WAMC + School List Help (ORM, 507, 3.78 cGPA, 3.64 sGPA)

[sadpremedditor]

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Hello SDN, this is my first time using this form so please excuse any mistake I make and help me correct them. Just got my score back from 06/27 and I did worse on the MCAT than I had hoped. With that being said, I am looking to finalize my school list and would appreciate any feedback in regards to my chances of being admitted. I also want to mention that I am primarily interested in a procedural based specialties (surgery) and therefore am really hoping to go to an MD. Open to applying to DOs as well that have a strong match in surg/will allow me to fellowship.

1. cGPA: 3.79
2. sGPA: 3.64
3. MCAT 1st attempt (Jan 2025): 499 (124/126/125/124) 2nd attempt (June 2025): 507 (126/129/126/126)
4. State: SC
5. Ethnicity: Indian Male (ORM).
6. Undergrad: Public state school in SC. Majored in economics and minor in chemistry. Graduated 2024.
7. Clinical experience Paid:
   1. EMT (most meaningful): 7 to 800 hours over 1 year.
   2. Medical assistant: 400 hours over 6 months
   3. Starting a new full-time clinical research coordinator role: anticipating 1700 during gap year prior to matriculation
8. Clinical experience Volunteering:
   1. Free medical clinic volunteer: 150 hours, anticipating 150 more before matriculation
9. Research experience and productivity:
   1. Undergraduate analytical chemistry lab: 300 hours (no productivity)
   2. Podiatry literature review: 150 hours (poster)
10. Shadowing experience and specialties represented:
    1. Cardiothoracic surgery: 18 hours
    2. Anesthesiology: 60 hours
    3. Emergency medicine: 12 hours
    4. Ophthalmology: 10 hours
    5. Internal medicine: 20 hours
11. Non-Clinical Volunteering:
    1. Homeless shelter volunteering: 480 hours; consisted of serving meals, helping with resumes and technology.
12. Other ECs:
    1. Two different student organizations during undergrad; both with leadership positions: 130 hours
    2. Economics supplemental instructor (paid): 350 hours
13. Anything else not listed you think might be important:
    1. I'm mostly focusing my application to show that I am someone interested in making healthcare more accessible and equitable. First-generation college student. I also have 3 Ws on my transcript (I retook each class and made a B+, and 2 As; will have a letter of rec from one of those as well)
14. Letter of Rec current stash:
    1. Health economics prof
    2. Orgo 2 prof (class that I dropped and then made an A)
    3. Physics 2 prof
    4. Chem research PI
    5. Anesthesiologist MD

I have just gotten my MCAT score as I mentioned so my school list is in shambles. I will 100% apply to all three of my in-state MD programs but I would greatly appreciate any suggestions. Thank you all in advance.

*I've included my old list based on what I thought I'd get on MCAT but I believe that it will be too out of reach from a stats POV.

My old list:
University of Pittsburgh
UCLA
Emory
Ohio State
USC (Keck)
UMiami
Albert Einstein
Kaiser Permanente
Jefferson (Kimmel)
Georgetown University
Darthmouth (Geisel)
Wake Forest
Tufts
MUSC
Hackensack
Virginia Commonwealth
Wayne State
Medical College of Wisconsin
Carle Illinois
Tulane
University of Vermont
Penn State
George Washington
Rush
Drexel
University of South Carolina (Columbia)
University of South Carolina (Greenville)
Frank H. Netter (Quinnipiac)
Loyola
Albany
Virginia Tech
Meharry Medical College

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[Faha]

Most of the schools on your list are unrealistic with MCAT scores of 499 and 507. Meharry mainly admits applicants from the Black community. Carle is looking for applicants with an engineering background.
I suggest these schools with your stats:
Your South Carolina state public schools
Wake Forest
Methodist (when it opens)
NOVA MD
Belmont
Alice Walton
Roseman
TCU
Creighton
Ponce (St. Louis)
Rosalind Franklin
Loyola
Rush
Medical College Wisconsin
Oakland Beaumont
Wayne State
Eastern Virginia
Virginia Commonwealth
George Washington
Penn State
Drexel
Temple
Albany
Vermont
Quinnipiac

 

[sadpremedditor]

Most of the schools on your list are unrealistic with MCAT scores of 499 and 507. Meharry mainly admits applicants from the Black community. Carle is looking for applicants with an engineering background.
I suggest these schools with your stats:
Your South Carolina state public schools
Wake Forest
Methodist (when it opens)
NOVA MD
Belmont
Alice Walton
Roseman
TCU
Creighton
Ponce (St. Louis)
Rosalind Franklin
Loyola
Rush
Medical College Wisconsin
Oakland Beaumont
Wayne State
Eastern Virginia
Virginia Commonwealth
George Washington
Penn State
Drexel
Temple
Albany
Vermont
Quinnipiac

Yes I totally agree that most of the schools on the list I made are unrealistic. I should've mentioned I was averaging 515 so that is what I kept in mind when creating the list. I will also remove MeHarry and Carle since I am not black nor have an engineering background. Thank you for the school suggestions!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Be aware that schools will average MCAT attempts for screening purposes (unless they say otherwise). You should consider adding DO schools if you have no action by October.

 

[sadpremedditor]

Be aware that schools will average MCAT attempts for screening purposes (unless they say otherwise). You should consider adding DO schools if you have no action by October.

Is there a list of schools that do average MCAT attempts? I thought that most schools just look at the highest/most recent score.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Is there a list of schools that do average MCAT attempts? I thought that most schools just look at the highest/most recent score.

An early study on the MCAT from Stanford showed that for their program, average MCAT scores (pre-2015) correlated with success in their curriculum (at that time). Things have changed since then, but schools are still advised that (averaging) MCAT scores plus GPA are generally more predictive of early success in medical school. It is known that MCAT retakes generally fall within 3 points (plus or minus) of the original score, and the more time one takes to prepare, the higher the retake score tends to be. Your +8 will be noticed.

 

[sadpremedditor]

An early study on the MCAT from Stanford showed that for their program, average MCAT scores (pre-2015) correlated with success in their curriculum (at that time). Things have changed since then, but schools are still advised that (averaging) MCAT scores plus GPA are generally more predictive of early success in medical school. It is known that MCAT retakes generally fall within 3 points (plus or minus) of the original score, and the more time one takes to prepare, the higher the retake score tends to be. Your +8 will be noticed.

I hope they view my improvement in a good light. I see that you say to apply to DO schools in October if I have no interview invites, will that be on time or should I just go ahead and apply to some now? Any suggestions for which DO schools to apply to?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I hope they view my improvement in a good light. I see that you say to apply to DO schools in October if I have no interview invites, will that be on time or should I just go ahead and apply to some now? Any suggestions for which DO schools to apply to?

You could get started with a throwaway DO. I think VCOM has a satellite campus in South Carolina. Late for DO seems to be creeping towards the winter holidays (Thanksgiving to New Years) as they are shifting their cycle close dates and many new DO schools have opened and need more time to fill their spots.

Your best MD chances always fall on your in-state programs.