[WAMC] Applying 2026 cycle, any holes to address during my gap year? Retake MCAT? (NJ/3.69/513)

[lizard17]

I'm focusing on increasing my clinical hours and my non-clinical volunteering hours in the next year. Most of my current clinical and shadowing experience was done abroad so I'm also using the year to get U.S.-based experience. I plan on doing more unpaid service-oriented activities. Posting just to make sure I'm not missing any other holes in my application and for general advice.

Profile:
NJ (strong ties to NY and CA), ORM Female, Bio major '24 at T15 LAC (affiliated with an Ivy League)

Overall GPA: 3.69 (3.88/3.72/3.31/3.72)
BCPM GPA: 3.57 (3.75/3.41/3.43/3.69)

MCAT:
09/06/2024 - 509 (126/127/127/129)
03/21/2025 - 513 (128/128/127/130)

Shadowing Experience: 100 hrs total (75 OB-GYN, 16 Primary Care, 9 surgery; all in a foreign country)

Clinical Experience:
100 hrs at a U.S. hospital (debating to list as non-clinical or clinical because it was just the basic handing water and blankets to patients)
150 EMT volunteer with Red Cross (foreign country), projected another 100hrs next few months

Non-clinical Volunteering: 0 (will address this year)

Employment:
Had a lot of financial difficulties my second half of college and I worked 6 part-time jobs. 4 of them were just for a work-study semester or summer, 2 were over multiple years.
Currently work as full-time Fulbright researcher in foreign country.

Research:
575 hours ugrad in bio lab (1 poster)
1500 as Fulbright research scholar (project focuses on maternal healthcare practices in indigenous communities)
No pubs

Other Extracurriculars:
1000 hours as elected representative on college's student government for three years
Cultural club leadership
Resident assistant
Social justice fellowship

Relevant Honors or Awards:
Two leadership awards at college
Fulbright

Hobbies: Avid piano player with multiple competition awards and 5x Carnegie Hall performer (high school), video editing, swimming


Tentative school list:
NJ
Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
Rutgers, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine

OOS
Albany
Medical College of Wisconsin
Penn State
University of Vermont Larner
VCU
EVMS
Quinnipiac
SUNY Downstate
California University of Science and Medicine
University of Colorado
Geisel Dartmouth
Tufts
New York Medical College
UCSF
NYU Long Island (OB-GYN track)
Emory
Kaiser
Albert Einstein


My plan for the next year:
- Recertify as EMT and work full-time
- Volunteer with 1-2 non-profits focused on Native American communities and/or maternal health
- Shadow American physicians
- Retake MCAT?


Questions:
1. I’m choosing between living in CA or NJ after Fulbright. In CA, I can start clinical work right away as a PCA through connections—no EMT cert needed. In NJ, I’d start EMT work in Dec 2025 at the earliest (giving me less time to rack up hours). I want to apply in 2026 as an NJ resident, but I’m unsure if living/working in CA for a year would affect that. Online info is confusing. Any thoughts on where I should spend the next year or two?

2. My MCAT is below the 25th percentile for some of my goal schools. I didn’t know how to study for my first MCAT and rushed the second, thinking I’d apply in 2025 before realizing my app had major gaps. I'm confident that I can do better, but it’s a big time commitment--especially with a goal of 520+ and balancing other activities. I’ll only register for the exam if my practice scores are within the target range. Should I invest the next year for a possible MCAT retake or just scrap this idea as a whole and not even try?

3. What else can I do during the next year to strengthen my app?


Thanks for taking the time to read and advise.

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[Mr.Smile12]

You know where you're missing key ingredients for your profile. I think that's already quite a bit to have on your plate for a year, especially since you don't provide details about how you will go about shadowing physicians, retaking your MCAT, or get involved with community service. You know you have to get this done, and for the most part, getting started now is what's important.

Please note: your second attempt was +4 over your first-attempt. Your score can also go down. If you know you are capable of a +10 over your original attempt, then okay... schools tend to average all scores for screening. I surmise your true score is somewhere in the middle, and that's what confidence bands are all about. I don't know why a 520 score gets you better access to the goal schools that you listed...

Apply next year. We'd be interested in your Fulbright work. And your US shadowing.

 

[lizard17]

You know where you're missing key ingredients for your profile. I think that's already quite a bit to have on your plate for a year, especially since you don't provide details about how you will go about shadowing physicians, retaking your MCAT, or get involved with community service. You know you have to get this done, and for the most part, getting started now is what's important.

Please note: your second attempt was +4 over your first-attempt. Your score can also go down. If you know you are capable of a +10 over your original attempt, then okay... schools tend to average all scores for screening. I surmise your true score is somewhere in the middle, and that's what confidence bands are all about. I don't know why a 520 score gets you better access to the goal schools that you listed...

Apply next year. We'd be interested in your Fulbright work. And your US shadowing.

Thanks for the info on MCAT -- definitely puts things into perspective. If you don't think my MCAT score will hold me back from the more selective schools on my list, then I'll leave it be and focus on my activities.

I am indeed unsure about how I will go about shadowing and community service, but I'm starting the search now for my return in a couple months. I've got two plans depending on whether I end up choosing CA or NJ as my homebase for the next two years. Thanks again for the reply.

 

[Faha]

You need 50 hours of in person shadowing (including primary care) in this country.
You need 150+ hours of non clinical volunteering in this country such as food bank, homeless shelter.
You do not need to retake a MCAT of 513.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Looking at your listed clinical experience (250 hours?), my suggestion post-Fulbright (and you may still want to wait to apply...). You should go for the opportunity to work in a clinical setting such as a hospital. I don't know why you can't be a PCA in New Jersey.

Look at where you spent your hours. That tells me more where your priorities are.