MD & DO 3.5 cgpa, 3.8 sgpa, 34 MCAT: Need help with my list

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Gaborik10

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Hello I’ve begun making the list of schools I’ll apply to. I’d prefer MD but I really don’t want to end up being re-applicant so I want to apply broadly and include some DO schools. I want to give myself a really good chance at getting in somewhere. I’m wondering if my list is way too top heavy? I’m thinking I probably have way too many reaches. I’d appreciate any suggestions on schools to remove or add.


NY resident
Non-Trad career changer Post-Bacc
Communication Major

Cgpa- a little above 3.5
Sgpa-a little above 3.8
Post-bacc gpa- a little above 3.8

34 MCAT (P10/V10/B14)

EC’s:
Volunteered at a neurology clinc: 60 hrs
ER Volunteer: 400+ hrs
Ambulance core volunteer Dispatch/First aider: 120+ Hrs

Research:
Clincal Research Assistant in the ER: 1+ year

Shadowing:
50 hours total split between orthopedic surgeons, ICU docs, ER docs, and Family Practice

Would’ve done more volunteering but I’ve been doing my post-bacc while working two jobs part time.

Here’s the list so far:
MD:
Northwestern
John Hopkins
Cornell
University of Michigan
University of Pittsburgh
Emory
Tufts
Brown
University of Colorado
Dartmouth
University of Rochester
Case Western
Ohio State
Boston University
University of Virginia
University of Connecticut
University of Miami
St. Louis University
SUNY Stony Brook
Wake Forest
Penn State
Georgetown
Rosalind Franklin
University of Maryland
Albany
SUNY Upstate
Jefferson
University of Vermont
Loyola
University at Buffalo
Virginia Tech
George Washington University
Drexel
Tulane
East Virginia Medical School

DO:
OSU-CHS
KCUMB-COM
PCOM

Thanks!

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Last edited:
Hello I’ve begun making the list of schools I’ll apply to. I’d prefer MD but I really don’t want to end up being re-applicant so I want to apply broadly and include some DO schools. I want to give myself a really good chance at getting in somewhere. I’m wondering if my list is way too top heavy? I’m thinking I probably have way too many reaches. I’d appreciate any suggestions on schools to remove or add.


NY resident
Non-Trad career changer Post-Bacc
Communication Major

Cgpa- a little above 3.5
Sgpa-a little above 3.8
Post-bacc gpa- a little above 3.8

34 MCAT (P10/V10/B14)

EC’s:
Volunteered at a neurology clinc: 60 hrs
ER Volunteer: 400+ hrs
Ambulance core volunteer Dispatch/First aider: 120+ Hrs

Research:
Clincal Research Assistant in the ER: 1+ year

Shadowing:
50 hours total split between orthopedic surgeons, ICU docs, ER docs, and Family Practice

Would’ve done more volunteering but I’ve been doing my post-bacc while working two jobs part time.

Here’s the list so far:
MD:
Northwestern
John Hopkins
Cornell
University of Michigan
University of Pittsburgh
Emory
Tufts
Brown
University of Colorado
Dartmouth
University of Rochester
Case Western
Ohio State
Boston University
University of Virginia
University of Connecticut
University of Miami
St. Louis University
SUNY Stony Brook
Wake Forest
Penn State
Georgetown
Rosalind Franklin
University of Maryland
SUNY Albany
SUNY Upstate
Jefferson
University of Vermont
Loyola
University at Buffalo
Virginia Tech
George Washington University
Drexel
Tulane
East Virginia Medical School

DO:
OSU-CHS
KCUMB-COM
PCOM

Thanks!
You are applying to too many schools... Find 5 schools that are reached, 10 that match your stats, 5 that are somewhat below your stats. Use 3-4 DO schools as back up. When you apply to so many schools, that compromises the quality of your secondaries...
 
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My suggested list

Here’s the list so far:
MD:
University of Pittsburgh
Tufts
University of Rochester
Boston University
University of Miami
St. Louis University
SUNY Stony Brook
Wake Forest
Penn State
Georgetown
Rosalind Franklin
SUNY Albany (NOTE: Albany is NOT a SUNY school!)
SUNY Upstate
Jefferson
University of Vermont
Loyola
University at Buffalo
Virginia Tech
George Washington University
Drexel
Tulane
East Virginia Medical School
NYU
SUNY Downstate
NYMC
Tulane
Einstein
Mt Sinai

DO:
OSU-CHS
KCUMB-COM
PCOM
NYCOM
TUCOM-NY
 
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You are applying to too many schools... Find 5 schools that are reached, 10 that match your stats, 5 that are somewhat below your stats. Use 3-4 DO schools as back up. When you apply to so many schools, that compromises the quality of your secondaries...

Hey thanks for the advice. That makes sense. I figured I had to whittle that list down anyway. I just want to make sure I have enough schools in there to give me a solid chance.
 
My suggested list

Here’s the list so far:
MD:
University of Pittsburgh
Tufts
University of Rochester
Boston University
University of Miami
St. Louis University
SUNY Stony Brook
Wake Forest
Penn State
Georgetown
Rosalind Franklin
SUNY Albany (NOTE: Albany is NOT a SUNY school!)
SUNY Upstate
Jefferson
University of Vermont
Loyola
University at Buffalo
Virginia Tech
George Washington University
Drexel
Tulane
East Virginia Medical School
NYU
SUNY Downstate
NYMC
Tulane
Einstein
Mt Sinai

DO:
OSU-CHS
KCUMB-COM
PCOM
NYCOM
TUCOM-NY


Thank you very much for your suggestions. I have a friend that goes to SUNY Albany for undergrad so that's where my mind jumped to immediately! haha! Just curious about the reasoning behind adding Mt.Sinai, Einstein, and NYU as the reaches rather than Dartmouth, Brown, Northwestern, U Colorado... etc is it because being a NY resident gives me a better shot at those NY schools you mentioned?
 
I must apologize for shooting first and not researching. I amend my choices as follows:

KEEP:
Dartmouth. Your current numbers are competitive with theirs

Brown: Prefers their own UGs (48% of acceptees are from Brown). However, your current numbers are competitive with theirs.

Einstein: Your MCAT is > their avg.

DELETE:
Northwestern: your current cGPA below their floor for cGPAs (yours in in their 10th %ile).

Mt.Sinai, NYU closer to home. More stringent than Northwestern, but being a New Yorker might help some. If not, the swap these two for NW.


DEFINITELY DELETE:
U Colorado state school might not be favorable to OOSer, even one who reinvented him/herself
 
Oh hey, please don't apologize. I'm grateful for your advice and efforts. I'll take what your suggestions into account in the next few weeks as I research the list further. In general is the rule that are public schools less receptive to OOSer's or does that vary from public school to public school?
 
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