What MCAT score is needed?

[rainashley]

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I am applying to medical school in order to matriculate for Fall 2010. My stats are as follows: 3.4 overall GPA, 3.3 BCPM (from Ivy League)… 24 MCAT, and I applied as a disadvantaged (non-minority) student in NY. Oddly, I have not been rejected from the majority of the schools yet.
I will definitely be taking the MCAT again in January and I have plans to take upper division bio courses at a local 4-year (lower-tier) college in order to raise my undergraduate GPA. I am enrolled to take 16 upper level bio courses in the spring, such as genetics and virology. Are my future plans worthwhile? Will taking these post-bacc undergrad courses (doing very well in them) help my chances or is there something better I should be doing instead?
What is the minimum MCAT score I would need to earn on the January test in order to get into a medical school for Fall 2011?
Thank you!

 

[tremulousNeedle]

It's not impossible to get in with those stats, but it probably wont be easy. GPA & MCAT are below average. Most med school admissions are done on a rolling basis, many people have already been accepted for the fall of 2010. Interviews for waitlist spots usually end in March. Students need to accepted one seat in medical school by mid-May, after that weight-list spots are used to fill empty seats. I don't think those new grades will help you with admission because AMCAS for fall 2010 is closed; however, you can always send new grades separately at a later date to update your application.

You can only do so much to help your GPA, so work on areas that you can change. Doing better on your MCAT would help a lot for the next application cycle, 30 or better. Consider applying to DO schools. Cast a broader net when applying to programs.

 

[J ROD]

I would say as an URM....28 as the lowest...30/31 would be better...

assuming everything else is great...

 

[Bernoull]

I am applying to medical school in order to matriculate for Fall 2010. My stats are as follows: 3.4 overall GPA, 3.3 BCPM (from Ivy League)… 24 MCAT, and I applied as a disadvantaged (non-minority) student in NY. Oddly, I have not been rejected from the majority of the schools yet.
I will definitely be taking the MCAT again in January and I have plans to take upper division bio courses at a local 4-year (lower-tier) college in order to raise my undergraduate GPA. I am enrolled to take 16 upper level bio courses in the spring, such as genetics and virology. Are my future plans worthwhile? Will taking these post-bacc undergrad courses (doing very well in them) help my chances or is there something better I should be doing instead?
What is the minimum MCAT score I would need to earn on the January test in order to get into a medical school for Fall 2011?
Thank you!

It DEPENDS on what schools you applied to... While you won't be competitive for most schools, mainly due to ur MCAT, for other schools (few really), ur score is within range of matriculating students...
Goodluck

 

[rainashley]

It DEPENDS on what schools you applied to... While you won't be competitive for most schools, mainly due to ur MCAT, for other schools (few really), ur score is within range of matriculating students...
Goodluck

About 15 MD schools
What are the FEW schools in which my score is within range of matriculating students? Which ones exactly?
What MCAT score do I need to get into a MD school?
Thanks

 

[Bernoull]

About 15 MD schools
What are the FEW schools in which my score is within range of matriculating students? Which ones exactly?
What MCAT score do I need to get into a MD school?
Thanks

I meant it depends on your school list, if u applied to the top 15 schools, then u pretty don't stand a chance. The few schools I referred to are the HBCUs (Howard, Meharry etc..), PR schools and there's some State Schools with lower MCAT ranges for matriculating students.. I think there's one in Va, KS, maybe Oklahoma etc... The caveat with state schools is that they universally give preference to IS applicants and some don't consider OOSers.. u need to get the MSAR, that's the bible for school selection.

Having said all of this, med school application is not entirely predictable. Sometimes people with great stats get rejected and others with lower stats get accepted. It's very possible that u may get in, but probability may not be on ur side...


what schools did u apply to...

 

[rainashley]

None of the schools you mentioned... mostly NY schools and state schools of NY, and a few low tier OOS schools
The schools I am waiting to hear back from are basically NY schools
I was completed in Sept, but I havent heard anything from them yet... why could that be?

 

[tremulousNeedle]

If you completed in September and you haven't heard anything by now you can always call schools to see whats up.

September is relatively too late to have completed your application in most situations, AMCAS should have been completed the day it opens (early June) and secondaries completed within a few days of their arrival. These steps are especially important with below average numbers.

