What MCAT score will I need to have a shot of getting into a bottom tier school?

[bears1992]

I'm a non traditional student (graduated with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering a year ago). My first two years i had a 2.44 but my last three year of undergrad I had a 3.51. I've spent the last year doing the med school prereqs (all A's except three B's). Since grade replacement is no more, my cGPA is 3.14 and my sGPA is 3.35. I worked full time doing construction design drawings during my undergrad and the past year I've worked full time as a consulting engineer. I have 175 volunteer hours in the ER and 50 shadowing hours.

I've got recommendation letters from:
The Dean of Mech. Engineering at my Uni
Mech Engineering Research Professor at my Uni
Research Admin for a project I received a grant for
Volunteer Director at the hospital I volunteer at
EM physician (MD)
IM physician (MD)
The president of the company I work for (non engineer)

What MCAT score will I need to have a shot (applying to 15 bottom tier DO schools)?
Beside MCAT score, what else can I do to bolster my application? Besides GPA, are there any red flags that would discourage a school from sending a secondary app or extending an interview invite?

-Thanks in advance!

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[Marrowist]

First of all there are no tiers. Get a 500 plus, but don't shoot for the minimum. Shot for your best.

 

[Doctor or bust]

more volunteering would be helpful and the higher your MCAT the better. 508 and up and you would be competitive in my opinion.

 

[bears1992]

First of all there are no tiers. Get a 500 plus, but don't shoot for the minimum. Shot for your best.

Bottom tier as in schools that have a lower matriculate GPA. I don't care where I go, so I'm just applying to the 15 schools that seem to have the lowest standards for acceptance.

 

[bears1992]

more volunteering would be helpful and the higher your MCAT the better. 508 and up and you would be competitive in my opinion.

I'm doing four hours a week. At this point, after work and school, all of my free time goes to studying for the MCAT. I can do more volunteering but I think it would be a trade off with my MCAT score. How many more hours do you think I would need?

 

[HMtoDO]

Make sure you either get your committee letter or 2 science professors letters (and some schools require 1 non science professor letter as well). The physician letters are great but you need the required letters before any of the others.

Edit: a letter from a DO physician if possible as well

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[Marrowist]

Get a DO letter.

 

[Doctor or bust]

Focus on the MCAT to get a foot in the door as you certainly aren't going to be hitting anything truly outstanding in terms of hours at this point. Crush the MCAT and then volunteer as you wish. The MCAT has never been more important for DO students than it is now.

 

[jorjorswens]

Do really well on the mcat! Most important for you right now. I have a classmate that got 3.3 gpa but 36 on mcat and he is in MD school.


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[JB50]

465

Most schools have a cap for letters btw.

 

[Frogger27]

500+ to have a chance at DO. Aim for 505+

 

[Goro]

This!

First of all there are no tiers. Get a 500 plus, but don't shoot for the minimum. Shot for your best.

 

[radian313]

I know someone who got into with a 3.3 GPA and a 495 mcat. But she had an amazing compelling story and ECs. Anything below 500 is not going to cut it. ESP now since mcat will be more of a big deciding factor it seems.

 

[bears1992]

465

Most schools have a cap for letters btw.

Which letter(s) do you think I should kick out? Unfortunately the physician letters are probably the weakest of the group because I only spent 25 hours with each.

 

[JB50]

Which letter(s) do you think I should kick out? Unfortunately the physician letters are probably the weakest of the group because I only spent 25 hours with each.

Eh, you got better sources than me for that decision, sorry.

Try the moderator of the month, he'll most likely reply.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Bottom tier as in schools that have a lower matriculate GPA. I don't care where I go, so I'm just applying to the 15 schools that seem to have the lowest standards for acceptance.

This is a very poor way to approach it. You should be trying to get into the best school that you can. With that said I would focus everything you can on the MCAT because the higher it goes the more doors will be opened to you. Above a 508 and you should at least get one interview from tuebmote established schools, above 510 and you will most likely get more than that.

Try the moderator of the month, he'll most likely reply.

Be careful JB I might just ban you.

 

[bears1992]

This is a very poor way to approach it. You should be trying to get into the best school that you can. With that said I would focus everything you can on the MCAT because the higher it goes the more doors will be opened to you. Above a 508 and you should at least get one interview from tuebmote established schools, above 510 and you will most likely get more than that.



