what steps are next?

[dochopefully1]

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Hey guys,
so my mcat didnt go as well as my practice tests gauged.. i got a 507
this wouldnt be an issue but i will be graduating with only a 3.0 w a significant upward trend,
ecs include shadowing research volunteering

do you guys think it would be worth a shot applying or is a masters/postbacc required?
appreciate all the advice!

 

[Doc_Ock]

You left a lot out; what are your extra-curriculars and science gpa?

 

[dochopefully1]

ecs include being a researcher for 2 years, hospice work 100 hrs, hospital volunteering 200 hrs even though its been awhile, tutoring,shadowing 60ish hours
science gpa will probably be around 3.0 as well by june, its looking like a 4.0 this quarter so ill keep up the work

 

[Doc_Ock]

Your research doesn't count for jack s***, take it from someone who had almost 2,000 hours and still couldn't get in after 2 cycles with a 510 MCAT. Focus on your clinical experiences, shadow more/get more hospice work.

 

[dochopefully1]

damn thats rough to hear, i thought research was seen positively, and will do! is there anything else i should be doing clinically speaking?

 

[Doc_Ock]

damn thats rough to hear, i thought research was seen positively, and will do! is there anything else i should be doing clinically speaking?

Anything you can to get a kick@ss letter of rec. Starting a few years ago everyone started saying how beneficial research was to your app, it's bull unless you're gunning for a dual PhD program or one to tip-top med schools. Otherwise it really doesn't count for much.

 

[68PGunner]

ecs include being a researcher for 2 years, hospice work 100 hrs, hospital volunteering 200 hrs even though its been awhile, tutoring,shadowing 60ish hours
science gpa will probably be around 3.0 as well by june, its looking like a 4.0 this quarter so ill keep up the work

More medical exp
Improved GPAs
Higher MCAT

Honest opinion here: your gpas and ECs suck hard. Your MCAT is slightly above average. Therefore, your other two deficiencies need to improve or your MCAT needs to be a beast. Also, do you live close to a DO school? It might be to your advantage to develop the connections there through work and get into that school.

 

[rg2o3]

Your research doesn't count for jack s***, take it from someone who had almost 2,000 hours and still couldn't get in after 2 cycles with a 510 MCAT. Focus on your clinical experiences, shadow more/get more hospice work.

Didn’t get in with a 510? What was that gpa..

 

[dochopefully1]

More medical exp
Improved GPAs
Higher MCAT

Honest opinion here: your gpas and ECs suck hard. Your MCAT is slightly above average. Therefore, your other two deficiencies need to improve or your MCAT needs to be a beast. Also, do you live close to a DO school? It might be to your advantage to develop the connections there through work and get into that school.

appreciate the bluntness, that being said, how do i improve ec's, do you think if i do a postbacc an mcat retake is necessary?

 

[68PGunner]

damn thats rough to hear, i thought research was seen positively, and will do! is there anything else i should be doing clinically speaking?

DO schools don’t care about research.

 

[Doc_Ock]

Didn’t get in with a 510? What was that gpa..

3.26. Got accepted this September.

 

[Doc_Ock]

appreciate the bluntness, that being said, how do i improve ec's, do you think if i do a postbacc an mcat retake is necessary?

With a 507, no.

 

[68PGunner]

appreciate the bluntness, that being said, how do i improve ec's, do you think if i do a postbacc an mcat retake is necessary?

More medical work experience, more volunteer work, and more DO shadow hrs. That’s for your ECs. I suggest medical scribing work. The skills from that job will help you in your clinical classes in term of oral presentation.

As for your grades, you need to take upper level science courses and do well in them. The following classes will help you in the 1st semester of medical school: Biochemistry, Immunology, Genetics, and maybe Anatomy. Get As in all of them and you will do much better on your MCAT also.

