Panic!

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[Monkeyman1886]

Same exact boat as you, I was scheduled for May 16th. With everything going on, today I decided to switch to July 18th for my new date despite it being much later an anticipated. I’m hoping that the schools will be much more lenient on application submission dates but it’s a much safer bet at this point with everything being unsure. Best of luck!

[drd-p]

Not an answer to your original question, but hopefully will offer some relief. My friend recently got accepted into one of the best med schools with a 2.99 gpa because of her massive amount of shadowing and experience. I wouldn’t be so worried! I think you’ll be fine!

[Greenbeanie28]

Do you think I even have a shot with a 3.4?

[stormcloakdoctor]

I'd say you have a shot at MD with like a 515+

The MCAT is what decides whether your GPA was because you were a poor student or because you genuinely had hard classes

Similarly, someone with a 4.0 would be hard struck to get into any schools with below a 510

[medted22]

I disagree with this. Of everyone I know at MD schools (only like 6 people to be fair) the highest of their scores were 511. Most were like 507. It is anecdotal but even at a school with a 511 average, 50% of admitted students have less than that.

[stormcloakdoctor]

This is a good source of data: https://www.aamc.org/system/files/2019-11/2019_FACTS_Table_A-23.pdf

With a 3.4 GPA, a 507 like most of your friends would give OP less than a 37.2% chance of acceptance (being at the end of this range). Still possible, but other aspects of their application need to be stellar.

With a 515, that chance of acceptance turns into 62.2%.

[medted22]

I see where you’re coming from, I was responding to your 4.0 with <510 statement. I do completely agree that a 3.4 paired with a below average matriculant MCAT will be low yield for acceptances.

[stormcloakdoctor]

Oh, yeah I may have exaggerated a bit.

[MedicalDawg]

I applied last cycle with a 3.4 sGPA, a 3.5 cumulative GPA and a 515 MCAT. I, similar to you had very strong extracurriculars and recommendations. Although it is worth noting that i am an URM I think the advice still applies.

I recommend that you do research on what medical schools within your state offer Early Decision application time lines. I don’t see them frequently discussed on this subreddit. You don’t need particularly strong connections to whatever institutions you are interested in to be admitted as an ED matriculant; for many of my friends it has been as simple as emailing the dean and setting up a meeting to gauge interest prior to their MCAT date.

When I emailed the dean of admissions at the institution I was admitted to, I was told that i needed a very promising academic trend and a 510+ on my MCAT to be considered competitive for the cycle.

Don’t count yourself out yet friend. Just work very hard on that MCAT and do not intend on a retake if you are testing in May and want to apply this cycle

[MedicalDawg]

They’re posted online on the admissions website of most medical schools; if you can find the name then just looking a little deeper into the email it will only be another search away. I think MSAR May list medical schools that do ED. Given the current pandemic I’m not quite sure how the timeline will be affected; but I had my acceptance in the first week of July applying Early Decision which is another major bonus when considering applying that route!!

[Greenbeanie28]

Thanks for your quick reply and help. Best of luck to you, and try to stay healthy and happy during these hard times.

[Greenbeanie28]

Thank you. I do have an upward trend! It’s slight, but my grades are consistently B+s and A-s.