Should I apply to any top schools at all, or is it a pipe dream?

[Septimusseverus]

Long story short: 3.3 GPA with dramatic upward trend in junior/senior years, 30T MCAT. Lots of extracurriculars (4 years working in lab w/ publication, 3 years volunteering w/ excellent letter of recommendation, extensive background in political science, lots of hobbies, etc). Also, I have been accepted this coming academic year to one of the best SMPs in the country.

Here's my dilemma - I have about 30 schools on my amcas list right now. My dream is to go to one of the top schools in the country (you know, Harvard Yale Stanford Johns Hopkins Cornell Brown etc) but I am fully aware that my grades don't generally cut it for their averages. Is there any point in me putting in one or two of these schools? Is it a foolish hope? Or is there a chance maybe they'll see something they like, and could be impressed by the SMP I'm going into?

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[Doctor Strange]

I mean, anything's possible, but for all intents and purposes, your chances are slim to none. Only restrict yourself to applying to one or two reach schools, because that's what they are for you, reach schools. A 3.3 GPA and a 30 MCAT put you in the realm of mediocre applicant, so don't get your hopes up. Apply broadly to mid- and lower-tier schools and consider applying DO, as well.

 

[gobigorgohome22]

It would be a waste of money for you to apply to those schools (unless you have cured cancer, started a multimillion dollar company, etc.). You are going to have a hard enough time getting in anywhere, let alone top 20 schools. It would actually lower your chances of getting into A medical school since there would be less schools on your list that are "practical". However, if you have the money, go ahead and apply to 30 schools with 5 top 20 schools.

 

[Tots]

Moved to WAMC.

 

[DokterMom]

Long story short: 3.3 GPA with dramatic upward trend in junior/senior years, 30T MCAT. Lots of extracurriculars (4 years working in lab w/ publication, 3 years volunteering w/ excellent letter of recommendation, extensive background in political science, lots of hobbies, etc). Also, I have been accepted this coming academic year to one of the best SMPs in the country.

Here's my dilemma - I have about 30 schools on my amcas list right now. My dream is to go to one of the top schools in the country (you know, Harvard Yale Stanford Johns Hopkins Cornell Brown etc) but I am fully aware that my grades don't generally cut it for their averages. Is there any point in me putting in one or two of these schools? Is it a foolish hope? Or is there a chance maybe they'll see something they like, and could be impressed by the SMP I'm going into?

There's a chance, but honestly, not a terribly good one. Pick the 2 or 3 dream schools where you have the best fit (take the time to FIND that fit) and apply there, showing how great the fit is. Is there one affiliated with your SMP program? Or one where your SMP has a good placement rate?

But really, SMPs are designed to fix lower GPAs and/or provide the necessary pre-reqs for applicants who otherwise could not get into US MD at all. I wouldn't expect med school ADCOMS to be impressed by the caliber of your SMP since more often than not, their best qualified applicants won't use SMPs at all...

 

[gmcguitar4]

A 3.3 GPA and a 30 MCAT put you in the realm of mediocre applicant

He is way below the that realm. Average MCAT is 32-33 with a gpa around 3.7. He had a shot at low-tier programs at best.

 

[Jabbed]

He is way below the that realm. Average MCAT is 32-33 with a gpa around 3.7. He had a shot at low-tier programs at best.

Median matriculant MCAT is 30.7 and average incoming GPA is 3.63.

Let's not get crazy.

 

[mcloaf]

Median matriculant MCAT is 30.7 and average incoming GPA is 3.63.

Let's not get crazy.

Not sure where you're grabbing this info, but according to AAMC in 2012 the numbers were 31.2 and 3.68.

https://www.aamc.org/download/321494/data/2012factstable17.pdf





Either way, applying to top 20 schools without jaw dropping ECs will be a very low yield proposition for OP.

 

[zhartley]

Let's be real guys. The chances of him making it into a top 25 or even a top 50 school is 0%-5%. It's just a waste of money to do that.