MD 3.70 cGPA 3.60 sGPA 34 MCAT Chances/Future Directions?

[Axonn]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hi all,

I am a UC Student.

~1 year as a upper div bio TA
~1 year as a Research Assistant
~1 year as a Research Assistant with a doctor studying neuroscience
~100 hours hospital volunteering

I have at least 3-4 people who can write me a nice letter of recommendation.

For California, I'll be applying to all the UCs, and USC.

I'm also looking at:
Brown
Boston
Yeshiva
Georgetown
Temple
Tulane
Jefferson
MC Wisconsin
Arizona - Phoenix
Eastern Virginia
New York MC
George Washington
Virginia Commonwealth
Oakland University (Beaumont)
Drexel
Rush
Arizona - Tucson
Rowan University (Cooper)
Michigan State MD


I have already graduated, and I am going to submit my apps in June. In the mean time, I've gotten a job as teacher and I'm planning to do more brain research in different labs. What are the best things I could do in the mean time to improve my chances for admission? Are there any other schools I should look at? Thanks for the support. 😀

 

[GrapesofRath]

It would be a good idea to boost the hospital volunteering for clinical experience past 100 hours. I would also recommend doing some service with the less fortuante or most vulnerable communities of your region. It'll add a different dimension to your app and can make a difference.

Your school list by and large is fine. I would get rid of Cooper, MIchigan State, and Brown.

https://career.ucsd.edu/_files/Medicine admits 2010-12.pdf

Some good data showing where UCSD graduates have success with medical schools the past few years.

I might also give consideration to Stony Brook, Saint Louis, Miami, Case Western, Penn State, Rosalind, U of Illinois, Medical College of Wisconsin, Cincinnati, Vermont, Wake Forest, U of Illinois and Rochester.

 

[Doug Underhill]

Illinois seems like a bad pick: they only matriculated 60 out of 6000 OOS apps and their OOS tuition is the highest in the nation. Arizona and Cooper are both terrible picks. Agree with St. Louis, Miami, Rochester and Penn State, and I would look into Dartmouth and Hofstra.

Your ECs seem a little "cookie cutter". You need more clinical experience, particularly shadowing.

 

[GrapesofRath]

U of Arizona and U of Illinois both in particular take a bunch of CA applicants every year.

9 UCSD applicants out of 162 got accepted to U of Arizona Tuscon last year. AFter NYMC, Oakland, Rosalind and Saint Louis that school had the highest acceptance rate and most total acceptances out of any MD school for UCSD UG's.

Illinois also takes a fairly high number and youll see gyngyn talk alot about how U of Illinois takes a bunch of CA applicants each year. Its around 7-10 UCSD applicants out of 200 a year, again some of the best numbers they have at any particular med school.

Keep both of them. There are other UC schools that publish where their UGs end up which I would encourage you to look at as well to get a feel for how some schools might take more CA applicants than others. Saint Louis amongst others in particular pops up every single year at a very high frequency.

 

[Axonn]

Thanks everyone! I'll look into adding those schools on my list and improving my clinical experience, which I know is lacking. What are some good opportunities for clinical experience that aren't "cookie cutter"?

As far as my GPA and MCAT are concerned, I'm worried that if such a low number of people are accepted each year (e.g. 9/162 applicants for U of Arizona), spots wold be taken by those with higher numbers. Do I still have a good shot at those schools?

Once again, I appreciate the help. 🙂

 

[7331poas]

I dont know what the policy is, but you may not want to just throw it out there you are from UCSD. You are easily pin-pointable.

Unless you are ok with that.

 

[GrapesofRath]

Thanks everyone! I'll look into adding those schools on my list and improving my clinical experience, which I know is lacking. What are some good opportunities for clinical experience that aren't "cookie cutter"?

As far as my GPA and MCAT are concerned, I'm worried that if such a low number of people are accepted each year (e.g. 9/162 applicants for U of Arizona), spots wold be taken by those with higher numbers. Do I still have a good shot at those schools?

