<p>11.7 isn’t her total score. Is that her average per section? If that’s the case, it could be a very good score. Recommendations can always have some effect, but to get them read in the first place, you need a GPA and MCAT to make them open the file. Recommendations from research faculty tend to be very respected. Depending on the MCAT total score (an R on the writing section is fine), a 3.6 can be an admissible GPA with no problem provided everything else is in good shape.</p>