Actually, I'm taking the MCAT in 3 weeks and can only hope for a a 37+ score. But I was wondering whether you guys think I'll get interview invites from top med schools (ie: top 15) with a 3.8/3.85, 37-38 MCAT, 1st author pub, several years of EMT/hospital volunteer experiences, small amount of shadowing, 3 summers and 1 year of research experience.

It's always hard to say for sure about top med schools, but stats-wise (assuming you actually get a 37+ score, which isn't a safe assumption unless you practice test scores are in that range or better) there's no reason why not. Your clinical/shadowing sounds good too.

The research also looks good, but selective schools like the top 15 like to see 2+ years of substantive research experience, meaning taking charge of your own project, writing a grant proposal, getting a poster/publication, etc...

Besides all that, top schools like to see leadership potential in an application. Do you have any leadership experiences that you didn't mention? Don't forget about community service, artistic endeavours, interesting hobbies, etc...If your application is missing these, then I would work on filling these up before submitting (and this applies to all med schools in general).

Basically, assuming you do get a 37+, can describe your research well in an application, and are outstanding in leadership and/or community service and/or art/hobbies, and assuming glowing lors and well-written personal statement/secondaries, then I'd be surprised if you didn't hear back from at least 1 top school.

It's always hard to say for sure about top med schools, but stats-wise (assuming you actually get a 37+ score, which isn't a safe assumption unless you practice test scores are in that range or better) there's no reason why not. Your clinical/shadowing sounds good too.

The research also looks good, but selective schools like the top 15 like to see 2+ years of substantive research experience, meaning taking charge of your own project, writing a grant proposal, getting a poster/publication, etc...

Besides all that, top schools like to see leadership potential in an application. Do you have any leadership experiences that you didn't mention? Don't forget about community service, artistic endeavours, interesting hobbies, etc...If your application is missing these, then I would work on filling these up before submitting (and this applies to all med schools in general).

Basically, assuming you do get a 37+, can describe your research well in an application, and are outstanding in leadership and/or community service and/or art/hobbies, and assuming glowing lors and well-written personal statement/secondaries, then I'd be surprised if you didn't hear back from at least 1 top school.

Thanks for the reply! Well, I'm working on founding a chapter of a national non-profit at my school. My school approved of it, but I'm having some trouble reaching out to the community with it, so we'll see if I can make it successful this year. I'm also an officer of a couple clubs, but no big roles. LOR's should be good, and I can definitely describe my research well (I mean, I did write most of the paper...).

If you're intending to apply this season with an MCAT score released in October, your chances decrease due to fewer interview spots being left. But if you do score as high on the MCAT as you project, there will still be med schools expressing interest in your application.

The research also looks good, but selective schools like the top 15 like to see 2+ years of substantive research experience, meaning taking charge of your own project, writing a grant proposal, getting a poster/publication, etc...



Really? I knew the top schools had a thing for research but actually piloting your own research/study? I had no idea they expected that. I figured students would get summer internships and work in labs and that could be their research experience. Are we talking about getting published as a first author? because if that's the case there is no way in hell I'd ever get into a "top 15" school. I may end up getting one 3rd author at best. just curious

Really? I knew the top schools had a thing for research but actually piloting your own research/study? I had no idea they expected that. I figured students would get summer internships and work in labs and that could be their research experience. Are we talking about getting published as a first author? because if that's the case there is no way in hell I'd ever get into a "top 15" school. I may end up getting one 3rd author at best. just curious

The bar is always rising... The joys of SDN.

The bar is always rising... The joys of SDN.

So true...