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cactusinmyhead

cactusinmyhead

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You have too many OOS state schools that aren't friendly to non residents like Rutgers and UF. Find out which state schools which you are not a resident are friendly to OOS students. Add some private schools like temple, Drexel, rush, creighton, etc which have little to no state preference
 
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wow your stat is ridiculous and you have to reapply..making me feel hopeless.
 
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I would say apply broadly, as CA residents we are screwed and add more private schools that are not top 45. It doesn't matter where you get your medical degree, but how you do on step 1, research, grades, and letters for residency matching. Applying to state schools that accept very very few OOS is not a good use of time or money.

You have the standard EC required for premeds, but I would pursue your passions and interests and include that in your application (it makes you diverse). I would also call schools that rejected you to see how you can improve your application, especially BU since you interviewed there.

I think if you apply early, apply broadly outside of top 45 schools, and show improvement you will have a lot more luck next cycle.
 
Here's a more realistic list (but why did you have such poor luck the first time around?) Did you apply late? Not have the right ECs?

You go look up the state abbreviations.

Suggest applying to 20-30, tops.



Duke
UCLA
U Pittsburgh
UCSD
Feinberg
Emory
Mayo
UCLA
USC Keck (interviewed-waitlisted)
Rochester
Einstein
UC Davis
UC Irvine
Tufts
Vanderbilt
U Cincy
U So FL
U Toledo
MCW
SLU
Loyola
Tulane
Emory
U Miami
Case
Hofstra and any other new MD schools (except Central MI)
U VM
U AZ
U CO
U NV (maybe)
 
Nothing wrong with aiming high!

Dartmouth prefers non-trads. Too many state schools and they prefer the home team. Some other low tiers are off the list because they feel their yield of higher stat applicants doesn't always match the work they put into trying to recruit them.

Also, is there any reason you kept reach schools like Duke, Emory, Pittsburgh, Feinberg, etc on the list? I was thinking I should take those out and maybe try reaches I didn't apply to last time..

I suggest:


UCSF
UCLA
UCSD
U Virginia
Mayo
Boston U
USC Keck
Rochester
U Cincinnati
Einstein
UC Davis
UC Irvine
U Miami
MC Wisconsin
VCU
Creighton
Drexel
UC Riverside (only if you're from the Inland Empire)
Tulane
U Miami and the others I recommended
 
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Not according to what the wise LizzyM and gyngyn say!

So you think I'd be screened out from some of the lower tier schools because of my numbers--I thought that was a myth?

Invest in MSAR Online and target schools whose median stats are closest to your own.
I'm just having a hard time determining my "target range".
 
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Colorado is actually very OOS-friendly. However, the COA is over $80K/year. If you can afford it, then I would recommend applying.

Good luck!

-Bill
 
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cactusinmyhead said:
:eek: I mean... I feel like no one can afford that. Do you know if they're generous with financial aid?
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They are not. The most you could expect is ~ $5K (IIRC).

Great school for OOSers who want to stay in the west. However, you do have to pay a premium for that privilege!

-Bill
 
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Brown prefers their own graduates.

Can someone remind me why I'm not supposed to apply to Brown? It seems like they take lots of OOS students.... (I'm a CA resident)


My edits below. Have you contacted any of the Admissions Deans to ask for feedback (not advice) on why you were rejected???

UCLA
Emory
Case Western
Boston U
Ohio State U
USC Keck
Rochester
U Cincinnati
Einstein
UC Davis
UC Irvine
U Miami
Tufts
Georgetown
MC Wisconsin
Temple U
U Vermont
Jefferson
Saint Louis University
Rush U
George Washington
VCU
Creighton
Loyola
NY MC
Tulane
Rosalind Franklin
Loyola
Albany
If you really want a safety, add Western and Touro-CA.
 
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Dartmouth likes non-trads.

U VA = highly competitive state school. Try SUNY SB instead.
U TXSW even more highly competitive state school. You are competing for only 10% of the seats. The other 90%, by law, have to go to Texans. Try Baylor instead.


Lack of clinical experience is the single biggest reason I've seen that kills chances for high stat candidates like yourself. Thus, this year, you should have lots of IIs.

Do let us know how it turns out!
 