Be careful JB I might just ban you.

Thanks! At this point, I am not concerned with getting into a good program, I am just trying to get into ANY program. I know I can't apply to all 36 schools so I'm trying to weed out the schools that are 100% out of my league. I have all the schools ranked in terms of matriculate GPA and I am trying to apply to the ones with the lowest matriculate GPA (minus the schools that don't take non-trad and schools that only take local students).

 

[Marrowist]

Thanks! At this point, I am not concerned with getting into a good program, I am just trying to get into ANY program. I know I can't apply to all 36 schools so I'm trying to weed out the schools that are 100% out of my league. I have all the schools ranked in terms of matriculate GPA and I am trying to apply to the ones with the lowest matriculate GPA (minus the schools that don't take non-trad and schools that only take local students).

What you are trying to do at this long is what we call a school list.

 

[JB50]

This is a very poor way to approach it. You should be trying to get into the best school that you can. With that said I would focus everything you can on the MCAT because the higher it goes the more doors will be opened to you. Above a 508 and you should at least get one interview from tuebmote established schools, above 510 and you will most likely get more than that.



Be careful JB I might just ban you.

Love

 

[Wjldenver]

This is not rocket science. First of all, identify all new schools...Rocky Vista-Utah, ARCOM, NYIT-Arkansas, UIW, etc. (Use the search function on SDN to identify all new schools.) Apply to these first. Then take this list and work your way from the bottom up until you run out of energy and/or application $.

Touro-Ca: 3.50/3.45/30.8 (2015) 65.8
CCOM: 3.59/3.53/29.4 (2015) 65.5
MSU: 3.64/3.6/29 (2015) 65.4
DMU: 3.65/3.61/28.8 (2015) 65.3
AZCOM: 3.51/3.44/30 65.1
RVU: 3.63/?/28.5 (2015) 64.8
UNTHSC-TCOM: 3.67/3.57/28 (2015) 64.7
KCUMB: 3.67/3.62/27.8 64.5
NYIT: 3.6/28 64.4
RowanSOM: 3.54/3.48/29 64.4
Western: 3.58/3.56/28 63.8
LECOM-B: 3.53/3.45/28
Touro-NV: 3.5/3.4/28
NSU: 3.49/3.40/28 (2013)
Marian: 3.62/3.56/27.53 (2015)
OU-HCOM: 3.65/3.58/27.37 63.9
COMP-NW: 3.55/3.5/28 63.5
OSU-COM: 3.6/3.6/27 63.0
UNECOM: 3.5/27 62.0
PNWU: 3.46/3.37/27.29 (2015) 61.9
PCOM-Ga: 3.4/3.5/27 61.0
CUSOM: 3.6/3.5/27
KCOM: 3.46/3.34/27
PCOM: 3.5/3.5/27
LECOM-E/SH: 3.48/3.35/27 (2013)
SOMA: 3.39/3.34/26.04 59.9
WCU: 3.5/3.4/502 = 26 (2016) 61
ACOM: 3.5/3.3/26 (2015) 61
VCOM (all): 3.6/3.5/25.36 61.4
BCOM: 3.5/?/25 60.0
KYCOM: 3.50/3.41/24.6 59.6
LMU: 3.43/3.35/25-26 ~59
WVSOM: 3.4/3.36/25 59.0
LUCOM: 3.4/24 58

 

[NecrotizingFasciitis]

This is not rocket science. First of all, identify all new schools...Rocky Vista-Utah, ARCOM, NYIT-Arkansas, UIW, etc. (Use the search function on SDN to identify all new schools.) Apply to these first. Then take this list and work your way from the bottom up until you run out of energy and/or application $.

