What is good enough?

[Maigret Man]

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Folks,

I am writing for some advice. I am applying this cycle for allopathic schools. My homestate is Massachusetts. I just got my MCAT score back and it was a VERY disappointing. Should I retake? My info is below. Any advice would be appreciated!

ECs
A lot of research and clinical experience

LORs
Very solid

GPA
BCPM: 3.46
Overall: 3.44

MCAT:
PS: 10
VR: 10
WS: M
BS: 8

 

[njbmd]

Folks,

I am writing for some advice. I am applying this cycle for allopathic schools. My homestate is Massachusetts. I just got my MCAT score back and it was a VERY disappointing. Should I retake? My info is below. Any advice would be appreciated!

ECs
A lot of research and clinical experience

LORs
Very solid

GPA
BCPM: 3.46
Overall: 3.44

MCAT:
PS: 10
VR: 10
WS: M
BS: 8

The average undergraduate GPA for matriculants in allopathic medical schools is 3.6 and the average MCAT is 30. Based on these numbers, you are below average. That being said, averages are just that, "average". No one has a crystal ball and thus, your options are to apply with what you have; apply to both allopathic and osteopathic medical school (broadly) or attempt to raise both your undergraduate GPA and MCAT closer to the averages and then apply. You are the only person who can evaluate whether or not your are willing to work to raise your numbers or apply with what you have. Certainly there are going to be some people who gain acceptance this year with numbers that match yours.

 

[DrMidlife]

UMass appears to be VERY favorable for instate applicants, so I'd go ahead and at least apply there now. You're not that far off.

According to the last MSAR:
763 applied (I don't have instate/OOS breakdown w/me)
436 interviewed
100 out of 103 matriculants were MA residents
median applicant MCAT 33Q
median applicant GPA 3.63
median applicant sci GPA 3.6

With an in-state school this favorable, it's hard to get excited about applying to 20+ schools, isn't it?

Best of luck to you.

 

[Law2Doc]

UMass appears to be VERY favorable for instate applicants, so I'd go ahead and at least apply there now. You're not that far off.

According to the last MSAR:
763 applied (I don't have instate/OOS breakdown w/me)
436 interviewed
100 out of 103 matriculants were MA residents
median applicant MCAT 33Q
median applicant GPA 3.63
median applicant sci GPA 3.6

With an in-state school this favorable, it's hard to get excited about applying to 20+ schools, isn't it?

Best of luck to you.

Unless I'm misreading something this state school seems to have stats significantly above the average non-state school. Not sure how you are reading that as so favorable.

 

[DrMidlife]

Unless I'm misreading something this state school seems to have stats significantly above the average non-state school. Not sure how you are reading that as so favorable.

I should have defined my use of "favorable." The odds of getting an interview, and the odds of getting accepted, are WAY higher at UMass than average. Leaving GPA and MCAT out of it, you have a 57% chance of being interviewed, and a 13% chance of being accepted, by applying to UMass. There are only 7 allo schools that can beat these numbers (all state schools, such as Mississippi and North Dakota).

Again, I don't have in-state vs. OOS interview/matriculant data with me, so this is all-inclusive. Presumably, in a school that effectively bars OOS, the in-state numbers are slightly more favorable than the total numbers.

As the 08-09 MSAR reports it, UMass median accepted applicant overall GPA of 3.63 is 103rd out of 124. Science GPA of 3.6 is 93 out of 124. MCAT of 33Q is tied with the Mayo Clinic at 26 out of 124. (The 125th school is U of MO KC which is a BS/MD program and doesn't have numbers.)

See elsewhere for arguments about whether these median accepted applicant numbers have any meaning at all. The numbers that would actually be interesting, which aren't available en masse, would be averages for matriculants.

If you're an applicant, like me, whose numbers aren't going to get you autoscreened in, but whose interview, LORs, PS, and ECs are darned good, interview percentages are everything.

Says me. Take w/salt.

 

[Maigret Man]

Thanks for all the advice folks. UMass is an instate only school (only OOS MD/PhD people are admitted) so the numbers look favorable because only 700 or so people apply and over 50% of applicants are interviewed. But as mentioned the average numbers are pretty high. I have both the MSAR and USNews.

So should I retake the MCAT? My average score over 7 AAMC practice tests (done under test conditions) was 32. None were under 30. On the day I took the MCAT I totally freaked. I think my decent practice test scores lulled me into a false sense of security. If I take the MCAT again, I won't underestimate it! I could take it in August. Would that affect applications?