3.61 cGPA 3.59 sGPA 34 MCAT

[wonton90]

I have standard EC with 2 years of clinical research. I am CA resident. I used SDN spreadsheet to get recommended schools (LizzyM method) and came up with list below. I chose these schools based on "best chances". Thought process for choosing these schools was to reduce amount of essays, $$$ and also to improve my chances. so the question is - Am I right or should I apply to higher schools and remove some from list below?

U of Cincinnati
U of Iowa
St. Louis U
SUNY Downstate
Wake Forest
Penn State
U of Wisconsin
Rosalind Franklin
U of Maryland
Wayne State
U of Missouri Columbia
Creighton
Albany
SUNY Upstate
OHSU
Jefferson
MC Wisconsin
U of Hawaii
Loyola
U of Nevada
U at Buffalo
U of Toledo
Temple
U of S. Dakota
W. Virginia
GWU
Rush
U of Illinois
U of Louisville
Tulane
NYMC
USUHS
Michigan State
U of N. Dakota
U of S. Carolina
U of Utah
Marshall

P.S: I am leaving CA schools out because everyone on SDN feedback says its too difficult with similar numbers.

Please help

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Mazdave]

I have standard EC with 2 years of clinical research. I am CA resident. I used SDN spreadsheet to get recommended schools (LizzyM method) and came up with list below. I chose these schools based on "best chances". Thought process for choosing these schools was to reduce amount of essays, $$$ and also to improve my chances. so the question is - Am I right or should I apply to higher schools and remove some from list below?

U of Cincinnati
U of Iowa
St. Louis U
SUNY Downstate
Wake Forest
Penn State
U of Wisconsin
Rosalind Franklin
U of Maryland
Wayne State
U of Missouri Columbia
Creighton
Albany
SUNY Upstate
OHSU
Jefferson
MC Wisconsin
U of Hawaii
Loyola
U of Nevada
U at Buffalo
U of Toledo
Temple
U of S. Dakota
W. Virginia
GWU
Rush
U of Illinois
U of Louisville
Tulane
NYMC
USUHS
Michigan State
U of N. Dakota
U of S. Carolina
U of Utah
Marshall

P.S: I am leaving CA schools out because everyone on SDN feedback says its too difficult with similar numbers.

Please help

Actually as a CA resident it would be silly to not even apply to what are technically your state schools (at least Davis and Irvine) even if they're not as easy as someone else's state school.

A lot of the schools on your list have a heavy in-state bias (the ones I bolded) and I would reconsider applying to them. I also wouldn't apply to USUHS unless you specifically want to do military medicine.

 

[wonton90]

Thanks for taking time to look at my list. I also talked to few of myfriends and they gave me similar advice. I will add CA schools UCI and UCD andremove some from list above. I will post my final list this weekend.

I still have two questions:

1) I am heavily relying on LizzyM spreadsheet to select schools andfiltering out anything above 72. Is this right thing to do? Or should I applyto schools like Dartmouth, Brown, etc..

2) Given my stats above ( I feel I am at or below borderline and should applyto bottom tier of schools), Thinking of applying to 40+ schools. Is thiscorrect move?

 

[wonton90]

Thanks for taking time to look at my list. I also talked to few of myfriends and they gave me similar advice. I will add CA schools UCI and UCD andremove some from list above. I will post my final list this weekend.

I still have two questions:

1) I am heavily relying on LizzyM spreadsheet to select schools andfiltering out anything above 72. Is this right thing to do? Or should I applyto schools like Dartmouth, Brown, etc..

2) Given my stats above ( I feel I am at or below borderline and should applyto bottom tier of schools), Thinking of applying to 40+ schools. Is thiscorrect move?

 

[Mazdave]

Thanks for taking time to look at my list. I also talked to few of myfriends and they gave me similar advice. I will add CA schools UCI and UCD andremove some from list above. I will post my final list this weekend.

