Must stay in CA

[Flipper19]

How can I maximize my chances of getting into a CA school (either MD or DO), specifically, a Southern CA one? I am a CA resident and attend a CA undergrad. Not URM.

-My cGPA is 3.8+, sGPA is 3.75+.
-Based on practice tests, MCAT ranges between 515-520.
-Strong research experience (~2000 hours) with multiple poster presentations and abstracts published.
-~450 hours clinical volunteering
-~450 hours non-clinical volunteering w/ leadership position
-~40 hours shadowing multiple specialties (both MD and DO)
-Strong LOR from PI, generic ones from professors.
-Work experience: 10 hr/week tutoring job since summer before freshman year

I will graduate undergrad in 3 years and plan to apply this coming cycle, so I will only have two years of school under my belt before applying (all the hourly estimates given above are accounting for all time up to application period).

Any advice/insight/guidance/input would be really useful!

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[DingoPingo]

you will graduate undergrad in 3 years and plan to apply this coming cycle?

why? do you have all your credits?

 

[DameJulie]

Your thread title shows your strong desire --- why must stay in CA? If you can defend that well in your secondary essays, you might have a shot.

 

[piii]

Yeah, you and every other ca resident

 

[ZenArcher35]

Don't count on it. Nothing of what you've written about your app so far is going to give you a sure-fire chance of getting into a CA school (I guess I'm not counting CNU here though).

Not trying to be judgy or anything, but I have to admit that when I read your thread, my reaction was "geez, this guy/girl just sounds super young" - you might do well to see a bit of the rest of the world.

If staying in CA is that important to you (and there are good reasons, like significant others, family issues, etc.), then you should consider back-up plans outside of medicine.

 

[Flipper19]

you will graduate undergrad in 3 years and plan to apply this coming cycle?

why? do you have all your credits?

Yes, I'm basically just graduating a year early. I will have all my units and prereqs completed, I've just been taking pretty heavy course loads during the school year.

Your thread title shows your strong desire --- why must stay in CA? If you can defend that well in your secondary essays, you might have a shot.

Basically boils down to immediate family obligations. I do have really strong ties to CA, so hopefully I'll be able to communicate that through the app!

Don't count on it. Nothing of what you've written about your app so far is going to give you a sure-fire chance of getting into a CA school (I guess I'm not counting CNU here though).

Not trying to be judgy or anything, but I have to admit that when I read your thread, my reaction was "geez, this guy/girl just sounds super young" - you might do well to see a bit of the rest of the world.

If staying in CA is that important to you (and there are good reasons, like significant others, family issues, etc.), then you should consider back-up plans outside of medicine.

Thanks for the input! Can I ask what exactly makes me come off as super young or maybe immature? I know that's definitely a problem a lot of earlier applicants face. I'll be 20 during the app cycle, so do you have any suggestions as to how to avoid coming off that way, either in my app or essays?

 

[Frogger27]

If you want to not come off being immature, you should take a gap year and work full time. You will grow personally and still be VERY young (21) during your app cycle. This is no race my friend

 

[gonnif]

My question to every applicant who states a similar problem (ie must remain in geographic area), which is more important? In other words, must you stay in southern CA and will not attend medical school otherwise? If you dont get into a southern CA school, what are you planning to do?

 

[NWwildcat2013]

@Flipper19 Family obligations... meaning you are caring for a loved one or your parents think you should stay close. Im not trying to be callous by asking if it turns out to be the former, but I have classmates who stayed local due to "family obligations" which turned out to be their parents said they need to live at home and be around. I don't get that...

 

[Weirdy]

@Flipper19 Family obligations... meaning you are caring for a loved one or your parents think you should stay close. Im not trying to be callous by asking if it turns out to be the former, but I have classmates who stayed local due to "family obligations" which turned out to be their parents said they need to live at home and be around. I don't get that...

To add on- even if it was a parent/sibling/grandparent who needed immediate care......there is no way in hell OP can focus and do well in med school while caring for them.

Money is not an issue. The bulk of the cost will be settled by UnsubStafford/Grad Plus loans.

Not sure how bad OPs obligations are if we can cross out financial needs/health obligations.

 

[GrumpyGus]

How can I maximize my chances of getting into a CA school (either MD or DO), specifically, a Southern CA one? I am a CA resident and attend a CA undergrad. Not URM.

-My cGPA is 3.8+, sGPA is 3.75+.
-Based on practice tests, MCAT ranges between 515-520.
-Strong research experience (~2000 hours) with multiple poster presentations and abstracts published.
-~450 hours clinical volunteering
-~450 hours non-clinical volunteering w/ leadership position
-~40 hours shadowing multiple specialties (both MD and DO)
-Strong LOR from PI, generic ones from professors.
-Work experience: 10 hr/week tutoring job since summer before freshman year

I will graduate undergrad in 3 years and plan to apply this coming cycle, so I will only have two years of school under my belt before applying (all the hourly estimates given above are accounting for all time up to application period).

Any advice/insight/guidance/input would be really useful!

You won't be able to plan for any CA love. I'm a CA resident and I have 15 II so far with NONE being in CA. Good luck homie, apply everywhere in CA, but don't count on it. Only 15% of CA applicants get into a UC school and that leaves some percentage that go to the privates. It's not a good premed state.

 

[LizzyM]

Plan on a gap year... even two years of relevant work experience in teaching, research or patient care. The schools aren't going anywhere and I have not seen the schools be kind to brilliant applicants who apply after 2 years of college (I seem to interview them the following year meaning and we tend to talk about why they didn't get in the first time around).

How will you meet your immediate family obligations while in medical school. Do you understand the demands on your time during the clinical and pre-clinical phases of your education? Be prepared to be quizzed and judged about those "obligations" and whether you are a good fit with medical school given the other demands you are facing.

 

[dyachei]

Cross-posted. Closing thread