3.62 cGPA, 3.58 sGPA, 31P MCAT, CA: Chances? Good list?

[Andre3000]

Hey everyone. How are my chances? I have my current list of schools at the bottom. Hopefully EC's will help the OK stats...

STATS

• 3.62 cGPA
• 3.58 sGPA
• 31P MCAT - 11 BS 11 PS 9 VR
• Biological Sciences B.A., Business Entrepreneurship Minor
• CA Resident, not URM
• Deans List every semester, multiple scholarships, ALD honor society
• Pretty good LOR's I think..

EC's

Clinical

• 240+ hours in hospital volunteer program (telemetry, maternity, nursery, radiology, ER, OR, Cath Lab) - have seen many procedures, performed CPR in ER, much patient interaction, etc
• 40 hours shadowing Dr.'s at CHLA - (Rehab, ICU, ER, Pulmonology, CT Surgery) --> I think I will have to do some more of this!
• 48 hours at another hospital program (going to do this semester...will help for USC)

Research

• 1 summer, 2 semesters (now for credit) @ USC Regenerative Med & Stem Cell Center - own project, about to start a new project building on the last one, no pubs but lots of experience, good relationship with PI (LOR)
• 3 hours a week 1 semester - b*^&$ work at another lab, thought it would be cool, I don't really like it but I get paid decently - should I keep doing this and make it something meaningful or just drop it?

Leadership & Community Service

• President, 1 sem (wil be continuing)- rebuilt disintegrating religious org - accomplishments: membership well over 100 people, 40 events in semester, fundraised and expended over $20,000 in one sem, raised $3500 for hunger & homelessness in LA, built coalition of 64 student orgs to combat racism, hatred on campus (long story but got VP of student affairs to publish a letter for us in our newspaper), fostering new leadership, etc --> basically I am hoping this stuff will make me stand out
• General member - brand new org, biweekly community service (free clinic & feedings)
• Global Business Brigades - will hopefully go to Panama this spring break to help a community of disadvantaged farmers build their businesses
• Global Environmental Brigades (in progress - Co-founder/president) hopefully May) - work on sustainable clean water project in Honduras
• Planning to run for undergraduate government Senate

Work Experience

• 3 years (summers) - City Lifeguard - coach, teach, rescues, etc
• computer lab assistant (during school) - helped fix computers and relay troubleshooting to staff
• Self employment - 1 1/2 years - Founder/developer of 2 websites, over ~200,00 views a year - all self-learned, do SEO, marketing/advertising, graphic design, etc - one teaches how to make hip hop beats and the other how to get into college --> should I even mention this EC?
• Tutor (applying this sem) - will tutor disadvantaged elementary school students

School List
I want to stay in CA, but I know that might be hard! I put a few top schools in for the hell of it, but most others are in my range I think. I will be happy to get in anywhere in the states.

UCSD
USC
UCLA
UCI
UCD
Loma Linda --> should I bother? Not part of their church/religion
St. Louis University
Georgetown University
Tulane
Boston University
Morehouse
Medical College of Wisconsin
Drexel
Howard University
Goerge Washington University
Meharry Medical College
Creighton University
New York Medical College
University of Vermont

How does the list look? Should I apply to the HBCU's or just not bother? Are there other schools I should add to the list?

What else can I do to make myself more competitive?

Sorry for the long post and thanks for your help!

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[BestDoctorEver]

Hey everyone. How are my chances? I have my current list of schools at the bottom. Hopefully EC's will help the OK stats...




STATS

• 3.62 cGPA
• 3.58 sGPA
• 31P MCAT - 11 BS 11 PS 9 VR
• Biological Sciences B.A., Business Entrepreneurship Minor
• CA Resident, not URM
• Deans List every semester, multiple scholarships, ALD honor society
• Pretty good LOR's I think..

EC's




Clinical

• 240+ hours in hospital volunteer program (telemetry, maternity, nursery, radiology, ER, OR, Cath Lab) - have seen many procedures, performed CPR in ER, much patient interaction, etc
• 40 hours shadowing Dr.'s at CHLA - (Rehab, ICU, ER, Pulmonology, CT Surgery) --> I think I will have to do some more of this!
• 48 hours at another hospital program (going to do this semester...will help for USC)

Research

• 1 summer, 2 semesters (now for credit) @ USC Regenerative Med & Stem Cell Center - own project, about to start a new project building on the last one, no pubs but lots of experience, good relationship with PI (LOR)
• 3 hours a week 1 semester - b*^&$ work at another lab, thought it would be cool, I don't really like it but I get paid decently - should I keep doing this and make it something meaningful or just drop it?

