MD School list help please

[oobie]

Hi everyone,

I just got my new MCAT scores in, so I wanted to ask for a list of possible MD schools. I might be looking at DO as well; just need to figure that out soon. I am an AZ resident, so I will definitely be applying to the two in-state schools here. I am a double major in Neuroscience & Cognitive Science and Human Anatomy and Physiology with two minors in Chemistry and Spanish (I really like school and taking classes).

AMCAS GPA: 3.81
AMCAS BCPM GPA: 3.76
MCAT: first time was a 28 (10/7/11)
just took it on Jan 10th, score was 30 (10/10/10)

Otherwise ECs include:

3 years Triathlon club, 3 years Ballroom dance club
4 years of research - 3 posters, 1 publication to come (I don't think it will be published by the time I get into interviews... possibly if interviews are in January 2016)
20 hours of MD shadowing -- I am looking to increase this over the next few months.
10 months of hospice - maybe 100 hours (volunteering)
1 year of respite care for young adults with developmental diseases - 300 hours (Working, 3 years ago)
Preceptoring (TA) for upper division neuroscience class
Tutor for math, general chemistry, and physics - both volunteer and as work
Volunteer at Poetry Center - 150 hours over two years
TED Talk subtitle transcriber - 100 hours (volunteer)

I believe my strengths are my GPA and diversity in things that I do - specifically triathlon and ballroom dance. My weakness I would think is clinical experience and shadowing, as most of my clinical experience was done much earlier in my collegiate career (I would have continued respite, but couldn't commute the 100 miles every weekend or so to do it).

The schools I am thinking of applying to are:

University of Arizona - Tucson
University of Arizona - Phoenix
Frank H Netter SOM at Quinnipiac University
Mayo Medical School (reach)
Baylor Medical School (reach)
Geisel SOM at Dartmouth
University of Colorado
University of Washington
Drexel (still thinking about it)

Any other suggestions? Thanks everyone for looking at this post and helping me out!

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[Komorebi2]

FYI: UW accepts less than 0.5% of their OOR applicants. ("In-region" is defined as Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho.)

 

[oobie]

Oh, I did not know that. UW was mainly on there because I have family near UW and I've heard it's a great place to live. I might take that out now. I thought about OSHU too, but I've heard it's really hard to get into there too if you're OOS.

 

[Komorebi2]

Oh, I did not know that. UW was mainly on there because I have family near UW and I've heard it's a great place to live. I might take that out now. I thought about OSHU too, but I've heard it's really hard to get into there too if you're OOS.

I heard that about OSHU too, but you should check out their selection factors before you completely write them off: http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/education/sc...admissions/academic-and-selection-factors.cfm. You may fall into one of their mission-based groups.

 

[NavyDoc23]

I think applying to Mayo would be a waste of money. Their class size is only 50 and average MCAT is much higher than both of your scores. If I were you, I would also take Baylor and Dartmouth off the list. Your 2 MCAT scores just aren't competitive there. I probably would apply to a few DO schools as well. You could get into any DO school.

 

[oobie]

I am thinking of leaving Baylor off, but they are my dream schools. I fall into the lower 10% of both Mayo and Dartmouth, so I want to apply to them as reach schools. And if they take the top score in each section, I would be more likely to get into them. Plus, I feel like my GPAs will pull me up a bit. However, I will consider leaving them off if more people think I should.

And @Komorebi2 I will look into it. Thanks for the information!

 

[oobie]

bump. Anyone else have any suggestions?

 

[chemguy79]

Having dream schools is understandable, but I think that they are completely unrealistic for you based on your MCAT scores. Apply strategically unless you have money to throw around and time to invest in their secondaries.

 

[Goro]

I suggest that you do your homework and aim only for schools that take the most recent or best score.

I suggest the following:
Rush
NYMC
Creighton
Albany
Rosy Franklin
Drexel
Temple
Loma Linda (but read their list of don'ts)
MCW
St. Louis U
Jefferson
Creighton
Tulane
Loyola
GWU
Georgetown
Tufts
U Miami
Wake Forest
EVMS
VCU
All new MD programs except Cent MI, Va Tech and Hofstra
Any DO program
U AZ-T
U AZ-P

 

[Saxappeal1]

@Goro why are you suggesting UMiami if he is an AZ resident and UMiami's average MCAT is like 2-3 points above his score?

 

[Goro]

Because it's in striking distance, and I don't perceive a FL bias for U MI.

 

[oobie]

Thanks @Goro. I won't be applying to Loma Linda (because I'm not a Christian) and was not planning GWU because they have so many applicants. Otherwise, I will look into each of those med schools to see if the area is somewhere I would like to live for four years. In addition, what's your opinion on U Colorado - Boulder, Dartmouth, and Mayo? Do you think I have any chance on the latter two?

 

[Goro]

Alas, with the 2x MCATs, and a 30, I'd forego these.

Thanks @Goro. I won't be applying to Loma Linda (because I'm not a Christian) and was not planning GWU because they have so many applicants. Otherwise, I will look into each of those med schools to see if the area is somewhere I would like to live for four years. In addition, what's your opinion on U Colorado - Boulder, Dartmouth, and Mayo? Do you think I have any chance on the latter two?