Help With a Schools List (3.2 & 35)

[goldy490]

Hey guys, if anyone could give me advice on my updated schools list that'd be a big help. Im non-URM from a known pre-med feeder school. Thanks in advance for the help with the list!

sGPA: 3.2 cGPA: 3.4 MCAT: 35
BS in Neuroscience & strong LORs

300 hours working unpaid in liver transplant clinic
200 hours of shadowing clinic & surgeries
800 hours fraternity executive board
+1200 hours working (full time paid) during my gap year
350 hours volunteering with learning disabled kids
Assorted small community involvement things (aids foundation, global health foundation, student conduct council, etc)

I feel like my stats are kind of uncommon, and am hoping that adcoms will see that a 3.4 at (insert top 20 here) is not the same as a 3.4 at regional college (evidenced by my good MCAT). Sorry if I come off like an ass, I'm trying to be honest and all advice (critical or supportive) is very much appreciated.

As of now I'm applying to the florida MD/DO schools, Tulane, NY Medical College, and Virginia Tech Carilion. Thanks!!!

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[candbgirl]

Your ECs look good but your GPAs (especially your sGPA) are well below average for MD schools. Do you have the MSAR? If not buy the online version today and start researching schools. You really are well suited for DO schools so be sure to include some in your list! Good luck!

 

[ChrisMack390]

I'm in a very similar spot. Personally I think if schools look beyond your GPA you have a good shot at an interview. The problem is you don't know which schools really will do that. Many will claim they don't have cut offs and are always holistic, but you can't exactly trust them.

My plan, and I think you'd wise to do the same - apply MD very broadly and to all of your state schools, but also a handful of DO programs. You can afford to be somewhat exclusive about the DO programs. Essentially you have to throw your chips up in the air and see what lands. The GPA is a problem, but you have a strong MCAT and solid experience - you never know what may catch someone's eye.

 

[goldy490]

Thanks! I have been cruising MSAR religiously recently. DOs are starting to look pretty attractive. Right now Im thinking

Nova Southeastern
Lecom (Bradenton)
Alabama COM
AZCOM (Arizona)
ASU-COM (Also Arizona)
Des Moines

Anyone have any other DO schools they are fond of? Im a warm weather junkie, hence the emphasis on southern schools.

Also ChisMack, I know how you feel. I feel like its kind of an unusual situation, and hopefully adcoms wont just play trash-can-basketball with my primary lol

 

[Not A Troll]

I see I have almost the same stats as you but with a 33 MCAT...@goldy490 have you had any luck yet?

I didn't apply DO but am thinking about sending in some late apps since I don't have any interviews yet

 

[Goro]

You're fine for any DO school, so add Western, At Still, Touro-CA, PCOM-GA, all three VCOMs, LMU, Wm Carey, KYCOM, KCUMB (maybe) and CUSOM

Thanks! I have been cruising MSAR religiously recently. DOs are starting to look pretty attractive. Right now Im thinking

Nova Southeastern
Lecom (Bradenton)
Alabama COM
AZCOM (Arizona)
ASU-COM (Also Arizona)
Des Moines

Anyone have any other DO schools they are fond of? Im a warm weather junkie, hence the emphasis on southern schools.

Also ChisMack, I know how you feel. I feel like its kind of an unusual situation, and hopefully adcoms wont just play trash-can-basketball with my primary lol

 

[GrapesofRath]

If you are from Fl it's worth a stab at the FL MD programs and perhaps a handful of other lower tier programs. Like others have said, you are likely to have success with DO admission.

 

[goldy490]

Thanks for the feedback everyone! I really appreciate the honest advice, I ended up applying to most of the programs Goro recommended, but haven't had too much luck with DO as of yet (except LECOM-B). Now that Ive been here a few months I cringe at the language I used in this post, so sorry if I acted like a jack*ss.

@Not A Troll I've actually had quite a bit of success overall, so far Ive interviewed at FIU, FAU, U Miami, VA Tech, Tulane, Albany, and Emory. No acceptances yet, I'm hoping to hear some good news soon. I would definitely recommend sending those DO apps in ASAP!

 

[md-2020]

@goldy490 so you're not URM? What about any of the other big +'s? While 3.4/3.2 from a good school is certainly possible, I'm honestly surprised Emory and Miami bit. Not to be mean.

 

[goldy490]

@goldy490 so you're not URM? What about any of the other big +'s? While 3.4/3.2 from a good school is certainly possible, I'm honestly surprised Emory and Miami bit. Not to be mean.

