Has anyone gotten into UBC with a low MCAT?

[hopefullyme 1]

Title pretty much says it all. I'm just wondering if there's any hope for those of us who aren't the best standardized test takers 

[offmychestplease 267]

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[HongHongHong 62]

@hopefullyme I think the people who get in with a low MCAT have stronger GPAs that balance that out. To be honest, however: an MCAT sitting versus finals season both involve very similar elements (taking a test under pressure). Unlike finals, an MCAT can be retaken many times without penalization from UBC, so in my mind, an MCAT is more practical to do well on because it's simply something that can be retaken as many times as needed. 

@offmychestplease did mention that there was someone who got in with a 503, I'd be very interested to see their other stats to see how they balanced out the weakness in their MCAT. On the opposite end of the spectrum, I've heard from some people who haven't gotten in and attribute it to their weak MCAT. So unless the rest of your application glows, the MCAT requires the least amount of time to improve (~3 months during the summer vs 1+ additional year of classes vs 1+ year of "long-term" extracurriculars), I would say: improve it.

[Pterygoid 52]

Another factor seems to be whether you enrolled and did well in their 'strongly recommended' science courses.

"Courses in biology, chemistry and biochemistry are strongly recommended but are not required for application. All applicants are expected to demonstrate proficiency in these areas through coursework and/or MCAT scores."

[Anon123456 4]

@hopefullyme I've never posted on here before, but I had very similar worries while applying and thought I could provide a little hope. I'm IP and was just accepted this year (on my 2nd application) with a 506 MCAT (128 CARS). I'm not really sure what my GPA was, because I did an exchange semester and did a MSc at universities with different scales, but my cGPA for undergrad (minus my exchange) was around 3.7 on a 4.3 scale, with a strong upward trend. During my first application cycle, my AQ score was ~25. I have always thought of my extracurriculars as my biggest strength, and am very aware that my academics are below the average accepted applicant. However, I also truly believe that, once a certain academic threshold is met, the personality, values, and experiences of an applicant are WAY more important and indicative of a good clinician. For my 2nd application, I completely rewrote my extracurriculars, which I think got me an interview, and I felt really good about the interview. I know it can be daunting, and I was fully prepared to re-write the MCAT (because mine expires this summer), but if this is your dream career, I'm proof that a bad MCAT doesn't necessariy preclude you from acceptance (with a ton of luck involved!). Good luck, and I hope this helps! 

[Medddddd 87]

I did :)))) IP applicant 3.75-3.8 ish gpa and 507 (I can;t remember if its 507 or 508 lol) MCAT. Had good ECs but honestly nothing crazy. Dont give up!!

 

[popfossa 46]

I got in off the waitlist OOP with a 504 (125 CARS)! So there is definitely hope if you have a low MCAT score. In terms of reference my GPA was 92% and I had a good variety of ECs. 

[Ginny Midgeon 18]

IP here. I got in this year with a 505 MCAT and 83% aGPA. My NAQ definitely carried me. 

So it's possible to get in with a low MCAT (and low GPA, too)!

[hopefullyme 1]

Thank-you for the replies everyone, seeing all your comments is giving me hope! My GPA is decent I think (~90%) if I calculated correctly and I think my ECs are pretty diverse as well. There's just something about the MCAT that just terrifies me haha. But I'm trying to get as much practice in as I can this summer and hoping for the best!