3.65cGPA, 3.53sGPA, 29Q, good ECs/LoR

ilikeponies · Jun 10, 2013

Hey, everyone! I have someone helping me out with my application, but I've been a long-time lurker and wanted to get some opinions from you all as well in terms of my chances (everyone's favorite question haha) and whatnot.

Stats

White female
22 years old
B.S. awarded May 2013
3.61 cGPA (a few classes early on that I didn't end up needing brought it down >>; updated to reflect AMCAS verification)
3.48 sGPA (see above; updated to reflect AMCAS verification)
29Q MCAT (8 VR, 9 PS, 12 BS) -- I was getting 31-33 (8-11 VR [started at 10/11 but dropped to 8 by end of practice tests], 10-11 PS, 11-13 BS) in practice so I'm re-taking on 7/2

Extracurriculars

Camp counselor for children from low-income, inner-city families for two summers
One summer of clinical shadowing/assisting
Two summers of research, including co-author on abstract and [pending] review article
Clinical volunteering with underserved individuals for ~5 months
Non-clinical volunteering with physically/mentally handicapped children ~once/month for past 2 years
~3 years of activity in my university's Equestrian Club - riding instructor, trainer, active member
Studied abroad for a month - primarily clinical exposure
Worked as a swim instructor for a summer (before college)
Worked as a research assistant in a nutrition/metabolomics lab for a year during school term

Schools on the list

Maryland (in-state)
U of Kentucky (born there; dad played baseball for them in undergrad)
Indiana University
UVA
U of Vermont
Pitt (LOTS of family connections)
Georgetown
GW
St. Louis
Temple
Thomas Jefferson
U of Miami
Medical College of Wisconsin
Rosalind Franklin
Rush
Hofstra
Albany MC
New York MC
Loyola U, Chicago
U of Rochester
Drexel
Creighton
USF
Commonwealth MC

I'll also have quite a few strong LoRs (including a committee letter) and someone is helping me edit my personal statement so that will be strong as well. Planning to submit my primary within the next couple days.

Thanks in advance! Best of luck to everyone applying. =]

ilikeponies · Jun 14, 2013

Also, are there any schools you guys would recommend I add/ take away? I was going to add Penn State, but I started there for undergrad and ended up transferring so I'm not sure that would look so great to them haha.

sbhav · Jun 14, 2013

I was similar stats to you in terms of MCAT (I got a 28). And I initially had U of Miami, UVA, and Rochester. I was told that my chances were very low considering the MCAT. Maybe you should consider taking them off was well (until you get your retake) Definitely look at MSAR to make sure though. Also, I'm pretty sure all florida schools (except U of Miami) have a very strong in-state preference, so maybe taking USF off and adding Penn state would be better.

Goro · Jun 14, 2013

GPAs and ECs are good, but the MCAT is below avg, so aim for low-tier MD programs, plus those in yoru home state (if any). The tie to UK is not going to help. Applying to OOS public schools, except maybe VA and WV, won't be successful because they play tot he home team. For those two states, I think it's worth a shot.

You're fine for any DO program, including mine.

My suggested list. I removed some schools where your numbers are well below avg for those programs.

[*]Maryland (in-state)
[*]UVA
[*]Georgetown
[*]GW
[*]St. Louis
[*]Temple
[*]Thomas Jefferson
[*]Medical College of Wisconsin
[*]Rosalind Franklin
[*]Rush
[*]Hofstra
[*]Albany MC
[*]New York MC
[*]Loyola U, Chicago
[*]Drexel
[*]Creighton
USF U South FL? (Don't bother, they accept only a handful of OOS, and your numbers are well below avg for them)[*]
Commonwealth MC[/LIST]
ADD: add Tulane, new programs in MI and FL, VA and CT

PCOM
EdmundViaCOM
LECOM
WVCOM (maybe)
These are all in your backyard, for starters

ilikeponies · Jun 24, 2013

Thanks for the feedback, everyone! I've added a couple newer MI schools to the list as well as Tulane and some VA schools... the list I submitted had 32 schools on it. I kept USF and U Miami because their MSAR stats are actually pretty OOS-friendly (plus I spoke to a USF representative directly). I've decided I'm not going to apply DO this cycle... if I don't get any MD offers, then I'll consider DO next cycle.

siliconchins · Jun 26, 2013

ilikeponies · Jun 26, 2013

Do you mean in terms of getting the opportunity? On the first day, I basically just asked her what I could do for some hands-on experience and she suggested I work on a review article based on the research project they were doing at the time. She gave me general guidelines for what to research, and I compiled a few rough drafts which she helped me edit. I wasn't able to finish by the time summer ended/ I had to go back to school, so I essentially just gave her and the other fellows I worked with what I had done up to that point so they could [heavily] revise it (the research focus shifted slightly) and whatnot.

rodmichael82 · Jun 26, 2013

OP I would retake.

29Q MCAT (8 VR, 9 PS, 12 BS)

Even though your cumulative MCAT is not bad the problem is that on 2 sections you're kind of on the low side. I would retake get close to your average score and then apply freely.

ilikeponies · Jun 26, 2013

rodmichael82 said:
OP I would retake.

29Q MCAT (8 VR, 9 PS, 12 BS)

Even though your cumulative MCAT is not bad the problem is that on 2 sections you're kind of on the low side. I would retake get close to your average score and then apply freely.

That's what I figured, I'm signed up for the July 2nd MCAT (and have been studying for it over the last couple months). :/ Thanks! Hopefully this time around I'll be dealt a reasonable hand and it'll be more representative! It's just so frustrating because my VR started out so much higher pre-Kaplan (10-11) and my PS never dropped below a 10 (also consistently in the 10-11 range) during practice... bleh.

3.65cGPA, 3.53sGPA, 29Q, good ECs/LoR

ilikeponies

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