3.86 GPA, 34 MCAT, realistic school suggestions?????

[munsil]

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[Lamel]

Your application is excellent. Look at MSAR and come back to us with a list you're interested in. If I were you, I'd add a bunch of reaches as well (as long as the rest of the list is broad).

 

[DaMedDude]

Here is a list to get you started.

Reaches
Case Western
Dartmouth
Northwestern
Duke
Vanderbilt
OSU
BU
Emory

Targets
Jefferson
Temple
Loyola
Miami
Vermont
Tufts
Tulane
George Washington
Rush
Creighton
MCW
Hofstra
Albert Einstein
NYMC
Wake Forest
Maybe some state schools

Safeties
Rosalind Franklin
Drexel
TCMC
Maybe some state schools

You probably don't want to apply to this many, nor should you. But this will help get you started. Pick your favorites, add some others you are interested in and make sure you have your few reaches, lots of mid-tier and a few low-tier schools. Apply to all state schools as well.

 

[Doug Underhill]

You have all-around great numbers and excellent ECs.

My numbers say Vandy has a 36 average MCAT and a 3.84 (are these up to date? I'm going to buy the MSAR when the 2014 numbers are in it.) My list would look like DaMedDude's, but I would have Pitt, Emory, Weill Cornell, or Mount Sinai in place of Vandy.

 

[munsil]

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[Traumweber]

You have all-around great numbers and excellent ECs.

My numbers say Vandy has a 36 average MCAT and a 3.84 (are these up to date? I'm going to buy the MSAR when the 2014 numbers are in it.) My list would look like DaMedDude's, but I would have Pitt, Emory, Weill Cornell, or Mount Sinai in place of Vandy.

Looks like access to the MSAR site are available one year from purchase and the new one will come out in April for 2016-17.
https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/requirements/msar/faq/180182/when_msar_published.html

Thanks for your feedback! I'm compiling a list now. I guess because my MCAT is kind of low I'm not sure how far the rest of my application can carry me.

Hey! another violinist with an MCAT of 34! I guess we got the armpit of all MCAT scores, where retaking is a lose-lose proposition in every way, unless one gets 40+...

 

[munsil]

Hey! another violinist with an MCAT of 34! I guess we got the armpit of all MCAT scores, where retaking is a lose-lose proposition in every way, unless one gets 40+...

Seriously, it's in an annoying grey area between an average school and a decent one. At least there's not even the option to retake anymore...

 

[Traumweber]

Seriously, it's in an annoying grey area between an average school and a decent one. At least there's not even the option to retake anymore...

I am positive dates for Jan will open up when people drop. But I don't think it is wise to retake.

 

[Goro]

No patient contact experience in a domestic hospital or clinic setting?

Play down the travel experience unless you have been in either the military, the Peace Corps or the State Dept. It reeks of privilege.

My list

Dartmouth
Duke
BU
Emory
Jefferson
Temple
Loyola
Miami
Vermont
Tulane
George Washington
Creighton
MCW
SLU
G-town
GWU
Creighton
USC
Albert Einstein
NYMC
Wake Forest
Your state school
U AZ
U CO
U So FL
Any new MD school
Rosalind Franklin
Drexel
Wake Forest

 

[munsil]

No patient contact experience in a domestic hospital or clinic setting?

Play down the travel experience unless you have been in either the military, the Peace Corps or the State Dept. It reeks of privilege.

I'm not sure if my volunteer experience could count for this. I volunteered in pediatric oncology so whenever the kids were getting treatment they usually came out to the waiting room and our job was to entertain them... but I guess this wouldn't really count as clinical patient contact. Do you have any suggestions as to what I could do to improve that?

It reeks of privilege I guess, but the reality is that I chose the option to travel and go to a state school than go to an expensive private school. I also gave up a lot of other privileges (new car, new clothes, new computer) because I would rather see the world. Furthermore, much of my traveling was done under very money stringent circumstances, so it's kind of annoying that people would make that assumption. If it comes up in any sort of interview, I would make this apparent of course.

Ultimately, I am very interested in working internationally in less-developed nations, so that's where I would see its relevancy.

 

[Goro]

Definitely counts and play this up.

I'm not sure if my volunteer experience could count for this. I volunteered in pediatric oncology so whenever the kids were getting treatment they usually came out to the waiting room and our job was to entertain them... but I guess this wouldn't really count as clinical patient contact.

So you see what you will have to deal with in terms of knee-jerk reactions? Spin this in a way that it comes across as voyages of self discovery, not a whole bunch of vacations.

It reeks of privilege I guess, but the reality is that I chose the option to travel and go to a state school than go to an expensive private school. I also gave up a lot of other privileges (new car, new clothes, new computer) because I would rather see the world. Furthermore, much of my traveling was done under very money stringent circumstances, so it's kind of annoying that people would make that assumption. If it comes up in any sort of interview, I would make this apparent of course.

Obviously!
Ultimately, I am very interested in working internationally in less-developed nations, so that's where I would see its relevancy.

 

[Doug Underhill]

Why Dartmouth and not Weill Cornell? Weill has lower stats I think and this candidate is an obvious fit for their Music and Medicine initiative

 

[Germanicus89]

Dartmouth has lower median MCAT and GPA (right around OP's stats) than Cornell as per the most recent MSAR. OP can roll as many dice as she pleases though.

 

[dextertrip]

Will be teaching english in France for the year after my application is sent in

How do you plan on attending interviews?

 

[Temnocephala]

is this a troll post ? or a brag post

 

[munsil]

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