MCAT 521, cGPA 3.81, sGPA 3.9, Idaho resident. Help please!

[SnakeJuice]

Thanks for the feedback everyone! Deleted for privacy reasons

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[precisiongraphic]

Hey everyone,

I'm a middle class white guy, just graduated in the Spring and I just got my MCAT scores. I was a bit shocked and actually cried a little. Here's a breakdown:

PS: 131
CARS: 130
BS: 131
Psych/soc: 129

Statistics-wise, I'm situated to apply to at least some top-tier schools (3.84 cGPA, ~3.92 sGPA). I'm wondering if I should even bother, as I have yet to cure cancer, solve world hunger, open a homeless shelter, etc. I'm planning on applying next cycle. Here's a basic outline of my EC's:

Research:
-2 years hypothesis-driven research in a genetics lab
-2 poster presentations (1 in-house, 1 regional)

Clinical:
-130 hours volunteer patient transport over 3 years
-1 week volunteering at camp for children with cancer
-75 hours shadowing a variety of specialties

Work/other volunteer:
-1 month volunteering at a non-medical camp
-1 year tutoring chemistry/biochem/ochem (paid)
-1 year tutoring ochem (unpaid)
-Volunteered in orphanage in Tanzania for a week in 2010 after high school (not sure if relevant).

Leadership:
-1 year treasurer, 1 year VP in pre-med society
-Fraternity pledge class president

Hobbies, achievements, etc:
-Competetive powerlifter, set state record in Arizona
-Climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro after high school
-Honor society, award for achievement in ochem, pre-med scholarship award
-I've played guitar for 14 years, recorded an album and toured with a band
-Food blogger
-Martial arts (currently training Soo Bahk Do)
-Travelled to several countries in Europe as well as Kenya and Tanzania
-Planning on going to China for several months next Spring to study Bajiquan (martial art) along with Buddhism, Mandarin, and some other subjects.

I applied for a few hospital jobs (scribing, research, etc) after graduation but I recently moved to a super rural town in Idaho with not a lot going on, so I remain unemployed and searching for some volunteer opportunities, etc. I would REALLY appreciate any suggestions about what I need to improve, etc to be more competitive.

Thank you and good luck to everyone who applied this cycle!

Where do you want to go? Do you want to be in an urban setting for med school or a rural setting? I think you can get almost anywhere, even though you haven't cured cancer, but will let those with more experience weigh in on that.

You are a good candidate for WWAMI at UWash and also UUtah under their Idaho program. (Not sure if Colorado or Oregon have a program for Idaho residents.) Read the UWash thread for this year to see how the Idaho people apply.

Otherwise you'll just need to review the mission statements of schools and find one where both your MCAT and GPA are within the >10% < 90% range, that take a high percentage of OOS students and appeal to you. Unfortunately, other public schools in the west (Arizona, New Mexico, California) are relatively OOS-unfriendly.

You have a chance at top-20 and should apply to those that appeal. UMich, Duke, Emory, Vanderbilt,
Johns Hopkins and Penn are possibles. Ohio State takes a lot of OOS students.

Congrats on the MCAT score.

 

[SnakeJuice]

Where do you want to go? Do you want to be in an urban setting for med school or a rural setting? I think you can get almost anywhere, even though you haven't cured cancer, but will let those with more experience weigh in on that.

You are a good candidate for WWAMI at UWash and also UUtah under their Idaho program. (Not sure if Colorado or Oregon have a program for Idaho residents.) Read the UWash thread for this year to see how the Idaho people apply.

Otherwise you'll just need to review the mission statements of schools and find one where both your MCAT and GPA are within the >10% < 90% range, that take a high percentage of OOS students and appeal to you. Unfortunately, other public schools in the west (Arizona, New Mexico, California) are relatively OOS-unfriendly.

You have a chance at top-20 and should apply to those that appeal. UMich, Duke, Emory, Vanderbilt,
Johns Hopkins and Penn are possibles. Ohio State takes a lot of OOS students.

Congrats on the MCAT score.

Thanks for the response! I am planning on applying to both UW and UUtah because of the WWAMI program. I'll probably apply to OHSU as well. I would like to go somewhere at least relatively urban that has "good" research opportunities. Obviously I'd like to go to the best school I have a shot at. I've always thought about living in New York so I'm planning on applying to Albert Einstein and a few others out there, though I'm not sure which ones yet.

I also want to add that I got a D in calc 1 my second year and later retook it for an A. I took 3 non-major classes (got A's, ended up counting for nothing), transferred to a large state school and transferred to a smaller liberal arts college (left with a 3.4, got all A's for the next 3 years). I'm not sure if these will hurt me at all, I had a lot going on with my family at the time and I feel like I have a fairly compelling explanation.

