WAMC/School List: 3.90/516 ORM Gap Year

[mastercontender]

I am a current senior graduating in May, and I have been debating whether I should apply this cycle. During my gap year(s) I plan on getting involved with clinical research and continuing to do EMS and volunteering. My main reasons for considering two gap years is to get a meaningful research experience to be confident in talking about it during interviews, and that most labs that I have come across require a 2 year commitment. I also wouldn't mind having some real life work experience before med school.
I’m interested in competitive sub-specialties and I want to keep my options open as far as residency goes. If I take two years, should I consider retaking the MCAT during that time (I know that might sound crazy and borderline stupid.) I would appreciate some honest takes on my chances at top schools, and some advice on the rest of my school list.

1. cGPA and sGPA as calculated by AMCAS or AACOMAS
cGPA 3.90 and sGPA 3.90

2. MCAT score(s) and breakdown
516 (131/126/129/130)

3. State of residence or country of citizenship (if non-US)
Pennsylvania, US permanent resident (East Asia)

4. Ethnicity and/or race
East Asian

5. Undergraduate institution or category
Large public northeast university (not elite)

6. Clinical experience (volunteer and non-volunteer)
400 hours EMT

7. Research experience and productivity
250 wet lab at my university but no pub no poster no nothing
Remotely working on a project with potential international publication

8. Shadowing experience and specialties represented
130 hours Pediatric Ortho Clinic

9. Non-clinical volunteering
400 hours working with disadvantaged youth, mentorship
250 hours mentoring through University mentorship program

10. Other extracurricular activities (including athletics, military service, gap year activities, leadership, teaching, etc)
Resident Assistant (700 hours), Pre-health club president (>500 hours over 4 years), private tutor (300 hours), TA for one semester (70 hours)

11. Relevant honors or awards
Dean’s List all 4 years, full ride at university, honors college, few study abroad scholarships

12. Anything else not listed you think might be important
Immigrant family, ESL student. Heavily involved with my church (youth group leader and guitar class instructor).

Albany
Einstein
TCU
Baylor
Boston U
Case Western
Rosalind Franklin
Columbia
Cooper Rowan
Hofstra
Duke
Emory
Quinnipiac
GW
Georgetown
Hackensack Meridian
Harvard
Mt Sinai
Indiana
Johns Hopkins
Kaiser
USC
UNLV
Temple
Loyola
Mayo
UT Houston
NYMC
Northwestern
NYU
Oakland U
Ohio St
Oregon
Penn State
Penn
Vermont
Rush
St Louis
Jefferson
Utah
Stanford
SUNY Downstate
Texas A&M
Texas Tech El Paso
Texas Tech
UT SA
Toledo
Brown
Tuft
Tulane
USUHS
UA Phoenix
UCLA
UCSD
UCSF
UChicago
Cincinnati
Colorado
UConn
Houston
Illinois
UMD
Miami
Michigan
UNC
ND
Pitt
Rochester
UTA
UT Medical Branch
UT Rio Grande
UTSW
UVA
Wisconsin
Vandy
VCU
VT
Wake Forest
Washington St
WashU
Cornell
Western Michigan
Wright State
Yale

Yes. My school list is huge. I'd appreciate any help in narrowing down further. In a perfect world I'd like to be in a large major city with good transportation and food scene. @Faha I've heard you're good with school lists, thank you in advance.

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[Frigidcold]

Some of this stuff is going to be nit-picky, but hopefully you won't take it too harshly. You've accomplished a lot and you should be proud!

I would suggest you just go ahead and apply unless you're absolutely set on attending a top school. As it stands, I think you should definitely get in somewhere with decent writing/interviewing/LORs. I don't think anything stands out EC wise that would get you into a T10 (unless maybe your immigrant story is particularly compelling). You can get into competitive sub-specialties from pretty much anywhere if you're putting in the work.

As for school list, I would cut some of those top schools. Keep some cause you gotta shoot your shot, but you've got almost all of them on there. Also, you have to consider which schools prioritize in-state applicants. One thing that stands out to me is you've got a lot of the Texas schools on your list that can only take 10% of their class OOS max, and usually have a little less than that.

Best of luck!

