Help choosing schools cGPA 3.84, sGPA 3.75, MCAT 31

[chichibabin]

Hello,

I'm having trouble making up a list of schools to apply to. I'd really appreciate your help.

White female from CA
cGPA: 3.84
sGPA: 3.75
MCAT: 31P (12 VR/8 PS/11 BS)
LOR: 4 strong (from science prof, English prof, director of honors program, and my research PI), 1 okay (from science prof)

- job-shadowed ER docs and a PA for 100 hours
- clinical internship at endoscopy clinic for 40 hours
- volunteered at public health center based on AIDS education and patient advocacy for 150 hours
- currently interning at a medical research clinic under a cardiologist, frequently get to observe his procedures, might be getting a paid research assistant position in near future
- co-author of a paper published in the American Journal of Cardiology
- co-author of an abstract published in Circulation
- summa cum laude (does that really mean anything? I haven't heard anybody else mention it here)
- undergraduate free-ride scholarship to a big UC
- honors program member (2 years)
- American Sign Language Club co-founder and officer (2 years)
- club for people who have this specific scholarship that does a lot of community service (4 years)


So far, I've got:

UCD
UCI
UCLA
UCSD
UCR
UCSF
Oregon Health and Science
Rush


I know that most of the CA publics are a stretch, so I'm making them my reach schools. Any schools in or below my range that you can recommend would be greatly appreciated!

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[darkjedi]

Your chances are potentially decent at UCI and UCD. how far are you considering for medical school? There is a decent list of east coast schools that are in-line with your stats, but less so in California/West Coast.

 

[gyngyn]

Have you bought the MSAR?

 

[chichibabin]

I'm fine with anywhere.

 

[chichibabin]

Have you bought the MSAR?

Yes, I'm having a little trouble with it. On the MSAR online, it has median GPA/MCAT scores, but when I go to the specific school's website, they have average GPA and MCAT score of the accepted applicants that are significantly lower. Which score set should I go from?

 

[darkjedi]

Yes, I'm having a little trouble with it. On the MSAR online, it has median GPA/MCAT scores, but when I go to the specific school's website, they have average GPA and MCAT score of the accepted applicants that are significantly lower. Which score set should I go from?

The MSAR reports the stats of "accepted" applicants. The schools typically report stats for "matriculated" students.

Accepted student stats are usually higher, as those with great stats tend to receive more acceptances but can ultimately only go to one school. The guy with the 4.0 and 40 MCAT will pull up the 'accepted' average stats higher, but in all liklihood he will go to another school if he has 10 choices, making the matriculant stats 'drop'.

There is a debate as to which number is more useful, but in my opinion it's better to go off the "accepted" statistics as you are looking for "acceptances". I think it gives you a more realistic view of how competitive the school is to get into.

 

[Noggin]

I have a similar GPA as you and my mcat is a 30. I am also from California. I have been told to apply to OOS schools that have mcat averages below 33. I have also been told to not just apply to schools like Drexel and Georgetown that have lowish mcat averages but get huge amounts of applicants. My advice to you would be to utilize the msar to pick friendly OOS shools. I will soon be posting up my school list. Good luck!

 

[dsoz]

I would recommend that you drop OHSU if you don't have some other tie to the school. You are OOS and don't have at least a 32 MCAT. You won't be placed in a "mission group" and you won't get an interview. Now if you apply MD/PhD or MD/MPH you have a shot. But I know a couple of people that applied MD/MPH and were rejected from the MPH part but were still considered for the MD.

from the OHSU website (important point in bold):

Residents of Oregon.
Non-resident applicants with Oregon Heritage. The School of Medicine uses the Oregon Heritage Policy for student selection, but it is not used as a basis for determining residency, and therefore the tuition a student pays. Oregon Heritage is defined as 1) A student with one or both parents residing in Oregon at the time of application, 2) A student who graduated from high school in Oregon with at least two years at a high school in Oregon, or 3) A student who graduated from an institution of higher education in Oregon with at least two years at an institution in Oregon.
WICHE-Certified residents of Montana and Wyoming.
Applicants applying to the M.D./Ph.D. and M.D./M.P.H. Combined Degree Programs.
Non-resident applicants with superior achievements in academics and other related experiences. For the 2013 cycle, superior academics is defined as a cumulative Total GPA, as reported by AMCAS, of 3.65 or higher and a cumulative score of 32 or higher on the most-recent eligible MCAT.
The School of Medicine Admissions Committee fully recognizes the importance of diversity in its student body and in the physician workforce in providing for effective delivery of health care. Accordingly, the OHSU School of Medicine strongly encourages applications from persons from all socioeconomic, racial, ethnic, religious, and educational backgrounds and from persons from groups underrepresented in medicine.

dsoz

Edit- Also, don't even think about U Washington. They do take OOS, but mostly only from WWAMI states.

 

[Jimsy]

I would recommend that you drop OHSU if you don't have some other tie to the school. You are OOS and don't have at least a 32 MCAT. You won't be placed in a "mission group" and you won't get an interview. Now if you apply MD/PhD or MD/MPH you have a shot. But I know a couple of people that applied MD/MPH and were rejected from the MPH part but were still considered for the MD.

from the OHSU website (important point in bold):



dsoz

Edit- Also, don't even think about U Washington. They do take OOS, but mostly only from WWAMI states.

I thought MD/PhD programs are much more competitive than plain MDs

 

[Alejandro]

Definitely apply east. Yes applying to mroe schools is more expensive, but it's a drop in the bucket for increasing your odds being accepted somewhere in the cycle, and having more choices to choose from after interviews and being accepted. Nobody really can know what school is the right fit for them, although interviews and second look can help though. My perceptions of schools changed drastically after looking at schools through interviews, etc. So, I'd apply broadly. Might be a lot of work now, but it'll help you in the long run.

Where? Well, you can start by narrowing out places where you don't have certain class coursework completed... then location-do you have a preference? You mentioned anywhere, but cmon now, is being in north dakota the exact SAME as being in boston or philly? I know we applicants cannot be choosy, but DO keep in mind that there are liek 150 medical schools out there to apply to, so you will have to narrow things out.

In terms of reach schools, yes there will be the harvard/hopkins/columbia/mayo/stanford/ucsf...which you probably won't have the best odds applying to and so on so forth, but i think schools outside of that you can definitely roll a dice on them.

 

[alpinism]

Here, use this:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=831618

dsoz is right, take off OHSU.

If you want to stay out west, apply to both Arizona schools.

With your stats and ECs, I'd reccomend applying to at least 20 schools to be on the safe side. Focus on privates and OOS friendly publics with MCAT averages under 34.