 

[Faha]

If you want to be in the NYC area try Hofstra, Einstein, Mount Sinai, NYMC. You could also try Columbia, Cornell and NYU as reaches.

 

[Goro]

You're golden; aim high.

I suggest:
U WA
Harvard
Wash U
Yale
Stanford
U Chicago
U Penn
U VA
U MI
U Colorado
U VM
U WI
Ohio State
Jefferson
U IA
UCSF
UCLA,
UCSD,
U Cincy
Miami
Albert Einstein
Tulane
Loyola
Emory
BU
USC/Keck
JHU
Mayo (both)
Pitt
Northwestern
NYU
Vanderbilt
Columbia
Sinai
Cornell
Duke
Case
Hofstra

Hey everyone,

 

[SnakeJuice]

You're golden; aim high.

@Goro Thank you so much for your reply! Do you see any areas that you think need improvement?

I'm still trying to find some things to do in this town (population around 2000) so I might just end up volunteering at the library, going to martial arts class, shadowing a bit, and running my food blog before I go to China for a few months early next year. I've always heard that I need to be doing something really meaningful in my time off, so even if this stuff is meaningful to me, do you think that I need to keep looking for more "meaningful" volunteer opportunities? I applied to big brother big sister and a few others but no dice. I'm applying to volunteer for a crisis hotline because I think that it would be really cool and I have time, but besides that, the market is limited.

 

[Goro]

Your local houses of worship could point you in the way of things to do.

@Goro Thank you so much for your reply! Do you see any areas that you think need improvement?

I'm still trying to find some things to do in this town (population around 2000) so I might just end up volunteering at the library, going to martial arts class, shadowing a bit, and running my food blog before I go to China for a few months early next year. I've always heard that I need to be doing something really meaningful in my time off, so even if this stuff is meaningful to me, do you think that I need to keep looking for more "meaningful" volunteer opportunities? I applied to big brother big sister and a few others but no dice. I'm applying to volunteer for a crisis hotline because I think that it would be really cool and I have time, but besides that, the market is limited.

 

[SnakeJuice]

Your local houses of worship could point you in the way of things to do.

I hadn't thought of that! Good call. Thanks again and I appreciate the feedback.

 

[WedgeDawg]

Definitely apply to any schools that give some sort of preference to Idaho residents.

Apply to a ton of top 20s (exclude UCLA, UCSD but pick like 15 or so of the rest and definitely include UWash) and then ~7-8 mid tier schools (e.g. Rochester, USC-Keck, Einstein, Ohio State, SLU, Miami, Hofstra, Emory, UVA, etc).

Stats are too high to apply anywhere else and make it worthwhile. Your GPA is fine, ECs are interesting, though if you can find some more volunteering opportunities, that might help you out a bit (though by no means a deal breaker).

 

[SnakeJuice]

though if you can find some more volunteering opportunities, that might help you out a bit

@WedgeDawg thanks for the feedback! I used your Applicant Rating System and found it very helpful (I think I landed in the low 90's). I am starting volunteering at a crisis hotline that primarily provides to an underserved community (super rural town in Idaho) as well as suicide-prevention seminars at high schools, etc. I was also considering doing a two week program at a medical school that would give me a ton of shadowing/clinical experience to bump those numbers up a bit too.

 

[WedgeDawg]

@WedgeDawg thanks for the feedback! I used your Applicant Rating System and found it very helpful (I think I landed in the low 90's). I am starting volunteering at a crisis hotline that primarily provides to an underserved community (super rural town in Idaho) as well as suicide-prevention seminars at high schools, etc. I was also considering doing a two week program at a medical school that would give me a ton of shadowing/clinical experience to bump those numbers up a bit too.

Crisis hotline sounds like it'll be a great experience! The two week thing probably wouldn't make any sort of difference on your application, especially since your shadowing numbers are already fine, so only do it if you find it interesting in its own right.

 

[SnakeJuice]

Crisis hotline sounds like it'll be a great experience! The two week thing probably wouldn't make any sort of difference on your application, especially since your shadowing numbers are already fine, so only do it if you find it interesting in its own right.

I think so too! Mental health has always been an interest of mine. That's definitely helpful, I may pass on the program if that's the case. Thanks again for the feedback!

 

[SnakeJuice]

@WedgeDawg @Goro do either of you see my getting a D in calc 1, then later retaking it for an A to be a red flag? Or the transferring schools? Again, my gpa saw a strong upward trend after the transfer (3.97 in those last 3 years).

