| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Mside21 |
Posted - 06/20/2005 : 12:29:32
Hi,
I need some advice on what to do. I currently have a 3.97 GPA as a Biology major, but my MCAT scores are lower than most medical schools. My MCAT score was a 25(VR:8, Phys: 8, Bio: 9). I work my butt off for the grades, so I have no doubt I could handle the courseload of medical school. I know that my MCAT scores send up a "red flag" for most medical schools. I don't think I could improve my scores anymore either because I put many hours into studying and taking practice tests with Kaplan for the April test. I am planning on applying to at least 10 medical schools and I don't plan on applying to any DO programs or any prestigous medical schools. My question is how realistic are my chances of being accepted into most respectable med schools?
I appreciate your help.
Frustrated Pre-Med Student |
| 1 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Seona |
Posted - 06/20/2005 : 16:53:00
They send up a red flag not because they are low (national average = 24) but because they may undermine your GPA. Depending on what undergrad school you went to, your GPA may not accurately reflect your ability to handle tough courseloads, etc. For example, a 3.3 at Harvard with a 40 MCAT looks better than a 3.7 at Nowhere Univ with a 20 MCAT. The converse, however, is not always true: a strong MCAT score may compensate for a slightly low GPA (which, if you obtained that GPA at a challenging univ, that would make sense). Of course, your MCAT is above the national average, which means that you have a slightly better than 50/50 chance at getting into A med school (realistically, not top tier, as their averages run considerably higher -- around 30+). I am not sure what you mean by respective, but if you were not refering to these "dream" schools and merely meant like a good state school, than I would say you have a decent shot. It would really depend on your extracurriculars, rec letters, and other "unique" stuff (essay included). |
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