MD 3.7/3.7 GPA/sGPA 90-100 MCAT

[Faii]

Hey all,
Just got my prelim score back, here is the break down:
C/P: 85-100
CARS: 82-97
Bio: 85-100
Psych: 85-100
Total: 90-100
GPA: 3.7, sGPA 3.7

I do have a couple C’s on my transcript, with (I think) good reasons. In the first I was taking a summer course when my younger brother was diagnosed w/ cancer (he’s ok now!!). The second I took a 6000 level math course without the pre-req (but the pre-req course wasn’t actually listed as a pre-req so I couldn’t drop it by the time I found out). **Should I mentioned either one of these on my secondaries?**

Education: I have two bachelors’ degrees, one in biology and one in engineering. I pursued both at the same time in undergrad (I’m not non-trad). I am currently doing a Masters in Engineering.

Demographics: Female, white, Residency is Michigan, Living in Louisiana for 5 years

ECs:
Clinical Volunteering: 70 hours
Shadowing: 32 hours (I know this is low – I had to work every semester and while this isn’t an excuse it certainly made finding suitable shadowing opportunities outside of the 9-5 very difficult)
1 first author publication
1 patent
Co-founded a biotech based company
VP of school Habitat for Humanity club (~200 hours)
Executive board member of another university athletic club (nothing competitive)
1 REU
4 poster presentations (1 national, 1 regional, 3 university based w/ one honorable mention)
TA for Chemistry for 2 years
I also work at a biotechnology incubator
(In total I work about 30 hours a week including time on weekends during the school semester and full time during the week over the summer)

My School List:
Tulane
LSU New Orleans
UM (state of residence)
Oakland Beaumont (state of residence)
Temple
Boston U
Tufts

Reach:
Emory
Mayo (I feel like this is a very long reach)
Dartmouth

Is my application strong enough to be competitive at top tier schools? I don’t want to pursue an MD/PhD but I would like to do some research during med school. This is why I have chosen not to apply to some Michigan schools because according to the MSAR they have little to no research funding. Also what schools are more lenient on GPAs? Thanks in advance for any advice!

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[efle]

Hey all,
Just got my prelim score back, here is the break down:
C/P: 85-100
CARS: 82-97
Bio: 85-100
Psych: 85-100
Total: 90-100
GPA: 3.7, sGPA 3.7

I do have a couple C’s on my transcript, with (I think) good reasons. In the first I was taking a summer course when my younger brother was diagnosed w/ cancer (he’s ok now!!). The second I took a 6000 level math course without the pre-req (but the pre-req course wasn’t actually listed as a pre-req so I couldn’t drop it by the time I found out). **Should I mentioned either one of these on my secondaries?**

Education: I have two bachelors’ degrees, one in biology and one in engineering. I pursued both at the same time in undergrad (I’m not non-trad). I am currently doing a Masters in Engineering.

Demographics: Female, white, Residency is Michigan, Living in Louisiana for 5 years

ECs:
Clinical Volunteering: 70 hours
Shadowing: 32 hours (I know this is low – I had to work every semester and while this isn’t an excuse it certainly made finding suitable shadowing opportunities outside of the 9-5 very difficult)
1 first author publication
1 patent
Co-founded a biotech based company
VP of school Habitat for Humanity club (~200 hours)
Executive board member of another university athletic club (nothing competitive)
1 REU
4 poster presentations (1 national, 1 regional, 3 university based w/ one honorable mention)
TA for Chemistry for 2 years
I also work at a biotechnology incubator
(In total I work about 30 hours a week including time on weekends during the school semester and full time during the week over the summer)

My School List:
Tulane
LSU New Orleans
UM (state of residence)
Oakland Beaumont (state of residence)
Temple
Boston U
Tufts

Reach:
Emory
Mayo (I feel like this is a very long reach)
Dartmouth

Is my application strong enough to be competitive at top tier schools? I don’t want to pursue an MD/PhD but I would like to do some research during med school. This is why I have chosen not to apply to some Michigan schools because according to the MSAR they have little to no research funding. Also what schools are more lenient on GPAs? Thanks in advance for any advice!

Are you applying this cycle or next? If next, just come back to us when you have an exact MCAT. The schools you have a shot at change a lot between say a 92nd vs 99th percentile MCAT (that's the difference between a 33 to 38, huge difference for Top 20-30 MD).

 

[Faha]

You have a good list but you may want to add all the Michigan schools in case you are not accepted to the schools you prefer. If applying this year apply this month and submit all your secondaries by August. If your MCAT ends up equivalent to 35 or more you could add more reach schools later.