 

[rainashley]

i understand, thanks
but i took the mcat in august, which delayed my application
if i havent heard anything from some schools yet, is that a good thing?
what is the minimum mcat score i would need to get into a md school?

 

[tremulousNeedle]

Hello,

The delayed application submission is a problem, you may have to wait & reapply next year. For some applicants the submission date can be the MOST IMPORTANT part of the application process.

I won't sugar coat it, its not good if you haven't heard from schools by now. You may still get interview invitations for wait list spots. Many schools have their classes nearly filled by now and if you haven't even heard about interviews yet, obviously you can tell that that is not good.

While people have gotten into allopathic schools with a MCAT of 24, it is near impossible. Schools trying to better balance their diversity may be willing to accept a lower score to accomplish this, but the average student with a 24 won't get in. I really believe that your MCAT is too low.

Most schools dont release the minimum MCAT they require, but you need to shoot for the 28/29 range to get in the proverbial door and the 30+ range to be competitive.

Recommendations for next year would be to improve the MCAT score, apply more broadly, apply earlier, and consider applying to osteopathic schools (who tend to have less strict admit requirements).

I wish you the best of luck.

-- Senior med student who interviews for his school's adcom

 

[rainashley]

so what would be the minimum MCAT score I would need to earn on the January test to get into a medical school for Fall 2011?

 

[J ROD]

so what would be the minimum MCAT score I would need to earn on the January test to get into a medical school for Fall 2011?

to feel completely safe as I stated above....30/31 would be my nadir...

 

[Catalystik]

Even if you get a 33+, you have no guarantee of an acceptance, but that would be the goal I'd aim for as reasonable, with allopathic schools in mind: https://www.aamc.org/data/facts/applicantmatriculant/table24-mcatgpa-grid-3yrs-app-accpt.htm You can see that even with an MCAT of 40, you are not a shoo-in.

For DO schools, aim for a 26+.

 

[DrBOshkosh26]

Even if you get a 33+, you have no guarantee of an acceptance, but that would be the goal I'd aim for as reasonable, with allopathic schools in mind: https://www.aamc.org/data/facts/applicantmatriculant/table24-mcatgpa-grid-3yrs-app-accpt.htm You can see that even with an MCAT of 40, you are not a shoo-in.

For DO schools, aim for a 26+.

+1

I think a great goal is averaging 33+ on practice scores. This range seems to make the MCAT something that improves one's application.

 

[rainashley]

+1

I think a great goal is averaging 33+ on practice scores. This range seems to make the MCAT something that improves one's application.

I understand and I believe you
Isnt a jump from 24 to (let's say) 29 a signficant improvement?

 

[Catalystik]

A five point jump would be a great improvement. The question is, would it be enough for you to get into the schools you most want to attend. Answer: if osteopathic, probably. If allopathic, probably not.

 

[rainashley]

I want to get into a MD school.. ANY MD school...
how much does applying (economically) disadvantaged help me?
thanks

 

[Catalystik]

Sorry, but not enough. You need an MCAT score that proves you "got it" even though your GPA is on the low side.

 

[rainashley]

im just curious though, how much does it usually help a person who applies disadvantaged? whats the situation?
thanks

 

[Catalystik]

There is a current thread on the Premed Allo Forum that touches on this issue (when it stays on track; you have to sort out the other stuff discussed). LizzyM, the adcomm who is posting, seems to feel the designation is used for other purposes primarily. See: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=694134

 

[rainashley]

Ok, so this is basically my situation....

Some of the disadvantaged applicants I've seen came from single parent homes and didn't know their father. Many had parents who never attended college, a few had parents who didn't finish high school. Some had parents who were physically or mentally ill, addicted, and/or incarcerated.

Some disadvantaged students lacked a reliable form of transportation, didn't have the cash to participate in sports teams, summer camp, music & dance classes and other extracurricular activities in grammar school and high school.

 

[Catalystik]

Being successful despite financial challenges and limited support resourcs says a lot about the character, adaptivity, and determination of the applicant. Given two identical applicants, it's my guess that the disadvantaged applicant would be looked on more favorably. That doesn't mean one would get a free pass for poor stats. It might win one more understanding about a bad first year in college or the need for multiple MCAT retakes if no prep class was taken. I'd bet that every med school considers this differently and that no generalizations can be made.