely efficient with your research time with just having 200 hours so that’s good. Ya your MCAT could be better (coincidence your PS is one of your lowest subsections?) but it’s your ECs man that are stopping from snagging an acceptance outright.

 

[GDMT]

To provide some context for the "overkill" of shadowing hours that I should have noted: 150 of those hours were through an internship in undergrad where I got class credit to shadow ortho surgery full time, so it wasn't your typical "shadowing" where you're a fly on the wall. I was still interacting with plenty of patients every week.

As an intern, I'd bet your patient interaction was minimal at best which makes sense given that the training required to be an intern is often minimal at best (unlike EMT or CNA). Also, keep in mind it will be considered "shadowing" to adcoms if you throw it under "shadowing," and be prepared to carefully explain otherwise if you throw it under clinical hours. Lastly, please don't cherry pick here. You have had 5 commenters offer advice regarding your lack of community service and you chose to defend your bit on shadowing hours? Remember why you came to this forum.

 

[dillydilly2]

And the consensus of commenters are saying the same thing. The shadowing hours might not stick out as much if you had other extensive ECs

 

[GDMT]

Look I’m not arguing with anybody lmao I agree with every post on this thread. I only said I was giving context for why I had 150 hours to the person who said my shadowing was overkill. And I was replying to the person who tried to argue that waiting till after my next MCAT (only mid-June??) to get my volunteers hours is a giant mistake.

Plus this thread was meant to ask what you think my chances are. I see where my application is lacking

Didn't suggest you were arguing, just neglecting to address comments by people who took the time to offer advice. No indication that you agreed with anyone other than yourself because you didn't take the time to address comments appropiately. Your chances are primarily affected by your lack of community service and MCAT score. The theme of these type of forums are to address apparent weaknesses to improve your chances. Look to all the comments above advising on how you might be able to do that. Good luck.

 

[alaskan_bull_worm]

Didn't suggest you were arguing, just neglecting to address comments by people who took the time to offer advice. No indication that you agreed with anyone other than yourself because you didn't take the time to address comments appropiately. Your chances are primarily affected by your lack of community service and MCAT score. The theme of these type of forums are to address apparent weaknesses to improve your chances. Look to all the comments above advising on how you might be able to do that. Good luck.

Thanks for the feedback! I'll definitely work on those community service hours and MCAT

 

[Goro]

thanks for the feedback. My plan is to just solely focus on the MCAT as of now. After test day I'd look into getting those hours up. Would you mind commenting on what you think my chances are, with the schools median stats in mind?

I'm surpirsed that you got any interviews with that low number of hours of clinical volunteering. This just illustrates my dictum that state schools favor the home team.

Frankly, for MD schools, you're lethal outside of your lucky state. You're fine for many DO schools, but skip the coastal Touros, AZCOM, KCU and CCOM.

We have no way of knowing your chances of getting pulled off the wait list, if that's what you're asking.