Chances at top 20

[masaraksh]

Hi, pretty stressed with med school process and feeling wicked pessimistic. Can anyone give me a reasonable overview of what my chances would be.

Bachelor of Science @ McGill University (Montreal), Honors Chemistry and Biology, with Minor in Biotechnology

-cGPA: 4.0
-dunno MCAT yet, hopefully 34+(?)
-research in organic chem lab in summer of 2008 (got a publication)
-volunteer research for DNA nanotech group (all soph year, 1-2day/week)
-honors project research work summer 2009 in med chem
-tutoring chem for 3 years
-volunteer at hospital for like 4 months (lol)
-bunch of in-course awards for having good grades.

not much "leadership"

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[Catalystik]

Hi, pretty stressed with med school process and feeling wicked pessimistic. Can anyone give me a reasonable overview of what my chances would be.

Bachelor of Science @ McGill University (Montreal), Honors Chemistry and Biology, with Minor in Biotechnology

-cGPA: 4.0
-dunno MCAT yet, hopefully 34+(?)
-research in organic chem lab in summer of 2008 (got a publication)
-volunteer research for DNA nanotech group (all soph year, 1-2day/week)
-honors project research work summer 2009 in med chem
-tutoring chem for 3 years
-volunteer at hospital for like 4 months (lol)
-bunch of in-course awards for having good grades.

not much "leadership"

If you are considering a June 2012 application, I'd say that with what you've presented, your chances aren't very good for a "top twenty" acceptance. Your research is all over the place rather than having the expected longevity and continuity in a single lab. You have no leadership. Your clinical experience would be below average and you don't mention physician shadowing. I don't see any off-campus, nonmedical community service. And your MCAT goal is too low (even moreso, if you are Canadian).

The tutoring is terrifc though. And having a publication is nice, even though it was long ago.

 

[masaraksh]

If you are considering a June 2012 application, I'd say that with what you've presented, your chances aren't very good for a "top twenty" acceptance. Your research is all over the place rather than having the expected longevity and continuity in a single lab. You have no leadership. Your clinical experience would be below average and you don't mention physician shadowing. I don't see any off-campus, nonmedical community service. And your MCAT goal is too low (even moreso, if you are Canadian).

The tutoring is terrifc though. And having a publication is nice, even though it was long ago.

whats wrong with Canada?

last time I checked McGill outranks tons of US schools. are admissions just biased?

 

[Catalystik]

Data might be interpreted that Canadians are held to a higher standard by US schools. I've heard the same is true for internationals applying to Canadian schools.

From AAMC: In 2010, of 1340 international applicants without a US state of residence (991 from Canada +349 all other) only 14.9% matriculated to a US med school (86 Canadian + 105 all other), whereas 43.6% of total applicants did matriculate.

2010 Mean stats for Canadians matriculating at US schools: MCAT 33.4+/- 3.5, cGPA 3.74 +/- .22, BCPM GPA 3.75 +/-.23

2010 Mean stats for all other internationals who matriculated:
MCAT 33.0 +/- 4.2, cGPA 3.76 +/-.18, BCPM GPA 3.74 +/- .26

2010 Mean stats for all matriculants:
MCAT 31.1 +/- 4.1, cGPA 3.67 +/- .26, BCPM GPA 3.61 +/- .32