3.4 sGPA, 3.5 GPA 31 Mcat /Tons of EC/ Please help me with my school list :)

[caliboydave]

Hello everyone, Hope everyone is having a wonderful evening!

I was looking for some input on my school list. I am a California resident, UCLA degree in molecular biology, 3.5(BCMP GPA), and 3.5 overall gpa. strong upward trend. straight As for over a year.

I got a MCAT of 31 ( 10P/9V/12BS) earlier this year

Here are my ECs and Research!

Research
-3+ years of research in immunology lab at UCLA
-3 abstracts published ( first author on 2)
- presented at 3 conferences
-3 publications ( 1 first author, 2nd author, and 3rd author)
-designated promising future researcher by UCLA school of medicine
- have one research grant from ucla

Employment ( last two years)
-paid lab assistant - assistant in lab at ucla jule stein eye ins.

officer in ucla research assistant club for last two years- help students find labs, mentor student in research

Medical missionary trip - rural clinic volunteer- summer 2012

hospital emergency department volunteer- 4 years

two summers of doctor shadowing - (pediatrics and internal medicine)

Tutoring of under privileged first generation students - founder- last 2 years

Member of student indian association- last 3 years

I have excellent letters of recs from lab pi, professor, medical directors, and supervisor

Heres my school list so far.




Please give me feedback on narrowing down my list! i want to get it down to like 35 schools. I would appreciate any input! thanks for reading!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Heplayer92]

Do you have a copy of the MSAR? It will really help.

Also, have you thought about how to respond to someone asking you "Why not get a PhD or MD/PhD?" You've obviously accomplished a lot in that sector.

 

[WillburCobb]

Hello everyone, Hope everyone is having a wonderful evening!

I was looking for some input on my school list. I am a California resident, UCLA degree in molecular biology, 3.4cGPA and 3.5 overall gpa. strong upward trend. straight As for over a year.

I got a MCAT of 31 ( 10P/9V/12BS) earlier this year

Here are my ECs and Research!

Research
-3+ years of research in immunology lab at UCLA
-3 abstracts published ( first author on 2)
- presented at 3 conferences
-3 publications ( 1 first author, 2nd author, and 3rd author)
-designated promising future researcher by UCLA school of medicine
- have one research grant from ucla

Employment ( last two years)
-paid lab assistant - assistant in lab at ucla jule stein eye ins.

officer in ucla research assistant club for last two years- help students find labs, mentor student in research

Medical missionary trip - rural clinic volunteer- summer 2012

hospital emergency department volunteer- 4 years

two summers of doctor shadowing - (pediatrics and internal medicine)

Tutoring of under privileged first generation students - founder- last 2 years

Member of student indian association- last 3 years

I have excellent letters of recs from lab pi, professor, medical directors, and supervisor

Heres my school list so far.

Univerity of Alabama
University of Arkansas
USC Keck
UCR
Loma Linda
Stanford
UCD
UCI
UCLA
UCSD
University of Colorodo Denver
University of Connecticut
George washington
Georgeton University
Howard
Flordia International Univeristy
University of Miami Miller
Emory
Loyola University of Chicago
Rosalind Franklin
Rush Medical College
University of Illinois
Indiana University of Medicie
University of Iowa
University of Kansas
univeristy of kentucy
university of louisville
tulane
Maryland
tufts
michigan state univerdity
wayne
university of minisitgota
saint louis, missioru
creighton university
university of nebreask
university of nevada
albany
albert enistein
new york medical college
new york university
state university of new york
state university upstate
stong brook
buffalo
wake forest
university of north daokta
university of cincinatti
university of toledo
wright state
oregon
commonwealth
drexel
jefferson medical college
temple
sanford school of medicine south dokatoa
east tennessee state
meharry medical college
univertity of tennessee
vanderblit
univerity of utag
university of vermond
easteern virgina medical school
virgina commonwealth

Please give me feedback on narrowing down my list! i want to get it down to like 35 schools. I would appreciate any input! thanks for reading!

Howard is an HBC so unless you fit that demographic I wouldn't apply. Unless you're Native American or a former long term ND or SD resident you have a 0% chance at UND and USD. MN, OR, IA, and FA schools aren't in your favor. I'm gonna stop here - get the MSAR.

