Possible Choices?

[imxiaorayray]

Hello, please advise on what med schools i should apply with my current status

Penn State University

Major - biochemistry

GPA - 3.55, by the end of the year might become 3.6+, aiming of having 3.7+ by graduation

MCAT - 33, retaking, aiming 35+

300+ hrs shadowing with multiple doctors
300+ hrs hospital volunteering
Founder and officer of Chinese Culture Club
Strong upward trend, but first semester of freshmen year was 3.09
Dean's list on every semester but the first one

what schools are possible to get in? .
what do my EC's enough for making me competitive?

Please provide some sample choices, thank you

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[imxiaorayray]

Haven't done any research yet, but planing on it

also volunteered at oversea hospital for about a month

 

[gyngyn]

You must have at least a preliminary list.
Don't re-take a 33 without a really good reason, maybe even then.

 

[onceawolverine]

I would not retake a 33, if I were you.

Your ECs sound decent/strong, especially if you can write well about them. Research experience would help, as would some more diverse volunteering. See if you can extract some strong life lessons about leadership from your Chinese Culture Club.

If you keep your GPA on the rise, and if you really get up to 3.7+ then you'll have a solid chance at acceptances. Maybe not top 20 (although depending on a holistic review of your application, it might be worth a shot to throw a few in!), but you should be successful (75% chance of acceptance? check out tables subdivided on race for more statistics?).

It sounds like you're not even close to graduating yet (another year at least?). Are you planning on applying this summer? If you haven't really decided, I would urge you to take a gap year (i.e. apply the summer after you graduate), that way your GPA will be as high as possible and you can spend the extra time accumulating as much research and clinical experience (as well as picking up a few new hobbies) in the meantime. AND if you're going to take a gap year, you don't really need a formal school list yet .

 

[Vain Brother]

don't retake the MCAT unless you were consistently scoring 36-37+ on your practice exams. plus, the test is changing and it's difficult to predict how you'll fare on the new one. a 33 is a fine score, and if you manage a 3.7 you will be fine

definitely wait until next year to apply, so your senior year grades show on your AMCAS