<p>my gpa is a 3.69 and bcpm is 3.56
i got one C in molec bio and 2 B+'s freshman year first semester and i have been paying for it ever since -.-
since then ive gotten straight A's and 3 B+'s, really good GPAs each semester, deans list as well.
how much does med schools consider this progress and look at individual semesters?
what are my chances of getting into a top tier school based on this?</p>
<p>im very personable and can talk to anyone...one of those people who can make friends with a tree lol. i think i may be fine with interviews ..
my extracurriculars are also my strong point i think..i am deeply involved in my groups/clubs, with strong leadership positions and involvement/activisim - i think it really shows in my application/activities
my rec letters should be good too</p>
<p>i just took mcats today and i think i may not have done so hot...
i didnt have much time to practice (spent abt 1.5 months total studying) but ive been getting 33-34 on the AAMC practice tests, but sometimes inconsistently: 29-32
today i was pressed for time in the science sections and the exam focused on the exact subjects i prioritized less so i was stumped on some questions.
realistically i think I mightve gotten a 30 (maybe lower? 29?) but have slight hope for a 31-33. honestly, i have no idea.</p>
<p>so, im planning on taking it again june 21, but i wont know my score from today when i do it. im just afraid if i wait til july and see that my score from today was too low, my application will be super delayed since i wont get my second score til august. would you recommend i do this?</p>
<p>and if i do take it in june without knowing my May score, am i still at a disadvantage and considered "late" or should i just fully apply with whatever score i got today and not worry about retaking?</p>
<p>im looking at schools like UMDNJ, georgetown, george washington, BU, etc.right now but i want to know in general what my chances are at a top tier school like the ivys, penn, columbia, etc.</p>
<p>You are OK.
“i didnt have much time to practice (spent abt 1.5 months total studying) but ive been getting 33-34 on the AAMC practice tests” - Try harder to get it into consistent 37 level. There are people who get the same on real exam as on practice. But most are getting about 2 point below on real exam.
Another note, ANY American Med. School is good, do not need to worry about some 'top", be happy to get to any ONE. Most applicants are happy to have one spot, that is all what counts at the end. Having choices is a bonus when applying to Med. School. So apply to wide range.</p>
<p>okay so is it stupid to retake the mcats without receiving my first score yet?
i think that its highly likely that I may not have broken a 30 but I kept it because I wasnt sure at all.
i just know if i wait until my score comes out in june and im not happy I have to retake in july, which will make my apps really delayed</p>
<p>Unless you are a URM or other hooked candidate, your chances for “top tier” schools are near zero (and not even worth the app fee). A 3.6 is just WAY to low without a high (35+) mcat for the unhooked. And since you haven’t scored a 35+ on a practice test…</p>
<p>Time to put on your critical thinking skills and understand that top med schools require top scores. A 3.6 is just average nationally. No real bonus points for a 3.6 from an Ivy.</p>
<p>A <30 will require a retake and probably worth taking a gap year.</p>
<p>First gen does not count as a hook for med school.</p>
<p>Aside from URM, med school hooks would be professional, Olympic or D1 athlete; Met opera singer or equivalent in the arts; first author on a Science or Nature paper; founder of a non-profit; offspring of a major alumni donor. Probably others, but you get the gist…</p>
<p>At some schools, Peace Corp or TFA might get a small bump.</p>
<p>First generation actually DOES help. Med schools look for a mixture of people with different socioeconomic backgrounds, and more often than not pre-med students are coming from families with at least one professional degree. If you’re a first generation student or you come from a disadvantaged background, you might get a small boost.</p>
<p>Legacy matters much less with medical school admissions. If your parent is on the faculty at the medical school, though, then you might get an interview. An acceptance is NOT guaranteed though - sometimes the interviews are just a courtesy and you really have to shine to get accepted. </p>
<p>Also, any kind of publication is helpful, regardless if the journal has a super high impact factor. You don’t even need to be the first author (but if you are that’s great). </p>
