Is my list broad enough?

[kiwifriend]

Hello, all!! Thanks for your help!

Is my school list broad enough? I wanna make sure I am getting a good amount of mid-tiers and reach schools. Also if anyone has any insights into schools that are generous with their financial aid, let me know!!

I’m worrying because I have gotten incredibly conflicting real-life advice about my chances recently (and been told a fair amount of application horror stories). I got some good feedback on here before and it was super helpful in creating a preliminary list! Would love some feedback on my (potentially) final school list!

Including my general info here again to make things easier.

cGPA: 3.9+
sGPA: 3.9+
MCAT: 521

Clinical experience:
-1+ year as a clinical research coordinator (2000+ hours) - involves a lot of one-on-one interaction with patients in the clinic, conducting study enrollment and follow up visits.

Shadowing experience and specialties represented:
~80 hours (various specialties)

Research experience:
-6 months in wet lab, mostly just honing my lab techniques ~250 hours
- Submitted manuscript, will hopefully be able to update during cycle if accepted

Other ECs:
-Peer counselor for LGBTQ community, member of activist group (200+ hours)
-Teaching music to children (150+ hours)
-Various other clubs

1 minor IA for alcohol several years ago.
I ideally need to stay near a major city (work opportunities for my SO).

TLDR: Good stats, mediocre ECs on paper (but very passionate about them so hopefully will be okay if I get interviews?)

School list: (OLD - NEW LIST IN RECENT POST)
UMass
Tufts
Boston University
Jefferson
Temple
Einstein
Hofstra
NYMC
Keck
Rosalind Franklin
Emory
Sinai
NYU
Northwestern
Pitt
Harvard
Johns Hopkins
Columbia
Stanford
UChicago
Weill Cornell
Yale
UPenn
UCLA*
UCSF*
*Maybe shouldn’t apply because OOS but I really like San Francisco and I have family/friends in LA

Low yield but might be willing to apply anyway:
George Washington
Georgetown
Drexel
Brown**
**I know Brown doesn't interview very many applicants, but I really want to stay near Boston if possible.

Thanks!!

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[Goro]

Good list!

 

[kiwifriend]

Good list!

Thanks, @Goro!
Are there any you would suggest taking out or switching out? I know that list is on the longer side, but I wanted to be safe and make sure I had a good variety.

 

[Sir.SavaLottaLife]

I don't think you have any business applying to Rosalind Franklin or NYMC; they wont take you seriously so take them out to save your time and dollars. Don't bother applying to those "low yield" schools either. I guess you can keep Brown if you want to stay near Boston. Don't let your OOS status keep you from applying to the UC's, you're completely competitive enough and you can get CA resident status after your first year if you're worried about the money (Maybe add UCSD?)

In reality, you'll probably land at a top 15 school, or at least get multiple interviews to those schools. As an incoming M1, I see applicants about as strong you that are holding/held multiple top 20 acceptances. Of course, there are always hidden factors that can keep someone out of these schools (letters, trends, etc..). Just make sure you write well-written essays and have a good story and you can get in anywhere.

 

[kiwifriend]

I don't think you have any business applying to Rosalind Franklin or NYMC; they wont take you seriously so take them out to save your time and dollars. Don't bother applying to those "low yield" schools either. I guess you can keep Brown if you want to stay near Boston. Don't let your OOS status keep you from applying to the UC's, you're completely competitive enough and you can get CA resident status after your first year if you're worried about the money (Maybe add UCSD?)

In reality, you'll probably land at a top 15 school, or at least get multiple interviews to those schools. As an incoming M1, I see applicants about as strong you that are holding/held multiple top 20 acceptances. Of course, there are always hidden factors that can keep someone out of these schools (letters, trends, etc..). Just make sure you write well-written essays and have a good story and you can get in anywhere.

Hi! Thanks for your feedback!! I haven't heard too many success stories lately, so it was definitely encouraging!

I'm trying to maximize my odds to get into Boston/New York/ Chicago ideally (but other major cities are okay too) so I feel like it might be worth it to keep Rosalind Franklin and NYMC, but I don't want to waste my money either. I just don't think my ECs are really Top 20 competitive so I don't want the whole list to be too top heavy.

I had cut UCSD because I was under the impression it had a huge instate bias, but I just looked on MSAR again and it didn't seem too bad, so I dunno why I thought that. They matriculated 31 OOS last year. Those aren't terrible odds! I'll have to look into more.

 

[GrapesofRath]

Just like it's a waste of money to apply to Harvard with a 27 it's a waste of money to apply to schools like NYMC and RFU with these kinds of stats. The way to be "maximize your odds" is to apply to schools most likely to interview you. And those schools arent going to be NYMC Temple and RFU. Don't confuse lower tier schools with ones your odds are best at

The schools most likely to interview you are the high end ones where your numbers are in line with. Your stats will generate interest just fine from top 20 schools. Apply to all the schools in your state in Boston U Tufts and UMass. Apply to a good number of top 20's. Throw in a half dozen or so schools just below that tier if you want for good measure. CWRU is a good one. Emory Ohio State UVA are other ones to consider. That'll be plenty

The UCs are very low yield by their nature but if you want to apply to a few go ahead

 

[Sir.SavaLottaLife]

I would consider replacing Rosy Franklin and NYMC with Loyola Chicago if you want a major city option. Rosy Franklin isn't even really in Chicago; it's like over an hour north of the city. I still feel that you're pretty safe with all of those Top 20's and your in-state options, you seem like a pretty strong applicant.

