3.3 3.1 30

[aurorafalling]

Hey all,

Looking for some advice.
Rising Senior
School: HYP
cGPA: 3.3-3.4
sGPA: ~3.2
(slight upward trend)
MCAT: 30 (12 VR/9 BS/9)
URM (AA Female), ses disadvantaged (qualified for FAP)
250 hours clinical volunteering
150 hours non-clinical volunteering
Lots of leadership positions
Part-time employment throughout college (working 2 PT jobs since last year)
Strong LORs

Debating on whether or not to take a gap year. I'd prefer to go straight through, but if you all believe I couldn't get into any MD schools this cycle then I'll take the gap year; my advisors seem very optimistic about my chances of being accepted regardless if I take a gap year or not, but I just wanted another opinion. Need to decide before my app is verified in a few days. Thanks!

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[SN12357]

Hey all,

Looking for some advice.
Rising Senior
School: HYP
cGPA: 3.3-3.4
sGPA: ~3.2
(slight upward trend)
MCAT: 30 (12 VR/9 BS/9)
URM (AA Female), ses disadvantaged (qualified for FAP)
250 hours clinical volunteering
150 hours non-clinical volunteering
Lots of leadership positions
Part-time employment throughout college (working 2 PT jobs since last year)
Strong LORs

Debating on whether or not to take a gap year. I'd prefer to go straight through, but if you all believe I couldn't get into any MD schools this cycle then I'll take the gap year; my advisors seem very optimistic about my chances of being accepted regardless if I take a gap year or not, but I just wanted another opinion. Need to decide before my app is verified in a few days. Thanks!

The chances for an African American applicant with your stats is over 80%, so I would say go for it this year, especially if you've already put in your primary.

However, be judicious with your school choice and do not apply top-heavy.

 

[gobigorgohome22]

Hey all,

Looking for some advice.
Rising Senior
School: HYP
cGPA: 3.3-3.4
sGPA: ~3.2
(slight upward trend)
MCAT: 30 (12 VR/9 BS/9)
URM (AA Female), ses disadvantaged (qualified for FAP)
250 hours clinical volunteering
150 hours non-clinical volunteering
Lots of leadership positions
Part-time employment throughout college (working 2 PT jobs since last year)
Strong LORs

Debating on whether or not to take a gap year. I'd prefer to go straight through, but if you all believe I couldn't get into any MD schools this cycle then I'll take the gap year; my advisors seem very optimistic about my chances of being accepted regardless if I take a gap year or not, but I just wanted another opinion. Need to decide before my app is verified in a few days. Thanks!

There is nothing that says WOW other than your school. I think you will have a shot at getting in to mid/low tier MD school this cycle. The URM status along with HYP will look great on your application. GPA is definitely the most worrisome thing on the app. A gap year wouldn't really fix that unless you were going to do a post-back during the gap year. The only advantage you would have by taking a gap year is that you could apply earlier (its not late yet but definitely not early) and you could also retake MCAT (dont necessary need to but it would help your app a lot to have 33+ score).

 

[Goro]

As a URM, your chances are quite good. Apply broadly.

Hey all,

Looking for some advice.
Rising Senior
School: HYP
cGPA: 3.3-3.4
sGPA: ~3.2
(slight upward trend)
MCAT: 30 (12 VR/9 BS/9)
URM (AA Female), ses disadvantaged (qualified for FAP)
250 hours clinical volunteering
150 hours non-clinical volunteering
Lots of leadership positions
Part-time employment throughout college (working 2 PT jobs since last year)
Strong LORs

Debating on whether or not to take a gap year. I'd prefer to go straight through, but if you all believe I couldn't get into any MD schools this cycle then I'll take the gap year; my advisors seem very optimistic about my chances of being accepted regardless if I take a gap year or not, but I just wanted another opinion. Need to decide before my app is verified in a few days. Thanks!

 

[aurorafalling]

Thanks for the replies! I forgot to mention I've been doing research for 2.5 years, a certified EMT-B, and a GA resident. I have ECs that might identify me if I were more specific, which is why I'm trying to be as general as possible. I was wondering if anyone could critique my school list, and suggest any more med schools I should look at? Any I should take off the list? Thanks!

Howard
Morehouse/Meharry
Medical College of Georgia (now GA Regents?)
Mercer
Emory
Virginia Tech Carilion
New York Medical College
Eastern Virginia
Virginia Commonwealth
Rosalind Franklin
Marshall U School of Med
Tulane
Wake Forest
Albany
Rush
Loyola-Stritch
Drexel
U of Vermont
Penn State
Jefferson
Temple
U of Arizona
U of Arkansas
SLU
U of NV (have ties to state)
Loma Linda
U of Miami

 

[talinnlove]

Thoughts on a few of your schools:

Marshall U School of Med: only accepts students from WV, with strong ties to WV, or from states immediately contiguous to WV (Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia)

U of Arkansas: pretty low OOS matriculation rate of 13.3%, especially considering that 85.2% of their apps are from OOS

Loma Linda: owned and operated by the Seventh Day Adventist church, with a mission to train SDA doctors who will serve with a Christian purpose. Very strict behavioral guidelines for students, requires a Christian statement of purpose for secondary app. Avoid Loma Linda if any of this would be hard to adjust to.

The rest look good!

Also, consider adding Cooper Rowan, Tufts, Hofstra, Quinnipiac, Western Michigan, and Oakland Beaumont

 

[aurorafalling]

^Thank you for your suggestions! I've taken Arkansas out and added your suggestions (except for Tufts, because they get SO many applications). I'm a Christian, so I don't mind Loma Linda's mission at all. Below is my revised school list:
Howard
Morehouse
Medical College of Georgia (now GA Regents?)
Mercer
Emory
Virginia Tech Carilion
New York Medical College*
Eastern Virginia
Virginia Commonwealth
Rosalind Franklin
Tulane
Wake Forest
Albany
Rush
Loyola-Stritch
Drexel
U of Vermont (OOS Friendly)
Penn State
Jefferson*
Frank H. Netter School of Medicine @ Quinnipiac University
Wright State
Cooper Rowan
Quinnipiac
Hofstra Northshore--LIJ School of Medicine
Western Michigan
Oakland Beaumont
U of Arizona
Loma Linda
U of Miami
U of Michigan
USC

Does anyone else have any suggestions? Or opinions as to my viability as a med school applicant for this cycle? Really appreciate the help!

 

[NavyDoc23]

I think your chances are good with your status and your list fits well with both your stats and status. If you have enough money for all those schools, go for it. If not, you might want to cut out your "hopeful" schools, like U of Michigan, Emory, VT, and USC.