What are my chances? What should I do?

[Garibaldo]

I'll bet you guys love seeing this sort of post over and over and over and over again. Here goes...I am a Senior at UC Berkeley majoring in Molecular and Cell Biology. I currently have a 3.2 overall and most likely a 3.0 science GPA. I'm hoping to get my GPA up to a 3.3 by the end of this year. I've received straight A\A- for the last year. Hopefully I can keep up this positive trend. My GPA was CRAP prior to my Junior year. A lot of Cs in classes like Ochem and Physics. I took the August MCAT and got a 10,10,10 and R on the writing sample. I'm currently doing a year of honors research with a fairly famous researcher and I've previously done research in a histology lab for three months. I just started volunteering in a local hospital this year. I plan to take the MCATs over again because I didn't really study for the August MCAT because I was working and taking summer school classes at the same time. What should I do at this point? I was going to take a year of undergraduate courses at a postbac program somewhere, but I don't want to spend an additional year taking classes and have nothing to show for it. Could I take a one year masters program instead or should I work on getting my undergrad GPA up? Let's say I get a 32-33 on the next MCAT. What are my chances of getting in with my current stats if I apply after this year?

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[tonem]

Your chances are pretty decent. There is no reason why you couldn't start one of the two options you suggested for yourself and apply at the same time. That way if you don't get in this time around, you've already started doing something about getting in the next time you apply. But, from what you said in your post, I think you have a pretty good shot as things stand now. Good luck. Go Bears!

 

[gooloogooloo]

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Did I make my point clear?

BTW, I am no better than you. LOL

 

[Jalby]

I was in totally the exact same situation as you 2 years ago, but with a better MCAT. I didn't get a single interview request. I definately recommend getting a Masters and proabbly retaking the MCAT. I'm getting a Masters at UCLA right now and having a ton better success applying to med school.

 

[Garibaldo]

Jalbrekt, can you give me some more specifics on your stats? Also, what do you mean by a ton of success? How competitive is the UCLA masters program?

 

[Jalby]

I sent you a private message.

 

[gooloogooloo]

Originally posted by Jalbrekt:
•I was in totally the exact same situation as you 2 years ago, but with a better MCAT. I didn't get a single interview request. I definately recommend getting a Masters and proabbly retaking the MCAT. I'm getting a Masters at UCLA right now and having a ton better success applying to med school.•

Are you kidding me? You were in a similar situation and got no interview? Ooooosh, this is TOO early for me to think of giving up! Can you tell me your stat as well? Especially the GPA at the time you applied. Thanks!

 

[aqua]

i say go for it-- apply and consider back up options like masters. i have been accepted at one school already, with several other interviews. my stats are similar to yours, with a sci gpa right around 3.1. i think improvement in gpa helps, and having great recs and essays makes a huge difference. good luck!

 

[Garibaldo]

bump

 

[none]

A balanced 30R is VERY good. Your MCAT is not your problem at all. It's very likely your score would go down if you decided to retake and even if it did go up, med schools would just assume you had a new familiarity with test, not that there was some problem with you on the day you took it the last time. Get your GPA up, keep away from those A-'s and only get A's, you can't afford the luxury of A-'s now. I say apply next year w/o a Masters and don't worry about the MCAT, spend the time you would have spent preparing for that, on your classes.

 

[godfather]

i agree with the person that says don't take the mcat again. your playing with fire if you do and if your score goes down that would be a catastrophe. even though you go to a good school your gpa is at the lower end of competitiveness. it's very unlikely that getting a few more A's is going to greatly enhance your gpa at this stage. if i were you i would take a couple of easy classes(like gym 100) just to get your gpa at 3.3(3.3 psycologically looks much better than 3.2) and apply to DO schools. your still very competitive for these schools(i would also apply to my in state allopathic schools just because they favor in state applicants) and you should secure 1 admission somewhere.(also apply EARLY, this is at times like adding .25 points to your gpa or like adding 3 points to your mcat total). just don't try to do too much because you might end up hurting yourself instead of helping yourself. Right know if you play your cards right you should be able to get in somewhere. good luck.

 

[dodo2]

I think you are ok as is. UC Berley is known for its hard grading policies.