3.65 GPA, 3.61 science, 37 MCAT. Can I apply to "mid-tier" schools?

[insecuredude]

I am going to be a junior in September, but I am done with all the pre-reqs and am taking the MCAT on June 13th. I am just trying to get the freaking MCAT done and raise my GPA by taking relatively easy science courses.

I am consistently scoring ~37 on practice MCATs (usually around 12 Verbal 13 Bio 12 Physical), so I expect to score ~37 or higher. My current GPA is a little above 3.5, but raising it up to ~3.7 shouldn't be too hard because I am done with all the hard $hit.

Ethnicity: Asian-American (not URM)
Student at a highly selective, competitive institution in the northeast
State of residency: N/A because I lived outside of US most of my life. I plan on applying to as many private school as possible

EC's: my school's radio station DJ (hip-hop), sometimes I spin at frat parties, mentor of inner city high-school kids, special olympics volunteer, pre-calculus tutor for a high school student

Clinical/research experience: so far a semester of research experience at an othopedics lab. i haven't learned much because the PI and the people working for him often seem to busy to care about me, but I still go every week.
Monthly shadowing of an orthopedic surgeon, who's the assistant director of admission at my university's med school, volunteering at ER.

Even though I won't be applying till Summer 2009, I have made a list of schools I will probably apply to.

Assuming that I end my junior with 3.65 overall, 3.61 science, 37 MCAT, I will apply to these schools

Dream schools
USC
Cleveland Clinic Lerner
Case Western
Georgetown

Definitely interested, but not as much as the four schools above
Tufts
U of Rochester
UC Davis
Loyola
Rosalind Franklin
Rush
SUNY buffalo, upstate, downstate
U of Cincinatti
Jefferson
Penn State
Drexel
Temple
U of Utah
albany medical
new york medical college
tulane
george washington

I honestly want to apply to schools where people with 3.8+ & 36+ get into, but I figured a high MCAT score alone can't offset the not so competitive GPA.

What are some super selective schools that I have a shot at? Suggestions?

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[MilkmanAl]

Your GPA is perfectly competitive. Assuming that you score in the upper 30's on the MCAT (which is a gargantuan assumption), you should send your app wherever you might potentially want to go. You'll have a great shot at any school in the country.

 

[Mister Pie]

Wow, your (projected) stats would be almost exactly identical to mine when I applied. It's really hard to gauge how competitive you are without knowing which college you attended (in my experience, it does matter a little) and the depth of your ECs.

In terms of schools you might want to add, I would definitely put Pitt on your list (I interviewed there). The top of the top (JHU, Harvard) are probably a bit out of your reach unless you have an extremely compelling life story/PS. If you'd like more info, PM me and I'll send you a link to my MD Apps which will show you which schools I applied to and interviewed at. Keep in mind though that your experience will likely be EXTREMELY different since ECs really do matter quite a lot.

Anyways, a 3.6 GPA is by no means ideal, but it will generally get you past the screening process at pretty much all schools, assuming you really do get a 37 on the MCAT.

 

[jmrthekid]

of course if you get a 37 you can apply wherever, but be careful. i was averaging 37 on my mcat and managed to get a 30. a lot of kids i knew did the same.

 

[elliotb_11]

of course if you get a 37 you can apply wherever, but be careful. i was averaging 37 on my mcat and managed to get a 30. a lot of kids i knew did the same.

No joke, i was averaging 30s and got a 37

 

[Ace-Co-A]

No joke, i was averaging 30s and got a 37

Posted 6 years ago.