 

[caliboydave]

Howard is an HBC so unless you fit that demographic I wouldn't apply. Unless you're Native American or a former long term ND or SD resident you have a 0% chance at UND and USD. MN, OR, IA, and FA schools aren't in your favor. I'm gonna stop here - get the MSAR.

Thanks for the input! I have removed ND from my list. I do have the MSAR and these were the schools which I screened for me to apply to. Im sorry but what does FA and IA stand for? I was planning on applying to OR because its close to my home in CA. But overall do you think I picked most schools which I have a shot at? Any input is welcome!

thanks for your time

 

[caliboydave]

Do you have a copy of the MSAR? It will really help.

Also, have you thought about how to respond to someone asking you "Why not get a PhD or MD/PhD?" You've obviously accomplished a lot in that sector.

I do have the MSAR, these were the schools which I had picked out of it.

Yes I know my research is extensive for an undergraduate but id much rather do just MD and do research on the side. Research is more of a hobby for me. MD is where my heart lies. However, I think I will apply to a couple MD/PhD schools because its been suggested that I would be a better MD/PhD applicant than MD. But i would prefer to just go MD.

thank you for your input and time! any more is welcome!

 

[WillburCobb]

Thanks for the input! I have removed ND from my list. I do have the MSAR and these were the schools which I screened for me to apply to. Im sorry but what does FA and IA stand for? I was planning on applying to OR because its close to my home in CA. But overall do you think I picked most schools which I have a shot at? Any input is welcome!

thanks for your time

Only commenting on what I know. IA is Iowa and FA is Florida (May have had the wrong abbreviation with that one). Oregon screens at a 3.6+ 32+ for OOS applicants. Meharry is also a HBC. You're going to only want to consider public OOS schools that have an OOS acceptance rate at 30-40% or higher.

 

[caliboydave]

Only commenting on what I know. IA is Iowa and FA is Florida (May have had the wrong abbreviation with that one). Oregon screens at a 3.6+ 32+ for OOS applicants. Meharry is also a HBC. You're going to only want to consider public OOS schools that have an OOS acceptance rate at 30-40% or higher.

Il take them off my list then! How are the majority of the schools i picked looking? i tried to apply broadly with a couple reaches .

Thanks for your time!

 

[WillburCobb]

Il take them off my list then! How are the majority of the schools i picked looking? i tried to apply broadly with a couple reaches .

Thanks for your time!

Only offering insight on what I know. Use the percentage cut-off from my last post and either edit or re-post your school list.

 

[caliboydave]

Only offering insight on what I know. Use the percentage cut-off from my last post and either edit or re-post your school list.

Edited! Removed a couple of schools based off your advice.

 

[caliboydave]

could @Goro and @gyngyn also give some feedback? I would appreciate it!

 

[WillburCobb]

I'd also cut Colorado, Arkansas, Michigan, Minnesota, the Florida schools, and NYU.

 

[Goro]

Medical schools do apprciate it when you do your homework.

In MSAR there is a tab for "Acceptance Information". If you had looked at that, you'd see that there are schools on your list that do not accept OOS applicants. You should have also noted that your MCAT is below the 1oth %ile for a ton of schools. Those are not likely to accept you. You're four points below the mean for a good number of these schools as well, so those schoul be scratched as well. Do you meet the mission requirements of UCI or UCR?

State schools favor the home team, and so are difficult for OOSers with < avg stats.

Goro suggests
USC Keck
Loma Linda
UCD
UCLA
Flordia International Univeristy
University of Miami Miller
Loyola University of Chicago
Rosalind Franklin
Rush Medical College
tulane
tufts
saint louis, Missouri
creighton university
albany
albert enistein
new york medical college
wake forest
commonwealth
drexel
jefferson medical college
temple
easteern virgina medical school
virgina commonwealth
Any new MD school
Any DO program, especially Western and TUCOM-CA, since they're in your back yard.

 

[caliboydave]

Medical schools do apprciate it when you do your homework.

In MSAR there is a tab for "Acceptance Information". If you had looked at that, you'd see that there are schools on your list that do not accept OOS applicants. You should have also noted that your MCAT is below the 1oth %ile for a ton of schools. Those are not likely to accept you. You're four points below the mean for a good number of these schools as well, so those schoul be scratched as well. Do you meet the mission requirements of UCI or UCR?

