What mcat score would make me “safe” to apply to MD schools?

[PlumPuddingParty]

I just graduated this past spring, currently taking a gap year, and planning on applying this upcoming cycle. GPA is a bit low, so I’m wondering if my ECs along with hopefully a good mcat score can make up for it. What score would make me “safe” (big quotations there) to apply to MD schools?


GPA = 3.63
sGPA = 3.50

Clinical Experience:
Hospital volunteer: 350+ hours (over 2 years)

Nonclinical volunteering:
Working with special needs adults: 70+ hours (over 2 years)
Animal shelter: 40 hours (3 months)
Working at various fundraisers: 50 hours

Research:
Ecology lab: 100 hours
Neurosci research internship: 400 hours

Shadowing:
60+ hours across family med, pathology, ortho surg, and radiology

Other:
Biology peer tutor: 600 hours

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[voxveritatisetlucis]

513+

This would put you in a LizzyM range in which about 67% get accepted

 

[CatDad26]

528 - no score is "safe"

 

[gyngyn]

Successful FL applicants had a mean MCAT of 511.7, the mean gpa was 3.76, though.

https://www.aamc.org/media/6076/download

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

Successful FL applicants had a mean MCAT of 511.7, the mean gpa was 3.76, though.

https://www.aamc.org/media/6076/download

This is a good baseline reference

Keep in mind that means are usually skewed downwards compared to other measures of spread (since left tail outliers are more frequent) for med school admissions.

 

[gyngyn]

Keep in mind that means are usually skewed downwards compared to other measures of spread (since left tail outliers are more frequent) for med school admissions.

Most of the other AAMC tables use the median as the preferred point of central tendency for just this reason.
Their reason for using means in this case is unclear, but it is the best available data.

 

[proudofmykids]

As a non-traditional applicant who will have two gap years, I suggest you add a few hundred hours to each clinical EC and non clinical volunteering.

 

[candbgirl]

As a non-traditional applicant who will have two gap years, I suggest you add a few hundred hours to each clinical EC and non clinical volunteering.

^^^^. THIS! And please get out of your comfort zone and start working with people unlike yourself. Find a homeless shelter, soup kitchen etc for nonclinical volunteering..

 

[PlumPuddingParty]

As a non-traditional applicant who will have two gap years, I suggest you add a few hundred hours to each clinical EC and non clinical volunteering.

I’ll definitely be volunteering more after my January test date. Is several hundred more hours possible between Feb-May?

 

[proudofmykids]

I’ll definitely be volunteering more after my January test date. Is several hundred more hours possible between Feb-May?

First of all, yes, four months is 640 hours from 16 weeks of 40 hours.
you also have June, July and August to include hours in Secondary essays plus anticipated hours for all of next year.
someone else needs to advise if it is possible or best alternative means to update your ECs and hours after first submitting.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

As a non-traditional applicant who will have two gap years, I suggest you add a few hundred hours to each clinical EC and non clinical volunteering.

There is a point of diminishing returns. OP isn’t there yet, but regardless, 350+ clinical hours is plenty. If they can get more, great, but they should prioritize other things (of which non clinical is a big one).

 

[deleted1004199]

My GPA is somewhat similar, also FL ORM who took a few gap years to work in a different health field. I'd say aim as high as you possibly can. No MCAT is safe. n=1 but it's been complete silence for me and I'm gearing up to reapply with a 515. I think my big issue was working and not pre-writing so I submitted most in mid September thru mid October. Just give it your all and get the best score you possibly can!!