Reapplying...Which 15 schools to choose?

It would be really hard to just simply create a list for you... could you list the schools you applied to last year and even a very rough list of schools you are thinking for this year and then people can chime in? Thanks!

cutsnipsew said:

Hey everyone. So I applied quite narrowly (CA only and the some big ones on the East Coast, yes you can point and laugh ) and am not too confident about getting into the only school I am waitlisted at after only being offered two interviews this season. I need some advice on where to apply this year. I know the three I absolutely will, but I need 12 more that encompass reach, mid, and safety schools. Preferably 4 of each category. I have a >36 mcat, >3.8 GPA, biochem major, multiple years of engineering and cancer research, ok clinical (yes, enough to know what medicine is about), pres of the chem club,highest honors at grad, completed a university honors program, phi kappa phi and attended a respectable UC.... I prefer a diverse city environment and a curriculum that starts hands-on early. And if it makes any difference, I'm middle eastern.

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You have an impressive application... And no, it doesn't make a difference that you're middle eastern (I don't know why, I think it should, but it doesn't)

October88 said:

It would be really hard to just simply create a list for you... could you list the schools you applied to last year and even a very rough list of schools you are thinking for this year and then people can chime in? Thanks!

Click to expand...

Yep. Show us this cycle's list.

Very surpirsed you had trouble getting interviews, unless you applied late? if so, make sure everything is out early this year. You'll need to also explain tot he schools why you're a better candidate now, as opposed to last year.

Any IA's in your backgorund? Felnoies? Misdemeanors? Red flag in LOR?

Keep
Ucla (int, on waitlist currently)
Ucsf
Stanford
Jhu
Ucd
Ucsd (post int rej)

Columbia

Washinton
UGeorgetown
Pittsburg

Add:
U AZ
U NV
OR H&S
George Washington
NYU
Albert Einstein
U Chicago
Baylor
Emory
Duke
Wake Forest
Temple
Drexel
NYMC
Some of the Ivies
U CO
Loyola
Creighton

Here's my formula for selecting schools (applied to 32 MDs, interviews at 12).

1.) Purchase MSAR - it's like 15$ for an online subscription

2.) Look at GPA of every school - find ones with accepted stats within .1 of your cGPA and sGPA

3.) Of those schools -look at MCAT= accepted MCAT score for school should be either less than yours, or within two points above yours

4.) Of those schools - look at research/non-clinical/clinical stats of accepted class- yours seems to be a research-heavy app, so look for schools with 80-90% of class with research experiences

5.) of those schools, look at the OOS interview rate- choose schools with a greater than 7% OOS interview rate

5.) Now you have a decent list of schools where your app should have a chance stats wise. Examine now:
a.) Location - is this a place you could envision yourself for four years?
b.) Cost - is OOS cost something you could live with? Consider the debt,
particularly if you're interested in primary care. How many years would it take
you to pay off?

I would say select between 20-30 schools total. Be willing to attend every school you select-no backups!