 

[Faha]

You have many state public schools on your list that admit few non residents with no connection to the state as well as some reaches.
I suggest these schools from your list:
Albany
Einstein
TCU
Rosalind Franklin
Hofstra
Quinnipiac
GW
Hackensack Meridian
Mt Sinai
Indiana
Kaiser
Temple
Loyola
NYMC
Oakland U
Ohio St
Penn State
Vermont
St Louis
Jefferson
Tuft
Tulane
USUHS
Cincinnati
Colorado
Miami
Pitt
Rochester
VCU
VT
Wake Forest
Western Michigan
Add Drexel and Commonwealth Geisinger

 

[Mr.Smile12]

You should be okay to apply this year as long as your list is balanced and you have a strong mission fit. The clock is ticking on you because of the MCAT. You should prepare for preview or Casper. How important is keeping your religious identity?

 

[mastercontender]

Some of this stuff is going to be nit-picky, but hopefully you won't take it too harshly. You've accomplished a lot and you should be proud!

I would suggest you just go ahead and apply unless you're absolutely set on attending a top school. As it stands, I think you should definitely get in somewhere with decent writing/interviewing/LORs. I don't think anything stands out EC wise that would get you into a T10 (unless maybe your immigrant story is particularly compelling). You can get into competitive sub-specialties from pretty much anywhere if you're putting in the work.

As for school list, I would cut some of those top schools. Keep some cause you gotta shoot your shot, but you've got almost all of them on there. Also, you have to consider which schools prioritize in-state applicants. One thing that stands out to me is you've got a lot of the Texas schools on your list that can only take 10% of their class OOS max, and usually have a little less than that.

Best of luck!

Hi, thank you so much for the reply. I appreciate the honesty and the encouragement. Are there any additional activities that you may suggest I do during the gap year to increase my chances?

You should be okay to apply this year as long as your list is balanced and you have a strong mission fit. The clock is ticking on you because of the MCAT. You should prepare for preview or Casper. How important is keeping your religious identity?

Hi Mr. Smile12, thank you for your reply. Could you clarify a bit more on what you mean that my time is ticking because of the MCAT and the religious identity question? I took my MCAT this January. It is important for me to keep my religious identity, but that wouldn't be a determining factor in me making my school list.

You have many state public schools on your list that admit few non residents with no connection to the state as well as some reaches.
I suggest these schools from your list:
Albany
Einstein
TCU
Rosalind Franklin
Hofstra
Quinnipiac
GW
Hackensack Meridian
Mt Sinai
Indiana
Kaiser
Temple
Loyola
NYMC
Oakland U
Ohio St
Penn State
Vermont
St Louis
Jefferson
Tuft
Tulane
USUHS
Cincinnati
Colorado
Miami
Pitt
Rochester
VCU
VT
Wake Forest
Western Michigan
Add Drexel and Commonwealth Geisinger

Hi Faha, thank you for your time. What can I do to add some of those top schools back to my list if I decide to take two gap years? What are your thoughts on me retaking the MCAT during that time?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Hi Mr. Smile12, thank you for your reply. Could you clarify a bit more on what you mean that my time is ticking because of the MCAT and the religious identity question? I took my MCAT this January. It is important for me to keep my religious identity, but that wouldn't be a determining factor in me making my school list.

1) Most schools allow for an MCAT to be within three years of matriculation. Some within two. By taking the exam, you are indicating you want to start medical school sooner rather than later. To your question, you may have to retake the exam to have a valid score for admissions.

You would have to take Casper during your admissions cycle. You take Preview during your cycle, but the score can extend to a subsequent cycle until a policy says otherwise.

2) Culture fit is important, and making sure there is a supportive coming including outside school with your faith community is important.

3) Research is not as important as you think unless you are applying MD/PhD.

 

[Faha]

You do not need to retake a MCAT of 516. Research may help a little at top tier schools but more clinical volunteering hours would also help.

 

[mastercontender]

1) Most schools allow for an MCAT to be within three years of matriculation. Some within two. By taking the exam, you are indicating you want to start medical school sooner rather than later. To your question, you may have to retake the exam to have a valid score for admissions.

You would have to take Casper during your admissions cycle. You take Preview during your cycle, but the score can extend to a subsequent cycle until a policy says otherwise.

2) Culture fit is important, and making sure there is a supportive coming including outside school with your faith community is important.

3) Research is not as important as you think unless you are applying MD/PhD.

Appreciate the clarification!

 

[mastercontender]

You do not need to retake a MCAT of 516. Research may help a little at top tier schools but more clinical volunteering hours would also help.

Understood. Thank you