Would my MCAT be lethal for my applications for DO schools?

[DOaspiringDOC]

---

Members don't see this ad.

...

 

[MaxCycle42]

Hey, check this out. it's always updated. Mean MCAT and Mean GPAs for all DO Schools (scraped from ChooseDO)

 

[John1513]

Apply.
D.O. schools look for the whole package, who you are as a person and your drive for medicine. How you will contribute to the class as a whole.
As you know, Texas has a great D.O. school such as the one in Ft. Worth. Apply broadly, where you get in will be where you will be planted.

 

[Dr_Irrelevant]

Throw in some newer programs. ARCOM and VCOM auburn granted me acceptances with a 499! There are quite a few programs with a 500 or 501 (KCU) MCAT cutoff; be weary of that, it can lead to donations during app season. Sam Houston and UIW may give you a shot if you would like to remain in Texas.

 

[Angus Avagadro]

Yes, your MCAT is light. Grades are in the ball park, some interesting EC's. For me your interview might pull you over the goal line. I'm always shy about accepting sub 500 MCAT 's. Its our responsibility to get you to pass boards and match. You are our product and it's in our and your best interests to be successful. With a good interview I think you can get in. Apply to lots of schools, kill the interview and wait. I dont see enough to recommend a post bac year in your case. I dont think your 498 is universally lethal. It will be for some schools. Many have posted on SDN that they have been accepted with sub 500 MCAT. Just my 2 cents. Good luck and best wishes!

 

[DOaspiringDOC]

Yes, your MCAT is light. Grades are in the ball park, some interesting EC's. For me your interview might pull you over the goal line. I'm always shy about accepting sub 500 MCAT 's. Its our responsibility to get you to pass boards and match. You are our product and it's in our and your best interests to be successful. With a good interview I think you can get in. Apply to lots of schools, kill the interview and wait. I dont see enough to recommend a post bac year in your case. I dont think your 498 is universally lethal. It will be for some schools. Many have posted on SDN that they have been accepted with sub 500 MCAT. Just my 2 cents. Good luck and best wishes!

Thanks a lot for this. Should I focus my attention on the newer schools or all the DO schools?

 

[DOaspiringDOC]

Throw in some newer programs. ARCOM and VCOM auburn granted me acceptances with a 499! There are quite a few programs with a 500 or 501 (KCU) MCAT cutoff; be weary of that, it can lead to donations during app season. Sam Houston and UIW may give you a shot if you would like to remain in Texas.

You had a 499? How many schools did you apply to? Congrats on the acceptances!

 

[DOaspiringDOC]

Apply.
D.O. schools look for the whole package, who you are as a person and your drive for medicine. How you will contribute to the class as a whole.
As you know, Texas has a great D.O. school such as the one in Ft. Worth. Apply broadly, where you get in will be where you will be planted.

I know they are more hollistic with their review but still think my score could stop me. Guess we will find out

 

[DOaspiringDOC]

Hey, check this out. it's always updated. Mean MCAT and Mean GPAs for all DO Schools (scraped from ChooseDO)

Thank you for this resource!

 

[3.1415927]

Your cGPA and sGPA are good and you have some really cool ECs. I think you have a decent shot, apply to as many as you can afford. Just watch out for some schools that say they require a 500+. Idk how strict they are with their cutoffs, maybe your GPA can make up for the 498 but not sure

 

[dial1010usa]

I would retake MCAT and more doors will open for you. You are too young, only 20 years old. Don't rush.
DO cycle is too long. I would suggest you to apply one throw away school so that your app gets verified and then retake your MCAT. Retake MCAT only you think you will hit 505+.
All the best!

 

[Goro]

Lubbock, Texas resident

Male

Asian

20 years old

Just got my MCAT back and the score was 498 (123, 123, 126, 126)

I retook the MCAT from a 490 (124, 123, 121, 122)

(This is my celling unfortunately; I have so much on my plate that I don’t see a retake for now; disappointed with C/P and CARS as I had been scoring higher but can’t do much now)

Current MPH student at Emory University

Undergrad GPA: 3.6

Undergrad SGPA: 3.5

Shadowing Experience: 2 MD and 1 DO

Community Service: I started my own non-profit after my brother was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer. Since inception we have raised thousands of dollars to help individuals with the same type of cancer seek treatment; I also helped build a school for the blind in a third world country one summer.

Research: Clinical Research coordinator for 2.5 years now; dealing with patients as well as behind the scenes of trials


Academic research: Abstract presentation of a patient developing a rare infection while undergoing treatment. Presented findings in Tokyo.



I am mainly interested in DO schools. I fell in love with the philosophy since I was in college and since then haven’t looked back. I am aware my MCAT is holding me back but I have really given my all for the exam and am not dissapointed as I tried my best. I am not the most intelligent person when it comes to exams but I do feel like I work hard. Just want to know where I should apply for DO schools.

Thank you and god bless

You have asked this multiple times and the answer is still yes

 

[Dr_Irrelevant]

You had a 499? How many schools did you apply to? Congrats on the acceptances!

Yes, a poor CARS section brought me down sadly but I am very happy with the outcome of the season. I applied to 15 programs. Got three interviews ARCOM, VCOM-au, PCOM-SGA. Attended two, accepted to two. Personally, I thought that I could have applied to just newer programs, saved a lot of money. I think I was filtered out of many programs due to the sub 500 MCAT. If I were to give advice from my own personal anecdote, apply to new and local programs because region can play a role. Best of luck!

 

[Isoval]

Not going to do you any favors, but you may receive interviews/acceptances from the bottom end/half of DO schools and a non-zero chance at some others.

Anecdotally, I have met only one person with a sub-500 score at TCOM and he was accepted off the waitlist at the eleventh hour. You may have a better shot at SHSU or UIW if you're interested in staying in Texas.

