WAMC: High GPA (3.98), Low MCAT (506)

[Anon_medgirl]

I have a High GPA, but low MCAT. I am applying this cycle. I submitted secondaries at the middle/end of august and I have not heard anything. As background, I took the MCAT in July after it was cancelled twice due to COVID-19. My last two AAMC practice exams were a 519 and 521 in test like conditions. A week before my MCAT my Grandma passed away and the day before my MCAT was her funeral. I think my MCAT score reflects the grief I was facing at the time rather than my academic abilities. I have addressed this in some secondaries when there is a question that asks "is there anything else you would like the admissions committee to know".

1. cGPA and sGPA as calculated by AMCAS or AACOMA
   • cGPA: 3.98, sGPA: 3.95.
2. MCAT score(s) and breakdown
   • 506 (126, 125, 126, 129)..I know it's bad.
3. State of residence or country of citizenship (if non-US)
   • Michigan
4. Ethnicity and/or race
   • White
5. Undergraduate institution or category
   • Liberal arts college
6. Clinical experience (volunteer and non-volunteer)
   • CNA for seniors with Dementia and Alzheimer's (640 hours)
   • Emergency department volunteer (40 hours)
7. Research experience and productivity
   • Over 3000 research hours. Conducted neuroimaging research on eating disorders, published a journal article in the International Journal of Eating Disorders as second author. Earned honors on my senior thesis that encompassed the study I published. Currently, conducting neuroimaging research on substance use disorders.
8. Shadowing experience and specialties represented
   • 66 hours. Specialties include, Neuroradiologist, Inpatient Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Outpatient Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Internal Medicine.
9. Non-clinical volunteering
   • Volunteer Teacher for students at risk of educational failure (54 hours)
   • Volunteer Golf Coach for students at risk of educational failure (25 hours)
10. Other extracurricular activities (including athletics, military service, gap year activities, leadership, teaching, etc)
    • Student Athlete, Golf.
    • Captain of Women's golf team during my Junior and Senior years of college.
    • Teaching Assistant (100 hours).
    • Co-Founder and Leader of a student organization that promotes mental health awareness on our college's campus (junior and senior years of college)
11. Relevant honors or awards
    • Honors in Major
    • Donald W. VanLiere Prize in Psychology Coursework (awarded for achieving highest GPA in major)
    • Honors on Senior Thesis, which was a neuroimaging on eating disorders study that I conducted.
    • Best Poster Presentation Award at an Undergraduate Research Conference.
    • Women's Golf Coaches Association All-American Scholar (awarded for excelling in classroom and on golf course).
    • Chi Alpha Sigma Honor Society (inducted for excelling in both classroom and golf course).
12. Anything else not listed you think might be important
    • Graduated in 2019.
    • I feel like my MCAT is setting me back. I really do not think I will be offered an interview because of it.
    • Only applied to MD schools. What are my chances?

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[candbgirl]

Did you apply knowing your MCAT score? Where did you apply? How did you develop your list?

 

[Faha]

Which schools did you apply to ?

 

[Anon_medgirl]

Did you apply knowing your MCAT score? Where did you apply? How did you develop your list?

I applied before I knew my MCAT score. I was verified at the end of June. I decided on my school list based on their curriculum, mission, location ---basically whether I thought it would be a good fit for me. I applied to University of Michigan, Western Michigan, Oakland, Michigan State, and Wayne because they are all in state. I applied to Kaiser, NYU, U of Colorado (only school I did not receive a secondary from), Northwestern, San Fran, Rush, U Chicago, Icahn, U Cincinnati, Brown, Baylor, U of Wisconsin, Yale, Pittsburgh, Nova (MD), Georgetown, Tufts, U Mass, Penn State, Wake, Rochester, Geisel, U of Washington, and Stanford.

 

[Anon_medgirl]

Which schools did you apply to ?

I applied to University of Michigan, Western Michigan, Oakland, Michigan State, and Wayne because they are all in state. I applied to Kaiser, NYU, U of Colorado (only school I did not receive a secondary from), Northwestern, San Fran, Rush, U Chicago, Icahn, U Cincinnati, Brown, Baylor, U of Wisconsin, Yale, Pittsburgh, Nova (MD), Georgetown, Tufts, U Mass, Penn State, Wake, Rochester, Geisel, U of Washington, and Stanford.

