I've been trying to decide whether I should take a year to strengthen my application or if I should apply with these stats. I'd like to only apply one round if at all possible, but I also really want to go as soon as possible. Thoughts?
This is my profile as of now:
400 hours volunteering at Children's Hospital
300 hours volunteering at another hospital (during summers)
100 hours shadowing various specialties
2 summers of research at a prestigious hospital (top 10)
300 "other" volunteering
this includes 150 hours from a Backpack Program that I started in High School - do I include my hours from high school? If I did it would be upwards of 600 hours with just this and it shows leadership (starting a program that sends nutritious meals home with disadvantaged children)
also two summers of Habitat for Humanity (150 hours)
(and probably 100 more hours of short term things that I'm not listing but threw them into the personal statement)
3.7 gpa
waiting for MCAT (took it late May so my application wont go in for another week) but prewriting secondaries so hopefully my application can be complete (with secondaries) by august 1st. (is this considered late/can it hurt my chances?) but expecting a 35, so let's assume that's what I get
If I wait a year I could hypothetically add at least another 200 hours of hospital volunteering
another summer of research, with the intent to during the year while I wait for the results
I could do more shadowing if it would help
I don't think my gpa would change much, but senior year I will be writing an honor's thesis in cell and molecular biology.
and probably 100-200 more "other" volunteering hours
also this is the list of schools in thinking of: if you have any suggestions to change for this cycle or to change if I wait
(I'm a resident of NC)
UNC (a top-pick)
ECU
Wake Forest (top-pick)
George Washington (top pick)
Creighton
Tulane (top-pick)
Virginia Tech (top-pick)
St. Louis University
Georgetown
University of Miami
Medical College of Wisconsin
New York Medical College
Rush Drexel
Rosalind Franklin
Emory
Loyola
I know that its all really unpredictable but do y'all think that my chances would improve by a lot by waiting? If so I'd rather only go through the application experience once, if thats possible. (although im willing to keep trying until i get there) also I feel like I'm applying late. Is August 1st late for secondaries to be sent in?
Thank y'all!
This is my profile as of now:
400 hours volunteering at Children's Hospital
300 hours volunteering at another hospital (during summers)
100 hours shadowing various specialties
2 summers of research at a prestigious hospital (top 10)
300 "other" volunteering
this includes 150 hours from a Backpack Program that I started in High School - do I include my hours from high school? If I did it would be upwards of 600 hours with just this and it shows leadership (starting a program that sends nutritious meals home with disadvantaged children)
also two summers of Habitat for Humanity (150 hours)
(and probably 100 more hours of short term things that I'm not listing but threw them into the personal statement)
3.7 gpa
waiting for MCAT (took it late May so my application wont go in for another week) but prewriting secondaries so hopefully my application can be complete (with secondaries) by august 1st. (is this considered late/can it hurt my chances?) but expecting a 35, so let's assume that's what I get
If I wait a year I could hypothetically add at least another 200 hours of hospital volunteering
another summer of research, with the intent to during the year while I wait for the results
I could do more shadowing if it would help
I don't think my gpa would change much, but senior year I will be writing an honor's thesis in cell and molecular biology.
and probably 100-200 more "other" volunteering hours
also this is the list of schools in thinking of: if you have any suggestions to change for this cycle or to change if I wait
(I'm a resident of NC)
UNC (a top-pick)
ECU
Wake Forest (top-pick)
George Washington (top pick)
Creighton
Tulane (top-pick)
Virginia Tech (top-pick)
St. Louis University
Georgetown
University of Miami
Medical College of Wisconsin
New York Medical College
Rush Drexel
Rosalind Franklin
Emory
Loyola
I know that its all really unpredictable but do y'all think that my chances would improve by a lot by waiting? If so I'd rather only go through the application experience once, if thats possible. (although im willing to keep trying until i get there) also I feel like I'm applying late. Is August 1st late for secondaries to be sent in?
Thank y'all!
