Where should I apply/ Should I retake MCAT?

[HoosierDoc]

I am a Junior finishing up my last semester at a large state school. I just got back my MCAT scores last week and got a 35S, which is 3 points below my average on practice tests going in. I am signed up for a retake on May 21st, and need to decide whether to cancel or not. Based on my current numbers, I just want to get some feedback on where you guys think I should apply. Also, whether retaking would be a wise decision. Thanks!

Majors: B.S. Biology, B.A. Economics, minor in Chemistry, Certificate in Neuroscience, in honors college and graduating with general honors notation, as well as departmental honors from Biology with my honors thesis

MCAT: 35 S
GPA: 3.87
sGPA: 3.84

I am on a prestigious full ride research scholarship which covers tuition, room and board, plus a monthly stipend at my university.

I have been in a neuroscience lab since Freshmen year, and worked full time there last summer, I am currently writing a paper that will serve as both primary authorship for publication and my honors thesis.

Have received awards for achievement from both Biology and Economics
Volunteer 2.5 h/week at local children's museum for 3 years
Volunteer 3 h/week in hospital ER for two semesters
Tutor 6 h/week chemistry, econ, calculus
Shadowed in family practice clinic 100+hrs
Member of Biology Club for 3 years, 2 years as officer, now current president
Captain of intramural volleyball team for 2 years
Member of my school's Democrats group, and was highly involved in voter registration in the 2008 campaign
Have been training for mini-marathon next weekend
UTA for genetics, and will be teaching molecular biology this summer
Will be shadowing two neurosurgeons once classes end next week

other things that don't come to mind right now...

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[Catalystik]

Besides applying to your state school, with your LizzyM score of 74.5, consider researching some of these schools to see if their mission, weather, safety, curriculum and cost match what you're looking for:

LizzyM Score is MCAT score + (cGPA X 10) + 1 = Your Score.
(School's score doesn't include the +1.)

The percentage in parentesis is the (%) of matriculants that come from out of state.

76/Wash U (88%), UChicago (66%)
75/Harvard (82%), Hopkins (78%),Yale (82%), Northwestern (75%),
74/Stanford (51%), UMichigan (52%), Columbia (71%), Mt Sinai (65%), Cornell (65%), Duke (87%), Pitt (72%), Vanderbilt (76%), Baylor (21%),
73/Mayo (69%), Case (80%), UVirginia (41%), UTSW (16%),
72/Emory (65%), Dartmouth (85%), NYU (60%), OhioState (41%), UCSF (20%)
71/UCF (24%), USC (28%), Boston (77%), Tufts (73%), SLU (70%), Einstein (52%), Rochester (52%),

Personally, I don't see much reason for retaking and risking a lower score.

 

[HoosierDoc]

Great, thanks! What do the percentages in parenthesis mean? I was debating whether to retake the test or not, because my average on AAMC was a 38, and the two I took right before my exam were both 40's. Thanks for the advice!

 

[Catalystik]

The percentage in parentesis is the % of matriculants that come from out of state. Sorry I forgot to say that. Will edit. I did not include schools with less than 15% OOS attendance or those with a strong regional bias in acceptances.

 

[HoosierDoc]

Thanks again! I am seriously interested in University of Michigan (my dad went there) and Vanderbilt. I'm also considering applying to Stanford and my state school along with several others in the range between.

 

[ThaliaNox]

There is no reason for you to retake the MCAT with a 35/3.8. You're not going to get much additional wow factor if you get a 38 on the next one, and you WILL hurt yourself if you do worse. Apply with what you have, you're in excellent shape. Make sure you include your state schools, just in case! Other than that, shoot for the moon.

 

[J ROD]

Dont retake the MCAT.....

 

[HoosierDoc]

Does anyone have any input on my EC's? As soon as I finish finals this week I will be shadowing two surgeons (one orthopedic one neuro) and teaching for a summer class, as well as working in my lab, but are there any last minute things I should try to do before applying? Also, do my EC's make me competitive for those top tier schools that my stats may place me at?

 

[Catalystik]

In general, I think you're in good shape, once you increase the breadth of your shadowing as you plan. Your clinical experience is on the light side though, being only 2 semesters and maybe ~120 hours. I suggest you continue to gain it through the application year, letting schools know about your continued involvement via update letters and at interviews, along with the teaching and ongoing research (and possibly the children's museum gig). Due to your strengths in research, nonmedical community service, and teaching, I doubt this weakness will hold you back.

 

[HoosierDoc]

To clarify clinical experience would include volunteering in the ER, but not shadowing or similar experiences? What other activities are classified as clinical experience? Thanks

 

[ThaliaNox]

To clarify clinical experience would include volunteering in the ER, but not shadowing or similar experiences? What other activities are classified as clinical experience? Thanks

Shadowing doesn't count as clinical experience simply because it is tallied separately, and both are expected. Paid jobs such as being an EMT or nurse's aide would also be clinical experience, as well as things like actively participating in clinical research (as long as you directly interact with patients) or working at a camp for physically or mentally handicapped or chronically ill children or working as a camp "nurse" for normal children. I'm sure there are more things that would count, but that's what comes to mind off the top of my head. Basically anything where you are actively involved in the care of sick or injured people.