WAMC/School List: 507 MCAT, 3.82cGPa, 3.70sGPA

[premedmania1]

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I recently received my MCAT score, which was a 507. I’m concerned this may not be competitive enough for Texas medical schools, even though I have a 3.82 cumulative GPA, a 3.7 science GPA, strong letters of recommendation, a 4/5 HPAC evaluation, and a well-rounded resume with research, clinical experience, leadership, and community service.

Given my goal of staying in Texas, I’m unsure whether it’s wise to apply this cycle or hold off and work on improving my MCAT for next year. I would appreciate your thoughts on whether my current profile would make me a reasonable applicant this year.

 

[Goro]

You have three DO schools in TX that will gladly take you.

Service to Hispanic communities will look very good to UTx-RG and -EP

 

[premedmania1]

WAMC / School List Help (2025-2026 Cycle)

cGPA: 3.82
sGPA: 3.70
MCAT: 507 (128/127/127/125)
State of Residence: Texas
Ethnicity: Asian
Undergraduate: Large public university

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Clinical Experience (~1000 hours total)​

• Clinical Intern: ~300 hours
• Shadowing (Neurosurgery): ~360 hours
• Shadowing (Cardiology): ~360 hours

Research Experience (~1500 hours)​

• Undergraduate research in developmental neuroscience (~1500 hours total)
• Focus on gene expression and transgenic modeling using animal models
• 1 Poster presentation

Shadowing (~720 hours total)​

• Neurosurgery (~360 hours)
• Cardiology (~360 hours)

Non-Clinical Volunteering (~480 hours)​

• Monthly volunteer delivering supplies to underserved populations (~480 hours total)
• Exposed to issues of equity and access in marginalized communities

Leadership and Other Extracurriculars​

• Founder/President of academic resource organization: Developed free educational content
• Leadership roles in cultural and service organizations: Community partnerships, event planning, outreach
• Coach at sports academy: Coaching competitive youth and adult athletes at national/international level
• Competitive athlete (individual sport): ~5000 hours training and competing nationally/internationally
• Qualified for major national championships and international level competitions

Employment​

• Animal care technician (research lab): maintaining lab animals and assisting with experiments
• Private tutor: academic subjects for high school students

Honors and Awards​

• Multiple university academic honors (Dean’s List, academic scholarships, distinguished scholar awards)
• International champion at a health-related competition
• Qualified multiple years for top national athletic competitions

Planned Activities (before matriculation)​

• Undergraduate Curriculum Committee forthe College of Natural Science and Mathematics

4 LOR: 1 from PI, 2 from physicians, 1 from science prof
4/5 rating from HPAC at my University (Highly recommend)
Additional Info / Context:

• Texas applicant; aware of highly competitive nature of in-state MD schools
• Preference for MD programs but open to DO if necessary
• No major red flags, but MCAT is on lower side for MD (especially Texas)
• Strong clinical exposure, substantial research experience, and significant leadership/athletics background
• Competitive athlete with national and international competition experience + coaching
• Extremely young, 19 year old college senior graduating December 2025 at 20

School List Help Requested:

• Would like advice on viability for Texas MD schools and for mid-tier MD schools OOS
• Should I apply broadly MD+DO given current stats or is MD still reasonable?
• Does my athletics + leadership + research help offset lower MCAT?
• Any other recommendations welcome!

Thanks for reading and for your help!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Welcome to the forums.

As you can guess, that MCAT is the kicker. I would hope that all of your activities could offset a lower MCAT, but no one can guarantee that. What have you written for personal circumstances and personal characteristics on TMDSAS? Where in Texas did you grow up? You have lots of research on your profile, so are you going for academic medicine positions over community health spots?

Your age could be a concern, but it depends on how you can maturely describe your purpose as a physician and the impact of your activities. I'm unsure how you can balance all of your listed experience hours with being an athlete and keeping a rigorous science coursework schedule and still graduate in 3 years. Most athletes need more time for shadowing, and the amount of shadowing on your list is well above normal (to the point that I question why you are shadowing for 700+ hours). You list that you have 5000+ hours of training and competing in your sport. In other words, that seems to be way too many hours for someone who will graduate in 3 years of college.

Your hours show that you are invested in your identity in athletics. Is the amount you have set aside for clinical exposure enough? It feels like it should be, but I'm unsure you have taken the time to sit with those who are chronically ill or those who are otherwise not as healthy as you. Are you comfortable immersing yourself in uncomfortable spaces? Just handing out needed supplies to marginalized communities is not quite the same.

I do think you would get attention, especially DO programs. You should not be picky between MD or DO if your goal is to become a physician.