<--- this expression defines my life
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what to do, what to do
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So I finished secondaries by December 6th and I applied to the following schools: NYCOM, CCOM, UNECOM, NSU, and WVSOM. My GPA is 3.69 double major in biology and religion and MCAT is 25Q. Only heard back from WVSOM. Anyone in the same boat? Advice? What to do from here?
you applied late.. with less then amazing scores..
what were you expecting?
try retaking the mcat and re-applying next year
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Your MCAT is a little too low ... sign up/start prepping for a retake and an early application next cycle (May), if something comes up (aka an acceptance), you can forget about it ... if it doesn't, you're all prepped and ready to go.
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You also didn't apply to enough schools, if you had applied 2-3 months earlier and applied to 10+ schools, I'm sure you would have heard back from more.
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You did apply late, but don't give up hope just yet. You should start thinking about a plan B though. You need to improve your MCAT score, so get ready to start studying again...And maybe you will luck out, get accepted, and not have to take it!!!
i wasnt expecting a miracle to happen, but i think its better to apply than not apply. i dont want to take the MCAT again. isnt 25 MCAT about the average for accepted students to DO schools anyway?
anyone from previous years with similar stats and late submission get into one of the schools i applied to? if so, what was your timeline like (applying, interviewing, getting decisions, etc)?
i like WVSOM a lot and hope to get in. the tuition is quite scary though. does anyone know how many in state and out of state students WVSOM takes?
thank you
anyone from previous years with similar stats and late submission get into one of the schools i applied to? if so, what was your timeline like (applying, interviewing, getting decisions, etc)?
i like WVSOM a lot and hope to get in. the tuition is quite scary though. does anyone know how many in state and out of state students WVSOM takes?
thank you
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wvsom for out of staters is really going to leave you with way too much debt
and 28 is the average..
if you get a 28, and lets say 30..
then you can go MD..
so theres no point in not retaking it..
i mean honestly
great gpa..
+ double major...
if you actually get a 28+ on the mcat..
you can get into a MD school..
much cheaper btw..
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25 is too low anyway you slice it. People get in with it, but there are always other circumstances and I'd definitely recommend you beef it up to 28+.
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PCOM and the rest> wvsom..
for locational reasons foremost >.>
for locational reasons foremost >.>
the 25Q MCAT did break my heart. i studied well and do not get stressed out for the most part. this score just haunts me. but i dont know if i can do it again (mentally, physically, and financially) anytime soon. i will if i have too but just waiting for now.
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hmm.. i honestly would start studying..
because i dont see why you couldnt land at the very least a low tier MD if you apply in june..
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Moving up from a 25 to a 30+ (what the OP would need bare minimum for MD program) is no easy task.
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Why are you pushing MD so hard??
OP, If you don't want to retake the MCAT (I'm not suggesting this) then you definitely need to reapply next cycle (If you don't get in this time around) on the first day and more schools for a better chance of getting in somewhere.
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Serenade, are you applying right now? Planning on going osteo or allo, apply both, etc? I'm wondering the same as Punky.
I think this is great advice. Though I would advocate retaking the MCAT. A 25 might be the average accepted score but that isn't necessarily going to be the same next cycle nor will it be the average for your particular schools.
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So I finished secondaries by December 6th and I applied to the following schools: NYCOM, CCOM, UNECOM, NSU, and WVSOM. My GPA is 3.69 double major in biology and religion and MCAT is 25Q. Only heard back from WVSOM. Anyone in the same boat? Advice? What to do from here?
My GPA is a 3.73 and a 25P on the MCAT. We're virtually identical there. I think I actually filled out 2ndaries a weekish after you. Maybe expand the list of schools you're applying to? Location was a huge factor to me--closer schools were Pikeville, LMU, Ohio. From my research, they seem to have lower MCAT scores. I don't think LMU actually publishes, but I'm assuming. In any event, I've gotten accepted--with virtually identical numbers. Maybe add a few more schools to the list? LMU has their 2ndary online, so you could access it as soon as you like. I believe Ohio and Pikeville screened, but it's been several weeks.
