MD 3.8 cGPA, 3.7sGPA, 514 MCAT - help narrowing school list?

[pooppooppoop]

.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Detective SnowBucket]

You should really get the MSAR, especially now that it just got updated. Everything above Case I'd say is a reach, eg Columbia (next one up) has an average MCAT of 519.

 

[pooppooppoop]

Thank you. I actually have MSAR and used that to help make this list. I am mostly looking for opinions on if it is too top heavy, or schools I should maybe take of based off of what I am looking for in a medical school, as I need to narrow my list.

 

[Detective SnowBucket]

Your EC's are really kick ass and your GPA/MCAT is good (Not incredible though), so you may be a little top heavy but there really aren't any schools that I can say outright you don't have a shot at. Its really up to you at this point to look through those schools and prioritize based on how you feel about the mission/research focus/popular match specialties/strength of the departments your interested in/grading scale/volunteer orientation/location/tuition/application:interview:seats ratios and whatever else is important to you. I really don't think anyone can help you anymore unless you have specific questions about those. Good luck.

 

[pooppooppoop]

Your EC's are really kick ass and your GPA/MCAT is good (Not incredible though), so you may be a little top heavy but there really aren't any schools that I can say outright you don't have a shot at. Its really up to you at this point to look through those schools and prioritize based on how you feel about the mission/research focus/popular match specialties/strength of the departments your interested in/grading scale/volunteer orientation/location/tuition/application:interview:seats ratios and whatever else is important to you. I really don't think anyone can help you anymore unless you have specific questions about those. Good luck.

Thank you for the feedback! That also reaffirms my worries of my GPA/MCAT potentially holding my back lol. Also, some of the ECs are pretty unique and I think will catch the ADCOMs eyes, but I don't want to give that much detail for anonymity sake.

In terms of specific questions then (for prioritizing), which schools have a strong collaborative environment? I really want to be somewhere with a close student community and approachable professors. I have heard Hopkins, Yale, Lerner, UChicago, and Vandy are all excellent in this regard, but I worry because of my relatively low stats. Are there any other schools you see on here that are known for their community? Or others that are especially cut-throat or simply a less connected student body (maybe Duke with only having one year of classes together?)?

Edit: Have also heard Harvard has a good community and isn't totally stats obsessed. So I may add them to the list. But at the same time I feel like it would be more of a pipe dream than anything else. Thoughts?

 

[pooppooppoop]

.

 

[Gilakend]

Maybe I'm just neurotic, but I would (am) add in way more target schools. Where your MCAT is equal to or great than their median. This is a mad game, great applicants don't get in every year.

Examples of what I'm thinking: NYMC, EVMS, MCW, Wake, Vermont, VCW, Georgetown, GW, Rosy, SLU, Temple, etc.

You definitely could get accepted off your list, especially with killer ECs, but I would want more "insurance".

 

[Dr. Meliodas]

I'd take out Rush and add Wake, GW, Drexel, and Temple other than that your list seems good your MCAT might be a little lower than their median but your ECs are pretty strong. You might be able to narrow down your list by actually looking into the places of these schools and see where you would'nt want to spend the next 4 years. Like personally if I were you I'd like to live in NY and would add Sinai and Columbia. If you arn't excited about being in a rural area take out Dartmouth

 

[pooppooppoop]

Thank you for the replies. I am definitely worried about that MCAT score holding me back a bit. I may add Drexel and SLU, but if I do that I need to cut two schools in their place.

 

[thenucleusaccumbens]

Thank you for the feedback! That also reaffirms my worries of my GPA/MCAT potentially holding my back lol. Also, some of the ECs are pretty unique and I think will catch the ADCOMs eyes, but I don't want to give that much detail for anonymity sake.

In terms of specific questions then (for prioritizing), which schools have a strong collaborative environment? I really want to be somewhere with a close student community and approachable professors. I have heard Hopkins, Yale, Lerner, UChicago, and Vandy are all excellent in this regard, but I worry because of my relatively low stats. Are there any other schools you see on here that are known for their community? Or others that are especially cut-throat or simply a less connected student body (maybe Duke with only having one year of classes together?)?

Edit: Have also heard Harvard has a good community and isn't totally stats obsessed. So I may add them to the list. But at the same time I feel like it would be more of a pipe dream than anything else. Thoughts?

Mayo! We have a super tight class and are one of the few true pass/fail schools (we have no AOA, no internal rankings). You have really awesome ECs which would probably get you some points from admissions here even though your MCAT is below the median - they do a legit holistic eyes on review if you are above the MCAT cutoff (which you are) and there is no GPA screen

 

[Detective SnowBucket]

Its not that your GPA/MCAT is holding you back at all, if I were you my only worry would be that the applicant:seat ratio gets worse as you go down your list towards more reasonable schools so what I see looking at that list is "hard because good stats -> hard because soooo many applications"

 

[pooppooppoop]

Mayo! We have a super tight class and are one of the few true pass/fail schools (we have no AOA, no internal rankings). You have really awesome ECs which would probably get you some points from admissions here even though your MCAT is below the median - they do a legit holistic eyes on review if you are above the MCAT cutoff (which you are) and there is no GPA screen

1) Great name. 2) I actually had Mayo on my list for a while, but recently took them off because it seems like it has little focus on community service and the underserved. I love everything else about the school, but I am hesitant for that reason. I also already have plenty of reaches on my list. On the bright side, I hear if I apply I will be highly ranked lol. I appreciate your thoughts on the ECs, but you really think I shouldn't be too worried about my MCAT? Because my MCAT is between the 10th and 25th percentile according to MSAR.