Once again, I appreciate the help. 🙂

Your going to have to do your own digging/research on the bold but a type of thing to consider is service with the less fortunate. Volunteering in a hospice is one example that portrays this and as they like to say gives you "Brownie points" for working with the sick in environments many dont want to work in.

Being from CA all schools are low yield. Hell, OOS every school is low yield regardless of state to a large extent( a 9/162 acceptance rate is actually somewhat high). And yet despite all that, a solid majority of 3.7/34 applicants who apply broadly get in somewhere. Apply broadly and target about 15 schools OOS where you think you have the best chance of interview(ie Saint Louis, U of Arizona, Medical College Wisconsin). If you can interview decently, that should be more than enough to get the job done for you.

 

[beatro]

Your stats are good, and I think you've chosen reasonable schools for the most part. In the next 6 months, you should really focus on how you're planning on presenting yourself in your personal statement and the rest of your AMCAS application. What image do you want med schools to get of you when they read your application?

Figuring out how you plan on selling yourself will also help you identify what types of clinical/non-clinical volunteering experiences will strengthen your image/your application etc. Just based on the info you've given, it seems like you're interested in neuro/cogsci type stuff. Maybe find some volunteering related to that?

 

[Goro]

Less research, more volunteering! You're weak on the latter. Show off your altruism

Nothing wrong with aiming high; the ones I have in bold are schools where your MCAT score is 2-3 points below their avg, and your GPA is in striking distance. Thus, proceed with caution on these, but I feel you're in striking distance for some.


U VM
U Toledo (maybe)
Miami
St. Louis
Albany
Albert Einstein
Rochester
Rosy Franklin
NYMC
EVMS
Wake Forest
Jefferson
Temple
Drexel
Creighton
Tulane
Dartmouth
Loyola
USF Morsani
Emory
BU
Mayo
Duke
Case
Baylor
JHU
Pitt
Northwestern
NYU
Vanderbilt
Columbia

Any new MD school, especially Hofstra. Skip Central MI and the three new FL schools. I can't recommend CNU.

Your state school(s).

Hi all,

I am a UCSD Bio student who just graduated early. I'm going to submit my med school applications in June. Besides my numbers I have:

~1 year as a Physiology (upper division course) TA
~1 year as a Research Assistant at an autism center
~1 year as a Research Assistant with a doctor studying the effects of stroke (wrote a paper, presented at 3 conferences, trying to publish)
~100 hours hospital volunteering

- VP of a club that goes around to local schools and teaches students about how their brain works/mental health
- Was on a school dance team for a year

I have at least 3-4 people who can write me a nice letter of recommendation.

For California, I'll be applying to all the UCs, and USC.

I'm also looking at:
Brown
Boston
Yeshiva
Georgetown
Temple
Tulane
Jefferson
MC Wisconsin
Arizona - Phoenix
Eastern Virginia
New York MC
George Washington
Virginia Commonwealth
Oakland University (Beaumont)
Drexel
Rush
Arizona - Tucson
Rowan University (Cooper)
Michigan State MD


I have already graduated, and I am going to submit my apps in June. In the mean time, I've gotten a job as an MCAT teacher with Kaplan and I'm planning to do more brain research in different labs. What are the best things I could do in the mean time to improve my chances for admission? Are there any other schools I should look at? Thanks for the support. 😀

 

[Axonn]

Hi all,
Thanks for the advice and school recommendations, I really appreciate it. 😀 I will definitely start shadowing with doctors I know and I will look into hospice volunteering -- it seems like a very rewarding and eye-opening experience (thanks GrapesofRath). Being close to Mexico, I could also try to volunteer in underserved areas of Tijuana. Does it make a difference whether my clinical experience comes from the U.S. or from another country?

Also, could trends in grades play a significant role in helping with admissions? I got several poor grades in the first 1-2 years of college but since then I've gotten straight As.

 

[flapjack3d]

I'd get rid of/replace:
tulane (highly mission based, probably need more commitment to underserved to have a shot)
drexel, jefferson, boston (tons of people apply here. very low yield.)
brown (again low yield. many/most spots reserved for undergrad PLME program)