 

[Angus Avagadro]

Thanks a lot for this. Should I focus my attention on the newer schools or all the DO schools?

Many of the established and traditional schools will be a donation. Newer schools are your best bet, but dont be shy about applying to traditional schools if they fit your goals. Just be choosy.

 

[Tgfu34]

Lubbock, Texas resident

Male

Asian

20 years old

Just got my MCAT back and the score was 498 (123, 123, 126, 126)

I retook the MCAT from a 490 (124, 123, 121, 122)

(This is my celling unfortunately; I have so much on my plate that I don’t see a retake for now; disappointed with C/P and CARS as I had been scoring higher but can’t do much now)

Current MPH student at Emory University

Undergrad GPA: 3.6

Undergrad SGPA: 3.5

Shadowing Experience: 2 MD and 1 DO

Community Service: I started my own non-profit after my brother was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer. Since inception we have raised thousands of dollars to help individuals with the same type of cancer seek treatment; I also helped build a school for the blind in a third world country one summer.

Research: Clinical Research coordinator for 2.5 years now; dealing with patients as well as behind the scenes of trials


Academic research: Abstract presentation of a patient developing a rare infection while undergoing treatment. Presented findings in Tokyo.



I am mainly interested in DO schools. I fell in love with the philosophy since I was in college and since then haven’t looked back. I am aware my MCAT is holding me back but I have really given my all for the exam and am not dissapointed as I tried my best. I am not the most intelligent person when it comes to exams but I do feel like I work hard. Just want to know where I should apply for DO schools.

Thank you and god bless

I was accepted with a 498 retake after I scored 494. I had higher GPA's, but your EC's look solid. Just like my application, yours is going to be focused around the newer DO schools and ones that have lower MCAT averages. I would stay away from all MD schools and the more-established DO schools. @Faha will be able to give you an all-encompassing list. Once you have that, apply as early as possible with a great PS, send back secondaries within a week when you receive them and hopefully you'll receive some love from somewhere. 498 with a retake is definitely an uphill battle to gain an acceptance, but it's definitely possible.

 

[Hematochezia666]

They let someone in with a 472 at ARCOM. He called and begged every day to let him in. He's still passing his classes. IDK how boards will go though.

 

[medapp110]

They let someone in with a 472 at ARCOM. He called and begged every day to let him in. He's still passing his classes. IDK how boards will go though.

this is a joke right lol

 

[zNoodlez]

this is a joke right lol

God I hope so, even Pod schools wouldn't let a 472 in.

 

[Azmkv]

They let someone in with a 472 at ARCOM. He called and begged every day to let him in. He's still passing his classes. IDK how boards will go though.

i think i can blind guess on every question and still get higher than 472. This kid must have came in for his MCAT and left without clicking any buttons.

 

[futurexray]

School don't do you any favors accepting you with sub-par scores. There are so many tests in school to pass and COMLEX. If you do not pass that you are screwed and then you will blame the school every which way that you get taken off rotations and can not graduate. Work on figuring out how to master the MCAT studying and hopefully it helps you down the line.

 

[hungrydoc710]

Honestly if you apply to every (minus the "good" ones) DO school out there, yeah I think you'd get in somewhere

 

[Angus Avagadro]

Students with marginal stats are the usual suspects in our bottom quartile,. They remediate, have at least one board failure, and are the ones who repeat the year. Its not a pretty journey with limited specialty options at the end. Having said that, with lots if faculty push, the majority get through and licensed. It would be a much better career decision to take the SMP or self directed post bac and then hit the ground running the first year of med school. Every pre med with low stats thinks once they get into med school, things will be different. They wont be different unless the reasons for their lower stats are identified and addressed. Right now, students who never got a C in their life are packed in faculty offices because they flunked their first anatomy quiz. Medical school is hard and my best advice for success is to be as well prepared as possible.

 

[Hematochezia666]

this is a joke right lol

Sadly no. This ****ing pisses me off with how hard I worked to get in.

 

[hungrydoc710]

Sadly no. This ****ing pisses me off with how hard I worked to get in.

Why would that bother you?
You're in medical school too. Focus on yourself.

That being said, being allowed into med school with a 472 is unheard of. I mean 496+ sure, plently in the DO world. 472, wow.

ARCOM is brand new, makes sense they would be the ones to have the bar set that low for certain applicants.

 

[hungrydoc710]

Students with marginal stats are the usual suspects in our bottom quartile,. They remediate, have at least one board failure, and are the ones who repeat the year. Its not a pretty journey with limited specialty options at the end. Having said that, with lots if faculty push, the majority get through and licensed. It would be a much better career decision to take the SMP or self directed post bac and then hit the ground running the first year of med school. Every pre med with low stats thinks once they get into med school, things will be different. They wont be different unless the reasons for their lower stats are identified and addressed. Right now, students who never got a C in their life are packed in faculty offices because they flunked their first anatomy quiz. Medical school is hard and my best advice for success is to be as well prepared as possible.

Overall yes this is true. I also have a friend who got a 494 MCAT, went thru a post-bacc, and jsut got a 255 on Step 1.

Maybe that 494 MCAT was due to studying for a couple weeks and if he had taken it seriously he would have gone MD. In the end it doesn't matter, he can *almost* pick where he wants to do residency and in what field.

MCAT and Boards are def different.

 

[Hematochezia666]

Why would that bother you?
You're in medical school too. Focus on yourself.

That being said, being allowed into med school with a 472 is unheard of. I mean 496+ sure, plently in the DO world. 472, wow.

ARCOM is brand new, makes sense they would be the ones to have the bar set that low for certain applicants.

You’re right. Thanks for the slap in the face there. I needed it.