Help with making a school list

[MysteryF]

Maryland Resident
GPA: 3.61 sGPA: 3.58 MCAT 34 (V:08/PS:12/BS:14) (English as a second language)
Going to a top 30 undergrad school/Bio major
I understand that my verbal score is low but I came to the US six years with no background in English. I am not an international student. I am a URM (male African)
I have about 700 hours in community service and a lot of leadership (3/4 leadership positions through my college career) and research experience (about 300 hrs/2 years but no publications). Unfortunately, I do not have any shadowing experience but I have over 100 hours of volunteering at a hospital.
I need help with making a list of schools. Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated.
I am trying to keep it at 12 but let me know if you think I should have more schools.

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[Lamel]

Being ESL and URM will help with the verbal of 8, and your overall score is great, so don't worry. Your ECs sound great and perhaps you can get some shadowing hours over the summer and during your application cycle?

Post a list of current schools you are thinking of applying to and we can comment.

 

[MysteryF]

My current list in no particular order is:
Boston Med
George Washington
Georgetown
Howard
Hopkins
Penn State
Tufts University
South Florida
Central Florida
Louisville
Maryland
Miami
Michigan
Pittsburgh
UVA
VCU

I am trying to stay on the East Coast. Any thoughts about my list? I am trying to get it down to 12-14?

 

[Goro]

What's your home state?

Definitely find a doc to shadow! You need to know what a doctor's day is like.

Goro suggests:
Your state school and those surrounding.
Boston Med
George Washington
Georgetown
Howard
Penn State
Tufts University
Miami
Pittsburgh
UVA
Morehouse
Also consider NYU, Einstein, Tufts, Drexel, Temople or Jefferson

 

[Abstractions]

My current list in no particular order is:
Boston Med
George Washington
Georgetown
Howard
Hopkins
Penn State
Tufts University
South Florida
Central Florida
Louisville
Maryland
Miami
Michigan
Pittsburgh
UVA
VCU

I am trying to stay on the East Coast. Any thoughts about my list? I am trying to get it down to 12-14?

If you want to stay on the east coast think about adding Einstein/NYMC/Albany/SUNY schools.

 

[MysteryF]

What's your home state?

Definitely find a doc to shadow! You need to know what a doctor's day is like.

Goro suggests:
Your state school and those surrounding.
Boston Med
George Washington
Georgetown
Howard
Penn State
Tufts University
Miami
Pittsburgh
UVA
Morehouse
Also consider NYU, Einstein, Tufts, Drexel, Temople or Jefferson

Are UCF and South Florida a gamble? I am trying to have a list of 12-14 schools with 4 reach schools but I feel like my list has at like 8 of them.
What schools on the list can I considered almost safety (I know there is no such thing)?

 

[MysteryF]

I am a Maryland resident but Hopkins is out of the question since I have no chance and I am not interested in research

 

[Goro]

Looks like they both like OOS students. You're being URM will make up for the fact that your GPA is below their median. Goro says go for it.

Are UCF and South Florida a gamble? I am trying to have a list of 12-14 schools with 4 reach schools but I feel like my list has at like 8 of them.
What schools on the list can I considered almost safety (I know there is no such thing)?

 

[MysteryF]

My final list of 13 schools is:
Howard
George Washington
VCU
USF
Penn State
UMD
Georgetown
Tufts
Miami
Pitt
Boston
Michigan
UVA

Is it a good enough/well rounded list?