MD 3.68 cGPA, 3.66 sGPA, 519 MCAT. Help me understand my standing and alter my school list?

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mwingo

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Thanks for taking the time to read this post. I will be applying after a year in the real world. I have not had much help in the past with regards to advisement and would really appreciate any thoughts regarding the application process and where I stand, as well as how high I can feasibly aim. Right now, I am very happy with most of the application, but I am worried about the unknowns regarding how my GPA will affect my ability to realistically apply to some schools. If it makes a difference, the GPA is a bit lower due to the majority of the final two years being filled with multidisciplinary graduate student level courses (~17-18). If anyone has a critique on the school list, I would really welcome any suggestions to add to or change the list.

Related Information:
sGPA: 3.66
cGPA: 3.68
MCAT: 519
Majors: B.S. Biochemistry; B.S. Related Science.
Minors: Related Science, Related Science, Related Science.
Research: Two labs--4 years, 1.5 years. 1 different research internship (short) w/ good letter.
Publications: 1 Publication--1st, (possible second publication soon).
Letters: Very good.
Personal: ORM.

Extracurriculars/Extraneous:

-Organization 1 Board Member--3.5 Years: Engineering solutions to pressing water issues in a certain village abroad. Managed all aspects of a project dealing with ~900 individuals across the entire project span with a partner.
-Named-global-conference representative funded by the University.

-Organization 2 Board Member--2 Years: Science related outreach for children in unfortunate circumstances. Created programs for the organization aimed particularly at aiding children of families in transition + partnered to create a program to help children in inner-city schools learn about coding + help facilitate others.
-Selected, along with several other organizations with different projects, for funding to start the coding initiative.
-Related smaller programs such as very modestly successful annual clothing drives, one- off visits to different organizations, etc. for events.

-Independently created a program with the local children's hospital for weekly visits to display visually exciting scientific experiments. The core goal was to provide some escapism from the hospital environment, independent of organization 2 for greater control of the vision for the project.

-Poetry publications (5 magazines, some on campus, some off), done through an pen name (anagram).
-1 poetry award (4 total awarded/~200 applicants) for a university-wide poetry contest offered through the English Department.
-1 distinction (5 awarded) for a university poetry contest to meet a famous poet.

-If hobbies may be important: textiles, fabrics, and beekeeping.

Associated Hours:

-Organization 1: ~200 hours directly working in the country, ~150+ to handle all the associated paperwork/planning.
-Organization 2: ~30 hours total.
-Medical Volunteering: ~80 hours.
-Shadowing: ~100 hours.

Current School List:

Feinberg
Pitt
Tufts
Jefferson
NYU
Maryland
Columbia
UPenn
Geisel
Duke

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Thank you for your reply. I am in a state which does not have a medical school.
 
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If you have a state med school, there is really no reason not to apply to it. Unless you cannot stomach the idea of remaining in state, it is usually going to be your safest bet (excluding CA schools). As for your list, it's oh so top heavy. You have a competitive MCAT and diverse extracurriculars, but nothing is a sure thing at top 10 schools. If you're applying to Penn and Jefferson, why not Temple? If Tufts why not BU? If Columbia and NYU, why not Einstein? If Feinberg why not Rush and Loyola? Adding in more schools that line up with both your MCAT and GPA will increase your chances for a successful cycle. If staying on the east coast is your goal, there are a number of viable options:

NYMC
Einstein
Hofstra
UVM
Temple
Jefferson
Georgetown
GW
Wake Forest
 
School choices are fine you just need more ofthem. With no state school you dont have nearly enough you can go in saying you have a reasonable shot at getting a II at.
I'd go through MSAR and look at OOS friendly schools that get <11k apps with an MCAT median around 34-35(ie Ohio St, Emory, CWRU, Miami etc)
I'd aim to at least add another half dozen like that. The more schools like that you can add the better.
 
Add some more mid tiers. You're a competitive applicant anywhere but your GPA is at or below the ~20th percentile range for some of the schools you have listed.
 
Get in some more patient contact volunteering and you're golden.

I suggest:

Harvard OR Yale
Stanford OR Cornell
U AZ
U VM
Jefferson
U IA
Dartmouth
U Cincy
Miami
Albert Einstein
Tulane
Loyola
Emory
BU
USC/Keck
JHU
Mayo
Pitt
Northwestern
NYU
Vanderbilt
Columbia
Sinai
Duke
Case
Hofstra
Rochester
MD schools in states next door


Thanks for taking the time to read this post. I will be applying after a year in the real world. I have not had much help in the past with regards to advisement and would really appreciate any thoughts regarding the application process and where I stand, as well as how high I can feasibly aim. Right now, I am very happy with most of the application, but I am worried about the unknowns regarding how my GPA will affect my ability to realistically apply to some schools. If it makes a difference, the GPA is a bit lower due to the majority of the final two years being filled with multidisciplinary graduate student level courses (~17-18). If anyone has a critique on the school list, I would really welcome any suggestions to add to or change the list.

Related Information:
sGPA: 3.66
cGPA: 3.68
MCAT: 519
Majors: B.S. Biochemistry; B.S. Related Science.
Minors: Related Science, Related Science, Related Science.
Research: Two labs--4 years, 1.5 years. 1 different research internship (short) w/ good letter.
Publications: 1 Publication--1st, (possible second publication soon).
Letters: Very good.
Personal: ORM.

Extracurriculars/Extraneous:

-Organization 1 Board Member--3.5 Years: Engineering solutions to pressing water issues in a certain village abroad. Managed all aspects of a project dealing with ~900 individuals across the entire project span with a partner.
-Named-global-conference representative funded by the University.

-Organization 2 Board Member--2 Years: Science related outreach for children in unfortunate circumstances. Created programs for the organization aimed particularly at aiding children of families in transition + partnered to create a program to help children in inner-city schools learn about coding + help facilitate others.
-Selected, along with several other organizations with different projects, for funding to start the coding initiative.
-Related smaller programs such as very modestly successful annual clothing drives, one- off visits to different organizations, etc. for events.

-Independently created a program with the local children's hospital for weekly visits to display visually exciting scientific experiments. The core goal was to provide some escapism from the hospital environment, independent of organization 2 for greater control of the vision for the project.

-Poetry publications (5 magazines, some on campus, some off), done through an pen name (anagram).
-1 poetry award (4 total awarded/~200 applicants) for a university-wide poetry contest offered through the English Department.
-1 distinction (5 awarded) for a university poetry contest to meet a famous poet.

-If hobbies may be important: textiles, fabrics, and beekeeping.

Associated Hours:

-Organization 1: ~200 hours directly working in the country, ~150+ to handle all the associated paperwork/planning.
-Organization 2: ~30 hours total.
-Medical Volunteering: ~80 hours.
-Shadowing: ~100 hours.

Current School List:

Feinberg
Pitt
Tufts
Jefferson
NYU
Maryland
Columbia
UPenn
Geisel
Duke
 
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