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i dont intend on apply till my junior year..
i.e in 2.5 years
im not really pushing MD
just because i honestly think that he should retake the mcat period..
i mean i will apply DO & MD when its my time
but i still think that he could and should at least attempt MD.. its just a bit easier because most DO's do end up having to take the comlex and the usmle.. 2 tests seem's like a hassle that i might want to avoid..
only reason im kinda blurg about DO schools is the diff test and the acgme residencies usually dont accept it.
which again means i'd personally have to do 2 extremely long tests..
i.e paaainnnn
just my .2 lazy cents lol..
i dont intend on apply till my junior year..
i.e in 2.5 years
im not really pushing MD
just because i honestly think that he should retake the mcat period..
i mean i will apply DO & MD when its my time
but i still think that he could and should at least attempt MD.. its just a bit easier because most DO's do end up having to take the comlex and the usmle.. 2 tests seem's like a hassle that i might want to avoid..
only reason im kinda blurg about DO schools is the diff test and the acgme residencies usually dont accept it.
which again means i'd personally have to do 2 extremely long tests..
i.e paaainnnn
just my .2 lazy cents lol..
Going slightly OT...
I'm not denying that taking the USMLE and COMLEX would be an extra hassle however I've been under the impression that a fairly small percentage (I've been told 10% at my future school) actually take both. Obviously there are no published numbers for this but does anyone have more say on this? Just curious.
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OP: no offense to Serenade, but I wouldn't take a college freshman's advice very seriously in respect to applying. It is too far off for them and going through the actual process is much different than reading about it.
Your MCAT could get you in, but applying in December is way too late. I second the other options already presented: reapply next year with the same stats (and apply to many more schools). If you want to still try for this cycle (and you have the money to do so), apply to some more schools and send letters of intent to the schools to which you already sent your secondaries.
I have friends who got in much later in the year, but their MCATs were a bit higher. Likewise, I have a friend who got into a state school (MD, though) with a 24 (he applied really early). It seems like it wouldn't be worth it to retake the MCAT, as it would put you into next year's cycle regardless and so long as you apply earlier next year you should be fine.
Your MCAT could get you in, but applying in December is way too late. I second the other options already presented: reapply next year with the same stats (and apply to many more schools). If you want to still try for this cycle (and you have the money to do so), apply to some more schools and send letters of intent to the schools to which you already sent your secondaries.
I have friends who got in much later in the year, but their MCATs were a bit higher. Likewise, I have a friend who got into a state school (MD, though) with a 24 (he applied really early). It seems like it wouldn't be worth it to retake the MCAT, as it would put you into next year's cycle regardless and so long as you apply earlier next year you should be fine.
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at the more established schools: pcom,dmu,ccom,tcom... all put around 50% into acgme residency..
so unless the majority of those are dual accredited residencies.. which i more or less dont think..
its going to be above 10% for sure..
but who knows.. since im more or less interested in psychiatry.. i dont really need to take the usmle.. per-say..
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I think it depends mostly on which specialty you pick. Some will take USMLE or COMLEX, others will not. It is not that the specialties are not open to DOs, it is more that there may not have been many before, so they don't know how to compare COMLEX scores to USMLE scores. For example, if you decide to do Pediatrics you will probably have to take the USMLE, even though it is considered a "primary care," most programs prefer to look at the USMLE to the COMLEX.
I'm still undecided about whether or not I will take both exams, it depends largely on if I decide on Peds or Family. It seems like I'd be cheating myself not to, though, as the conversion that programs use to convert a COMLEX score to a USMLE one doesn't seem to be very accurate.
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no offense taken
but theory is always something read and predictable..
experimentation.. heh rather unpredictable
either way none of us have much merit to say that we have a proper theory in a different situation outside of our own experiments(application) and the observation of others.. we can simply attempt to apply our experimental data and conclusions to others, a rather foolish endeavor somethings i suppose.
funny thing is.. you graduate from med school the same year i graduate from college hmph!
