cGPA: 3.88, sGPA: 4.0, MCAT: 31, nontrad

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

Pose

Senior Member
15+ Year Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2004
Messages
1,124
Reaction score
174
I am a 26 year old white nontrad applying economically disadvantaged to both MD and DO this cycle. I am a Massachusetts resident. Looking for input on my school selection.

ECs are weak. I worked full time all through college as an ED tech (~11,000 hours). I have independently backpacked the Middle East, most of Europe, all of Central America, lots of N. Africa. I also got a very competitive gov't grant to study Arabic abroad. I hiked the Appalachian Trail for charity last year, and recently hiked the Long Trail in VT for fun. I have been tutoring recently released inmates for the GED since April (I am a GED recipient myself) and so will have about 160 hours by August of next year (if that counts). I have ~80 hours of shadowing an EP in a community hospital.


DO:

PCOM
CCOM
Nova
NYIT
UMDNJ
AT KCOM
AT SOMA

MD:

Drexel
Cooper/Rowan
Geisel/Darmouth (super reach, but love that it is on the AT)
George Washington
Georgetown
Loma Linda
Loyola
MCW
Penn State
Rosalind Franklin
Rush
Commonwealth
UVM (another top choice for location)
UK (family from/lives in KY)
Louisville (family from/lives in KY)
UMass (state school)
Wayne

There was very little reasoning behind most of my school selection aside from the fact that I would consider living there, and my scores are within their median.

Edit: Also, I have not taken biochem or genetics. And I have two science LORs, one nonscience/academic adviser, and one MD letter.

Thanks!

Members don't see this ad.
 
Last edited:
You should be fine pretty much at all on your list, except possibly UK. I'm never been a fan of this "my family is from there, but I live here". Migth want to add Wake Forest, MCW (delete U WI), and SLU

I am a 26 year old white nontrad applying economically disadvantaged to both MD and DO this cycle. I am a Massachusetts resident. Looking for input on my school selection.

ECs are weak. I worked full time all through college as an ED tech (~11,000 hours). I have independently backpacked the Middle East, most of Europe, all of Central America, lots of N. Africa. I also got a very competitive gov't grant to study Arabic abroad. I hiked the Appalachian Trail for charity last year, and recently hiked the Long Trail in VT for fun. I have been tutoring recently released inmates for the GED since April (I am a GED recipient myself) and so will have about 160 hours by August of next year (if that counts). I have ~80 hours of shadowing an EP in a community hospital.


DO:

PCOM
CCOM
Nova
NYIT
UMDNJ
AT KCOM
AT SOMA

MD:

Drexel
Cooper/Rowan
Geisel/Darmouth (super reach, but love that it is on the AT)
George Washington
Georgetown
Loma Linda
Loyola
Wisconsin
Penn State
Rosalind Franklin
Rush
Commonwealth
UVM (another top choice for location)
UK (family from/lives in KY)
Louisville (family from/lives in KY)
UMass (state school)
Wayne

There was very little reasoning behind most of my school selection aside from the fact that I would consider living there, and my scores are within their median.

Edit: Also, I have not taken biochem or genetics. And I have two science LORs, one nonscience/academic adviser, and one MD letter.

Thanks!
 
Thanks for the input.

I have decided to take Loma Linda off the list, because I am not the least bit religious. Will add SLU and Wake Forest.

Are there any other west coast schools that I might stand a chance at?
 
Members don't see this ad :)
I am a 26 year old white nontrad applying economically disadvantaged to both MD and DO this cycle. I am a Massachusetts resident. Looking for input on my school selection.

ECs are weak. I worked full time all through college as an ED tech (~11,000 hours). I have independently backpacked the Middle East, most of Europe, all of Central America, lots of N. Africa. I also got a very competitive gov't grant to study Arabic abroad. I hiked the Appalachian Trail for charity last year, and recently hiked the Long Trail in VT for fun. I have been tutoring recently released inmates for the GED since April (I am a GED recipient myself) and so will have about 160 hours by August of next year (if that counts). I have ~80 hours of shadowing an EP in a community hospital.


DO:

PCOM
CCOM
Nova
NYIT
UMDNJ
AT KCOM
AT SOMA

MD:

Drexel
Cooper/Rowan
Geisel/Darmouth (super reach, but love that it is on the AT)
George Washington
Georgetown
Loma Linda
Loyola
MCW
Penn State
Rosalind Franklin
Rush
Commonwealth
UVM (another top choice for location)
UK (family from/lives in KY)
Louisville (family from/lives in KY)
UMass (state school)
Wayne

There was very little reasoning behind most of my school selection aside from the fact that I would consider living there, and my scores are within their median.

Edit: Also, I have not taken biochem or genetics. And I have two science LORs, one nonscience/academic adviser, and one MD letter.

Thanks!

You should be fine for MD as long as you don't have any big red flags and can write a halfway decent PS.

Save the money and time and only apply to your top 3 DO schools (PCOM, CCOM, and NOVA are good bets).

Your ECs are actually pretty decent except for the lack of community service and research, esp since you were working full time and have tons of clinical experience. Try to get some community service/volunteering this summer to put on your app or to at least send as an update to schools this fall while applying. It wouldn't take that long to get 25 or 50 hrs and it would really help to round out your app.

I would add BU and Tufts just because they have a small preference for applicants from the Northeast. If you really like UW, I'd give it a shot as well. They like non-trads w/ lots of clinical experience. With your background you might have a decent chance.
 
Okay, so I added Tufts, BU, EVMS, and VCU. Any thoughts on Rochester and the University of Washington in terms of OOS friendliness? I have heard Washington is a no go, but the AAMC data says 45% of matriculants are OOS.
 
Okay, so I added Tufts, BU, EVMS, and VCU. Any thoughts on Rochester and the University of Washington in terms of OOS friendliness? I have heard Washington is a no go, but the AAMC data says 45% of matriculants are OOS.
Those are from states with no med schools with which they have an affiliation agreement.
 
Top