 

[Faha]

You should add Central Michigan to your application. Your OOS schools are unrealistic with your MCAT of 506 except Rush, NOVA MD, Georgetown, Penn State and Wake Forest. You could add any of these schools in the next week:
Vermont
Quinnipiac
New York Medical College
Albany
Seton Hall
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
George Washington
TCU-UNT
Creighton
St. Louis
Loyola
Medical College Wisconsin

 

[Anon_medgirl]

You should add Central Michigan to your application. Your OOS schools are unrealistic with your MCAT of 506 except Rush, NOVA MD, Georgetown, Penn State and Wake Forest. You could add any of these schools in the next week:
Vermont
Quinnipiac
New York Medical College
Albany
Seton Hall
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
George Washington
TCU-UNT
Creighton
St. Louis
Loyola
Medical College Wisconsin

Okay! Thank you. What about schools like Stanford and Geisel where MCAT scores are blind when deciding interviews? Do you think I have a chance there? I mean the MCAT is only one part of an application and with a COVID there has been a lot of delays. I feel like I have a strong app other than my MCAT, but maybe I’m wrong.

 

[Faha]

Okay! Thank you. What about schools like Stanford and Geisel where MCAT scores are blind when deciding interviews? Do you think I have a chance there? I mean the MCAT is only one part of an application and with a COVID there has been a lot of delays. I feel like I have a strong app other than my MCAT, but maybe I’m wrong.

Stanford admitted only 5 OOS with a MCAT less than 514 last year. They have plenty of applicants with 518+ MCAT scores to choose from so you are not competitive for those schools.

 

[Anon_medgirl]

Stanford admitted only 5 OOS with a MCAT less than 514 last year. They have plenty of applicants with 518+ MCAT scores to choose from so you are not competitive for those schools.

That is actually incorrect about Stanford admitting only 5 OOS according to MSAR data. Where did you get your data from?

 

[soccer96]

That is actually incorrect about Stanford admitting only 5 OOS according to MSAR data. Where did you get your data from?

He said with an mcat less than 514 not in general

 

[Anon_medgirl]

He said with an mcat less than 514 not in general

You're right, I did not read the comment correctly. Thank you for pointing that out. I wonder if that number will be different this year because they made the MCAT optional.

 

[candbgirl]

That is actually incorrect about Stanford admitting only 5 OOS according to MSAR data. Where did you get your data from?

Where on your chart does it list MCAT scores?

 

[Anon_medgirl]

Where on your chart does it list MCAT scores?

I read Faha's response wrong.

 

[Faha]

That is actually incorrect about Stanford admitting only 5 OOS according to MSAR data. Where did you get your data from?

MSAR 2020, only 5 OOS admitted with less than 514 MCAT. If you want to believe that you will be admitted to Stanford with a MCAT of 506 then go ahead and apply. They will appreciate your donation.

 

[deleted1075607]

MSAR 2020, only 5 OOS admitted with less than 514 MCAT. If you want to believe that you will be admitted to Stanford with a MCAT of 506 then go ahead and apply. They will appreciate your donation.

damn she was just confused, be nice!

 

[Banco]

1) I'm sorry your Grandma passed away, that can totally (understandably) have an effect on test performance.
2) I think if you were truly averaging 519+ on the practice exams, you should retake the MCAT. If you score in that range you would jump up to a top tier applicant with the depth and breadth of your activities. It would be a disservice if you let this anomalous low score define your future trajectory, when your application is otherwise excellent.

 

[Goro]

1) I'm sorry your Grandma passed away, that can totally (understandably) have an effect on test performance.
2) I think if you were truly averaging 519+ on the practice exams, you should retake the MCAT. If you score in that range you would jump up to a top tier applicant with the depth and breadth of your activities. It would be a disservice if you let this anomalous low score define your future trajectory, when your application is otherwise excellent.

I agree

Also, the is a lesson that one does NOT take a high stakes, career deciding exam when one is not at one's best. The OP should have simply skipped the exam.