 

[GrapesofRath]

Hey all,
Just got my prelim score back, here is the break down:
C/P: 85-100
CARS: 82-97
Bio: 85-100
Psych: 85-100
Total: 90-100
GPA: 3.7, sGPA 3.7

I do have a couple C’s on my transcript, with (I think) good reasons. In the first I was taking a summer course when my younger brother was diagnosed w/ cancer (he’s ok now!!). The second I took a 6000 level math course without the pre-req (but the pre-req course wasn’t actually listed as a pre-req so I couldn’t drop it by the time I found out). **Should I mentioned either one of these on my secondaries?**

Education: I have two bachelors’ degrees, one in biology and one in engineering. I pursued both at the same time in undergrad (I’m not non-trad). I am currently doing a Masters in Engineering.

Demographics: Female, white, Residency is Michigan, Living in Louisiana for 5 years

ECs:
Clinical Volunteering: 70 hours
Shadowing: 32 hours (I know this is low – I had to work every semester and while this isn’t an excuse it certainly made finding suitable shadowing opportunities outside of the 9-5 very difficult)
1 first author publication
1 patent
Co-founded a biotech based company
VP of school Habitat for Humanity club (~200 hours)
Executive board member of another university athletic club (nothing competitive)
1 REU
4 poster presentations (1 national, 1 regional, 3 university based w/ one honorable mention)
TA for Chemistry for 2 years
I also work at a biotechnology incubator
(In total I work about 30 hours a week including time on weekends during the school semester and full time during the week over the summer)

My School List:
Tulane
LSU New Orleans
UM (state of residence)
Oakland Beaumont (state of residence)
Temple
Boston U
Tufts

Reach:
Emory
Mayo (I feel like this is a very long reach)
Dartmouth

Is my application strong enough to be competitive at top tier schools? I don’t want to pursue an MD/PhD but I would like to do some research during med school. This is why I have chosen not to apply to some Michigan schools because according to the MSAR they have little to no research funding. Also what schools are more lenient on GPAs? Thanks in advance for any advice!

Chill your GPA is fine. For the sake of this discussion, let's assume equivalent of a 34 MCAT. I'll add a couple schools at the bottom to consider if it ends up 36+ equivalent.

All Michigan schools: Worry about getting into medical school first then for looking up research funding numbers(and you can find plenty of opportunities for research even in schools that are listed on the lower end of funding). Your state schools represent some of your best chances. This includes U Michigan btw. Here are the schools I would consider

Tulane
Hofstra
Jefferson
Temple
Drexel
Quinnipac
Loyola
Wake Forest
Mayo
Boston U
Rush
Rosalind
Va Tech
Emory
USC
Case Western
Rochester
Creighton
Saint Louis
State Schools.

I listed around 13 or so lower tiers on here. You can definitely remove some if you need to because LA has some very friendly state schools(one I believe interviews half their in state residents) but still keep a couple OOS lower tiers.

If your MCAT ends up around a 36 you can start thinking about including some of these schools(and it wouldn't be crazy to include one or two of them even with a 34)
Northwestern
Duke
Pitt
NYU
Mt Sinai
Vanderbilt

You don't sound like a non-trad which is what Dartmouth looks for also.

 

[Banco]

Don't mention your C's; your overall GPA is good.

I'd add all Louisiana and Michigan schools as a start.

 

[Goro]

If you're MI resident, forget about the LSUs.

I suggest, conservatively:

U AZ (both)

U VM

USF Morsani (maybe)

Miami

St. Louis

Albany

Albert Einstein

Rochester

Rush

Rosy Franklin

BU

Hofstra

NYMC

VCU

EVMS

Wake Forest

Jefferson

Temple

Drexel

Creighton

George Washington

Emory

USC/Keck

Tulane
Loyola

Creighton

Any new MD school. Skip Central MI and the three new FL schools.

ALL MI schools

Any DO program, starting with MSUCOM, MUCOM and CCOM.

 

[GrapesofRath]

I didn't read the post correctly. If you aren't a LA resident you can't use those state schools as safeties and since they are really good safeties to have, I would recommend applying to more OOS lower tiers than simply a few like I said above.

 

[Faii]

Hey all, thanks for the great lists. I didn't realize Dartmouth favored non-traditional students, but anyway it's neat that they do. I'll work on making my list more lower tier focused! Again, thanks for the help. Much appreciated!