Its not that your GPA/MCAT is holding you back at all, if I were you my only worry would be that the applicant:seat ratio gets worse as you go down your list towards more reasonable schools so what I see looking at that list is "hard because good stats -> hard because soooo many applications"

Ohhhh that is a really great point that I totally missed. Any low-tier schools with fewer applications that you would suggest?

 

[thenucleusaccumbens]

1) Great name. 2) I actually had Mayo on my list for a while, but recently took them off because it seems like it has little focus on community service and the underserved. I love everything else about the school, but I am hesitant for that reason. I also already have plenty of reaches on my list. On the bright side, I hear if I apply I will be highly ranked lol. I appreciate your thoughts on the ECs, but you really think I shouldn't be too worried about my MCAT? Because my MCAT is between the 10th and 25th percentile according to MSAR.




Ohhhh that is a really great point that I totally missed. Any low-tier schools with fewer applications that you would suggest?

Not sure where you heard we have little focus on community service and the underserved, but I don't feel that to be the case at all. We have required community service hours (staffing a free clinic at least once each month, with the opportunity to do more if you want) and we also have selectives (weeks off from class in between blocks) that a lot of people use for community service. In fact we can get funding for one trip per year to volunteer in an underserved area during a selective. There are also many opportunities to volunteer abroad for those that are interested (I have classmates who have volunteered in Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Vietnam, Mexico - trips that were either completely or largely funded by Mayo). There are also a number of student organizations focused on community service that I've gotten involved with.

Anyway, regarding your MCAT, even if it's on the low end for accepted students it's definitely still within range and at least above the threshold where you know you'll get a full review of your app. My GPA was on the low end but I think the rest of my app made up for that

 

[Deleted member 737595]

Retake the MCAT and get a 520+. Then, you might get in DO somewhere...















Seriously though, well-done.

 

[pooppooppoop]

Not sure where you heard we have little focus on community service and the underserved, but I don't feel that to be the case at all. We have required community service hours (staffing a free clinic at least once each month, with the opportunity to do more if you want) and we also have selectives (weeks off from class in between blocks) that a lot of people use for community service. In fact we can get funding for one trip per year to volunteer in an underserved area during a selective. There are also many opportunities to volunteer abroad for those that are interested (I have classmates who have volunteered in Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Vietnam, Mexico - trips that were either completely or largely funded by Mayo). There are also a number of student organizations focused on community service that I've gotten involved with.

Anyway, regarding your MCAT, even if it's on the low end for accepted students it's definitely still within range and at least above the threshold where you know you'll get a full review of your app. My GPA was on the low end but I think the rest of my app made up for that

Oh wow thank you! I have added Mayo back to my list then. Also I shouldn't say Mayo is lacking in volunteering, but relative to other schools it just seemed a little less community service oriented.

Ah, hopefully that helps me out then too. Any other advice for applying to Mayo? Or thoughts on my list?

 

[DubbiDoctor]

You have a strong list. But if you want to cut down on some schools - eliminate only those on the top of your list, excluding dartmouth, which isn't that competitive, despite its ivy leage status. I also suggest Rochester, whose median stats match yours and which has a class size of only 100, facilitating a close-knit community.

 

[kaleidoscopeheart]

I hate to bring you down, because you seem like a really great applicant, but I feel like everyone on this thread is underestimating how much the MCAT/GPA combo might affect you. Your stats are only around median for your "safety" schools. For someplace like Hopkins, you're barely making the bottom 10% cutoff for MCAT and are far from the median. If you're really insistent on applying to only 20 schools, then cut from the top and add to the bottom. Maybe I'm too pessimistic, but I would hate for you to have fewer options just because of where you chose to apply!

 

[pooppooppoop]

I hate to bring you down, because you seem like a really great applicant, but I feel like everyone on this thread is underestimating how much the MCAT/GPA combo might affect you. Your stats are only around median for your "safety" schools. For someplace like Hopkins, you're barely making the bottom 10% cutoff for MCAT and are far from the median. If you're really insistent on applying to only 20 schools, then cut from the top and add to the bottom. Maybe I'm too pessimistic, but I would hate for you to have fewer options just because of where you chose to apply!

Thank you! I'm honestly surprised this hasn't been mentioned until now. I agree with you, and that's what I am worried about. I am planning to apply to ~5 reach schools and 2-3 moderate reaches, with the rest of my list being moderate and "safety" schools. I just find it hard to cut down my list because they all seem to have great programs. Location does not matter to me so that does not help me cut it down. I think I will have to do deeper digging on the missions of the schools on my list and use that. Thank you very much for the feedback!

 

[pooppooppoop]

I edited my list in my original post. Does it look good? Or is it still a little top heavy?

 

[Detective SnowBucket]

That’s not too bad a list but you must realize that reach schools are called reach for a reason and you might have more than they’re worth. The only issue is that of your safety/target schools, if they really are within your range they are too low yield, GorgeousTown for example gets 15,000 applications for 200 seats, most of the others in that range aren’t much better. You need more safety/target schools with reasonable yields: I suggest Albany and Toledo.

 

[pooppooppoop]

.

 

[futureMDofAmerica]

Mayo! We have a super tight class and are one of the few true pass/fail schools (we have no AOA, no internal rankings). You have really awesome ECs which would probably get you some points from admissions here even though your MCAT is below the median - they do a legit holistic eyes on review if you are above the MCAT cutoff (which you are) and there is no GPA screen[/QUOTE

There is no GPA Screen? So any GPA would be considered? Also what is the MCAT cutoff?