WAMC me - URM (AA), 3.40 uGPA/3.20 sGPA, 31 MCAT, open to anything

[hdngfrmpplknwn]

My coworker just told me about this site so I thought it'd be cool to see what y'all think about my chances and maybe help me add more schools to my list.
I'm an AZ resident (ASU) so the two state schools are on my list. My stats are 3.40 cGPA and 3.20 sGPA with an upside down bell-curve trend due to family problems (cancer) round graduation. I only took the MCAT once with a score of 31, I graduated this year and taking post-bac classes this upcoming fall and spring, hoping for A's. I'm AA with ties to community/church involvement, low SES disadvantaged, 1st gen college but idk if that matters much.

Experience:
1500+hrs medical scribe, ER
900 hrs medical records worker, 600 hrs lab tech worker
400 hrs non profit volunteer
50 hrs local hospital volunteer, 50 hrs international hospital volunteer,
300 hrs club founder and president, 300 hrs president of another club, 600 hrs executive board member of third club which I was in all of undergrad
800 hrs clinical research, 600 hrs non-clinical research
50 hrs peer mentor and 200 hrs TA
80 hrs shadowing (internal, neuro, psych, rad)

I'm down for MD or DO.

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[Banco]

Your MCAT is good. ith your post-bacc your GPA should be above 3.5 I assume, which will be good. Your activities are excellent. ~85% of AA applicants with 3.4/31 end up being accepted. Apply broadly to all tiers of MD and a few DO.

Give us a list.

Just btw, if you are applying this year, why do a post-bacc?

 

[hdngfrmpplknwn]

Your MCAT is good. With your post-bacc your GPA should be above 3.5 I assume, which will be good. Your activities are excellent. ~85% of AA applicants with 3.4/31 end up being accepted. Apply broadly to all tiers of MD and a few DO.

Give us a list.

Just btw, if you are applying this year, why do a post-bacc?

I wanna make up for my unfortunate low senior year GPA. I just pulled together some classes at community college that I knew I'd like that could also help down the line like Spanish.

 

[Banco]

I wanna make up for my unfortunate low senior year GPA. I just pulled together some classes at community college that I knew I'd like that could also help down the line like Spanish.

Have you submitted your app already?

 

[hdngfrmpplknwn]

Have you submitted your app already?

Yeah. Ready for Review on 7/8/15. I'm anxious about having only 2 schools on my list right now ;/

 

[Banco]

Yeah. Ready for Review on 7/8/15. I'm anxious about having only 2 schools on my list right now ;/

Yeah, you want to apply to ~15. Get MSAR and start adding more! Do you have any geographical preferences? Because I can suggest some to look into based off that.

 

[hdngfrmpplknwn]

Yeah, you want to apply to ~15. Get MSAR and start adding more! Do you have any geographical preferences? Because I can suggest some to look into based off that.

I've looked through MSAR but none appeal to me as much as my in state schools. I'm trying to stay West due to my family being here. I also cannot afford to fly around the country if I am invited for interviews. I've thought about BU, Rosalind Franklin, Rush, and Georgetown but I'm unsure if they would be worth the financial investment they may incur

 

[GrapesofRath]

By and large you are fine. Come up with a list. To maximize your odds of acceptance you want 15+ schools. If you really can't afford that come back with an initial list and we can help give input on where specifically to apply with a shorter list to maximize your odds of acceptance.

 

[Banco]

I've looked through MSAR but none appeal to me as much as my in state schools. I'm trying to stay West due to my family being here. I also cannot afford to fly around the country if I am invited for interviews. I've thought about BU, Rosalind Franklin, Rush, and Georgetown but I'm unsure if they would be worth the financial investment they may incur

Your state schools are your best chance, but no guarantee.

West Coast: USC. The UCs will all be reaches, but you can try.
Chicago: Rosalind Franklin, Rush, Loyola; NW/Chicago as reaches
Philadelphia: Temple, Jefferson, Drexel
Boston: Tufts, BU
NYC: Downstate, Einstein, Hofstra, The 4 Manhattan schools (as reaches)
South: Miami, Wake Forest, Emory/Duke (as reaches)

 

[mikil100]

Aim high.

 

[hdngfrmpplknwn]

By and large you are fine. Come up with a list. To maximize your odds of acceptance you want 15+ schools. If you really can't afford that come back with an initial list and we can help give input on where specifically to apply with a shorter list to maximize your odds of acceptance.

I made a list in January and this is it:

UA CoM - Tucson
UA CoM - Phoenix
BU
Rosalind Franklin
Drexel
EVMS
Quinnipiac
Georgetown
Meharry
New York Medical College
Rush
Brown (reach)
Tufts

These were the ones that seemed to fit my profile/goals the best, I'm just not sure which ones would have the highest chance of being worth secondary/interview costs

Your state schools are your best chance, but no guarantee.

