Am I applying to the right schools?

[Neuroanth]

I’m a junior and Minnesota resident and plan to apply to medical next June. I have a rough list of schools I may want to apply to and greatly need input on which are out of my reach and other schools that I might qualify for.

I am doing a double degree in Neuroscience (B.S.) and Anthropology (B.A.) I have a 3.85 cumulative GPA and a 3.75 science GPA (have not taken the MCAT)

My extracurricular activities include
Emergency room volunteer (470 hours)
Pediatric hospital volunteer – leadership position (600 hours) (current)
Volunteer tutor for children at a homeless shelter (100 hours) (current)
Volunteer advocate intern (case manager) at the same shelter (150 hours)
Volunteered in rural Bolivian clinics (2 weeks)
Studied Spanish in Argentina (3 weeks)
Research in a genetics lab (6 months)
Clinical research intern in a medical ethics department, research on health disparities among the homeless (Poster for 2 research conferences and was a main author on 2 major publications, one which I did all of the data analysis for) (1 year) (current)
Honors Program at my college
Dean’s list 6 semesters and received over 10 scholarships, the majority for community service
Started more bench work in a neuroscience lab this semester
Very minimal shadowing experience

Schools I plan to apply to
1.. .University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
2.. .University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
3.. .University of Michigan Medical School
4.. .Albert Einstein College of Medicine
5.. .University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
6.. .Medical College of Wisconsin
7.. .Rosalind Franklin University of medicine and Science
8.. .Rush Medical College
9.. .St. Louis School of Medicine
10.. .Albany Medical College
11.. .Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
12.. .Mayo clinic medical school
13.. .Northwestern University Feinberg School
14.. .Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
15.. .Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
16.. .Washington University School of Medicine
17.. .University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
Thank you so much!!!!

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[Catalystik]

The extra year of research you have planned will serve you well if you get a strong enough MCAT score to make you a good contender for the highly-selective, research-strong schools on your list. Otherwise, the list is fine. It's hard to decide what schools to aim at without an MCAT score, or at least some predictions based on a few practice tests. I'd add Loyola.

 

[Neuroanth]

Thanks! I do plan to add Loyola. What kind of MCAT score would make me a good candidate for the schools I'm applying taking into account my ECs? Are there any other schools in the Midwest that would be "safer choices"?

 

[Stratego]

I've entered the median stats for those accepted to some of your high-end schools, to give you some examples of where you'll sit with a 3.85/ ?:

1.University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
2.University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
3.University of Michigan Medical School
4.Albert Einstein College of Medicine 3.8/33
5.University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
6.Medical College of Wisconsin
7.Rosalind Franklin University of medicine and Science
8.Rush Medical College
9.St. Louis School of Medicine
10.Albany Medical College
11.Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine 3.7/35
12.Mayo clinic medical school 3.9/32
13.Northwestern University Feinberg School 3.8/37
14.Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine 3.9/37
15.Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons 3.8/35
16.Washington University School of Medicine 3.9/38
17.University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine 3.8/35

You can check on others by looking at the School Selection spreadsheet stickied to the top of this forum.

 

[Neuroanth]

Thanks for the great help! I just have a few more questions.
1) I just found out today that my school is nominating me for a Truman scholarship. Will this have a big impact on my application?
2) I have been physically paralyzed since I was young (the doctors I've talked to assured me that my specific disability would not affect my ability to practice medicine - other than surgery obviously). Would this be looked upon negatively or positively by most schools?

 

[Stratego]

1) I don't know what a Truman scholarship is, so perhaps you could explain it on your application for adcomms who don't know either. I think it is fine to list it under "awards and honors." I doubt it will have more impact than a good GPA and MCAT score.

2) Some schools post a list of physical standards for what you need to be able to do, so you might want to ask each school you apply to where there's is so you can review it. I recall a post by a paraplegic who got accepted last year (which you can search for in Pre-Allo) so obviously your situation is not an impediment everywhere, and maybe not anywhere.