<p>OP - Unless you get a 35+ MCAT, don’t even bother with some of the top schools (Penn included). If you had a high GPA and a 32-34 MCAT then you would have a shot, but if I were you I would apply broadly and be content with a mid-tier MD school. Also, taking the test in July would get you your scores back in August, which is NOT too late. I wasn’t complete until August due to my committee letter, and I was fine! I think it’s unwise to retake the test before you know how you did on the first one. How will you know how to improve?</p>
<p>I agree that August is not too late. D’s committee letter didn’t go out till August 15th, and she ended up with 23 interview invites. Also wanted to add that most students come out of their MCAT thinking they bombed it, so you may be pleasantly surprised.</p>
<p>i guess i thought because my GPAs have been so high with the exception of that one semester freshmen year and if i end up with a high mcat score, i would have a shot at a top tier…
but ide be happy anywhere</p>
<p>for those who said august wasn’t too late, would you mind listing the schools you got interviews/accepted?</p>
<p>im not sure if asian counts as URM but i was born in korea, and yes i am first generation, so i have no legacy…
hook: i wasnt a founder of a non-profit but i founded a chapter of a non-profit at my school, became president of another chapter, and re-established/founded a chapter of another non-profit
i am really really involved in these groups/extra-curriculars</p>
<p>updates on my chances? can we list schools that are realistic for me maybe?</p>
<p>I received my MD from MCP Hahnemann School of Medicine which is now Drexel University School of Medicine. I think that if you can bump your overall GPA to 3.7+ and bcpm to 3.6+ and score at least a 30 on the MCAT you would be competitive there and would not have to move if accepted.</p>
<p>Also first generation is generally understood to mean (as far a medical school admissions are concerned) that you’re the first person in your family to attend college (does have to have graduated from college) anywhere in the world, not the first member of your family to attend college in the US or the first member to attend medical school.</p>
<p>for safety then, i’ll assume i have no upper hand for being “first gen,” if even that.</p>
<p>based on your advice, I’m so relieved to hear that taking mcats in july is not too late!
i am very much leaning towards taking the my retake July 6th or July 14th so I can see my score from May beforehand. </p>
<p>This might seem like a really obvious/stupid question, but when i get my score in august, how exactly do i send in my score to make my application complete? or does it automatically get sent?</p>
<p>nothing outstanding no…
my gpa was just okay for Penn standards, but definitely not great/excellent
i had near perfect or perfect SAT stats, including SAT I and SAT II math I, chem, bio, and math IIC
my letters of rec were really good i presume (I was close with those teachers)
my personal statement was very strong - i think this was what Really got me in/hooked.
i was in varsity sports, captain senior year
i’ve always been very strongly committed and passionate in my extracurriculars, especially community service and working with the disabled, i had hundreds and hundreds of hours</p>
<p>I applied to 13 schools and received 9 interviews, 3 of which came within 3 days after my application was complete (committee letter received mid-August). I submitted most of my secondaries in late July/early August (my app was not verified until mid-July), though I submitted two in September (received an interview at one). </p>
<p>August is not too late to be complete. Don’t wait until September, though. It’s more of a gamble as the cycle goes on.</p>
<p>I think you are safest applying to a wide range of schools, but there is no harm in applying to UPenn and maybe 1 other top tier school. Personally, I think you are best shooting for mid-tier and maybe crossing your fingers for a top 10-20 school (provided a 33-35 MCAT)</p>
<p>A lot of people will say that undergrad prestige doesn’t matter, but I think it is a factor to some top schools. I know people who have a lower GPA at my school (which is in the top 10), but they all come from the top 3 LACs or Ivies. So this could help you at mid-tier schools (and maybe schools in the top 10-20 range) that want to boast about the undergrads their students came from. But you can’t hide the fact that your BCPM grade is really sub-par for the best schools. If you wanted to get into a top 10 school with your grades, I would aim for a high MCAT score. I think numbers are guesswork, but a 37+ would really help you at this point.</p>