West Coast: USC. The UCs will all be reaches, but you can try.
Chicago: Rosalind Franklin, Rush, Loyola; NW/Chicago as reaches
Philadelphia: Temple, Jefferson, Drexel
Boston: Tufts, BU
NYC: Downstate, Einstein, Hofstra, The 4 Manhattan schools (as reaches)
South: Miami, Wake Forest, Emory/Duke (as reaches)

Thanks Banco!

You've all been really helpful. My coworker told me you all would be brutal but I guess he was wrong ahaha

 

[GrapesofRath]

I made a list in January and this is it:

UA CoM - Tucson
UA CoM - Phoenix
BU
Rosalind Franklin
Drexel
EVMS
Quinnipiac
Georgetown
Meharry
New York Medical College
Rush
Brown (reach)
Tufts

These were the ones that seemed to fit my profile/goals the best, I'm just not sure which ones would have the highest chance of being worth secondary/interview costs



Thanks Banco!

You've all been really helpful. My coworker told me you all would be brutal but I guess he was wrong ahaha

I'm not sure you really need a post-bac, particularly if you have an upward trend. I'll just throw that out there if it matters to you at all.

If you are going for best bang for your buck here is what I might look into

U of Arizona(both)
Meharry
Howard
Morehouse(read about all the HBMC ones first though and their mission my guess is based off your description you fit but I'm hardly some expert on HBMC schools)
Quinnipac
Oakland
UCLA Drew

I would definitely recommend seriously considering those 7 first.

Here are some more to look into
Western Michigan
Wake Forest
Saint Louis
Creighton
Medical College of Wisconsin
Miami
Hofstra
Albany
Vermont

Now are getting into some lower yield schools due to higher number of applications and some of these schools showing some In-state preference. You're competitive for all below but if you are trying to get your best bang for your buck there might be better options than what I list below.

Tulane
Temple
Drexel
Loyola
Jefferson
Rush
Rosalind
VCU
Eastern Virginia
Tufts
NYMC
Boston U
Georgetown
George Washington
Va Tech
IF you want reaches you might be able to find a higher yield option than Brown. Look at Einstein, Rochester, USC, Emory and Case Western as starters. Some of the big top 20 schools also can be in play such as Vanderbilt, Duke and Pitt as examples.

Also note there isn't a ton of difference between the second and third group. The third one is just loaded with schools that get 10k+ apps a year, have small classes or show some instate bias.

If you want 12 schools half the schools I highlighted in the first group and half reaches might be a good way to go.

 

[Goro]

You're golden. Aim high.

My coworker just told me about this site so I thought it'd be cool to see what y'all think about my chances and maybe help me add more schools to my list.
I'm an AZ resident (ASU) so the two state schools are on my list. My stats are 3.40 cGPA and 3.20 sGPA with an upside down bell-curve trend due to family problems (cancer) round graduation. I only took the MCAT once with a score of 31, I graduated this year and taking post-bac classes this upcoming fall and spring, hoping for A's. I'm AA with ties to community/church involvement, low SES disadvantaged, 1st gen college but idk if that matters much.

Experience:
1500+hrs medical scribe, ER
900 hrs medical records worker, 600 hrs lab tech worker
400 hrs non profit volunteer
50 hrs local hospital volunteer, 50 hrs international hospital volunteer,
300 hrs club founder and president, 300 hrs president of another club, 600 hrs executive board member of third club which I was in all of undergrad
800 hrs clinical research, 600 hrs non-clinical research
50 hrs peer mentor and 200 hrs TA
80 hrs shadowing (internal, neuro, psych, rad)

I'm down for MD or DO.

 

[hdngfrmpplknwn]

Thanks @GrapesofRath, @Banco, @mikil100, and @Goro for your help! It's really helped me narrow down what would be best for me and my wallet this cycle. My new list is as follows: UofA Phoenix, UofA Tucson, Hofstra, Quinnipiac, Vermont, and Meharry.

 

[piii]

Thanks @GrapesofRath, @Banco, @mikil100, and @Goro for your help! It's really helped me narrow down what would be best for me and my wallet this cycle. My new list is as follows: UofA Phoenix, UofA Tucson, Hofstra, Quinnipiac, Vermont, and Meharry.

Your best bet is to take the cash hit now by expanding your school base and be rewarded with an acceptance. You are a competitive application, but even the most competitive applicant doesn't get into every or most schools. There is an element of numbers and luck involved, so to maximize your odds I would seriously add a few more schools.