Trying to finalize school list...too top heavy?

[zzxxzz]

35 MCAT, ~3.7 GPA, decent ECs (1 year of clinical work experience, 100+ hrs of volunteering, ~800 hrs of lab work on two projects, no pub, good letters). Somewhat unusual background (humanities degree, awards for research in humanities, done a bunch of cool things, etc).

Trying to finalize school list, and am worried I'm biting off more than I can chew. Non-URM Ohio resident.

Dream schools
Chicago
NW
Case
Mayo
Michigan

Kinda-reaches
Vandy
Pitt (might cut, no letters from PIs)
Mt. Sinai
Duke

Ok shot
Ohio State
Rochester
Albert Einstein
Brown

Good shot
Loyola
Cincy
Tulane
GW
Rush

"Safety"
Wright State
Toledo (might cut)


That's 20 schools. Decided not to apply to DO schools or NEOMED in Ohio (heard bad things). Is this list too top-heavy? Would prefer to stay in midwest or east coast. I'm more concerned about getting in somewhere than getting into a top school, i.e. I'd be happy at someplace like Cincy. Would love some brutally-honest feedback.

Thanks.

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[Person0715]

I would remove GW unless you have a compelling reason to attend. They get such a huge volume of apps and may screen you out due to your high stats. I would also remove Brown because 1/3 of their entering class comes from their BS/MD program.

 

[zzxxzz]

I would remove GW unless you have a compelling reason to attend. They get such a huge volume of apps and may screen you out due to your high stats.

Thanks, I had heard this happens at some schools but didn't really think my stats were too "high" for GW.

Not too top heavy, then?

 

[The Milkman]

In my opinion I would take one from your dream and one from your reach and replace it with 2 OK shots, plus the GW/Brown thing.

 

[pyrrion89]

I wouldn't call Duke and Vanderbilt kind of reaches. They are a reach for everyone because they are top schools. I'd throw in may maybe three more safeties.

 

[zzxxzz]

I wouldn't call Duke and Vanderbilt kind of reaches. They are a reach for everyone because they are top schools.

I completely understand that ANY school is tough to get into. I made those little categories based roughly on score ranges, meaning that I don't think I'll be at a major disadvantage score/GPA-wise if I apply to those "semi-reach" schools (as opposed to Chicago/NW).

I've been wavering on Michigan (heard mixed reviews, been to Ann Arbor 3x and didn't really like it), Pitt (don't think I can get in), and Sinai (again, mixed reviews), so I could probably replace them with safer bets.

Any schools that come to mind that I may have overlooked? Schools that I originally considered but eliminated for various reasons:
UKY
Louisville
Miami
BU
Wake Forest
Rosalind Franklin
STL
Tufts

Not considering Penn State, Drexel, Jefferson, NEOMED, or any Cali schools...think I should reconsider some of the above schools, or any other suggestions on mid-to-lower end schools?

Thanks for all the help so far.

 

[Aharon1010]

Cut Brown now unless you go there. You might make a case for getting into Case (no pun intended). Ohio resident, solid MCAT, sturdy ECs. Good job.

 

[zzxxzz]

After doing some research, I think I'll cut Pitt, Brown, and GW, and add Hofstra, STL, Tufts, and WF. List would look something like this (categories based roughly on mean scores/GPA):

Long shot
Chicago
NW
Vandy

Reach
Case
Duke
Mayo
Michigan
Sinai

Decent shot
Cincy
Einstein
Hofstra
Loyola
Ohio State
Rochester
STL
Tufts

"Safety"
Rush
Temple
Toledo
Tulane
Wake Forest
Wright State


Gunna run this by premed advisor, but any other input from you guys would be fantastic.

 

[pyrrion89]

Solid list. Be warned that I hear Tufts is pretty darn expensive.

 

[candbgirl]

Be aware that Northwestern is known as NU!

 

[Goro]

Goro suggests:

NW
Case
Vandy
Mt. Sinai
Duke
Ohio State
Rochester
Albert Einstein
Loyola
Cincy
Rush
SLU
Wright State
Toledo (might cut)
IU