I am hoping a sort of "come back" story could be compelling to adcoms.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[peltier]

Hey everyone,

I'm a middle class white guy, just graduated in the Spring and I just got my MCAT scores. I was a bit shocked and actually cried a little. Here's a breakdown:

PS: 131
CARS: 130
BS: 131
Psych/soc: 129

Statistics-wise, I think I'm situated to apply to at least some top-tier schools (3.84 cGPA (not 3.81), ~3.92 sGPA). I got a D in calc 1 due to stress from family circumstances. I also took 3 classes at community college right out of high school (received A's), went to a large state school for a year and a half, and transferred to a small liberal arts school with a 3.4 GPA overall. I received all A's after the transfer, so I have a fairly strong upward trend. Maybe someone could recommend schools that this would appeal to if possible.

I'm wondering if I should bother applying to top tier schools (Penn State, Hopkins, Harvard, etc.), as I have yet to cure cancer, solve world hunger, open a homeless shelter, etc. I'm planning on applying next cycle. Here's a basic outline of my EC's:

Research:
-2 years hypothesis-driven research in a genetics lab
-2 poster presentations (1 in-house, 1 regional)

Clinical:
-130 hours volunteer patient transport over 3 years
-1 week volunteering at camp for children with cancer
-75 hours shadowing a variety of specialties

Work/other volunteer:
-1 month volunteering at a non-medical camp
-1 year tutoring chemistry/biochem/ochem (paid)
-1 year tutoring ochem (unpaid)
-Volunteered in orphanage in Tanzania for a week in 2010 after high school (not sure if relevant).

Leadership/awards:
-1 year treasurer, 1 year VP in pre-med society
-Fraternity pledge class president
-Honor society, president's list, award in ochem

Hobbies, achievements, etc:
-Competetive powerlifter, set state record in Arizona
-Climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro after high school
-Honor society, award for achievement in ochem, pre-med scholarship award
-I've played guitar for 14 years, recorded an album and toured with a band
-Food blogger
-Martial arts (currently training Soo Bahk Do)
-Travelled to several countries in Europe as well as Kenya and Tanzania
-Planning on going to China for several months next Spring to study Bajiquan (martial art) along with Buddhism, Mandarin, and some other subjects.

I applied for a few hospital jobs (scribing, research, etc) after graduation but I recently moved to a super rural town in Idaho with not a lot going on, so I remain unemployed and searching for some volunteer opportunities, etc. I would REALLY appreciate any suggestions about what I need to improve, etc to be more competitive.

Thank you and good luck to everyone who applied this cycle!

I would go ahead and apply to some dreamshot schools. I went to Fresno State 89 to 96, applied to 35 med schools, cGPA 3.85, sGPA 3.94. MCAT 30. Got into UCSF. Graduated 2001. Sat on admissions committee for three years. Schools want talent with a well rounded background.

 

[SnakeJuice]

I would go ahead and apply to some dreamshot schools. I went to Fresno State 89 to 96, applied to 35 med schools, cGPA 3.85, sGPA 3.94. MCAT 30. Got into UCSF. Graduated 2001. Sat on admissions committee for three years. Schools want talent with a well rounded background.

Thanks a lot for the feedback! Do you think that it's okay to include things that I did before college, such as recording an album with a band, in my application? I also climbed Kilimanjaro right before I started college.

Edit: I'm actually planning on applying to UCSF! I lived in California growing up and love the area.

 

[Goro]

No

@WedgeDawg @Goro do either of you see my getting a D in calc 1, then later retaking it for an A to be a red flag? Or the transferring schools? Again, my gpa saw a strong upward trend after the transfer (3.97 in those last 3 years).

I am hoping a sort of "come back" story could be compelling to adcoms.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[SnakeJuice]

No

Thank you!

 

[peltier]

Thanks a lot for the feedback! Do you think that it's okay to include things that I did before college, such as recording an album with a band, in my application? I also climbed Kilimanjaro right before I started college.

Edit: I'm actually planning on applying to UCSF! I lived in California growing up and love the area.

Thanks a lot for the feedback! Do you think that it's okay to include things that I did before college, such as recording an album with a band, in my application? I also climbed Kilimanjaro right before I started college.

Edit: I'm actually planning on applying to UCSF! I lived in California growing up and love the area.

Yes. Absolutely include the band experience, climbing experience. As a physician in private practice now, those hobbies keep you from getting burned out. Based on what you've presented, you should do well in an interview.

 

[SnakeJuice]

Yes. Absolutely include the band experience, climbing experience. As a physician in private practice now, those hobbies keep you from getting burned out. Based on what you've presented, you should do well in an interview.

Okay, awesome. Both (playing music and hiking/climbing) are hobbies of mine that I've continued since as well, so I'm glad I can include them. Thanks again for the feedback and the encouragement!