WAMC/ School List Review/ MCAT Retake: CA ORM (3.85/512)

[ctlrj123]

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Hello:
I am currently a senior in undergrad who was planning on applying in the upcoming cycle. I am a CA ORM with a 3.85 GPA and a 512 MCAT (128/128/127/129). I have been generating a school list and working on my personal statement, and would love some advice!

Activities:
1. Clinical: 500 total (300 part time caregiving for dementia patients over 3 years, 200 hospital volunteer for geriatric patients over 3 years)
2. Non clinical employment: 550 total (250 as educator at summer camp, 300 as public health job on campus)
3. Research: 650 total (300 in wet lab, 350 in two different clinical research labs)
4. Nonclinical volunteering: 450 total (150 as a mentor/tutor for an adult literacy program where I help with English learning and other things like helping with job applications, taxes, citizenship materials etc but may get more, 250 for crisis text, 50 over a number of years for community swim team)
5.Shadowing: 45 total (30 pediatrics, 15 EM)
6. Misc: 400 hours total over 3.5 years for science journalism/research group
7. Hobby: history blog about middle ages
8. Extra: UK Study abroad

School list: I made this list based off of being OOS friendly and my MCAT being within 25-75 percentile save for 1 or 2. I will likely add DO's in California later.

1. UCLA
2. UCSD
3. UCSF
4. UCI
5. USC
6. UC Davis
7. Georgetown
8. Tulane
9. Boston University
10. Tufts
11. Ohio State
12. Cincinnati
13. NYU Long Island
14. Loyola
15. Boston University
16. University of Indiana
17. Kaiser
18. University of Massachusetts
19. George Washington
20. Colorado
21. St. Louis
22. Wake Forest
23. Creighton
24. Sidney Kimmel
25. Geisenger
26. Drexel
27. Temple
28. Miami
29. U Illinois
30. VCU
31. Cooper
32. Wayne State
33. Medical College Wisconsin
34. TCU
35. New York Medical College
36. Albany Medical College
37. UVM
38. Penn State
39. Dartmouth
40. EVMS
41. Rosalind Franklin
42. FAU
43. Western Michigan
44. Quinnipiac
45. Oakland University William Beaumont
46. University of Arizona

Currently my personal statement will likely be focusing on my desire to be able to address patient's emotional as well as physical wellbeing over time/over the life course and I am very interested in primary care.

I am also very afraid of not getting in to a single MD as I kind of feel like my application doesn't stand out in any way- my hours are very evenly split, and my MCAT is not as high as I would have liked. As such I need help deciding whether to retake my MCAT in April or turn in my application as is in June as well as some potential edits to my school list! Thanks!

 

[Faha]

You do not need to retake a MCAT of 512. You have several state public schools on your list that admit few non residents with no connection to to the state. I suggest these schools from your list:

1. UCLA
2. UCSD
3. UCSF
4. UCI
5. USC
6. UC Davis
7. Georgetown
8. Tulane
9. Tufts
10. University of Indiana
11. Kaiser
12. University of Massachusetts
13. George Washington
14. Colorado
15. St. Louis
16. Wake Forest
17. Creighton
18. Sidney Kimmel
19. Drexel
20. Temple
21. U Illinois
22. VCU
23. Wayne State
24. Medical College Wisconsin
25. TCU
26. New York Medical College
27. Albany Medical College
28. UVM
29. Penn State
30. EVMS
31. Rosalind Franklin
32. Western Michigan
33. Quinnipiac
34. Oakland University William Beaumont
35. You could add Belmont and Alice Walton as well as Roseman (when it opens)

 

[Mr.Smile12]

A comment on your non-clinical volunteering: keep building on your adult literacy/services activities and focus on the community services you assist with (job/tax/citizenship prep). Also the crisis text line is common among prehealth applicants but not considered helpful for your application unless you have actual face-to-face experience (not through Facetime, phone calls, or text messaging). Find opportunities to use your training with in-person opportunities, such as being a shelter volunteer. I don't consider experiences with 50 or fewer hours unless it's shadowing, so I'm not sure what your "swim team" volunteering involves.

Yes, I'm also not sure what you are presenting as your purpose as a physician, but you have a lot of adult/geriatric experience mentioned. It would be nice if you had involvement with veterans or hospice.

 

[ctlrj123]

A comment on your non-clinical volunteering: keep building on your adult literacy/services activities and focus on the community services you assist with (job/tax/citizenship prep). Also the crisis text line is common among prehealth applicants but not considered helpful for your application unless you have actual face-to-face experience (not through Facetime, phone calls, or text messaging). Find opportunities to use your training with in-person opportunities, such as being a shelter volunteer. I don't consider experiences with 50 or fewer hours unless it's shadowing, so I'm not sure what your "swim team" volunteering involves.

Yes, I'm also not sure what you are presenting as your purpose as a physician, but you have a lot of adult/geriatric experience mentioned. It would be nice if you had involvement with veterans or hospice.

Thanks! Yes i picked up crisis text line towards the end of COVID in university as there weren't too many in person opportunities. For the swim team I am not sure how many hours I have since I have been on the team and volunteering on and off since age 9 through the middle of university but the volunteer side is mostly running the snack bar, assistant coaching free swim practices, setting up and breaking down swim meets, etc.

I am hoping to pick up more shifts with adult literacy and get 150 hours total before applying and maybe pick up another type of in person volunteering to supplement. I originally wanted to work in geriatrics but when I worked at the summer camp I realized I enjoyed the diversity of working with people of all ages in all stages of life and after shadowing pediatrics so instead of specifically geriatrics I just want to do something in primary care.

I am nervous/feel like I am in a tough position because I feel like I'm not a good fit for either research heavy or service heavy schools- my application doesn't read as service but my stats and interests match those schools the best, however my MCAT isn't good enough for most research schools. I guess I could always take a second gap year to increase service if I can't get enough hours by June.