3.8 cGPA, 3.7 sGPA, 37 MCAT - School List

[jakernewt]

Stats

• cGPA - 3.84
• sGPA - 3.70
• MCAT - 37 @ [13/10/14]
• White Male - Pennsylvania

Extracurrics

• Spanish-Speaking Volunteering Abroad [~1800 hrs or 6ish months worth]
• Cancer Research [~200 hours]
• Volunteer Interpreter [Domestic] [~75 hrs]
• Fraternity, Med club, Academic Clubs [~250 hrs]
• Student Government Leadership Position [1 year]
• Community Service Leadership Positions [~250 hrs]
• Shadowing <Several specialties> [~60 hrs]
• Several other smaller scale ECs

Strengths/Weaknesses

• Weakness - Lack of Research, Slightly low sGPA
• Strength - Volunteer work, Leadership, Spanish ability

Schools

1. Penn State Hershey
2. University of Pennsylvania
3. Pittsburg University
4. Temple University
5. Jefferson Medical College
6. Vanderbilt University
7. Duke University
8. University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
9. Baylor University
10. Emory University
11. Columbia University
12. UCLA
13. Boston U
14. Yale
15. George Washington
16. Mayo Medical School
17. Weill Cornell Medical College
18. Georgetown University
19. Albert Einstein
20. Icahn School of Medicine @ Mount Sinai
21. Stanford University
22. Keck School of Medicine
23. University of Chicago (Pritzker)
24. Johns Hopkins

** designates schools that like to see underserved volunteer work from what i've heard.​

Question
The list above is quite obviously top heavy. I'd like to apply to between 15 and 20 schools. How does the list look overall, and any I should add or drop for sure?

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[October88]

Stanford likes to see a lot of research.
Do you have any connections to Arkansas?
Why isn't drexel on your list?

Those are a few things that came to my mind as I read the list.

 

[jakernewt]

Yeah Stanford is probably a very long shot for me. I just really like the school and have taken some free online courses and listened to some podcasts by them. Kind of just a dream.

I do have good connections to Arkansas (my undergrad institution was here). I would look to do the MD/PhD there.

Drexel has a 10th-90th MCAT scale of 28-35. So with my 37 I thought maybe they would reject me thinking they were just a safety school. Do you think I should still add this since it is in state?

 

[October88]

I think since you are a pa resident they would assume you'd go there to stay close to home so they probably would not automatically eject you for high stats.

 

[jakernewt]

Good call. I'll add them to the list! Do you think the top tiers I have on there are a reasonable hope?

 

[October88]

You have as much of a chance at top tiers as any other really great applicant. Most top schools though are forced to reject tons of top applicants like you so just focus on the ones that match your interests the most but in general you do have a chance and literally no school would be a hopeless reach!!!

 

[jakernewt]

Thanks for the advice and encouragement! Can't hurt to cast the line I guess (other than my wallet)!

 

[nabilesmail]

I think you should take out UCLA, but go for it if you really want it!

 

[jakernewt]

Why do you say that? Too biased against OOS?

 

[jakernewt]

bump

 

[Lafakads]

I'd say you're a good for Temple and even probably a scholarship.

Good luck!

 

[LuciusVorenus]

Why do you say that? Too biased against OOS?

Both UCLA and UCSF say this "No preference is given to state of residence. However many applicants come from California. Acceptees from California are more likely to matriculate at UCLA. Out of 145 freshman, 85 percent were from California." All the UCs LOVE research though, but then again UCLA also loves seeing volunteering with the under-served so I wouldn't say it's too far of a reach for you. If you have the money, why not right?