Lower than expected MCAT :(((( but URM? So Where Do I Go From Here?

[gavam08]

So I posted previously in here that i was an HYP URM (Black female from NY) premed with a low gpa hoping to use a good MCAT score to pull me up. I currently am in a two gap year position as a clinical researcher and am looking to up my volunteer hours. I have a bunch of shadowing, and research was what I did all of my academic career. Unfortunately no tear jerker story or explanation for my gpa it hovered around 3.5 all 4 years.

I was hoping a fine MCAT would help, however I just got my score back and i got a ...503?!! RIP lmao. And my FLs were 502 (took kinda as diagnostic), 510, 513, 510. I knew that CP felt terrible but was hoping my usual strengths of CARS and P/S would pull me through in addition to feeling normal about bio. Somehow my cars was the lowest i have EVER seen, and my psych was fine but it wasn't enough to help average an expectedly poor CP. (124,125,125,129).

I guess in some eyes this is an automatic retake but then i keep talking to black females who are currently M1s with legit 495-505s so now im like idk. Also, I had never gotten lower than a 127 on CARS even in the diagnostic and I didn't feel it to be different than the FLs so again what would one suggest for studying for that?

Do i have a fighting chance at applying or should I suck it up and retake? And if the obvious answer is retake what do you suggest I do for fixing a shocking CARS when there were no red flags in my process?

Thanks guys!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Ultimax]

If you are fine with DO schools, your GPA and MCAT are competitive. For MD programs in New York, your chance are low just because NY has so many competitive applicants who are also URM. I am from New York, and I think the only realistic DO school with your stats are NYITCOM. Touro tends to favor high MCAT. NYU, Cornell, Albany, Stony Brook, SUNY Downstate and others are your reach schools. Doenst hurt to apply to all, but also be realistic.
Apply broadly, there are many DO schools where matriculants have similar stats to yours.

 

[Blueprint Med School]

https://www.aamc.org/system/files/2019-10/2019_FACTS_Table_A-18.pdf

From the AAMC, the average matriculant in your demographic has an average MCAT of a 505.7 and a 3.38 GPA. Make sure to apply broadly, and do your research on MSAR to decide which schools to apply to. MD will be difficult, but very possible. Additionally, you're relatively competitive for DO.

Kevin W, MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors

 

[gavam08]

thanks everyone! yeah i curse my family for being from NY seriously but sounds good. I will work on a solid list to compile while also reaching out to others to see what the best steps are for a retake.

 

[Icebird]

I would retake; don’t settle when you can have a lot of opportunities at prestigious programs with a higher MCAT

 

[Surgical Spoon]

if you can consistently score in the 510s on your practices, I would seriously retake the exam. Also if you don't mind sharing, did you just find out your score today?

 

[gavam08]

if you can consistently score in the 510s on your practices, I would seriously retake the exam. Also if you don't mind sharing, did you just find out your score today?

yup! they released at 11am on the dot today and instead of working on this paper for my PI all i have been doing is flipping between SDN and Reddit lol..

okay so I agree except my 510s were contingent on excellent CARS and PSYC with BB and CP hovering around 126. So does anyone have a recommendation on how to study for CARS when I never encountered a score like that on any practice material? especially because like i said i didn't find the CARS to be any more difficult than the practice?

 

[ThePotatoDoctor]

You have plenty of time to retake an exam if you feel like this was actually a fluke. That being said, I think you'd definitely have a chance at some school. Depends on what programs you're aiming for. I would probably recommend retaking. Maybe hit some more practice tests and get that score up some!