3.99 GPA, June 5th MCAT, Avg. 31-32. PA Resident, help please!

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Sohl

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As stated, I have a 3.99 GPA (4.0 non-sci, 3.98 sci) and plan to take the MCAT June 5th. I took a Kaplan course, and I've been getting solid 30-32 on practice exams. I attend a small, Catholic, liberal arts school, and am a PA resident. My extracurriculars have a strong upward trend, but my freshman year was very unimpressive. I have 50+ hours of shadowing experience, in radiology, family med, and bariatric surgery (least favorite lol), and I am a mentor at my college, and in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. I feel the biggest hole in my application is my lack of medically related volunteer work, but again, I didn't get involved until the latter portion of my sophomore year and this entire past junior year, because I focused solely on grades when I first came to college. I also have been doing research this past year, and will continue into my senior year, though unpublished, in a BSL-2 cell culture lab. I have over 100+ hours of cell culture work. I've presented my research at one regional conference, and my group took first place. I've worked in the service industry for over 3+ years. I'm also a work study in my universities biology department this summer and will be a tutor in the 14-15 school year. Additionally, I'm a first generation college student (I don't know if that helps or hurts me, or has no effect) I feel bad this is my first ever post, but I typically just read threads and try best to ballpark my chances based on the other posts. However, I will be applying for the 2015 cycle and wanted some honest advice and insight as to my chances. Any advice on my chances of getting an interview, and possibly acceptance?? I'm confident in my interview ability, but it's just getting that invite I'm worried about.

Possible Med Schools, in no order:
Penn State (will have direct contact/exposure to their faculty/adcom/students this summer)
Drexel
Jefferson
Temple
PCOM
LECOM
NYMC
SUNY Buffalo
SUNY Syracuse
Univ. of Rochester (reach?)
Pitt (reach?)
Ohio State
Cincinnati
WVU
Wake
Indiana
Rosalind Franklin
Commonwealth
Univ. of Maryland

Again, thank you in advance for your help and good luck to all my fellow 2015 cycle applicants!

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Pitt is a long shot in my opinion, and I wouldn't apply there (save that $ towards another, more likely reach school).
Can't comment on all the schools, but without your MCAT score I'd say OSU will be a reach if you get a 28-30 on the MCAT (keep the school, however).

You need more clinical volunteer/experience as you mentioned. I'd recommend getting over 100 hours this summer which should be feasible.
 
Pitt is a long shot in my opinion, and I wouldn't apply there (save that $ towards another, more likely reach school).
Can't comment on all the schools, but without your MCAT score I'd say OSU will be a reach if you get a 28-30 on the MCAT (keep the school, however).

You need more clinical volunteer/experience as you mentioned. I'd recommend getting over 100 hours this summer which should be feasible.

I'll definitely report my MCAT once I receive the scores, but I'm really focused on getting a 31+. As for the clinical volunteer experience, any ideas on how to start something like that, or what I could possibly do? Do I just go to my local hospital and ask them if there is anything I can do to volunteer? I agree, that's the largest hole in my application, but like you said, there's still sufficient time to put in some hours before the application is submitted. Any advice?
 
I'll definitely report my MCAT once I receive the scores, but I'm really focused on getting a 31+. As for the clinical volunteer experience, any ideas on how to start something like that, or what I could possibly do? Do I just go to my local hospital and ask them if there is anything I can do to volunteer? I agree, that's the largest hole in my application, but like you said, there's still sufficient time to put in some hours before the application is submitted. Any advice?

Yup just go to your local hospital and ask if you can volunteer. You can also get creative and volunteer at a local clinic if there is one around you.
 
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