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i've seen the conversion formula..
even if you have a god like comlex score your score on the usmle seems average at most..
and to think the aoa created it.. scare tactic much
You would have had a much better chance if you applied EARLY...but it only takes one! I had a 3.54 sGPA and a 23Q MCAT and was granted an interview at WVSOM...turned it down due to other acceptances. Mind you, I applied very early.
If you have no luck this semester, apply early next cycle and consider an MCAT retake.
23Q MCAT and was granted an interview at WVSOM...turned it down due to other acceptances. Mind you, I applied very early. If you have no luck this semester, apply early next cycle and consider an MCAT retake.
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probably harder than most people who haven't retaken think....
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I'm biting my tongue.
Ok I'll say it - you scored 1 point above the national average for everyone who takes the MCAT, and you don't "want" to take the test again. You really want to be responsible for peoples' lives? Yes, DO schools take plenty of low MCAT scores. That's a whole other issue.
Take it again.
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I don't think the MCAT has any bearing on how adequately prepared you are to be responsible for someone's life. I'm sure there are tons of doctors out there that got 25's on their MCAT--and I'm sure most of them are fine doctors.
I bet an awful lot of patients have no idea what the MCAT is, or care what you scored on some test 7 years ago. You could maybe make this case on boards. But, I disagree with this point for the MCAT.
Toss in the fact that it isn't cheap, it's stressful, and in the OP's case, it's going to be hard pressed to help.
OP--if you decide to retake it---you're more or less conceding this year. And the truth is, a 25 will get you in next session. Don't go giving up hope just yet for this session.
Have you tried calling these places?
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Let me preface this by saying this isn't directed towards you personally. Your view (which unfortunately is shared by some others) is precisely why there still remains bias in the world towards DOs. The whole "it's good enough" attitude shouldn't cut it when it comes to medicine. Look at the thread in the osteo forum talking about someone who wanted to get a job in a north carolina hospital and the hospital directors asked "Why would we want a DO? A very qualified DO is comparable to an average MD." Sure, call them ignorant, but your view is the reason why they think that way. I'm sick of hearing people say the MCAT doesn't dictate if you will be a good doctor. It's the one major criteria used to admit people to medical schools; it compares you to other applicants and levels the playing field. I don't care that patients don't ask you what you got on your MCAT - this issue isn't about patient perception. This is about DO schools' standards for admission.
I'm sick of this whole "mediocrity is acceptable" aura that surrounds my profession. Just wanting to be a doctor should not be enough. You should have to separate yourself from the crowd to gain entrance to medical school, show that you are not only smarter than the average human but you have more to offer. As far as I'm concerned, scoring on par with the average population on the MCAT doesn't begin to do that.
Excuses. Wah, it's stressful. Wah, it's expensive. Raising the MCAT from a 25 to a 28 will absolutely help. Medical school is a privilage - not a right. Nobody has to admit this applicant.
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The debate about whether your MCAT scores correlate to board scores has been debated to death on these boards.
Regardless, getting a good MCAT score only gets you into the door of a school. If you're not going to be able to handle it academically, they wouldn't have admitted you in the first place. And if you can't, they kick you out.
Doing well on the MCAT has absolutely nothing to do with the bedside manner and does not automatically indicate your future as a competent physician. It's all what you take out of the experience at your school of choice.
Regardless, getting a good MCAT score only gets you into the door of a school. If you're not going to be able to handle it academically, they wouldn't have admitted you in the first place. And if you can't, they kick you out.
Doing well on the MCAT has absolutely nothing to do with the bedside manner and does not automatically indicate your future as a competent physician. It's all what you take out of the experience at your school of choice.
