MD Nervous Application, advice?

[RaginiP]

Hi,

I am two years out of School and have applied this cycle for MD only. I graduated in 2013 from a relatively unknown college with a degree in Biology. At the time, my application was pretty horrible. I had a 3.65/3.45/25. So, I spent the summer doing an intensive teacher's college course, got a minor in Education, and started my career as a Science teacher at a Magnet School in my state.

I absolutely adored teaching. Yes, there were ups and downs, but I was in a really supportive environment. During that year, I decided I needed to follow the advice I was giving my students...which was, always keep trying! I studied an entire year for my MCAT and scored a 36 in April of the following year. I also took some courses at my alma mater and increased my GPAs to 3.73/3.56.

In 2014, I left teaching, which was a horribly difficult decision, in order to work for Deloitte as a Consultant. Most of the reasoning behind this was financial, as I needed to be able to finance my medical school apps, and pay off my remaining college loans (debt free as of last month, woot woot!). I now live in Washington, D.C. and work for Deloitte still.

My application includes the following:

Volunteering
- Started Urban Garden in D.C. with my students, donated proceeds to Urban food bank
- Started International Pen-pal initiative at my school with an Indonesian middle school
- Volunteered 400+ Hours at Hospital
- Volunteered as an HIV/AIDS Counselor & Youth STD Instructor

Shadowing
- Internist, 300 Hours
- Ophthalmologist, 200 Hours

Working
- Teaching
- Consulting

Hobbies
- Self taught Guitar
- Indonesian Language Learning

Awards/Extras
- CLS Scholar in Indonesia (2x)
- Chosen for Fulbright Indonesia, did not attend

Research
- 2 years
- 1 first-author Pub


Are any of these schools possibilities for me:

1. UVM
2. Wisco
3. Tufts
4. Einstein
5. Dartmouth
6. Brown
7. Rochester
8. Boston (Mass IS)
9. UVA
10. Icahn
11. NorthWest
12. Cornell
13. Pitt
14. Vandy
15. Duke

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[DoctorSynthesis]

Hi,

I am two years out of School and have applied this cycle for MD only. I graduated in 2013 from a relatively unknown college with a degree in Biology. At the time, my application was pretty horrible. I had a 3.65/3.45/25. So, I spent the summer doing an intensive teacher's college course, got a minor in Education, and started my career as a Science teacher at a Magnet School in my state.

I absolutely adored teaching. Yes, there were ups and downs, but I was in a really supportive environment. During that year, I decided I needed to follow the advice I was giving my students...which was, always keep trying! I studied an entire year for my MCAT and scored a 36 in April of the following year. I also took some courses at my alma mater and increased my GPAs to 3.73/3.56.

In 2014, I left teaching, which was a horribly difficult decision, in order to work for Deloitte as a Consultant. Most of the reasoning behind this was financial, as I needed to be able to finance my medical school apps, and pay off my remaining college loans (debt free as of last month, woot woot!). I now live in Washington, D.C. and work for Deloitte still.

My application includes the following:

Volunteering
- Started Urban Garden in D.C. with my students, donated proceeds to Urban food bank
- Started International Pen-pal initiative at my school with an Indonesian middle school
- Volunteered 400+ Hours at Hospital
- Volunteered as an HIV/AIDS Counselor & Youth STD Instructor

Shadowing
- Internist, 300 Hours
- Ophthalmologist, 200 Hours

Working
- Teaching
- Consulting

Hobbies
- Self taught Guitar
- Indonesian Language Learning

Awards/Extras
- CLS Scholar in Indonesia (2x)
- Chosen for Fulbright Indonesia, did not attend

Research
- 2 years
- 1 first-author Pub


Are any of these schools possibilities for me:

1. UVM
2. Wisco
3. Tufts
4. Einstein
5. Dartmouth
6. Brown
7. Rochester
8. Boston (Mass IS)
9. UVA
10. Icahn
11. NorthWest
12. Cornell
13. Pitt
14. Vandy
15. Duke

Lots of schools will average MCAT so just be aware of that. I would apply to some more schools with loser averages to be safe

 

[WedgeDawg]

I would remove Brown because they're super low yield and only interview 3% of applicants, so unless you have a super compelling reason to go there, it's probably a waste of time.

Mt. Sinai, Northwestern, Cornell, Pitt, Vanderbilt, and Duke are going to be big reaches, but they are for everyone. Just make sure you have a solid list of other schools too to back them up. Right now your list is nearly half reaches - you need to add like 7 more schools where you have a good chance at an interview. Remember that some schools (many?) will average your MCAT to a ~31, so make sure that there are a lot of schools with median MCATs of 30-32 on there as well.

I would also definitely add UMass to that list if you're a MA resident.

 

[Goro]

Delete Brown and replace with Case. Add Albany, Tulane, U Miami, Tufts, Columbia, Rosy Franklin, Rush, Netter, UCSF, NYMC, the Philly Triplets. Also, your state school. Concur with the 'Dawg on the other reaches, except Duke might be doable.

Hi,

1. Wisco
2. Tufts
3. Einstein
4. Dartmouth
5. Brown
6. Rochester
7. Boston (Mass IS)
8. UVA
9. Icahn
10. NorthWest
11. Cornell
12. Pitt
13. Vandy
14. Duke

 

[GrapesofRath]

Concur with everything above. If you want reaches I think Duke, Pitt, Vandy and Columbia might be the way to go.

You need a dozen schools with at least a fair shot at interviewing you(and for the sake of that discussion let's assume you have a 31 not a 36). Your list as of now has 3. Consider the schools Goro listed to make it 12; Albany, Tulane, Rosalind, Oakland, NYMC in particular. I would also give consideration to adding Creighton, Saint Louis, Wake Forest, Medical College Wisconsin, Quinnipac and Penn State(I tried to pick schools that don't get loaded with enormous amounts of apps each year). That would give you 12 and put you in rather solid shape.

 

[whatever5]

Lots of schools will average MCAT so just be aware of that. I would apply to some more schools with loser averages to be safe

Shade.