MD & DO 3.5/512/URM

[BLOOPING]

Hey everyone,
I got my MCAT score and was looking for some help in constructing a school list for next cycle. I am going to be senior, so I will be doing the application cycle during a gap year.
These are the EC's and estimated stats that I believe I will be applying with (GPA might be slightly higher during app time)

I'm leaving everything a bit vague, but if you need more details on anything to help with constructing a list please let me know.

A little about me:
1st generation college student, disadvantaged URM
Spanish is my first language, fluent
CA resident
LOR should all be very good

Stats and EC's: (Bold is most important)
3.55 cGPA, 3.5sGPA, 512MCAT (127/128/129/128)


1) Hospital Volunteering: 600 hours in 2 hospitals (6 departments total)

2) Science Club: 4 years, leadership positions. Lots of non-clinical volunteering.

3) Lab Assistant: 1 year, paid job.

4) Undergrad Researcher: 2.5 years. Have presented at local/national conferences. Selected for 2 year honors research fellowship. Honors thesis+ publication possible

5) Summer Research Program: Paid summer internship at top 5 medical school

6) Shadowing: 100 hours with 5 different doctors

7) Medical Internship: Had an internship at a local clinic where they serve a lot of minority populations without health insurance. (Not Clinical!)

8) Sustainability- Multiple classes relating to sustainable practices taken + 200 hours of volunteering at local city garden.

9) STEM Diversity- 200 hours volunteering with programs aimed at encouraging URM students to look into STEM careers

Current listway top heavy imo)
UCLA PRIME
UCSD PRIME
UCD PRIME
USC
SLU
Emory
Drexel
Wake Forest
Tulane



Questions:
I have other EC's I could add (hobbies and other small volunteering things), but I feel like these are the most important things in my app. Is listing 9 instead of getting closer to 15 fine?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[GrapesofRath]

What URM community do you represent? Not all Hispanics are considered URMs for medical school admission.

Even if you don't qualify for URM status you can still be a competitive applicant. Saint Louis, Drexel, Wake Forest, Tulane are all fine as are UCSD, UC Davis and if you are from the IE UC Riverside. Schools like UCLA, USC, Emory your stats are low unless you really do qualify for URM status.

Being a CA resident it's always imperative to apply to a broad thorough list of OOS schools. Here are some to give consideration to. For the sake of this discussion let's play it conservative and assume you don't qualify for URM status. Even if you do, service to your URM community will matter alot and outside of maybe 9) I don't really see uch evidence of that in your list so that is something to consider as well as those who get the greatest URM boost are the ones with the service to their community. You have a year to boost your app so that might be worth some consideration(although my feeling is that ADCOMs are looking for a long term commitment to your URM community).

 

[BLOOPING]

I am Mexican-American, which I do think was URM. Most of my EC's with the URM community are 2,7,9 and they stretch from high school o the end of college. I agree though, it isn't a HUGE part of my app. Thanks for the school list! I'll be taking a look at those. Please let me know if you suggest I take a look at any other schools, thanks!

 

[GrapesofRath]

I am Mexican-American, which I do think was URM. Most of my EC's with the URM community are 2,7,9 and they stretch from high school o the end of college. I agree though, it isn't a HUGE part of my app. Thanks for the school list! I'll be taking a look at those. Please let me know if you suggest I take a look at any other schools, thanks!

Mexicans are URMs in medicine.

The key thing is do you have service to Mexican-Americans themselves, not just URMs in general? Look commitment to service for any URM is good but when you hear gyngyn and others talk about service to the community when assessing URMs its often to your specific community. So that's a key question to answer.

Regardless you look like a solid applicant. URM admission works rather differently than for others which is why I'm usually hesitant to list schools for them but you look like a rather competitive applicant regardless.

 

[BLOOPING]

Thank you so much @GrapesofRath! My commitment has been to mostly the community I represent, but sometimes it is to just URMs in general. I would say its split like 70/30. Thank you for listing those schools! I really do appreciate it and will begin looking at them. Again, if you recommend any other schools/have comments please let me know through here or PM. Thanks!!

 

[GrapesofRath]

Thank you so much @GrapesofRath! My commitment has been to mostly the community I represent, but sometimes it is to just URMs in general. I would say its split like 70/30. Thank you for listing those schools! I really do appreciate it and will begin looking at them. Again, if you recommend any other schools/have comments please let me know through here or PM. Thanks!!

I gave you a bare list of what are consider lower tier schools. Based off what you have said and what you will continue you to do you sound like someone who might qualify for URM status come application cycle. In that case there are certainly other schools to consider as well that might be considered "higher" tier. The key will be continuing to do well in school and demonstrating service to your community. If you that I think you can be a competitive candidate to a large number of schools of different variety and tier status. For more school specifics, someone who has more knowledge of URM admission like Goro is a better bet to ask.

 

[gyngyn]

Apply to all the UC's, Drew and USC.
For OOS, try U of IL, U of MN, and the Jesuits (except GT).
That should be enough as long as you interview well (and if that is your only MCAT score).

 

[Banco]

Yeah with your application/background you will do well; apply to all UCs and some low/mid-tiers OOS.

 

[BLOOPING]

Apply to all the UC's, Drew and USC.
For OOS, try U of IL, U of MN, and the Jesuits (except GT).
That should be enough as long as you interview well (and if that is your only MCAT score).

Thanks! Great to hear that I can apply to all UC's. Is it worth applying to UCSF? That is where I had my 5th EC and will be getting a LOR from the PI there. Do you think I am competitive for the PRIME programs?

Yeah with your application/background you will do well; apply to all UCs and some low/mid-tiers OOS.

Extremely reassuring that I should apply to all UC's. Have a high preference for CA. Is it worth applying to UCSF? That is where I had my 5th EC and will be getting a LOR from the PI there.
Also what are some examples of mid-tiers? Tufts, Rochester, BU?

 

[GrapesofRath]

Extremely reassuring that I should apply to all UC's. Have a high preference for CA. Is it worth applying to UCSF? That is where I had my 5th EC and will be getting a LOR from the PI there.
Also what are some examples of mid-tiers? Tufts, Rochester, BU?

I would stick with gyngyn's list. Yes all UC's includes UCSF. Gyngyn's list and a couple of reaches if you want is all you really need. For reaches; yes schools like Rochester, Einstein, Boston U, Hofstra, Case Western, Emory are worth consideration.

 

[gyngyn]

Apply to all the fully accredited CA schools. You are good to go.