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I agree with this. Recently, there have been an influx up students who have been dismissed from medical school, but had 30+ MCAT scores for admission to medical school. I agree you should try your best to score as high as you can on the MCAT, but a low MCAT score doesn't correlate to you being an incompetent medical student or future doctor.
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You sound so bitter dude. There's no reason for that. If it's YOUR goal to kill the bias between MD, DO by raising the MCAT scores at your school, cool. I could imagine most people give 2 craps about that. People are here because they want to be doctors. Not because they want to make the world aware DO doesn't=dummy.
It wasn't that long ago that MD schools were taking 25's left and right. These prep courses have changed alot. Not everyone has the $ to go out and get that score up 5 points. Does that mean they shouldn't be a doctor? That they can't be a good doctor?
AND YES! It is a stressful experience. Are you going to tell the guy that got a 30 and applies to a school with an average of 33 to retake it?
Lastly, Who are you to make such a statement?! Nobody cares that you think a certain score means you haven't separated yourself enough. Unless you're on every ADCOM in the country, you have no place to say such a thing. Get off your throne and quit being a tool.
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The following post is going to come off as harsh, and it will pi$$ people off. With that said...
The CEO of that hospital I mentioned in North Carolina disagrees with you. A pre-med has no idea what makes a competent doctor. Unfortunately your personal opinion doesn't matter. It's the rest of the world you have to prove yourself to.
Allopathic students just do it...they don't make excuses. The amount of excuses coming from the mouths of DO students is embarassing:
It's only one test
I'm not a good test taker
The MCAT doesn't dictate whether or not I'll be a good doctor
Our school doesn't teach to the USMLE
DO schools look at the whole applicant
It's always something else. When you do poorly on the MCAT, you say it doesn't mean you'll be a bad doctor. When you do poorly on the COMLEX, it's because the questions are unfair and it's poorly written. When you do poorly on the USMLE, it's because your school doesn't teach to the USMLE. When you get a bad eval on a rotation, it's because you're a DO. And finally, if a hospital won't hire a DO, it's because they're ignorant. There's an entire thread in the Osteo forum with a bunch of people who performed poorly on COMLEX 2, and they're blaming the scoring system and NBOME. Maybe if the majority of students we admitted truly were as academically qualified as allopathic students, we wouldn't see all the excuses.
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Mind if I ask your medical background? You seem to have some hard facts that I am just now hearing for the first time.
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It sounds more like a bitter person to me.
I'm done with this argument though. The OP had an honest concern. With scores that will get you into alot of Osteopathic schools. Apparently these admissions committees just don't know what they're doing.
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Of course they don't give 2 craps - they're not part of the profession. It's my profession already and I do care.
Exactly. You want to be a doctor? You need to prove that you're above average.
And it wasn't too long ago that DOs weren't allowed to practice medicine. Times change.
Another common excuse people use. You don't need prep courses. All they do is present the material to you on a structured schedule. A big review book and dedication is what you need.
Wah, it's stressful. Cry me a river. I got news for you - you have no idea what stress awaits you in the future. And I wouldn't tell someone with a 30 to retake the MCAT, because they are significantly above the national average and have stood out from the crowd as far as the MCAT is concerned.
Who am I? I'm someone who is a DO, and used to be proud of it. Now I'm someone who is standing by idly watching subpar applicants and students make excuse after excuse as to why they're just as good as allopathic students yet they can't or don't feel like proving it.
DO resident.
It's not my intention to offend people, even though I know that's what's happening. I want to be proud of my profession and you should too. Yes, it bothers me knowing people who worked so hard to get where they are in our profession, and then I see pre-meds asking if the bare minimum or "average" will be good enough to become a DO.
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I agree with your comment about certain people going for the "bare minimum", it is a shame but I wouldn't go so far as to judge the way people will handle their patients by their lackluster MCAT.
I have yet to live through the discrimination that DO's face, I do know however I have yet to hear a single practicing DO that has worked in my hospital feel the need to make an excuse.
