3.64 GPA, 37 MCAT, CA resident. How do my schools look?

[wurdy5176]

Alright. So I am a first time applicant. I have a 3.64 GPA and a 37 MCAT, born and raised in California. I have a significant amount of international experiences (I studied in Argentina for a year and I now live in China as a teacher), though I don't think im that non-traditional because I am only taking 2 gap years.

I am a little nervous about having to do two application cycles (and spend all that extra money) if I don't apply to enough schools (which will also cost money). Believe it or not, a chinese salary is not great.

I have research experience, public health experience, tutoring, teaching, shadowing, etc. The major gap in my app is actually working for a hospital in a paid position (like scribing).

Here are my schools.

Baylor
Brown
Creighton
Duke
Loma Linda
Loyola
Northwestern
OHSU
Saint Louis U
Stanford
UCD
UCI
UCLA
UCSD
U North Carolina
University of Chicago
University of Illinois
USC
U Virginia
U washington
Vanderbilt
Wake forest
Rochester
Wash U

What do you think? What should I add? Remove?

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[Goro]

Good list. Nothing wrong with aiming high. I would delete Brown because they like your own UGs. U WA favors WWAMI applicants, so delete as well. I have pulled some reaches because your GPA is, well, avg.

Creighton
Duke
Dartmouth
Hofstra
Loma Linda
Loyola
Saint Louis U
Stanford
UCD
UCI
UCLA
UCSD
USC
Vanderbilt
Wake Forest
Rochester
U AZ
Pitt
Einstein
BU
Tufts
Miami
MCW

 

[wurdy5176]

Thanks Goro! I was wondering, what are my chances of getting in to at least somewhere? (I know thats a near impossible calculation) I am not concerned about prestige of school. I care more about quality of life while in medical school, and just getting the education. So thats all to say I don't really care about "aiming high", if you get my drift. Have you heard of schools where students are particularly happy (and still get the same good education)?

 

[nemo123]

What do you exactly mean by "The major gap in my app is actually working for a hospital in a paid position (like scribing)."? Do you have some kind of clinical experience besides shadowing?

 

[wurdy5176]

What do you exactly mean by "The major gap in my app is actually working for a hospital in a paid position (like scribing)."? Do you have some kind of clinical experience besides shadowing?

No, sorry I will be more clear. I have shadowed multiple times in hospitals under various situations, but I am missing the scribe or CNA experience (hands on patient interaction) that I feel a lot of good applicants have.

 

[Heplayer92]

No, sorry I will be more clear. I have shadowed multiple times in hospitals under various situations, but I am missing the scribe or CNA experience (hands on patient interaction) that I feel a lot of good applicants have.

I don't think that necessary "hands on patient interaction" nor a "paid clinical experience" is necessary. Shadowing is good, but do you have other clinical experience, such as volunteering? I think that's what nemo123 was referring to.

 

[wurdy5176]

I don't think that necessary "hands on patient interaction" nor a "paid clinical experience" is necessary. Shadowing is good, but do you have other clinical experience, such as volunteering? I think that's what nemo123 was referring to.

Yeah, (as far as clinical goes) I volunteered at a children's hospital every week for a year. I did not do anything medical. I basically comforted patients and brought them food and that sort of stuff

 

[Heplayer92]

Yeah, (as far as clinical goes) I volunteered at a children's hospital every week for a year. I did not do anything medical. I basically comforted patients and brought them food and that sort of stuff

Still counts as clinical volunteering =)