 

[kiwifriend]

Just like it's a waste of money to apply to Harvard with a 27 it's a waste of money to apply to schools like NYMC and RFU with these kinds of stats. The way to be "maximize your odds" is to apply to schools most likely to interview you. And those schools arent going to be NYMC Temple and RFU. Don't confuse lower tier schools with ones your odds are best at

The schools most likely to interview you are the high end ones where your numbers are in line with. Your stats will generate interest just fine from top 20 schools. Apply to all the schools in your state in Boston U Tufts and UMass. Apply to a good number of top 20's. Throw in a half dozen or so schools just below that tier if you want for good measure. CWRU is a good one. Emory Ohio State UVA are other ones to consider. That'll be plenty

The UCs are very low yield by their nature but if you want to apply to a few go ahead

Thanks so much for the feedback!! If I cut NYMC and RFU, do you think my list would still include enough schools or would I definitely want to include more? I might add CWRU but Ohio State and UVA aren't ideal locations for me.

 

[GrapesofRath]

Thanks so much for the feedback!! If I cut NYMC and RFU, do you think my list would still include enough schools or would I definitely want to include more? I might add CWRU but Ohio State and UVA aren't ideal locations for me.

I count about a dozen schools on your current list you can go in saying you have a reasonable shot at getting a II at. Thatll be more than enough. I probably would add WashU though

 

[kiwifriend]

I count about a dozen schools on your current list you can go in saying you have a reasonable shot at getting a II at. Thatll be more than enough. I probably would add WashU though

Thank you, thank you!
Just out of curiosity, which schools are you counting that I would be likely to get an II at?

 

[tantacles]

I actually like your list the way it is. You could add or drop some schools if you really wanted to, but you have a pretty good mix of reach and reasonable schools. I know people are telling you to drop RFU and NYMC, but remember that applying to lower tier schools can be a good idea for someone with your stats - these schools do offer merit scholarships, and you'd be in a decent position to get one.

 

[GrapesofRath]

Thank you, thank you!
Just out of curiosity, which schools are you counting that I would be likely to get an II at?

Two things I think are easy to mix up and get backwards

1) Like I said above the schools most likely to II you are the top schools not the RFU's and NYMC's of the world. As for specifically which top schools, that's up for debate and it's not really worthwhile because it's unpredictable. If I list one top 20 school, then youll start wondering why I didnt list another when in reality it's a crapshoot. Point is the ones I would include as reasonable choices to get a II at are those with high stats 35+ median MCAT types. This idea of "reaches" vs "matches" etc that SDN likes to do isnt really relevant for you. You need to be applying to "reaches" with your stats and those schools arent that big of reaches for you either. Lower tier schools arent "matches" or more reasonable choices than the high end ones.

2) I think we have it backwards with the scholarship/money idea. The schools that give out by far and away the most money are the top schools not RFU and NYMC types. When you look at how many people in say Penn's or Pritzker's class got significant or full money this becomes readily apparent. So really, the money angle provides even more incentive to go for high end schools and ditch the RFU's and NYMC's of the world. Not only do they give out way more money your odds of getting a II will be better at them(you need to get an II first at NYMC or RFU to even be considered for scholarship money which isnt easy at 3.9/38).

 

[kiwifriend]

Two things I think are easy to mix up and get backwards

1) Like I said above the schools most likely to II you are the top schools not the RFU's and NYMC's of the world. As for specifically which top schools, that's up for debate and it's not really worthwhile because it's unpredictable. If I list one top 20 school, then youll start wondering why I didnt list another when in reality it's a crapshoot. Point is the ones I would include as reasonable choices to get a II at are those with high stats 35+ median MCAT types. This idea of "reaches" vs "matches" etc that SDN likes to do isnt really relevant for you. You need to be applying to "reaches" with your stats and those schools arent that big of reaches for you either. Lower tier schools arent "matches" or more reasonable choices than the high end ones.

2) I think we have it backwards with the scholarship/money idea. The schools that give out by far and away the most money are the top schools not RFU and NYMC types. When you look at how many people in say Penn's or Pritzker's class got significant or full money this becomes readily apparent. So really, the money angle provides even more incentive to go for high end schools and ditch the RFU's and NYMC's of the world. Not only do they give out way more money your odds of getting a II will be better at them(you need to get an II first at NYMC or RFU to even be considered for scholarship money which isnt easy at 3.9/38).

Thank you for the insights!!
Ugh haha picking schools is so stressful and complicated! I feel like it is all strategy and that has never been my strong suit. I'm afraid of falling short at top schools because of my weaker ECs, but I know that still won't stop certain schools (like NYMC and Rosy) from possibly screening me out due to stats anyway.

 

[kiwifriend]

Deleted

 

[GrapesofRath]

I dont see what purpose adding more schools is going to serve for you here. If anything in your shoes I would probably shorten your list above a bit.

 

[kiwifriend]

I dont see what purpose adding more schools is going to serve for you here. If anything in your shoes I would probably shorten your list above a bit.

Thanks for the feedback! Haha I actually already finished sending in all my secondaries to the above schools, so no turning back now