I still have two questions:

1) I am heavily relying on LizzyM spreadsheet to select schools andfiltering out anything above 72. Is this right thing to do? Or should I apply to schools like Dartmouth, Brown, etc..

Probably. Depending on exactly how beefy your research experience is, combined with your really good MCAT, you might get a bite from a school like Case, but I wouldn't apply to too many reaches. Someone like Cat would be much better able to answer this.

2) Given my stats above ( I feel I am at or below borderline and should applyto bottom tier of schools), Thinking of applying to 40+ schools. Is thiscorrect move?

40+ is probably excessive.

If you want more comments on your overall chances, it might be helpful to comment on your overall grade trend. Cat usually likes to see this anyway if she stops by.

 

[wonton90]

I have been doing clinical research and now I am working part time at localbiotech company while I go to school. I am in my last quarter and applying formed school this summer. My company offered me a full time job after mygraduation. I am planning to take this job and volunteer or shadow doctor inpart time (To get more hands on experience). I had some hospital volunteering experiencewhile I was in high school, if it counts.

Below is my gpa by year. I have been on DL Last year (Just one A-).


FY cGPA 3.63 sGPA 3.55
SY cGPA 3.30 sGPA 3.29
JR cGPA 3.56 sGPA 3.60
SR cGPA 3.97 sGPA 3.96

I just bought online MSAR, hope to get my list finalized this weekend. Again, my big worry is ... I am applying to onlyschools with LizzyM score below 72. not knowing if I have a shot at higher schools. Please advise;

 

[Hotshy]

Add Albert Einstein to your list, they love CA people for some reason and you would be competitive there.

 

[Catalystik]

There's nothing wrong with including some dream schools, so long as your ECs fit their mission.

Check the OOS price tag for UIllinois and MSU in your MSAR.

High school experiences are generally not included in the Experiences section. When they are, adcomms probably won't pay much attention to them, expecting you to have more recent pertinent activities in that category. They can be mentioned in the PS instead, as part of the journey to medicine, unless they are extraordinary or are continued into the college years.

 

[wonton90]

Thanks for taking time to read my situation and responding very quickly. I will include my dream school as well (Mt. Sinai, my sibling goes there)…J

It’s unfortunate that I did not realize this before, I was planning to volunteer at underserved community clinic and shadowing in local hospital after this quarter (after the application process), Now I am wondering how can I communicate this through application? or will this make a “huge” difference?

Or alternatively, should I just start volunteering next week (which will give me 2 weeks – about 40 hrs.) prior to app?

 

[flodhi1]

I would add Virginia schools instead of West virginia/Marshall add UVA and VCU.

 

[wonton90]

Oh, one more question - do schools know how many schools you are applying to? Will this make any difference in their decision making?

Someone told me that they know and they think more schools you apply to - less uncertain you are about yourself,

or they will just drop you thinking other schools will offer you a spot and you will reject them afterwards - thus reducing their acceptance rate...is any truth to this?

 

[flodhi1]

Oh, one more question - do schools know how many schools you are applying to? Will this make any difference in their decision making?

Someone told me that they know and they think more schools you apply to - less uncertain you are about yourself,

or they will just drop you thinking other schools will offer you a spot and you will reject them afterwards - thus reducing their acceptance rate...is any truth to this?

Schools do not know.

 

[rogerthis]

With those stats, I seriously would not rule out the UCs because you may be pleasantly surprised. I had similar numbers and I got an interview invite from UCLA so please don't hold back because of what your LizzyM score is.

 

[Catalystik]

1) It’s unfortunate that I did not realize this before, I was planning to volunteer at underserved community clinic and shadowing in local hospital after this quarter (after the application process), Now I am wondering how can I communicate this through application? or will this make a “huge” difference?

2) Or alternatively, should I just start volunteering next week (which will give me 2 weeks – about 40 hrs.) prior to app?

1) The application does not allow one to enter a future date.

2) I think it's important that you start your plans as soon as possible, continue with them though the application season, and send in update letters where permitted about ongoing pertinent activities that will help convince adcomms you know what you're getting into.