What would you do?

[unholymosquito]

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Hey everyone, just trying to get some feedback from you guys and plan out my strategy for this coming cycle. OK, so I did end up getting 2 interviews this cycle but all waitlists. Not bad I guess considering I only applied to 4 schools and I was not expecting much considering how late I applied (Late January). I applied to Western, AZCOM, ATSU SOMA, and TUCOM NV. Received interviews at Western and TUCOM NV, Interview waitlist at AZCOM. I emailed the schools to see what I needed work on. I was told to work on getting MCAT up to around 28 or more (My score is a 26 ,9V 9B 8P) and get more shadowing experience. Also they suggested that I try and get some research experience and get my GPA up by retaking some undergrad courses I did not do well in. Considering its April already, I know I cannot get very much done. But I will try for another few weeks or so of shadowing so I can get up to around the 100 hrs the school suggested. I am planning on retaking the MCAT and hopefully score around 30. Now here is where I am undecided. My sGPA is 3.19 and cGPA is 3.39. I can retake an undergrad upper division science course that I got a C- in (my lowest grade) and hopefully get an A. This should push my sGPA over 3.2 and cGPA over 3.40. However, the class is offered in the summer mid June to end of July and will cost me around $1500 to take. This will mean my AACOMAS app will not be complete until End of July. Or I could forego the repeat and just retake the MCAT and get more shadowing done. The earliest MCAT I can take would be May 21st which means I will not be complete until end of June. So here are my options then:

1. Apply June 1st. But if I do that the only thing I will be able to do is get more shadowing done. And would the benefit of applying 1st day outweigh having a better MCAT score?

2. I could do the option of taking the MCAT as well as shadowing and apply end of June or

3. Retake the class as well as MCAT and shadowing and apply end of July.

Any thoughts??

 

[randomusername]

Apply as soon as you can. Even if you decide to retake the MCAT and take the course over the summer, your application will still be "complete" and sent to the schools for initial review. The course would be placed under the "future/ongoing coursework" category and the MCAT would be pending, which isn't as much of an issue since you already have a MCAT score to submit. With your application as-is, you'll likely get more interviews this go-around just by submitting a lot earlier, then, as you get the new grade and MCAT, you just update all of the schools because your application is a relatively-dynamic thing if you want it to be.

 

[fiznat]

I think your major problem was your late and limited application. Apply early and more broadly, and I think your experience will be much different this next year. If you feel up to retaking the MCAT (and you are doing better on the AAMC practice exams!), definitely do that, but I'm not so convinced about retaking that class. Who knows what these adcom people really are thinking, but it doesn't seem to me that you are looking at very much of a jump in your GPA for such an expense (time + money) to take that class.

 

[unholymosquito]

Thanks guys. Appreciate your responses. I was kind of leaning towards not retaking the course either. 1500 for a tiny bump in gpa didn't really seem really worth it. But I wasn't sure if 3.20 would be a cutoff point that I need to get over. So my plan right now is to retake the mcat but also submit my app on June 1st. Also, do you guys have any suggestions on which schools I should apply to? Thanks

 

[randomusername]

Thanks guys. Appreciate your responses. I was kind of leaning towards not retaking the course either. 1500 for a tiny bump in gpa didn't really seem really worth it. But I wasn't sure if 3.20 would be a cutoff point that I need to get over. So my plan right now is to retake the mcat but also submit my app on June 1st. Also, do you guys have any suggestions on which schools I should apply to? Thanks

The more the merrier, just make sure you only apply to places you won't have an issue living at though.