Haha no worries! Im quite surprised myself. Im a white guy, no SES disadvantage, no significant research to speak of. Only "plus" I can think of is that I'm a pretty strong writer and think I had a very good PS and secondaries.

Do you really think it's that uncommon though? Someone has to be on the low side of the median right?

 

[md-2020]

Do you really think it's that uncommon though? Someone has to be on the low side of the median right?

For a school like Emory, which averages 3.8/3.7/35, you must have had something very appealing. Otherwise the numbers aren't there.

Regardless, congrats!

 

[LuluLovesMe]

Interested in how your cycle goes OP. I have similar stats as you

 

[scaredadvocate]

Congrats!

 

[goldy490]

Thanks everyone! If I get any acceptance news I'll throw it on here

 

[goldy490]

Thanks for all the input everyone, I just wanted to throw it on here that I got accepted to FIU and FAU! Still waiting to hear back from the other schools, but this will make the wait much easier. Thanks again, I'm very grateful for all the guidance the SDN community has provided.

 

[ChrisMack390]

Haha no worries! Im quite surprised myself. Im a white guy, no SES disadvantage, no significant research to speak of. Only "plus" I can think of is that I'm a pretty strong writer and think I had a very good PS and secondaries.

Do you really think it's that uncommon though? Someone has to be on the low side of the median right?

SDN tends to pretend that the people below the 10th percentile don't exist, even at schools with 200+ matriculants. It's a good rule of thumb, but as you can see it's not absolute.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

**Sorry to bother all who commented with a notification, feel free to disregard. Just wanted to close this thread up since I link it in my signature. Thanks again for all the advice and support though, I really appreciate it and probably would've bombed this cycle without SDN**

For everyone else:

1) Use the original language of my WAMC as a "what not do do template"...God I sounded like an a$$

2) I ended up getting accepted to the University of Miami, which is where I'll be attending in the Fall. I couldn't be happier and am unbelievably grateful for the opportunity.

3) I was also accepted to Tulane, Wake Forest, VA tech, USC Greenville, FIU, and FAU. I would strongly recommend these schools to anyone with a profile similar to my own. I was also waitlisted at USF and Emory, but withdrew. I'd recommend them as well. All extremely generous and incredible schools.

4) A little advice: Apply early and apply everywhere. It's impossible to know who will and who won't bite.

Thanks again everyone,

Knife

 

[ChrisMack390]

**Sorry to bother all who commented with a notification, feel free to disregard. Just wanted to close this thread up since I link it in my signature. Thanks again for all the advice and support though, I really appreciate it and probably would've bombed this cycle without SDN**

For everyone else:

1) Use the original language of my WAMC as a "what not do do template"...God I sounded like an a$$

2) I ended up getting accepted to the University of Miami, which is where I'll be attending in the Fall. I couldn't be happier and am unbelievably grateful for the opportunity.

3) I was also accepted to Tulane, Wake Forest, VA tech, USC Greenville, FIU, and FAU. I would strongly recommend these schools to anyone with a profile similar to my own. I was also waitlisted at USF and Emory, but withdrew. I'd recommend them as well. All extremely generous and incredible schools.

4) A little advice: Apply early and apply everywhere. It's impossible to know who will and who won't bite.

Thanks again everyone,

Knife

Are you from Florida or no?

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

Are you from Florida or no?

Yea, southern Florida. I think regional bias played a huge role here.

My understanding/experience is that the Florida schools kind of subdivide, with UF, USF, FSU serving the northern half and UM, FIU, and FAU serving the southern half (while UCF straddles in between)

 

[Abraxas305]

Top 20 school in Florida? Or you are from Florida, but went to a Top 20 school? I wasn't aware Fl had any top 20 schools. Anyways, looks like you had a pretty successful cycle! Congrats from another fellow (south) Floridian!

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

Top 20 school in Florida? Or you are from Florida, but went to a Top 20 school? I wasn't aware Fl had any top 20 schools. Anyways, looks like you had a pretty successful cycle! Congrats from another fellow (south) Floridian!

Thanks! Im south FL as well. We're seriously lucky...4 med schools within ~1 hour of each other. Not even Texas can say that!

But you're correct, went to school outside Florida. After one winter I swore I'd get back down south ASAP.

 

[Abraxas305]

Ha I think I can make an educated guess to where you went for undergrad!

It's gonna be 5 after NSU opens the MD in 2020!

I'm kind of in a similar situation as you, high MCAT, similar GPA (like .1 lower), State Uni, and decent EC's (although not as nice as yours).