Leadership & Community Service

• President, 1 sem (wil be continuing)- rebuilt disintegrating religious org - accomplishments: membership well over 100 people, 40 events in semester, fundraised and expended over $20,000 in one sem, raised $3500 for hunger & homelessness in LA, built coalition of 64 student orgs to combat racism, hatred on campus (long story but got VP of student affairs to publish a letter for us in our newspaper), fostering new leadership, etc --> basically I am hoping this stuff will make me stand out
• General member - brand new org, biweekly community service (free clinic & feedings)
• Global Business Brigades - will hopefully go to Panama this spring break to help a community of disadvantaged farmers build their businesses
• Global Environmental Brigades (in progress - Co-founder/president) hopefully May) - work on sustainable clean water project in Honduras
• Planning to run for undergraduate government Senate

Work Experience

• 3 years (summers) - City Lifeguard - coach, teach, rescues, etc
• computer lab assistant (during school) - helped fix computers and relay troubleshooting to staff
• Self employment - 1 1/2 years - Founder/developer of 2 websites, over ~200,00 views a year - all self-learned, do SEO, marketing/advertising, graphic design, etc - one teaches how to make hip hop beats and the other how to get into college --> should I even mention this EC?
• Tutor (applying this sem) - will tutor disadvantaged elementary school students

School List
I want to stay in CA, but I know that might be hard! I put a few top schools in for the hell of it, but most others are in my range I think. I will be happy to get in anywhere in the states.

UCSD
USC
UCLA
UCI
UCD
Loma Linda --> should I bother? Not part of their church/religion
St. Louis University
Georgetown University
Tulane
Boston University
Morehouse
Medical College of Wisconsin
Drexel
Howard University
Goerge Washington University
Meharry Medical College
Creighton University
New York Medical College
University of Vermont

How does the list look? Should I apply to the HBCU's or just not bother? Are there other schools I should add to the list?

What else can I do to make myself more competitive?

Sorry for the long post and thanks for your help!

Everything looks good. Dont bank on the schools in CA. You are competitive for the schools highlighted.However, Howard, Meharry and Morehouse to some extent put emphasis on URM.
http://www.washington.edu/uaa/gateway/advising/downloads/gpamcat.pdf

 

[Catalystik]

Consideringyour stats are near the median for those accepted, you have a good chance of an acceptance somewhere. I'd add UIllinois and Rosalind Franklin to the list as they accept a lot of Californians. I think UVermont is fine to have on the list with GWU, Drexel, NYMC, MCW, and Tulane. You need more schools where you have a good chance. Also, consider Loyola.

 

[bravofleet4]

I would increase the number of schools to at least 25. I don't think you're applying broadly enough. You have decent stats and good EC's but a lot of the schools you list are UC's which are notoriously difficult to even get an interview with as well as a few reaches. Loyala accepts people of all faith but you'll need to get a letter from a spiritual advisor (I think?), but in any case you do have to be religious.

 

[Catalystik]

Loyala accepts people of all faith but you'll need to get a letter from a spiritual advisor (I think?), but in any case you do have to be religious.

You do not need to be religious or provide a letter from a spiritual advisor. They do accept people from any faith (or no faith) tradition. I suggested it as there are three other Jesuit institutions on the list.

 

[Andre3000]

Thanks everyone-- I'll add those to the list.

Does anybody have advice on other things I can do to make myself more competitive? I still have a semester before I apply.

Thanks

 

[Catalystik]

I think you have a pretty good idea of what needs to get done. For the additional shadowing, I'd add time with a primary care doc, like internal med, pediatrics, or family med.

I don't think that three hours per week of research employment will add anything to your application. If you need the money, then fine, but if not, I'm sure you can put the time to better use. Your other research involvement is fine already.

Your leadership and commitment to community service do stand out. With luck, they may be your 'hook' to get into a UC. Don't list future plans on your application. Unless you are elected to student senate, it won't help. Unless you plan to be other than a passive voting member, I'd put the time into your already established leadership roles which are more unique and noteworthy.

Unless you have something better, I'd list the hip hop beat involvement/web site development under Arts involvement. If you get the tutoring job, it give you something for Teaching. One semester is better than nothing.

If you have a space left, list all your Hobbies too.