State schools favor the home team, and so are difficult for OOSers with < avg stats.

Goro suggests
USC Keck
Loma Linda
UCD
UCLA
Flordia International Univeristy
University of Miami Miller
Loyola University of Chicago
Rosalind Franklin
Rush Medical College
tulane
tufts
saint louis, Missouri
creighton university
albany
albert enistein
new york medical college
wake forest
commonwealth
drexel
jefferson medical college
temple
easteern virgina medical school
virgina commonwealth
Any new MD school
Any DO program, especially Western and TUCOM-CA, since they're in your back yard.

Thank you for your input! I just double checked all of the schools on my list and I didn't see any which did not accept OOS. that was one of the first things I screened for. Im using the 2013 -2014 MSAR. My apologizes if i missed something.

and may I ask why you took off New York schools? Buffalo accepts a lot of OOS and I am within their range as well I believe

thanks for your input!

 

[Goro]

The number of OOS ata state school can be misleading. States prefer people from their own state, and those from nearby. the taxpayers want to know you'll stick around to practice after they subsidize your tuition. Someone from Erie, PA is more likley to get into SUNY-Buff than someone from CA, and then practice nearby.

Thank you for your input! I just double checked all of the schools on my list and I didn't see any which did not accept OOS. that was one of the first things I screened for. Im using the 2013 -2014 MSAR. My apologizes if i missed something.

and may I ask why you took off New York schools? Buffalo accepts a lot of OOS and I am within their range as well I believe

thanks for your input!

 

[WillburCobb]

Thank you for your input! I just double checked all of the schools on my list and I didn't see any which did not accept OOS. that was one of the first things I screened for. Im using the 2013 -2014 MSAR. My apologizes if i missed something.

and may I ask why you took off New York schools? Buffalo accepts a lot of OOS and I am within their range as well I believe

thanks for your input!

A lot of OOS acceptances to public schools go to former long term residents, those with strong ties, applicants with ties to the region, applicants who fit demographic based missions (e.g., Indians into Medicine), etc.

 

[caliboydave]

A lot of OOS acceptances to public schools go to former long term residents, those with strong ties, applicants with ties to the region, applicants who fit demographic based missions (e.g., Indians into Medicine), etc.

Updated my list! Hows it look with my stats? leaning towards the ones goro suggested plus a couple others

Anyone else with input? All is welcome!

 

[WillburCobb]

Updated my list! Hows it look with my stats? leaning towards the ones goro suggested plus a couple others

Anyone else with input? All is welcome!

You really should cut the schools I suggested in my second to last post as they are really low yield. I realize @Goro left the FL schools on his list, but statistically they really aren't in your favor. I'd put his advice over mine though...so yeah...

 

[caliboydave]

You really should cut the schools I suggested in my second to last post as they are really low yield. I realize @Goro left the FL schools on his list, but statistically they really aren't in your favor. I'd put his advice over mine though...so yeah...

updated the list with your suggestions. hows it look?

 

[WillburCobb]

updated the list with your suggestions. hows it look?

Looking better. I'd still cut Michigan and throw some DO schools in as well. Then you should be set.

 

[BobGadha]

Some schools receive over 10,000 applicants, rendering them rather low yield. Such schools include Temple, Drexel, Tufts, NYMC. While they are stats-friendly, there are SO many applicants that it's difficult to stand out. Thus, you may want to reconsider applying to them. Just my two cents! Best of luck!

 

[caliboydave]

I updated my list. Thanks for the input everyone. Any more suggestions? I need to remove about 5 more schools but am having a hard time deciding. Any input is welcome!( @gyngyn any feedback?)

Thanks for your time!

 

[gyngyn]

I updated my list. Thanks for the input everyone. Any more suggestions? I need to remove about 5 more schools but am having a hard time deciding. Any input is welcome!( @gyngyn any feedback?)

Thanks for your time!

If you don't match their missions I would delete UCR and Loma Linda. U of NV, U of Louisville (small OOS numbers), Stanford and probably USC (stats) could round out your 5 deletions .