What low GPA range would accompany a 24Q

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Furballer said:
to have a decent shot at interviews to DO schools like TCOM/PCOM/VCOM say with a post-bacc, strong letters, good ECs?
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You're gonna get flamed so hard for this........ so hard, I say.

To make up a 24 MCAT you'll need a really, really solid GPA. Post-bacc will help a little, but you need to figure out what went wrong and what corrections can you make to raise that GPA up. Take advantage of the AACOM grade replacement policy.

Also, if you have time for postbacc... why not retake the MCAT?
 
You'd probably need a 3.8+, even then a 24 is likely around the lowest quartile of accepted students for most high ranking schools. That being said, a low mcat can always be solved with a month or two of effort.
 
serenade said:
You'd probably need a 3.8+, even then a 24 is likely around the lowest quartile of accepted students for most high ranking schools. That being said, a low mcat can always be solved with a month or two of effort.
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+1. Why are you so afraid to retake it? I retook mine and scored 4 points higher the 2nd attempt. I was afraid of it too. Just eat sh** for a couple of months and get it over with.
 
That's at/below the cutoff at most DO schools... Retake
 
If you don't mind where you go, as long as your GPA is 3.5+ then I don't think you should retake. I can think of around 10 schools (including new ones) off the top of my head where a 24 is fine.
 
user3 said:
If you don't mind where you go, as long as your GPA is 3.5+ then I don't think you should retake. I can think of around 10 schools (including new ones) off the top of my head where a 24 is fine.
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Yah... 9 of them are Caribbean and 1 is likely the weakest DO.
 
user3 said:
If you don't mind where you go, as long as your GPA is 3.5+ then I don't think you should retake. I can think of around 10 schools (including new ones) off the top of my head where a 24 is fine.
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I'd like to see this list.
 
I'm serious. A 24 may hold you back at schools like CCOM and NYCOM but I know for a fact that VCOM and LMU sites state that 24 is competitive. And at schools like those, and WVSOM, Pikeville, Atsu-soma, Pnwu, kcumb, wcu, PCOM-ga and the 3 new schools to open next year where averages are or will be 26 or lower, how can that score not be competitive? Yes some of those are regionally biased but if OP lives near there, his/her chances are that much better.
 
user3 said:
I'm serious. A 24 may hold you back at schools like CCOM and NYCOM but I know for a fact that VCOM and LMU sites state that 24 is competitive. And at schools like those, and WVSOM, Pikeville, Atsu-soma, Pnwu, kcumb, wcu, PCOM-ga and the 3 new schools to open next year where averages are or will be 26 or lower, how can that score not be competitive? Yes some of those are regionally biased but if OP lives near there, his/her chances are that much better.
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Taken from VCOM website: "A competitive MCAT score usually begins at 24; however, at VCOM the MCAT is weighed in connection with GPA and other personal qualities we see in each applicant. The overall GPA and the interview are considered of the most importance."

This number will only rise next year, and the key words are "usually begins". To make a 24 competitive, the OP would need a very solid GPA... as in 3.8+.

OP, your best bet is to just retake that MCAT. You can choose to risk applying with your current MCAT score... but that's a risk that doesn't make any sense when you have time to retake.
 
24 MCAT = ~41 percentile

OP, you should take it again to make sure that score was a fluke and not indicative of your true standardized test taking ability.
 
OP you should retake. i scored a 22 on my first attempt and a 32 on my retake. if i can improve by 10 poinst, then anyone can. good luck!
 
I made it in with a 3.2 and 24p. With all due respect it is impossible to understand just what the adcoms wants. Sometimes I think they just throw darts at a board lol.
 
If you have trouble studying without a structured class, take an MCAT class. Trust me, they are expensive, but they are a godsend. My first practice test was something like a 24 (at best), but by the time the test came around, I was consistently above 32.
 
red73 said:
If you have trouble studying without a structured class, take an MCAT class. Trust me, they are expensive, but they are a godsend. My first practice test was something like a 24 (at best), but by the time the test came around, I was consistently above 32.
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That's funny. I thought my MCAT class was a waste of time. The only useful things I got from it were the prep books and AAMC MCAT tokens.

I suppose it depends on the people teaching it. Mine were all really, really good... but I felt like we spent the same amount of time on every subject, when the MCAT actually more emphasis on certain things more than others. But the class definitely didn't HURT me at all... so you should look into it!
 
museic said:
I made it in with a 3.2 and 24p. With all due respect it is impossible to understand just what the adcoms wants. Sometimes I think they just throw darts at a board lol.
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congratz on that 👍
 
Iliketoytles said:
That's funny. I thought my MCAT class was a waste of time. The only useful things I got from it were the prep books and AAMC MCAT tokens.

