29 MCAT 3.85 GPA EC's and Medical School Application List

[bighugmug]

First official post on the forum. I'm wondering if I have a good spread of schools for my application. I have a 3.85 cGPA and a 29 on the MCAT. I have my CNA license and I've been doing clinical work for five years. I have no research experience and I haven't shadowed. That's about as specific as I feel comfortable getting. They're listed in no particular order, except that the University of Colorado is my first choice. For personal reasons, I would be willing to give a kidney to go there. So here it is, tell me what y'all think!

-University of Colorado School of Medicine
-Albany Medical College
-Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Sci...
-Drexel University College of Medicine
-Eastern Virginia Medical School
-Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine
-Medical College of Wisconsin
-New York Medical College
-Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine
-Rush Medical College of Rush University Medical Center
-Saint Louis University School of Medicine
-Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University
-Temple University School of Medicine
-Tufts University School of Medicine
-Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine

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[claduva94]

Where are you from? You have quite a few state schools that aren't friendly to OOS students.

 

[Catalystik]

First official post on the forum. I'm wondering if I have a good spread of schools for my application. I have a 3.85 cGPA and a 29 on the MCAT. I have my CNA license and I've been doing clinical work for five years. I have no research experience and I haven't shadowed. That's about as specific as I feel comfortable getting. They're listed in no particular order, except that the University of Colorado is my first choice. For personal reasons, I would be willing to give a kidney to go there. So here it is, tell me what y'all think!

-University of Colorado School of Medicine
-Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University
-Indiana University School of Medicine
-Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine
-Saint Louis University School of Medicine
-Sanford School of Medicine The University of South Dakota
-Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Me...
-The University of Texas School of Medicine at San Antonio
-University of Arizona College of Medicine
-University of California, Davis, School of Medicine
-University of Kansas School of Medicine
-University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine
-University of Nebraska College of Medicine
-University of Nevada School of Medicine
-University of New Mexico School of Medicine
-University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences
-University of Oklahoma College of Medicine
-University of Texas Medical School at Houston
-University of Washington School of Medicine (Probably not since they require 40 hours of shadowing) .

Indiana, Kansas, & S Dakota expect ties to the state (consider reviewing selection factors from the MSAR or school websites also for Nevada, and N Mexico, which have regional bias). I believe that Oregon requires a minimum MCAT of 32 for OOSers. Hopefully you know that Texas uses a different application system (TMDSAS). No chance at UWashington. N Dakota has a completely different method of deciding who gets interviews (like whether you went to HS there) which you can Search out on WAMC.

If the MSAR keeps you from applying to just one school where you have no chance, it will be well worth the cost. You can purchase it on the AMCAS website to get on-line access.

 

[simple1987]

Do you have access to the MSAR? It seems like you've picked quite a few tough public state schools to apply to. I'd at least get rid of:
- UC Davis
- Stanford
- OHSU
- UNMC

The MSAR will be your friend in narrowing down your school list. Check schools in your state of residence. If there aren't tons of options, look at OOS schools. Make sure they accept OOS students. If they do, make sure there are no stipulations such as having ties to the state or only accepting students from neighboring states. That will save you a lot of money. UNMC is a school that accepts a few OOS, but I'd you look closely in their site, it tells you that those students must have ties to the state of Nebraska. My friend didn't know that, applied and payed the secondary fee only to be rejected 24 hrs later. When he called to ask why, his state residency was the problem. With a 29 and 3.85, I'd look at schools such as Temple, VCU, UVM, U of AZ- Tucson, Rutgers, and newer MD schools.

Just curious, but why haven't you shadowed? No research isn't a total killer at all, but most schools do appreciate some amount if shadowing.

FWIW, I got into VCU and Temple with a 3.85 and 31 as an OOS student. Good luck! It's definitely a tough process!

 

[claduva94]

Do you have access to the MSAR? It seems like you've picked quite a few tough public state schools to apply to. I'd at least get rid of:
- UC Davis
- Stanford
- OHSU
- UNMC

The MSAR will be your friend in narrowing down your school list. Check schools in your state of residence. If there aren't tons of options, look at OOS schools. Make sure they accept OOS students. If they do, make sure there are no stipulations such as having ties to the state or only accepting students from neighboring states. That will save you a lot of money. UNMC is a school that accepts a few OOS, but I'd you look closely in their site, it tells you that those students must have ties to the state of Nebraska. My friend didn't know that, applied and payed the secondary fee only to be rejected 24 hrs later. When he called to ask why, the his state residency was the problem. With a 29 and 3.85, I'd look at schools such as Temple, VCU, UVM, U of AZ- Tucson, Rutgers, and newer MD schools.

