3.0 UG, 3.9+ SMP, 35 MCAT reapp

[getsome111]

doesn't look like ill make it off the waitlist this year, but I'm thinking my new SMP grades should help. Im probably going to end up using mediocre letters of rec, I have a lot of hands on experience but only as a paid dental assistant-- and have only shadowed abroad while in undergrad. half asian/white male from california who's not checking that I identify as asian and white on my app. (though I did last cycle, do you think this will come under scrutiny? my mom (asian) left the family when I was 10 so I really have almost no ties to an asian upbringing). Open to any suggestions, the school list is sort of just a compilation which I've found from looking for SMP friendly schools.

school list:

Case
U Miami
BU
Tufts
Wayne State
Vandy
Columbia
Rosy Franklin
Albany
NYMC
Duke
Tulane
Drexel
RUSH
creighton
georgetown
temple
Upenn?
Ohio State
PSU
USC
EVMS
VCU
USF
UIC
buffalo
stonybrook
NY state

edit: last time I applied I didn't submit until early September, no SMP grades yet--only got 1 interview at my parent institution which I bombed

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[gyngyn]

What has improved since the first application?
At which of these schools are you a re-applicant?

 

[bruwin2011]

1. get new letters of rec... mediocre letters are worse than no letters at all.
2. you need to apply more broadly- even with a 3.9 SMP 28 schools is not enough with you are including top ranked schools such as Case, Tufts, Colombia, Georgetown, Duke, UPenn etc. Note- Georgetown is not really SMP friendly, because they reserve 20-30 spots in each of their classes for their own SMP students. Include mid-tier schools that are OOS (CA resident here too) because your uGPA is going to hurt you a lot. Your SMP should also give you a list that they have relationship with.
3. Depending on your EC, take a look and reevaluate if you need more diverse experiences (if hands on dental experience is it, they might wonder why you aren't predental)

Good luck and PM me if you have questions.

 

[candbgirl]

Maybe you shouldn't apply this cycle. It seems you've been busy doing well in the SMP this year so you haven't done anything else to improve your application. Frankly your ECs are very lacking. Spend this year shadowing docs in the U.S., volunteering and getting some clinical exposure in a medical setting. Dental work exclusively makes me thing you should be applying to dental schools.