WAMC 509 MCAT 3.85 GPA advice

[brusselsprouts]

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Hi Everyone! New to SDN and was wondering if I could get some advice.

Right now I'm a senior in undergrad planning to apply the next cycle (June 2021). I took the MCAT last summer and got a 509 (129/125/127/128). I have 3.85 cGPA and about 3.79 sGPA. Florida Resident. Hispanic so I am also URM. Right now I'm conflicted because a 509 is mostly between the 10th and 25th percentile MCAT that I see on MSAR, so I'm worried about not meeting the average for the schools I want to apply to. is it worth it to retake the MCAT or should I just apply with these stats? Some more info on me:

Clinical paid work: 264 ish EMT, 162 ish Scribing = 456 total
Clinical volunteering: about 300 volunteering at hospitals, and clinics for underserved populations
Nonclinical volunteering - 250 mentoring at-risk children mostly
Paid stuff - about 200 hours between tutoring and doing an independent project to increase census counts in immigrant communities
might have decent LoRs.

I initially thought I would be fine applying with these stats but looking at MSAR has been stressing me out. This is my school list rn:

1. FIU
2. UCF
3. FAU
4. USF
5. UF
6. FSU
7. NOVA
8. Miami
9. Howard
10. TCU
11. Tufts
12. Emory
13. George Washington
14. Georgetown
15. New York Medical College
16. Lewis Katz at Temple
17. Sidney Kimmel
18. Penn state
19. Tulane
20. Rutger
21. UCONN
22. Loyola
23. 
    
24. UMASS
25. Dartmouth
26. Cornell
27. Brown
28. Harvard
29. BU
30. Uchicago
31. Yale

I know there are some really good schools on hearing but I put them on my list because I think that I align with their mission fit. Overall becoming really insecure about my stats and would like to know if it would be better to retake the MCAT. I was scoring around 513 before I took it if that makes a difference. Let me know what you guys think!

 

[brusselsprouts]

also have about 2000+ hours of research!

 

[Bored_Conscious]

I think you are pretty good. GPA is fine and MCAT isn't worth retaking unless your practice FLs were above 515+.

I think you have a fair shot, especially as an URM.

Can't give you too much feedback regarding your school list as I will be applying 2021-2022 as well. Harvard, Yale, and Chicago may be a bit of a reach though.

 

[Dr. Anonymouss]

your list is top heavy and unrealistic, unless there is something you’re forgetting to tell us like you are an URM who had an untraditional path that also published papers in nature. Come to terms that you are at best competitive for your state schools and low tier OOS schools. Unless you can score a 515 I wouldn’t even retake it. This would be the only way you could apply to the majority of the schools on your list. As is, save your time and money and don’t apply to all the other schools.

 

[brusselsprouts]

your list is extremely top heavy and unrealistic, unless there is something you’re forgetting to tell us like you are an URM who had an untraditional path that also published papers in nature. Come to terms that you are at best competitive for your state schools and low tier OOS schools. Unless you can score a 515 I wouldn’t even retake it. This would be the only way you could apply to the majority of the schools on your list. As is, save your time and money and don’t apply to all the other schools.

thanks for replying. I mentioned that I'm a URM so I'm not sure if this changes your assessment of my application. I understand that my list is top heavy after #24. Is the rest of that list really top heavy to you? Most have an average MCAT of about 512-515 max on MSAR. The 25th percentile for most is a 510. From what I gather this means that it's a target school for me. My lab PI told me that there's a good chance I am able to publish this next semester though I'm not sure it would be in Nature. I did score a 515 once in my practice FLs so I don't think it's that unrealistic for me, but I'm trying to save myself the trouble if it is not necessary. I'm really determined to go to medical school so giving up, as you suggest, is not an option for me.

 

[Dr. Anonymouss]

thanks for replying. I mentioned that I'm a URM so I'm not sure if this changes your assessment of my application. I understand that my list is top heavy after #24. Is the rest of that list really top heavy to you? Most have an average MCAT of about 512-515 max on MSAR. The 25th percentile for most is a 510. From what I gather this means that it's a target school for me. My lab PI told me that there's a good chance I am able to publish this next semester though I'm not sure it would be in Nature. I did score a 515 once in my practice FLs so I don't think it's that unrealistic for me, but I'm trying to save myself the trouble if it is not necessary. I'm really determined to go to medical school so giving up, as you suggest, is not an option for me.

So determining how well you can score on the test is up to you, if you believe you can score a 515 or extremely close then retaking wouldn’t be a terrible idea, and it would make you much more competitive at a lot of the schools on your list. Don’t be discouraged because you are competitive for MD school, but your stats currently make you competitive for low tier MD schools and all DO schools. Also, you’re right, you should be aiming for schools above the 25th percentile for your MCAT, ideally in the 50th percentile range because those are the schools you are competitive at. Being in the 25th percentile doesn’t make you competitive, but it doesn’t mean you can’t get accepted either. There are many aspects to an application and some strong areas can help support weaker areas. Lastly, I must’ve over read the URM so yes that does change my mind about a lot of the list. It will make you more competitive in these schools.

 

[Faha]

Brown, U Chicago, Yale, Harvard and Cornell are reaches. Rutgers and UConn accept few non residents with no connection to the state. You could add these schools:
Drexel
Creighton
Medical College Wisconsin
Wayne State
Oakland Beaumont

 

[deleted314957]

Apply with what you’ve got. You will get an acceptance at an MD outfit. Don’t stress about where as far as “academic reputation” the school ranks. Geography, particularly for residency and subsequent attending ( and significant others) considerations are important.

 

[candbgirl]

What URM group do you represent? Are you fluent in Spanish or any other language? What were you scores on your FL practice tests?

 

[brusselsprouts]

What URM group do you represent? Are you fluent in Spanish or any other language? What were you scores on your FL practice tests?

I am Venezuelan, so a South American in general. I know that the AAMC used to specify Mexicans and Puerto Ricans, but from all the school websites that I've read, they don't specify what "type" of Hispanic I need to be to have URM status. I can manage a conversation in Spanish comfortably, but not 100% fluent, but I have taken Spanish classes designed for those entering the medical field. I am fluent in Arabic as well. My FL scores were 509, 512, 515, 513.