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Was that your GPA and MCAT score during the first cycle as well? I'm surprised you had to reapply just based on your academics.
 
cactusinmyhead said:
Okay....one last time (maybe). I want to add schools to AMCAS by the end of the week! Thank you to everyone who has helped me make this list and given me feedback multiple times!

Stats:
GPA: 3.9+
MCAT: 35 (VR-10, PS-12, BS-13)

Research: 1 academic year, no publication
Clinical volunteering: 150 hours and counting (multiple activities)
Non-clinical volunteering: 50+ hours (multiple activities)
Shadowing: 120 hours in multiple specialties
Clinical experience: volunteering + 6 month full time position in clinic
Teaching experience: 2 academic years of tutoring
Work experience: summer job all through college, tutoring during school year, and gap year full of work experience

CA Resident, Re-applicant

So here are my schools....35 in total.....

Reaches:
UCSF
Columbia
UCLA
NYU
Cornell
UCSD
Mount Sinai
Emory
Case Western
U Virginia

State Schools/Targets-Maybe?
U Iowa
Boston U
USC Keck
Rochester
U Colorado
U Cincinnati
Einstein
UC Davis
UC Irvine
U Miami
Tufts
Wake Forest

"Low-Yield" and Possible Safeties:
MC Wisconsin
Temple U
U Vermont
Jefferson
Saint Louis University
Rush U
George Washington
VA Commonwealth
NY MC
Tulane
Rosalind Franklin
Loyola
Albany

WHAT ARE MY CHANCES?!
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Looks good to me. Maybe think about Eistein, Pitt/Ohio State?. Best wishes on the second time around!
 
Rainbow Zebra said:
Looks good to me. Maybe think about Eistein, Pitt/Ohio State?. Best wishes on the second time around!
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Einstein is on there. Ohio State has a strict Anatomy course requirement that I don't want to deal with. I will re-consider Pitt though! I applied last year
 
cactusinmyhead said:
Einstein is on there. Ohio State has a strict Anatomy course requirement that I don't want to deal with. I will re-consider Pitt though! I applied last year
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Yes, the but the Ohio State anatomy requirement is some online class they offer, only about 40 hours to take. Yes, a pain especially since no other school require this. But a 50% OOS yield is pretty hard to pass up.
 
cactusinmyhead said:
Oh really? Well it seems I didn't thoroughly do my research! I think I'll put it back on the list! I hear Columbus, OH is a pretty cool town too!
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Yes, check out the 2015-2016 Ohio State Thread, they are talking about the online anatomy class, as most folks don't have it, and have to take the online class.
 
For those who really don't think clinical experience is crucial...........the fact this thread even has to exist says it all.
 
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cactusinmyhead said:
I'm lost about preparing for interviews. I get very, very nervous. I'm lucky to have zero test anxiety, but all that anxiety goes towards interviews instead! I've read a medical school interview prep book. practiced in my head, made bullet point answers to expected questions. But I panic when a question I'm unprepared for comes up. And I'm not the type to ramble...I freeze up and just give short answers like, "yes, no, I don't know..." It's so bad. And I'm not one of those awkward/antisocial pre-med types, although it might come off that way in interviews. I'm just shy and nervous!

I'm just hoping to get like 10+ interviews this cycle. Hopefully that will give me enough chances to impress someone!
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I think you need to work on this before you get those interviews.
You got two interviews this year with stats that might have helped them overlook your scanty clinical experience. I have to think your interviews contributed to the outcome.
 
cactusinmyhead said:
You are absolutely right! Interviewing has always been a weakness of mine. The only way I can think of to fix it is more practice and preparation?
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Does your old school offer mock interviews?
Do they have a career counseling service?
 
cactusinmyhead said:
Eh I just looked at the career center web page and it doesn't look like anything useful is available to alumni. No mock interviews or anything like that.
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Schools often don't specify "alumni services." Just call career counseling and tell them you need some help.
 
cactusinmyhead said:
Ok, they are probably unlikely available over the summer. But I will give it a try :)

If I'm unable to get an official mock interview, what do you suggest?
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Any cranky old professional, physicians preferred.
Not somebody who likes you.
 
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Why are you bumping? You got a lot of great advice.
 
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