Just curious, but why haven't you shadowed? No research isn't a total killer at all, but most schools do appreciate some amount if shadowing.

FWIW, I got into VCU and Temple with a 3.85 and 31 as an OOS student. Good luck! It's definitely a tough process!

It is Sanford not Stanford. I read it that way the first time I looked at it too. But your point still remains valid.

 

[simple1987]

It is Sanford not Stanford. I read it that way the first time I looked at it too. But your point still remains valid.

Haha good catch- definitely read it wrong!

 

[V5RED]

Do you have any volunteering to list?

 

[bighugmug]

I'm instate for my first choice, University of Colorado. I'd give up acceptances to any other medical school because my family is here. I don't want to leave them behind for the next four years. But it doesn't work that way, and I know it.

As to the MSAR, it only tells you certain things; for an example, it says for some of the universities I mentioned that ties were preferred but it also said some OOS applicants were accepted. However, if their OOS applicant acceptance rate is low enough I suppose it would just be wasting money. Thanks for the advice, it's much appreciated. I'm gonna axe some of them off my list because it doesn't sound like I'd stand a chance at them.

 

[bighugmug]

bump for editing my list. I got rid of some of the schools that I didn't have a shot at. I kept some of the same ones because honestly, I've run out of options.

 

[LaceyMD]

bump for editing my list. I got rid of some of the schools that I didn't have a shot at. I kept some of the same ones because honestly, I've run out of options.

Get rid of Washington - even on your original list, that one would have been your biggest waste of an application fee. They take almost no OOS other than their WWAMI students.

Honestly, unless there is an extraordinary portion of your application you haven't shared, with a 29 MCAT you are not likely a competitive OOS applicant at state schools - you have to remember that, in general, OOS students who are accepted have stats far higher than the median for those schools, because they are competing in a large pool for a very, very small number of spots.

You need to be applying more broadly, and to more private schools where you aren't an OOS longshot. If you haven't already considered them, I'd say think about Albany, Quinnipiac, George Washington, Loma Linda (if the religion and the code of behavior don't bother you - buyer beware on that one, read up on it carefully), Rush...there are others, give the MSAR another careful look. Your good GPA may be enough to balance your MCAT at some schools but you need to give yourself a wide enough net to find those schools.

Good luck!!

 

[Catalystik]

Some information about the North Dakota process: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...her-what-are-my-chances.891290/#post-12156124

You might check last season's School Specific thread for more recent information. Since they recently became an AMCAS school, perhaps they've changed their formula for interview offers.

 

[Faha]

Realistically you are applying to only 5 medical schools.
University of Colorado School of Medicine
-Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Sci...
-Drexel University College of Medicine
-Saint Louis University School of Medicine
-Temple University School of Medicine
The other 10 schools are state schools that accept very few OOS applicants with a MCAT of 29 ( the 2 Virginia schools may be the exception). You should consider adding another 10 private schools that may potentially accept applicants with a MCAT of 29 such as Creighton, Loyola, Jefferson, Western Michigan, Oakland Beaumont, Hofstra, Quinnipiac, New York Medical College, Albany and George Washington.

 

[Goro]

Goro suggests:

-University of Colorado School of Medicine
-Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Sci...
-Drexel University College of Medicine
-Eastern Virginia Medical School
-Saint Louis University School of Medicine
-Temple University School of Medicine
-Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
Albany
Tufts
NYMC
Jefferson
all new MD schools except Va Tech and Hofstra
Rush
Penn State
EVMS
MCW
Any DO program (start with RVU, which is in your backyard)

 

[Zelda840]

As others have mentioned, you need to remove UNMC from your list. They routinely reject OOS people with fantastic stats immediately after receiving their secondary fee. If you have a lot of volunteering with the underserved, I'd consider adding Creighton.

 

[bighugmug]

Thank you LaceyMD, Catalystik, Faha, Zelda840, and all hail Goro.

I've updated my list one more time due to all the incredibly helpful advice and perspectives I've gotten.
Thank you!