Please critique my school list!

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premedlife88

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As the title says, I’m applying this cycle and I’d really appreciate some feedback on my list of schools. Thank you in advance!

AMCAS Overall GPA: 3.22
AMCAS BCPM GPA: 3.30

AACOMAS Overall GPA: 3.40
AACOMAS BCPM GPA: 3.44
(differences are due to retakes)

MCAT score: 34 (11 in physical sciences, 12 in verbal reasoning, 11 in biological sciences)
I plan to retake the MCAT in July and anticipate a higher score (due to lack of studying the first time around).

Decent EC’s and letters of recommendation, nothing particularly amazing.
First-time applicant, Arizona resident, not an URM.


MD Schools:

CA Northstate Univ COM
Eastern Virginia Medical School
Georgetown University School of Medicine
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
The University of Toledo College of Medicine
University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix
University of Arizona College of Medicine-Tucson
USF Health Morsani College of Medicine
Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
Wake Forest School of Medicine of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center
Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine

DO Schools:

A.T. Still University - School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona
Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine of Midwestern University
Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine – Auburn
Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Carolinas Campus
Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Virginia Campus
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine Bradenton Campus
Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine - Georgia Campus
Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine – Colorado (RVUCOM-CO)
Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine–New York
Western University of Health Sciences/College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific
Western University of Health Sciences/College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific Northwest

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don't retake a 34 mcat unless you are hitting 36+ consistently on practice tests. Your 34 mcat is not what will hold you back for md schools. Retaking is extremely risky.
 
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Thanks for the input. I'm mostly planning on retaking the MCAT in case I have to reapply next cycle; my understanding is that I will no longer be able to use my score after this cycle (I took the old MCAT in the summer of 2014). However, based on how poorly I prepared the first time I took it, I'm pretty confident that I wouldn't do worse on a retake.

Do you think it's still worth applying to the OOS MD schools? I mostly picked them based on their 10th percentile GPA.
 
You have an excellent MCAT score and the GPA-MCAT grid shows your chances for a MD acceptance are between 1/3 and 1/2. So it is worth applying to certain OOS private MD schools. Of course apply to your 2 AZ MD schools. The other MD schools on your list are not realistic except California Northstate and Rosalind Franklin. Other schools you can add include:
Quinnipiac
Albany
New York Medical College
Oakland Beaumont
Western Michigan
Tulane
Creighton (they have a AZ track for the year 3 and 4 clinical rotations)
Roseman (new school that will accept applicants sometime this year)
You are an excellent candidate for DO schools and should receive several interviews from your list.
 
Thank you! I'll definitely add NYMC, Albany, Quinnipiac, and Roseman (whenever the applications open- will that happen this cycle?). I have some reservations about applying to some of the other schools you mentioned, as their 10th percentile GPA is more than 0.2 points higher than mine. Obviously any MD school is a bit of a long shot, but what would make a school like Tulane or Oakland Beaumont a better choice to apply to than some of the schools on my list? Is it that they're private schools?

Also, are there any schools in particular that you think I should take off my list, and if so, why?
 
Thank you! I'll definitely add NYMC, Albany, Quinnipiac, and Roseman (whenever the applications open- will that happen this cycle?). I have some reservations about applying to some of the other schools you mentioned, as their 10th percentile GPA is more than 0.2 points higher than mine. Obviously any MD school is a bit of a long shot, but what would make a school like Tulane or Oakland Beaumont a better choice to apply to than some of the schools on my list? Is it that they're private schools?

Also, are there any schools in particular that you think I should take off my list, and if so, why?
Your MCAT of 34 may attract the attention of the schools I listed but as you mentioned any MD school is a long shot. Your MCAT is your main hope for MD.
 
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