 

[dochopefully1]

so you guys dont think its possible to even get into the newer schools? i was hoping a postbacc wasnt absolutely required but it is what it is

 

[68PGunner]

No to postbac. Get a better MCAT score like 510+, do the following stuff that I told you, and you will do very well on the next cycle. If you get a 515+ w/ a cumulative 3.2 gpas, you should also consider your state MD and lower tier MDs.

 

[Doc_Ock]

No to postbac. Get a better MCAT score like 510+, do the following stuff that I told you, and you will do very well on the next cycle. If you get a 515+ w/ a cumulative 3.2 gpas, you should also consider your state MD and lower tier MDs.

I'm going to respectfully disagree, your science gpa will haunt you. Even a 516 with a bunch of EC's would be a wash. You need a postbacc/SMP to show adcoms you can handle the rigor of med school.

 

[dochopefully1]

No to postbac. Get a better MCAT score like 510+, do the following stuff that I told you, and you will do very well on the next cycle. If you get a 515+ w/ a cumulative 3.2 gpas, you should also consider your state MD and lower tier MDs.

appreciate it man

 

[68PGunner]

I'm going to respectfully disagree, your science gpa will haunt you. Even a 516 with a bunch of EC's would be a wash. You need a postbacc/SMP to show adcoms you can handle the rigor of med school.

I am a second year in medical school. I know about the rigor of medical school.

OP, if you do well in the listed classes, you will prove to adcom people that you won’t fail first year. Trust me on this.

 

[rg2o3]

3.26. Got accepted this September.

Nice!

 

[Doc_Ock]

I am a second year in medical school. I know about the rigor of medical school.

OP, if you do well in the listed classes, you will prove to adcom people that you won’t fail first year. Trust me on this.

I went through 3 round of application cycles. I know the process better than you.
Proof: I had a 510 MCAT with a significantly higher cGPA, sGPA, and a loooooot of EC's and still didn't get in. My stats were better than OP in literally every way (even with the exact MCAT you specify!) and I didn't get in. Your advising him he'll get in with way less? Respectfully you don't know what you're talking about.

 

[68PGunner]

I went through 3 round of application cycles. I know the process better than you.
Proof: I had a 510 MCAT with a significantly higher cGPA, sGPA, and a loooooot of EC's and still didn't get in. My stats were better than OP in literally every way (even with the exact MCAT you specify!) and I didn't get in. Your advising him he'll get in with way less? Respectfully you don't know what you're talking about.

3.2 doesn’t mean crap if you suck in the listed classes.

 

[DelayedGratification]

I went through 3 round of application cycles. I know the process better than you.
Proof: I had a 510 MCAT with a significantly higher cGPA, sGPA, and a loooooot of EC's and still didn't get in. My stats were better than OP in literally every way (even with the exact MCAT you specify!) and I didn't get in. Your advising him he'll get in with way less? Respectfully you don't know what you're talking about.

did you get interviews?

 

[Doc_Ock]

did you get interviews?

7.

 

[Doc_Ock]

3.2 doesn’t mean crap if you suck in the listed classes.

a 3.26 is significantly higher than a 3.0..... which is what OP might or might not have by the end.....

 

[DelayedGratification]

a 3.26 is significantly higher than a 3.0..... which is what OP might or might not have by the end.....

how was your trend?

 

[Doc_Ock]

how was your trend?

Upward. I'm in an SMP and that seemed to seal the deal in assuring the adcom I could handle med school/forgive my gpa.

 

[Goro]

Hey guys,
so my mcat didnt go as well as my practice tests gauged.. i got a 507
this wouldnt be an issue but i will be graduating with only a 3.0 w a significant upward trend,
ecs include shadowing research volunteering

do you guys think it would be worth a shot applying or is a masters/postbacc required?
appreciate all the advice!

You might have some luck if you apply broadly and especially target the newest schools (UIW, the two AR schools, ICOM, LMU, Wm Carey, ACOM, all three VCOMs, KYCOM). But skip LUCOM.
In the mean time, take some post-bac classes and ace them to keep that upward trend going.

Your state MD school might be worth targeting as well.