3.5/3.3 & 512

[TheGreatDude]

*PLEASE DON'T QUOTE*
Hi, I'm a long time lurker and a first time poster.
cGPA: 3.5
sGPA: 3.3
Slight upward trend in the final 2 years. I started off with 3 straight Cs in pre-medical courses (General Chem 1 & 2 and Pre-calc) but was able to turn it around to mainly A- grades.
MCAT: 512 (Fairly balanced)
State: New York
Undergrad: Public 4 year college (Human Biology major)
Race: South Asian-American (ORM)
ECs: 250 hours of clinical ER volunteering (150 hours w/o patient contact & 100 hours w/ patient contact)
Red Cross volunteer (100 hours)
Soup Kitchen volunteer (100 hours)
Research: Clinical dry lab research (200 hours)
Shadowing: Shadowed 2 MD surgeons and 2 DO surgeons
Letter of recs: 3 from science professors, volunteer supervisors and 2 Physicians (MD & DO)
I'm planning on applying next cycle and have a gap year right now. I was wondering what else can I do to beef up my Med school resume ? Perhaps do a DIY Post-bacc in the spring semester w/ upper bio classes ? Or maybe a wet lab research gig ? Maybe try for a higher MCAT ? (I was getting 515+ on practice exams but someone got only a 512 on the real thing). I need some help w/ a Medical School to apply list. I kind of want to keep it to 25 schools only (planning on doing 20 MD and 5 DO schools). I'm def willing to apply to more DO schools if needed but so far since I want to stay in the Northeast, this is the list I have so far.
So far what I have:
MD:
Einstein
SUNY Upstate
SUNY Downstate
SUNY Buffalo
Rochester
Hofsta
Albany
NYMC
Drexel
Jefferson
Penn State
Temple
Commonwealth
Quinnipac
Vermont
Rosalind Franklin
Loyola
St. Louis
NOVA MD
Tulane
DO:
NYITCOM (Long Island campus)
PCOM (Philadelphia campus)
RowanSOM
UNECOM
DMU
This is just the early list that I have made currently ? Are there any changes or additions I should make ? Maybe add MD schools like Rush and Georgetown ? Maybe add DO schools like VCOM and Midwestern ? Thank you for your time. Is there anything I can do to help me have a better shot at med schools ? Like take some more science courses or do more research ?
Anyone is free to comment and any help is appreciated. People I see helping others on this website:
@Goro @Faha @gyngyn any help ? It would be amazing if you guys can help me out ! Thank you !

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[Faha]

You do not need to retake the MCAT. A DIY to increase your sGPA would help. You could add these schools to your list:
Stony Brook
Seton Hall
Oakland Beaumont
Western Michigan
Medical College Wisconsin
Creighton
California University
Kaiser
You are competitive for all DO schools with your stats.

 

[TheGreatDude]

Thanks a ton Faha ! I was actually thinking about adding Stony Brook to the list but their numbers are pretty insane. Do you think I would have a chance there ? Do you think those 5 DOs would be good enough or should I add more ? Also what do you think about awake Forrest ? My numbers seem to allign there

 

[Faha]

Since you are a NY resident it is worth applying to Stony Brook. 5 DO schools should be enough. Wake Forest is also worth applying to.

 

[TheGreatDude]

Thank you ! Do you think it'll hurt me if I don't have any wet lab experience ? I feel like my ECs aren't the best since I don't have any specific leadership positions or anything

 

[Goro]

Do NOT retake the MCAT!! A gap year of aceing more upper level Bio courses will be the most helpful thing.
Of your list, I suggest


ALL SUNYs
Rochester
Hofstra
Albany
NYMC
Drexel
Jefferson
Temple
Quinnipac
Rosalind Franklin
Loyola
St. Louis
NOVA MD
Tulane
MCW
Rush
Loyola
Creighton
U Miami
Wake
GWU
Gtown



NYITCOM (Long Island campus)
PCOM (Philadelphia campus)
UNECOM
DMU
LECOM (both)
VCOM
CCOM
MUCOM

 

[TheGreatDude]

Thanks for your reply @Goro ! I have heard Rush has some kind of crazy volunteering expectation ? I was wondering do I meet that with 250 hours of clinical volunteering ? I was also wondering do you think I need more research hours ? I plan on taking around 15-20 upper level bio courses and I'm planning on acing them. Do you think 15-20 credits would enough or should I aim for 30ish credits ? Thank you for your time.

 

[Goro]

Thanks for your reply @Goro ! I have heard Rush has some kind of crazy volunteering expectation ? I was wondering do I meet that with 250 hours of clinical volunteering ? I was also wondering do you think I need more research hours ? I plan on taking around 15-20 upper level bio courses and I'm planning on acing them. Do you think 15-20 credits would enough or should I aim for 30ish credits ? Thank you for your time.

Forget the research.,..it's overrated, especially for the classes of schools you're targeting.

I think 15-20 more credits should be fine.

yes, Rush likes lots of volunteering. If that's an issue, strike them from the list. But you do want something that looks good along with the upward trend. Lots of displays of altruism, especially to those less fortunate than yourself will do that. Many of the schools ont he list are service loving schools.

 

[TheGreatDude]

Great. I would love to help people who are less fortunate than me. Do you think I should pump more hours into Red Cross and the Soup Kitchen or try to look for other places as well ? I'm not sure where else to go to help out. Also one more question: I see that you have taken out Rowan, Einstein and Penn State, I was wondering if those schools would be a waste of time to apply to ? Thanks for your time.

 

[Ultimakey]

I was just about to ask if you were a New Yorker. I hear human bio isn’t a common major lol

 

[Ultimakey]

Great. I would love to help people who are less fortunate than me. Do you think I should pump more hours into Red Cross and the Soup Kitchen or try to look for other places as well ? I'm not sure where else to go to help out. Also one more question: I see that you have taken out Rowan, Einstein and Penn State, I was wondering if those schools would be a waste of time to apply to ? Thanks for your time.

I have some possibilities if you’re a New York resident. Pm me

 

[TheGreatDude]

I have some possibilities if you’re a New York resident. Pm me

Yeah I’m a New Yorker but it won’t let me PM you. Do you think you can PM ?

 

[Ultimakey]

I think it’s on your end; It says that you chose to limit the people who can view your profile. Check your settings.

 

[TheGreatDude]

I think it’s on your end; It says that you chose to limit the people who can view your profile. Check your settings.

Your profile says the same thing lol idk how to change it. BTW is it cool if you delete the quote from your first comment ? The one where my entire original post was quoted ? I want to be able to edit it out later once I get more feedback

 

[Ultimakey]

@Goro is It normal that you can’t pm someone? If not, how do you fix it?

 

[Goro]

@Goro is It normal that you can’t pm someone? If not, how do you fix it?

Ask them to PM you??

 

[Ultimakey]

Ask them to PM you??

It’s not letting us pm each other :/

 

[Goro]

It’s not letting us pm each other :/

It might be because you haven't been on SDN long enough?

 

[Ultimakey]

It might be because you haven't been on SDN long enough?

Oh wait, the dude literally made his account yesterday.