A very anxious student and a very frequent question

[Nannerzz]

I was wondering exactly how much Native American status helps for med school? 50%, enrolled member of a federally-recognized tribe.

Have not taken mcat yet. Science GPA 3.77, overall gpa 3.86
3 years clinical experience working as a back office medical assistant for a dorm/internal med office by the time I apply to schools.
3 years volunteering at a women's homeless shelter and at some of the missions on skid row.
Entering junior taking the mcat this year!

I am posting this as my first post (long time lurker) because I just had a coworker who has better stats than me and VERY intelligent, 35 MCAT, and worked at the same medical office as me get DENIED to every school she applied to. This worries me.

At this point I am not ashamed of relying on my URM status to help my application. It seems so impossible to get in the door that I will really take anything that will help me.

Should I bother applying to the top schools (Hopkins, Stanford, Harvard, etc...)? Or should I stick with any school that will accept me?

I'm sure this question has been asked a million times. I am just very worried. I want to become a doctor so badly, really cannot picture myself doing anything else. I've worked very hard to get this far from a disadvantaged socioeconomic background. I can't stand the thought of my dreams going to ****.

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[aalamruad]

I was wondering exactly how much Native American status helps for med school? 50%, enrolled member of a federally-recognized tribe.

Have not taken mcat yet. Science GPA 3.77, overall gpa 3.86
3 years clinical experience working as a back office medical assistant for a dorm/internal med office by the time I apply to schools.
3 years volunteering at a women's homeless shelter and at some of the missions on skid row.
Entering junior taking the mcat this year!

I am posting this as my first post (long time lurker) because I just had a coworker who has better stats than me and VERY intelligent, 35 MCAT, and worked at the same medical office as me get DENIED to every school she applied to. This worries me.

At this point I am not ashamed of relying on my URM status to help my application. It seems so impossible to get in the door that I will really take anything that will help me.

Should I bother applying to the top schools (Hopkins, Stanford, Harvard, etc...)? Or should I stick with any school that will accept me?

I'm sure this question has been asked a million times. I am just very worried. I want to become a doctor so badly, really cannot picture myself doing anything else. I've worked very hard to get this far from a disadvantaged socioeconomic background. I can't stand the thought of my dreams going to ****.

No one will be able to tell you anything valuable until you get an MCAT score.

 

[studentdocftw]

First off, breathe. Secondly, do whatever you can do to ace the MCAT (preferably 510+). Your school list can't be made until you have an MCAT score. Your coworker likely had issues with the process...35 MCAT and 3.8+ GPA with no acceptance likely screams red flag, awful interview, awful PS or awful school list (or all 4).

 

[mw18]

Your friend with no acceptances and those stats definitely did one of what studentdocftw mentioned. Look at the aamc table (https://www.aamc.org/download/321508/data/factstablea23.pdf) 82% of the people with her stats get accepted. Those 18% make a mistake or two that should be avoided.

Your grades are fine. You seem to have had med school admissions in mind as you've planned your last few years and ECs. You can't really know anything until you've taken your mcat. But after you do, and even if you score absurdly high, your mindset should still be to stick with any school that accepts you. You can apply to the top schools, but also to many others. Getting into a medical school should be your goal.

 

[Crayola227]

please don't get hung up on the prestige factor

make a realistic list when you do go to apply, and when you have your MCAT and list head over the the "What are my chances WAMC" thread in pre-allopathic forum

it's OK to have a few reach schools if you can afford it, a few bottom of the barrel safeties, and the rest a list the SDN helps you figure out you're competitive for

not making the right list to apply to is a very common and sad way that peeople miss the boat

 

[Goro]

It will help, big time.

 

[ready2go2]

I am posting this as my first post (long time lurker) because I just had a coworker who has better stats than me and VERY intelligent, 35 MCAT, and worked at the same medical office as me get DENIED to every school she applied to. This worries me.

1) May have had a red flag or lacking in ECS
2) When she told you her stats she inflated them to try to look better and perhaps she really applied with stats much lower? Unless you saw her transcript and score with your own two eyes take it with a grain of salt.
3) School list full of top 20s
4) List goes on.....

Worry about yourself, not others.

 

[desiredmembername123]

.

 

[Mansamusa]

If you do well on the MCAT, you have a great shot at top 20s and at getting scholarships to those schools. Good luck!

 

[LizzyM]

Self-identify as you would on the US Census. That is your true identify. Schools will do with it what they will. You need to focus on everything on the application that can still be changed including your MCAT and your future grades as well as how you describe your activities and how you describe your motivation for medicine (your personal statement).