Touro-Ca: 3.50/3.45/30.8 (2015) 65.8
CCOM: 3.59/3.53/29.4 (2015) 65.5
MSU: 3.64/3.6/29 (2015) 65.4
DMU: 3.65/3.61/28.8 (2015) 65.3
AZCOM: 3.51/3.44/30 65.1
RVU: 3.63/?/28.5 (2015) 64.8
UNTHSC-TCOM: 3.67/3.57/28 (2015) 64.7
KCUMB: 3.67/3.62/27.8 64.5
NYIT: 3.6/28 64.4
RowanSOM: 3.54/3.48/29 64.4
Western: 3.58/3.56/28 63.8
LECOM-B: 3.53/3.45/28
Touro-NV: 3.5/3.4/28
NSU: 3.49/3.40/28 (2013)
Marian: 3.62/3.56/27.53 (2015)
OU-HCOM: 3.65/3.58/27.37 63.9
COMP-NW: 3.55/3.5/28 63.5
OSU-COM: 3.6/3.6/27 63.0
UNECOM: 3.5/27 62.0
PNWU: 3.46/3.37/27.29 (2015) 61.9
PCOM-Ga: 3.4/3.5/27 61.0
CUSOM: 3.6/3.5/27
KCOM: 3.46/3.34/27
PCOM: 3.5/3.5/27
LECOM-E/SH: 3.48/3.35/27 (2013)
SOMA: 3.39/3.34/26.04 59.9
WCU: 3.5/3.4/502 = 26 (2016) 61
ACOM: 3.5/3.3/26 (2015) 61
VCOM (all): 3.6/3.5/25.36 61.4
BCOM: 3.5/?/25 60.0
KYCOM: 3.50/3.41/24.6 59.6
LMU: 3.43/3.35/25-26 ~59
WVSOM: 3.4/3.36/25 59.0
LUCOM: 3.4/24 58

We should make this list easy to find/edit.. very useful for making school lists.

OP, when you study for the MCAT, strive to get the best score possible. Set a realistic goal (e.g. 500) and when you reach that goal, raise the bar (e.g. 502) and keep going until your test date.. Get the best score you can and try to make it a balanced one (relatively close numbers across the sections.)

I completely agree with others... get into the best school that you can. A strong MCAT and a DO letter of recommendation will open many doors for you.

 

[Alienman52]

First of all there are no tiers. Get a 500 plus, but don't shoot for the minimum. Shot for your best.

Strongly concur. I would say, combined with your GPA, shoot for 505+ to possibly receive some interviews. Your sGPA isn't terrible, but your cGPA might hurt a bit. Give the MCAT your best go.

Good luck to you OP.


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[bears1992]

This is not rocket science. First of all, identify all new schools...Rocky Vista-Utah, ARCOM, NYIT-Arkansas, UIW, etc. (Use the search function on SDN to identify all new schools.) Apply to these first. Then take this list and work your way from the bottom up until you run out of energy and/or application $.

Touro-Ca: 3.50/3.45/30.8 (2015) 65.8
CCOM: 3.59/3.53/29.4 (2015) 65.5
MSU: 3.64/3.6/29 (2015) 65.4
DMU: 3.65/3.61/28.8 (2015) 65.3
AZCOM: 3.51/3.44/30 65.1
RVU: 3.63/?/28.5 (2015) 64.8
UNTHSC-TCOM: 3.67/3.57/28 (2015) 64.7
KCUMB: 3.67/3.62/27.8 64.5
NYIT: 3.6/28 64.4
RowanSOM: 3.54/3.48/29 64.4
Western: 3.58/3.56/28 63.8
LECOM-B: 3.53/3.45/28
Touro-NV: 3.5/3.4/28
NSU: 3.49/3.40/28 (2013)
Marian: 3.62/3.56/27.53 (2015)
OU-HCOM: 3.65/3.58/27.37 63.9
COMP-NW: 3.55/3.5/28 63.5
OSU-COM: 3.6/3.6/27 63.0
UNECOM: 3.5/27 62.0
PNWU: 3.46/3.37/27.29 (2015) 61.9
PCOM-Ga: 3.4/3.5/27 61.0
CUSOM: 3.6/3.5/27
KCOM: 3.46/3.34/27
PCOM: 3.5/3.5/27
LECOM-E/SH: 3.48/3.35/27 (2013)
SOMA: 3.39/3.34/26.04 59.9
WCU: 3.5/3.4/502 = 26 (2016) 61
ACOM: 3.5/3.3/26 (2015) 61
VCOM (all): 3.6/3.5/25.36 61.4
BCOM: 3.5/?/25 60.0
KYCOM: 3.50/3.41/24.6 59.6
LMU: 3.43/3.35/25-26 ~59
WVSOM: 3.4/3.36/25 59.0
LUCOM: 3.4/24 58

Thanks for this list! I haven't seen anything yet with all the schools entrance stats together.