What MCAT do I need?

[petomed]

29 yr old nontrad here. It's been a ride so far but I managed a 4.0 since deciding on the switch into medicine. I'm taking my time before sitting for the MCAT and am enjoying the review process. I'm curious for comment on what minimum MCAT adcoms would need to see to corroborate my turnaround and commitment to medicine. My graduate and postbacc gpa's are excellent but certainly don't erase my undergrad gpa. Unfortunately I didn't really discover how to learn efficiently until graduate school. I will continue to work on the miscellaneous subjective stats until app time. Below are the vitals.

B.S. Mechanical Engineering (149 credits)
BCMP: 3.57 (52 credits)
AO: 3.28 (97 credits)

M.S. Mechanical Engineering (27 credits)
BCMP: N/A
AO: 3.85 (27 credits)

3 year academic gap working full-time as an engineer.

DIY post-bacc of Bio I-II, Organic I-II, Biochem (20 credits)
BCMP: 4.00 (20 credits)
AO: N/A

Total:
BCMP: 3.69 (72 credits)
AO: 3.40 (124 credits)

500+ emergency department volunteer hours by application time
20+ PCP shadow hrs by application time

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[rdyotz]

DO schools will use graduate work to calculate GPA, but MD schools usually do not, therefore calculate a cumulative GPA without the grad work (should have 1 that includes all undergrad grades [cGPA] and 1 for BCMP [sGPA], the AO GPA is not as useful.)

 

[Goro]

29 yr old nontrad here. It's been a ride so far but I managed a 4.0 since deciding on the switch into medicine. I'm taking my time before sitting for the MCAT and am enjoying the review process. I'm curious for comment on what minimum MCAT adcoms would need to see to corroborate my turnaround and commitment to medicine. My graduate and postbacc gpa's are excellent but certainly don't erase my undergrad gpa. Unfortunately I didn't really discover how to learn efficiently until graduate school. I will continue to work on the miscellaneous subjective stats until app time. Below are the vitals.

B.S. Mechanical Engineering (149 credits)
BCMP: 3.57 (52 credits)
AO: 3.28 (97 credits)

M.S. Mechanical Engineering (27 credits)
BCMP: N/A
AO: 3.85 (27 credits)

3 year academic gap working full-time as an engineer.

DIY post-bacc of Bio I-II, Organic I-II, Biochem (20 credits)
BCMP: 4.00 (20 credits)
AO: N/A

Total:
BCMP: 3.69 (72 credits)
AO: 3.40 (124 credits)

500+ emergency department volunteer hours by application time
20+ PCP shadow hrs by application time

For MD: 513+
For your state MD: 508-510+
For DO: 505+

 

[petomed]

DO schools will use graduate work to calculate GPA, but MD schools usually do not, therefore calculate a cumulative GPA without the grad work (should have 1 that includes all undergrad grades [cGPA] and 1 for BCMP [sGPA], the AO GPA is not as useful.)

Incorporating this change:

cGPA: 3.45 (169 credits)
sGPA: 3.69 (72 credits)

 

[petomed]

For MD: 513+
For your state MD: 508-510+
For DO: 505+

Thanks Goro. If I hit the 513+ MCAT, am I limited to lower GPA schools because of my GPA stats or are the doors a bit more open to the higher GPA schools with a 513+ MCAT?

 

[Goro]

Thanks Goro. If I hit the 513+ MCAT, am I limited to lower GPA schools because of my GPA stats or are the doors a bit more open to the higher GPA schools with a 513+ MCAT?

Only those that reward reinvention, like Case, Hofstra and their ilk. Once you have yoru MCAT score, then we can advise properly. I suggest getting in more post-bac coursework that mimics med school courses in the mean time.

 

[daw05]

DO schools will use graduate work to calculate GPA, but MD schools usually do not, therefore calculate a cumulative GPA without the grad work (should have 1 that includes all undergrad grades [cGPA] and 1 for BCMP [sGPA], the AO GPA is not as useful.)

Are yo sure this is true? My AMCAS GPA included my graduate work for cGPA