Hmm, I just called their admissions office and I got the same response as the original poster. They are not interviewing anyone below a 29, "because that was our average last year." I tried asking about later in the cycle and I was given an answer with a tone of "likely no, but we don't know." I asked about first-generation college students and economic disadvantages, to which she said decisions are purely academic, but I'm welcome to write a letter about it. I asked about further LORs, they said no. I asked what they would like to see from me as the cycle progressed. They pretty much told me to retake the MCAT or bust. I have a 27 with an 11 in verbal.
I thought with a good GPA and strong scribing background, a 27 would be fine given that average implies some range of a point or two in either direction (like you said), even if the bell curve distribution is steep at the average.
I'm remaining optimistic that they'd have to interview some below a 29 later on, but honestly I feel like I have a better shot at the two U of A's at this time as compared with AZCOM.
In your experiences Goro, is the response "we're not interviewing below a 29" more of a trait of the early cycle like others are mentioning in this thread, or is AZCOM really trying to separate themselves as the cream of the crop this year?