I suppose it depends on the people teaching it. Mine were all really, really good... but I felt like we spent the same amount of time on every subject, when the MCAT actually more emphasis on certain things more than others. But the class definitely didn't HURT me at all... so you should look into it!
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def agree with this. I did kaplan and the only useful thing I got out of it was the aamc tests. It was pointless going to the three hour lectures, why listen to someone whose not much more qualified then me read from a script when I can just read the books and learn the stuff in half the time?
 
Wow, I guess I was just extremely lucky to have a great instructor. Honestly, he was a lot better than most of my undergrad professors. I actually still apply a lot of the study mechanisms we learned to my classes.
 
I didn't submit secondaries until December and have gotten 5 interviews and been accepted with a 24O and cGPA just under 3.2. It might help that I'm a non trad applicant and held a 3.97 through my post bacc program so I have a very high sGPA. Your MCAT score is going to be a red flag but there is hope. That said, if you have time you should try to retake, I was preparing to take it again in April just in case I didn't get in anywhere.
 
Jlaw said:
I didn't submit secondaries until December and have gotten 5 interviews and been accepted with a 24O and cGPA just under 3.2. It might help that I'm a non trad applicant and held a 3.97 through my post bacc program so I have a very high sGPA. Your MCAT score is going to be a red flag but there is hope. That said, if you have time you should try to retake, I was preparing to take it again in April just in case I didn't get in anywhere.
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I think the bolded is a huge reason why you received interviews. Post-bacc work not only helps improve your GPA and provides a great upward trend, but it also shows dedication and perseverance.

Congrats, btw. 🙂
 
museic's and jlaw's posts may only be n=2 but I think this strongly suggests OP will certainly be fine with a 24, as long as GPA's are > 3.5 (probably not even that!). After reading their testimonials as well as browsing through MD apps and the underdog thread, I am amazed that nearly everyone is suggesting a retake. As long as OP applies early, broadly, and smartly he/she should receive plenty of interviews! Come on people, 24 may be on the lower end but is sufficiently competitive for DO, or at least more so than most of you all would like to admit.
 
My MCAT was 24 but my GPA for my post bacc year was 3.9 and the rest of my app was solid. I'm going to get flamed too. I realize I went to school 10 years ago, just saying.
 
user3 said:
museic's and jlaw's posts may only be n=2 but I think this strongly suggests OP will certainly be fine with a 24, as long as GPA's are > 3.5 (probably not even that!). After reading their testimonials as well as browsing through MD apps and the underdog thread, I am amazed that nearly everyone is suggesting a retake. As long as OP applies early, broadly, and smartly he/she should receive plenty of interviews! Come on people, 24 may be on the lower end but is sufficiently competitive for DO, or at least more so than most of you all would like to admit.
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This is exactly what I was concerned about: that people would take information on SDN and MDApps too literally, gain a false sense of hope, which more often than not leads to disappointment when the app cycle rolls around and leaves them in the dust.

Understand that for every SDN'er who gets accepted with a 24 MCAT or 2.75 gpa and proceeds to post about it, there are probably tens or hundreds of others who remain silent with their rejections. The SDN population is a specific subset of students and is in no way representative of the entire pre-med population. And for those who do get accepted with sub-par stats, many of them have done years of post-bacc or masters work (like the previous poster), spent 15 years helping HIV+ babies in Somalia, you get the picture.

With a 24, your chances are generally not great, even for DO. Can you get accepted? Of course you can. But even if you do, you are the exception rather than the rule. There are plenty of 3.5/32 kids wondering why they haven't received an II since June 1st, when everyone was telling them from day one that they're a shoo-in at DO schools.

Point is, all we're trying to do on these forums is give fellow pre-meds the most realistic outlook and hopefully ensure their best chances for success. Let's not spread false hope to everyone coming on here with a 2.7 and a 22 (I'm making these numbers up) and tell 'em "Hey don't worry man! Just apply super-duper broadly on June 1st and you're all set!"
 
dbizzy said:
This is exactly what I was concerned about: that people would take information on SDN and MDApps too literally, gain a false sense of hope, which more often than not leads to disappointment when the app cycle rolls around and leaves them in the dust.

Understand that for every SDN'er who gets accepted with a 24 MCAT or 2.75 gpa and proceeds to post about it, there are probably tens or hundreds of others who remain silent with their rejections. The SDN population is a specific subset of students and is in no way representative of the entire pre-med population. And for those who do get accepted with sub-par stats, many of them have done years of post-bacc or masters work (like the previous poster), spent 15 years helping HIV+ babies in Somalia, you get the picture.

With a 24, your chances are generally not great, even for DO. Can you get accepted? Of course you can. But even if you do, you are the exception rather than the rule. There are plenty of 3.5/32 kids wondering why they haven't received an II since June 1st, when everyone was telling them from day one that they're a shoo-in at DO schools.

