MD 3.7 cGPA, 3.6 sGPA Looking for thoughts on school list [URM]

[Best Sejuani NA]

Thank you for all of the help! Will update post-cycle...

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[GrapesofRath]

You'll probably have a shot at being competitive at most schools you apply to. Your list looks fine by and large. My only advice might be for lower tiers to remove some of these low yield schools with tons of apps like GW Georgetown and Drexel.

 

[Banco]

You'll probably be fine with this list. Decent stats + URM + Spanish skills + service to underserved makes you a good candidate for the UCs.

I agree with Grapes. If you want to refine the list I'd probably replace GTown, GWU, and Drexel with some other lower tiers since all 3 get a crapload of applications.

 

[WedgeDawg]

Agree with both of the gentlemen who posted above me. You have a very solid list for your application and I think you'll have a good cycle. I also suggest removing GW, Georgetown, and Drexel. As replacements, I might suggest considering VCU and EVMS, and if you wanted another reach or two that you might have a shot at, you could throw in Einstein (more of a target than a reach) and possibly Emory.

 

[Ad2b]

I am not sure but with the Spanish, look at the FL schools - check MSAR to see what it says

 

[gyngyn]

You can delete the OOS schools you are not interested in as long as you are a sincere interviewee.

 

[Doug Underhill]

Yeah, ditch the low-yield schools that get a bazillion apps and save the money. You're good to go for UCs and the mid tier.

 

[Best Sejuani NA]

You'll probably have a shot at being competitive at most schools you apply to. Your list looks fine by and large. My only advice might be for lower tiers to remove some of these low yield schools with tons of apps like GW Georgetown and Drexel.

You'll probably be fine with this list. Decent stats + URM + Spanish skills + service to underserved makes you a good candidate for the UCs.

I agree with Grapes. If you want to refine the list I'd probably replace GTown, GWU, and Drexel with some other lower tiers since all 3 get a crapload of applications.

Agree with both of the gentlemen who posted above me. You have a very solid list for your application and I think you'll have a good cycle. I also suggest removing GW, Georgetown, and Drexel. As replacements, I might suggest considering VCU and EVMS, and if you wanted another reach or two that you might have a shot at, you could throw in Einstein (more of a target than a reach) and possibly Emory.

You can delete the OOS schools you are not interested in as long as you are a sincere interviewee.

Yeah, ditch the low-yield schools that get a bazillion apps and save the money. You're good to go for UCs and the mid tier.

Wow! Thank you all for your time and encouraging words! I'll be sure to add these schools to my primary ASAP and finish my secondary pre-writing later!

A shame that some of the OOS privates are so heavily flooded with applications...GWU, Georgetown, and Drexel are all great programs in beautiful locations

@WedgeDawg :
I've found your spreadsheet useful in making this list. I'll remember to pay you back at the end of this cycle with some hopefully good data

I am not sure but with the Spanish, look at the FL schools - check MSAR to see what it says

Thanks! Will do, especially for Miller since they seem the most OOS friendly.

 

[Throwaway692015]

I know twin peaks Minnesota gives high preference to urms for their oos applicants

 

[Best Sejuani NA]

Hi all.
Long story short, my application to these schools isn't going to be listed as "complete" until sometime this week (but they'll all be complete, such as the CA schools, PA schools, and IL schools listed). Am I screwed? Is it too late to add more schools to try and correct this setback? Would @Goro be correct to advise a Xanax prescription for me, or are my fears of an unfortunate cycle going to be realized? All of the schools named in this thread are absolutely fantastic, and I just want to get into one...

Thank you all again for your help and candid advice.

 

[gyngyn]

You'll be fine.

 

[Goro]

You're more that fine!

Hi everyone. Hoping to get chanced if someone has a minute to spare. App just got verified recently, ready to add schools within a few days!

Biographic:
Mexican-American Male
Undergraduate School: a UC (I’m a CA resident)
Major: Applied Mathematics
Minor: [An interdisciplinary minor related to the social science/humanities aspect of healthcare]
Disadvantaged, URM, first time applying. No gap year.

Speak Spanish right now, and because of an odd family situation I’m getting better with my Arabic!

Stats:
cGPA: 3.69
sGPA: 3.57
MCAT: 31 (12 PS/8 VR/11 BS) (only one take)

LORs:
-Chem professor (decent to strong)
-Non-science professor (very strong)
-Math professor/boss (pretty strong)

Research:
-Help with mathematical modelling of cancer tumor growth (<100 hours)
-Clinical research with cancer patients (~100 hours)
-Social science research with underserved populations (~300 hours) (poster presentations only so far)

Volunteering:
-Help organize and run a health fair in an underserved area, use Spanish skills here as well (couple of years, 400+ hours)
-TA for a social science class (plan on repeating in the future, 100+ hours currently)

Shadowing:
-50 to 60 hrs, assortment of specialties

Work:
-Assisted rad techs at a major hospital for a summer
-Tutoring in math and stats (several years, 1,000+ hours)

Awards:
-PBK

Schools:
UCD
UCI
UCLA Drew
UCLA PRIME
UCLA Geffen
UCSD
UCR
UCSF
USC
Northwestern
Pritzker
Drexel
UPenn
Temple
Jefferson
Arizona – Tucson
Arizona – Phoenix
GWU
Georgetown
Boston U
Tufts
Rochester
Rush
Miller
Tulane

It's a fairly top heavy list...such is the life of a CA student I suppose Some of the "high caliber" schools on the list have given me fee waivers, so it's definitely worth it for me to at least try my hand there.

Thank you all in advance for your time! Happy to help clarify anything, as well as do a return chance (for what my opinion might be worth).

 

[Best Sejuani NA]

@Goro and @gyngyn, thank you both for your reassurances. I'll go forward, then, and put up the best fight that I can.


I've definitely become a bit of a needlessly anxious person over these last few years....Time for me to go on an evening run.

 

[Best Sejuani NA]

I wish that I had better news to share, but I'm sitting on two waitlists (UCLA Geffen and Northwestern). Northwestern's waitlist hasn't moved much, and despite Geffen's having moved quite a bit, it hasn't trickled down to me yet.

Hopefully others will read this thread and manage their LoRs better than I did. As for me, I've buckled, and will allow myself to send update letters this coming week.

 

[MaxPlancker]

I wish that I had better news to share, but I'm sitting on two waitlists (UCLA Geffen and Northwestern). Northwestern's waitlist hasn't moved much, and despite Geffen's having moved quite a bit, it hasn't trickled down to me yet.

Hopefully others will read this thread and manage their LoRs better than I did. As for me, I've buckled, and will allow myself to send update letters this coming week.

If you had shown some Lee mechanics you woulda been insta-accept.

Goodluck haha

 

[gyngyn]

I wish that I had better news to share, but I'm sitting on two waitlists (UCLA Geffen and Northwestern). Northwestern's waitlist hasn't moved much, and despite Geffen's having moved quite a bit, it hasn't trickled down to me yet.

Hopefully others will read this thread and manage their LoRs better than I did. As for me, I've buckled, and will allow myself to send update letters this coming week.

UCLA is still moving, hang in there.