If the OP actually put in 100% into studying for the MCAT and feels they can't do better a second time than the only thing to do is apply early this next year, BUT if they half arsed their MCAT studying I agree they need to retake...having to retake an MCAT isn't the end of the world.
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I've never experienced any discrimination, from patients or doctors. However, it still does rarely exist in certain areas. The DO people say these people are ignorant. The discriminators say that the majority of DOs didn't perform comparably to the allopathic world as far as academics are concerned. I've always been a firm believer that if you want to be treated a certain way (equal in this case) then you need to shut your mouth and prove yourself...no excuses.
And therein lies the problem. Is a 25 good enough? Of course pre-meds will say yes, it's just one test
. In the case of the OP, obviously he/she will apply early next year and hope for the best. But in the long run, is it good enough? If this person really gave it their all and could only score a 25, will they perform well on the COMLEX and USMLE? Will they pass their specialty boards on the first try? There are <controversial> studies that do infact show a correlation (please please please nobody start posting anecdotal tales in an attempt to disprove this). If like you say, the person half-*****ed it, then obviously they don't have the motivation. Regardless, I don't believe scoring the national average or one point above the national average on the medical college admissions test should be adequate for entrance into a medical school. This is the one thing that levels the playing field for EVERYONE. Then again, I'm not on the 26 adcoms, so it doesn't matter.
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I agree 100%. As someone once told me, doing well on the USMLE Step 1 (ie 250) does not mean that you will be a fantastic doctor. It means that you took the time out to put in adequate effort to prepare for the exam. Similarly, a solid MCAT does not mean that you will become a wonderful clinician.... it does say that you took the time out to efficiently prepare for it.
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While it's true that a great Step I score or MCAT score don't dictate success, what it does tell you is that most of the people who scored high took the time to prepare adequately. From that, you can extrapolate (albeit at your own risk, nothing is guaranteed) that these people care enough about their craft to work hard to become good or great at it. The logic breaks down in some examples for people who scored well and much more often in people who didn't score as well.
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So I finished secondaries by December 6th and I applied to the following schools: NYCOM, CCOM, UNECOM, NSU, and WVSOM. My GPA is 3.69 double major in biology and religion and MCAT is 25Q. Only heard back from WVSOM. Anyone in the same boat? Advice? What to do from here?
How much/what kind of volunteer work did you do? Because if it's not a lot, then getting by with a 25 might be hard this time around so late in the cycle.
I actually agree with what J1515 has been saying. I know the MCAT is a B**** to take, and I know how hard it is to restudy for the MCAT (had to do it myself), but just don't settle for average because you don't feel like studying again. This is your future. You have to work/fight for it.
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I wasn't going to comment on this thread as I like to avoid the ones that become too controversial...which this one clearly has; however, seranade, with all due respect, the bashing from a college freshman needs to discontinue. WVSOM is one of but 3 DO schools that has made the US News & World Report ranking lists not in one place, but THREE, alongside allopathic programs for the past 10 consecutive years now. It ranks in the top 10 for rural medicine and geriatric medicine and is in the top 50 for primary/family care. Take those lists/their validity as you will, regardless, it is a phenomenal school with amazing faculty and staff. Location-wise...to each his own. In the middle of nowhere isn't a big issue when your life should be consumed by studying and memorizing.
