Please give me advice/feedback on my stats

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UCdannyLA

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Sorry, yes it's another one of those posts by a confused pre-med student asking for feedback/advice! I would appreciate all your help.

I'm a 3rd year student at UCLA majoring in MCDBiology

BCPM: 3.53
Cumulative: 3.71

I would like to raise my BCPM to 3.65+ before I graduate, and raise my cumulative GPA close to 3.8.

I'm taking the MCATs this coming August...was originally gonna take them the April ones that just passed...I was getting low 30's on practice exams, but due to a heavy load of classes (big mistake), I had too much work to handle so pulled out of April MCAT. I think I can get a MCAT socre in the mid 30's (~35) with some time to study.

-Cancer research sophomore year at Rutgers/UMDNJ
-Colon Cancer cell research at UC Irvine
-Tissue research at UCLA this summer
*haven't been published

-Usual volunteer stuff at hospitals
-Summer internship at Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY; observed a lot of live surgery (especially cardiothoracic surgery) and learned different kinds of surgical techniques like suturing.
-Will start UCLA's Care Extenders program at Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center this summer
-Planning on getting a lot more clinical experience before I graduate

-LOR from UCI school of medicine professor
-LOR from cancer specialist at Rutgers
-Will have LOR from UCLA school of medicine professor by end of summer

-I think I have a unique story (born with congenital defect, suffered from depression/low self-esteem throughout life, went through five surgeries, overcame difficulties with help of a surgeon who inspired me to change my life and have the dream to become a surgeon and help children, and I have been experiencing happiness/success ever since that time)...so hopefully I can shine through my personal statement.

What kind of tier med schools should I be looking at? I have no clue...

Would appreciate some feedback! Thanks a ton.

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Just apply to a whole range of schools - low, middle and high tier (is there even tiered med schools?) - instead, schools with below, within and beyond your stats. Also, pay attention to the type of student the top schools are looking for - most applicants will have similar stats and you would just have to have great LORs, a superb personal statement, unique extracurriculars, work experiences, a strong sense of commitment to medicine and good interviewing skills.

Just remember, one school may find something special in you that another will not. And sometimes, a top school may want you while a less prestigious school would not even give you their time.
 
What's up, my profile was similar to yours when I applied (minus the inspirational stuff). I assume you're a CA resident, and that you'll get a 30+ on the MCAT. I would shoot for at least 15-20 schools because you can't count on getting into the UCs. Do the Stanford, USC, LLU thing if you want to stay in CA. Outside of those 8, apply to a couple top 10s, 5-10 target-range schools, and 3-5 safeties. Some good target-range schools to apply to are Pitt, NYU, NU, Tufts, Tulane, and Case (there's obviously a lot more but you should have some success with these). Safeties might include NYMC, Albany, and SLU. Good luck.
 
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Thanks a lot .

Zero. how did your application process go?
 
You're money. Apply in June to at least 30 schools and you'll get in somewhere. :thumbup:
 
You sound like an easy sell to any med school. I wouldn't worry about a thing.
 
Adapt said:
You're money. Apply in June to at least 30 schools and you'll get in somewhere. :thumbup:


he'll get into more places than just "somewhere"...
 
uclakid said:
he'll get into more places than just "somewhere"...
Not necessarily. If he comes off like a jerk in his interviews he may have trouble getting into many places.
 
True, and that depression thing will scare off many med schools, I'd keep that tucked away, they don't want you as a liability. No offense, just what I know from seriously depressed friends trying to get into med school.
 
Always the same advice to people applying from CA. It's pretty simple:

If you're set on living in California, apply to all of the CA schools

Then:
1)Apply to some schools (anywhere from 2-5) out of state with higher ave. stats than yours
2)Apply to some schools (2-5) out of state with the same ave. stats as yours
3)Apply to some schools (2-5) out of state with lower ave. stats than yours

Good luck!
 
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