Point is, all we're trying to do on these forums is give fellow pre-meds the most realistic outlook and hopefully ensure their best chances for success. Let's not spread false hope to everyone coming on here with a 2.7 and a 22 (I'm making these numbers up) and tell 'em "Hey don't worry man! Just apply super-duper broadly on June 1st and you're all set!"
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Point taken, but IIRC there was a thread posted not long ago discussing the (apparent?) lack of DO reapplicants. There was no consensus on the thread, though no one seemed to contest that fact. Nonetheless, It made me wonder. It may be just me, but I am hard pressed to find people on the DO forums apply broadly but not receive an acceptance. Most of the people I've seen that didn't get into DO schools applied narrowly, applied very late, withdrew upon receiving MD acceptances, or had very poor stats (I'm talking < 3.0 overall/sci with < 25).

As for the 3.5/32 people not receiving interviews...well, if you're being serious, I guess they should have remembered to send their secondaries 🙄
 
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Iliketoytles said:
Taken from VCOM website: "A competitive MCAT score usually begins at 24; however, at VCOM the MCAT is weighed in connection with GPA and other personal qualities we see in each applicant. The overall GPA and the interview are considered of the most importance."

This number will only rise next year, and the key words are "usually begins". To make a 24 competitive, the OP would need a very solid GPA... as in 3.8+.

OP, your best bet is to just retake that MCAT. You can choose to risk applying with your current MCAT score... but that's a risk that doesn't make any sense when you have time to retake.
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From the website the average MCAT is a 24 and GPA is a 3.59 so that would lead me to believe a GPA around 3.6 should serve you well.
 
user3 said:
Point taken, but IIRC there was a thread posted not long ago discussing the (apparent?) lack of DO reapplicants. There was no consensus on the thread, though no one seemed to contest that fact. Nonetheless, It made me wonder. It may be just me, but I am hard pressed to find people on the DO forums apply broadly but not receive an acceptance. Most of the people I've seen that didn't get into DO schools applied narrowly, applied very late, withdrew upon receiving MD acceptances, or had very poor stats (I'm talking < 3.0 overall/sci with < 25).

As for the 3.5/32 people not receiving interviews...well, if you're being serious, I guess they should have remembered to send their secondaries 🙄
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Yeah, it's probably not that difficult to gain an acceptance into a DO school, as long as your stats aren't bad across the board. Who knows what GPA/Clinical/EC's OP will actually be applying with.
 
Instatewaiter said:
From the website the average MCAT is a 24 and GPA is a 3.59 so that would lead me to believe a GPA around 3.6 should serve you well.
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Perhaps the DO averages are lower than I thought... however, I would feel extremely uncomfortable being borderline "average" in a large application pool, where there are many average applicants (statistically)... unless I had some really unique EC or 2k hours of clinical volunteering (exaggerating, but you get my point).
 
user3 said:
If you don't mind where you go, as long as your GPA is 3.5+ then I don't think you should retake. I can think of around 10 schools (including new ones) off the top of my head where a 24 is fine.
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That's terrible advice. Retake. You ain't goin' no where unless you got a 3.9 and serious volunteering and research under your belt.

You want to take the 3% chance of being accepted as you stand based on the advice of SDN members? Go ahead. You'll regret it. Safe better than sorry.
 
HotandCold said:
That's terrible advice. Retake. You ain't goin' no where unless you got a 3.9 and serious volunteering and research under your belt.

You want to take the 3% chance of being accepted as you stand based on the advice of SDN members? Go ahead. You'll regret it. Safe better than sorry.
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That's terrible sarcasm
 
Save yourself the headache and heartache of the upcoming application season and just buckle down to improve your MCAT score. You *may* get in with your current score, but it's a crap-shoot. Why hope for the off-chance you get lucky, when you can greatly increase your chances by studying hard for 2-3 months? Take a May or June MCAT, get a higher score, and you'll be fine for next cycle. It's better than sitting on your ass doing nothing and having to reapply.
 
.
 
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That is lowest LECOM will take. Only ppl I know with a 24 went through THEIR post bacc program.
 
Not to hijack the thread, but with my MCAT (28), would an AACOMAS GPA around 3.4 (both c and s, and with a lot of retakes) make me competitive for a place like LECOM?
 
Just to follow up...I have heard people apply with 32s and 3.5s and not get in DO. I think that for someone applying DO you have to keep in mind that for every inch you gain on grades you lose on ec's. What I mean by that is DO's are known for taking that off the wall student with not so hot grades but crazy EC's. They may lax on grades but in my opinion weight a lot more on grade trends and ECs.
 
PS I applied to every DO school in July because i freaked when I saw my MCAT...evil impulses. In the end I landed with my top choice.

I think much of that had to do with my letter of recommendation. ie the DO was an alum from PCOM and very successful in his field.
 
Furballer said:
to have a decent shot at interviews to DO schools like TCOM/PCOM/VCOM say with a post-bacc, strong letters, good ECs?
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I'd say at least a 3.9 from an extremely reputable undergrad. 24Q is pretty bad (sorry). Why not retake it?
 
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