I agree with some of what J1515 has been saying (especially the above bolded
)...and that lowering the numeric bar can lead to sub-par (numerically) students; however, the statistics of accepted DO students has only been on the rise. While they are still (mostly) a far cry from mid-to-high MD averages, they are not miniscule or unimpressive. We go through the same process. It hit home reading some of your posts because I am one of those low scoring applicants. I had a 3.1 gpa and 23P MCAT...yes, it sucks...I probably could've gotten higher had I taken it again. However, when I was "studying" all summer of 2008 for the exam, I was also holding an engineering internship at Cordis Corporation, a branch of Johnson & Johnson, volunteering at a children's hospital, and attending MCAT prep courses 3x's/week. While, yes, I was in a prep course, it clearly was not effective enough for me. I worked 8-5, commuted an hour each way in Miami traffic, and attended the course from 7-9:30pm. On off days, it was a difficult task to fill every ounce of my free time with 100% MCAT prep…which would've been more detrimental for me, in my opinion…I would've burnt out after a month of it. Did I go about preparing the wrong way? Maybe...probably. Some would say I should've taken the entire summer off and dedicated it to strictly the MCAT…like almost every other kid in my prep course was doing. But my full plate of a reputable job and volunteering time contributed to making me a competitive applicant in a different light.I, like all accepted medical students, am an intelligent person...I survived undergrad and got a BS in biomedical engineering. I could have easily gone back to Cordis and started working with a base salary that I will not match or surpass, as a doctor, until I am out of my residency. In fact, in my current year off, I obtained a position with an equivalent or higher salary than any residency average I have ever read. I was also offered, during 08-09 application cycle, a job at another engineering firm, Schlumberger…despite my low gpa. This salary made me sick to turn down. While my scores may not reflect such, my DO school still recognized my intelligence and potential. If it weren't for these "lower bars" at DO schools, many successful, caring, and compassionate physicians would never come about. While I am not trying to defend myself personally, I am just exemplifying that we do not know the details of each DO applicant. We can assume their scores are lower, but we cannot assume their aptitude for success in the medical world is lower as well. We just don't know. It is ignorant for anyone to make such all-encompassing assumptions. Not all are just trying "to get by" with little to no effort or work. I worked my ass off. I, like many others, clearly want this…I turned down amazing opportunities that would leave me with no debt, and the ability to hit six figures in half a decade. None of that mattered to me. Additionally—I know many accepted MD students who have the personalities of a rock…I graduated with them. I can confidently say that while they may have scored higher on the MCAT than me, my patients will probably like me more and think I am a "better doctor"…thanks to my bedside manner. Or the general characteristic of having a personality.
OP—when you say you heard from WVSOM, did you get an interview invite? If so, I am very confident in a positive outcome for you. Contact your other schools. Show your dedication and respect of their institution and how you mesh well with their atmosphere and mission statement. Sell yourself as an applicant. Write letters of interest. Market yourself! With my lower scores, that's what I had to do. Thankfully, WVSOM bit and interviewed me and I was able to win them over in person. I bent over backwards getting to that point, though. I put in the effort. I did not half-ass anything. The bolded above from J1515 is the take-home message here: it's about how hard YOU work. No excuses. I may have had low scores, but I made ZERO excuses. I had no excuse when asked about my Cs in a few science courses and several engineering classes during my interview. I expressed how I've learned and grown from my past experiences, which will serve me well in medical school. There are no excuses…not when you're trying to become a doctor, and especially not someday when you are a practicing physician. I would not give up hope this cycle. You have a chance. While retaking the MCAT could end up being necessary for you in the future, just keep in mind that the test is not the end-all, be-all. Stay positive, work hard, and good luck!
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Depending on the amount of time you put into studying the first time around, and your basic science knowledge, going from a 25 to a 30 isn't that tough. I scored 21 O first time around with virtually no studying, and 30 P second time around by basically just taking AAMC and Kaplan practice tests and reviewing a Kaplan book (not much studying).
OP - Absolutely retake and apply early. I did the same thing as you last year (with a 3.7 cGPA, 3.98 sGPA, 21 O) and received one interview - didn't get in. I applied early this year (3.75 cGPA, 3.99 sGPA, 30 P) and got into my top choices by early December.
All that said, don't give up hope this cycle. Remember that you have been invited for an interview for a reason, so relax and confirm what they saw in your applications - a future physician. Good luck and God bless.
