Second guessing the number of schools I plan on applying to (6)

[Domonu]

Hey all,

So I’ve been digging through posts (including Scumbag Steve’s, doc toothache’s guides, etc) and it seems like I should be applying to between 6-10 schools with my stats (posted below). I spent the entire day after my DAT combing through data and deciding on applying to 6 schools. I was totally fine with that, I felt pretty confident in my chances. For some reason, I’m starting to second guess myself and can’t quite nail down another number. Looking for feedback on some schools to add (or not). The 6 I chose were the schools I’d love to attend. Location is pretty important to me and I’d like to stay on the west coast but I did consider a few schools on the east side and Texas. Avoiding the other southern states though.

Here are the stats:

3.98 oGPA 3.97 sGPA 4.0 pre-req GPA from U of U

25AA/24TS/23PAT/24BIO/24OC/23GC/27QR/25RC

300+ shadow hours, many different dentists and specialties (200 of those are from 1 GP)
Lots of volunteer hours with sexual assault survivors, in the emergency department, pharmacy, on campus as a TA for two years+, etc. Had two jobs during my three years in school.

Clinical and benchtop research experience (which I love, something I’m looking for in a school)

3 strong letters of rec, 1 good/decent letter


My list:

University of Utah
Harvard
UCLA
USC
Oregon
Washington

Thanks all, any feedback is appreciated!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[ncide]

Where is your residency? Congratulations on your stats!

UW is a very good school but difficult to get into if you are out of state. With your stats, I reckon you'd have a good chance of landing an interview at UW. But being OOS will have you leave with a hefty loan. I can't remember exactly, but I believe it exceeds $500k. USC is also very expensive.

You would be competitive at UCSF and UoP, so be sure to add those schools.

 

[JLT223]

Better off adding 4 more schools than run the risk of somehow getting rejected from the 6 you applied to. Think of it as a safety net. Can't recommend schools out West because I have no idea about them.

 

[fogorvostan]

Hot damn your stats are nice. I would add a couple more schools just to be safe. I'm from the south so I don't know a lot about west schools (ironic considering I'm going to one) unfortunately. UCSF and UOP are two I would look into, but I don't know any others to suggest.

 

[goblueyeah]

You would probably get 30k per year from Penn, which has recently renovated their Evans building and improved their curriculum.
As for Harvard, your chance will be bigger if you are a white girl and lowest if you are an Asian guy.

 

[Rand627]

I dunno, my stats are significantly lower (3.66, 22 AA) with similar other stats and I plan on applying to 8.

As long as you're willing to go to any of those schools if only 1 accepts you, you're probably fine as long as you are a personable person. It seems pretty guaranteed you'll get an interview, but once at the interview you're equal to everyone else. So, if you're personable and they like you you're pretty set I would think!

 

[Carbohydrates]

Hot damn your stats are nice. I would add a couple more schools just to be safe. I'm from the south so I don't know a lot about west schools (ironic considering I'm going to one) unfortunately. UCSF and UOP are two I would look into, but I don't know any others to suggest.

I read that in the most southern voice I can ever imagine

 

[fogorvostan]

I read that in the most southern voice I can ever imagine

Y'all'd've is my favorite southern word

 

[Domonu]

Where is your residency? Congratulations on your stats!

UW is a very good school but difficult to get into if you are out of state. With your stats, I reckon you'd have a good chance of landing an interview at UW. But being OOS will have you leave with a hefty loan. I can't remember exactly, but I believe it exceeds $500k. USC is also very expensive.

You would be competitive at UCSF and UoP, so be sure to add those schools.

Residency is Utah. Thanks! Yeah, the cost is going to be fun to figure out. I'll have to weigh that too. I guess I have some additional research to do. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[ncide]

Residency is Utah. Thanks! Yeah, the cost is going to be fun to figure out. I'll have to weigh that too. I guess I have some additional research to do. Thanks for the suggestions.

Also consider adding Colorado since it is nearby. I was really impressed by the facilities there. Super modern and sleek, with large windows all around. The faculty were some of the nicest people I met and all the students there loved the school.