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I got a 28 on my MCAT the first time with three weeks of study. I decided to take it again, however, did not study as hard as i should have and my score went down. Had I studied just as hard as the first time i may have received a better score and had a better chance at a lot of other schools around me(allo included), but I didn't. I do not consider myself an allo reject by any means and I am happy as a clam to be going to one of the best DO schools in the country, but I have taken the fact that i did not push myself as hard the second time to heart and will not make that mistake again in medical school. This road to becoming a doctor is a lot about scores whether we would like to admit it or not. (MCAT, COMLEX, USMLE I, II, and III) Being on the cusp of a cutoff sucks and if just that little extra effort helps to push me over the edge then i will do it even if it sucks at the time. I know coming from an osteopathic school i may have to prove myself just a little bit more to some of these more competitive residencies but thats on me if I want to or not. I know that if i PUT IN THE WORK it will absolutely work out regardless of DO or MD.
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So I hate to wake up this thread and hopefully don't start more controversy, but was just curious if you did get an interview and get accepted to WVSOM with the late application and such??Any updates?
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I wasn't going to comment on this thread as I like to avoid the ones that become too controversial...which this one clearly has; however, seranade, with all due respect, the bashing from a college freshman needs to discontinue. WVSOM is one of but 3 DO schools that has made the US News & World Report ranking lists not in one place, but THREE, alongside allopathic programs for the past 10 consecutive years now. It ranks in the top 10 for rural medicine and geriatric medicine and is in the top 50 for primary/family care. Take those lists/their validity as you will, regardless, it is a phenomenal school with amazing faculty and staff. Location-wise...to each his own. In the middle of nowhere isnt a big issue when your life should be consumed by studying and memorizing.
I agree with some of what J1515 has been saying (especially the above bolded
I, like all accepted medical students, am an intelligent person...I survived undergrad and got a BS in biomedical engineering. I could have easily gone back to Cordis and started working with a base salary that I will not match or surpass, as a doctor, until I am out of my residency. In fact, in my current year off, I obtained a position with an equivalent or higher salary than any residency average I have ever read. I was also offered, during 08-09 application cycle, a job at another engineering firm, Schlumberger despite my low gpa. This salary made me sick to turn down. While my scores may not reflect such, my DO school still recognized my intelligence and potential. If it weren't for these "lower bars" at DO schools, many successful, caring, and compassionate physicians would never come about. While I am not trying to defend myself personally, I am just exemplifying that we do not know the details of each DO applicant. We can assume their scores are lower, but we cannot assume their aptitude for success in the medical world is lower as well. We just dont know. It is ignorant for anyone to make such all-encompassing assumptions. Not all are just trying to get by with little to no effort or work. I worked my ass off. I, like many others, clearly want this I turned down amazing opportunities that would leave me with no debt, and the ability to hit six figures in half a decade. None of that mattered to me. AdditionallyI know many accepted MD students who have the personalities of a rock I graduated with them. I can confidently say that while they may have scored higher on the MCAT than me, my patients will probably like me more and think I am a better doctor thanks to my bedside manner. Or the general characteristic of having a personality.
OPwhen you say you heard from WVSOM, did you get an interview invite? If so, I am very confident in a positive outcome for you. Contact your other schools. Show your dedication and respect of their institution and how you mesh well with their atmosphere and mission statement. Sell yourself as an applicant. Write letters of interest. Market yourself! With my lower scores, thats what I had to do. Thankfully, WVSOM bit and interviewed me and I was able to win them over in person. I bent over backwards getting to that point, though. I put in the effort. I did not half-ass anything. The bolded above from J1515 is the take-home message here: its about how hard YOU work. No excuses. I may have had low scores, but I made ZERO excuses. I had no excuse when asked about my Cs in a few science courses and several engineering classes during my interview. I expressed how Ive learned and grown from my past experiences, which will serve me well in medical school. There are no excuses not when youre trying to become a doctor, and especially not someday when you are a practicing physician. I would not give up hope this cycle. You have a chance. While retaking the MCAT could end up being necessary for you in the future, just keep in mind that the test is not the end-all, be-all. Stay positive, work hard, and good luck!
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