3.82 cGPA, 3.71 sGPA, 518 MCAT. NJ ORM, Decent ECs? School List Help

[KatsuCurry]

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Hey all. Just got my MCAT Score Back and I'm wondering if you guys could help me finalize my school list. I'm a senior, planning on taking a gap year of service with AmeriCorps. I'm looking to apply to 30-35 schools, although I'm open to applying to more with all this free time on my hands (might be virtual interviews too so could be saving money on interviews?)

1. cGPA: 3.8; sGPA: 3.7
2. MCAT: 518
3. State of Residence: Northeast
4. Ethnicity: ORM
5. School: T30
6. Clinical experience:
   1. 300 hours working with homeless patients
   2. 180 hours as a translator for a global health mission (in China)
7. Research:
   1. 400 hours on protein trafficking - 4th author
   2. 450 hours research on the socio-economic correlates of the opioid epidemic (Pulished a paper, but I'm not listed as an author, although I'm listed in the acknowledgments section)
   3. 150 hours undergrad Honors thesis
8. Shadowing:
   1. 100 hours total:
      1. 40 hours anesthesia
      2. 20 hours radiation oncology
      3. 40 hours family medicine
9. Non-clinical volunteering:
   1. 100 hours as a peer-to-peer texting support hotline
   2. Plan to spend gap year as an AmeriCorps member
10. Other extracurricular activities
    1. Student government (4 years)
    2. Asian's student organization (1 year)
    3. Misc. hobbies: photography, the NFL, playing intramural sports
11. Relevant honors or awards: Dean's list, Honors Program in school, Magna Cum Laude, likely PBK, nothing too special

Tentative school list:

Reach:

1. UCSF
2. Columbia
3. UCLA*
4. Mayo
5. Cornell
6. Duke
7. Pitt
8. Michigan
9. Vanderbilt
10. UChicago
11. Northwestern
12. Sinai

Target:

13. UCSD*
14. Emory
15. Case
16. UVA
17. Colorado*
18. USC
19. BU
20. Iowa*
21. Maryland*
22. Brown
23. Cincinnati
24. Einstein
25. Dartmouth
26. Georgetown
27. Miami
28. Tufts
29 Jefferson
30. Stony Brook
31. Hofstra
32. Loyola

State Schools:

33. RWJ
34. NJMS
35. Cooper Rowan

* Are these OOS schools worth applying to? I hear that these 5 are relatively OOS friendly?


Thanks in advance. Hope everyone and their loved ones are safe.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I would delete any OOS-unfriendly schools. Obviously I think your metrics should make you strong at your in-state programs and many of the schools on your list including a few reach schools. But that said, I'd be more choosy. 35 is a ton. The AmeriCorps experience is a good plus to have though a challenge during your gap year for interviewing. Check your peers in AmeriCorps to get some affirmation of schools that may value this once you have completed your obligations.

 

[KatsuCurry]

I would delete any OOS-unfriendly schools. Obviously I think your metrics should make you strong at your in-state programs and many of the schools on your list including a few reach schools. But that said, I'd be more choosy. 35 is a ton. The AmeriCorps experience is a good plus to have though a challenge during your gap year for interviewing. Check your peers in AmeriCorps to get some affirmation of schools that may value this once you have completed your obligations.

Thanks for your response! I will definitely ask some previous members of the AmeriCorps program that I'm in what schools they've had success at.

Regarding the OOS schools, I have some connections to Iowa, but other than that school - aren't UCLA/UCSD/Colorado and Maryland relatively OOS friendly?

 

[Faha]

Add Rowan and Seton Hall. You should receive several interviews from the other schools on your list.

 

[KatsuCurry]

@Goro Appreciate all that you do for applicants - Would you be willing to take a look at my school list and give suggestions (I have a connection to Iowa but no connection to any other OOS schools)

 

[Goro]

@Goro Appreciate all that you do for applicants - Would you be willing to take a look at my school list and give suggestions (I have a connection to Iowa but no connection to any other OOS schools)

Sure. and what exactly is the tie to IA?

 

[KatsuCurry]

Sure. and what exactly is the tie to IA?

I lived in Iowa for 2 years in middle school and I have extended family that lives there (one family member works for the medical school). Is that enough to justify applying to the school? (I believe they are moderately OOS friendly anyway?)

 

[Goro]

Hey all. Just got my MCAT Score Back and I'm wondering if you guys could help:

1.


17. Colorado*
21. Maryland*
22. Brown
26. Georgetown
30. Stony Brook

Delete the above

Add
U VM
Baylor
U Penn
WashU
NYU
NYU.LI
KECK
YALE
STANFORD
WASHU
JHU
ROCHESTER
DARTMOUTH

 

[ChicagoBear]

Regarding Iowa, I definitely think its worth applying. One-third of the class is OOS by design, so in that respect it is OOS friendly for a state school. Your GPA is right at the average - plus you are from a Top 30. Your MCAT is above the OOS average and you have research and community service. The only problem with being OOS friendly is that Iowa then draws a lot of OOS applications. The essays are straight forward and the fee is not outrageous. No one can guarantee that you will get an II, but your applications appears to be competitive.

 

[darth_chonker]

Delete the above

Add
U VM
Baylor
U Penn
WashU
NYU
NYU.LI
KECK
YALE
STANFORD
WASHU
JHU
ROCHESTER
DARTMOUTH

Any reason to apply to WashU twice? 😉

 

[darth_chonker]

Also I’d just like to say your honors thesis sounds dope

 

[Goro]

Any reason to apply to WashU twice? 😉

They're stats ******.

 

[KatsuCurry]

Delete the above

Add
U VM
Baylor
U Penn
WashU
NYU
NYU.LI
KECK
YALE
STANFORD
WASHU
JHU
ROCHESTER
DARTMOUTH

Thank you a lot for your help! Really appreciate it. Am I truly competitive enough for all those T10 schools with 3.9 521+ medians?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Did you live in rural Iowa or in one of the cities? If it's rural Iowa, that may be a nice bonus.

 

[Goro]

Thank you a lot for your help! Really appreciate it. Am I truly competitive enough for all those T10 schools with 3.9 521+ medians?

Yup. Work on the self esteem, OK?

 

[KatsuCurry]

Did you live in rural Iowa or in one of the cities? If it's rural Iowa, that may be a nice bonus.

Nope, it was just Des Moines. While working with the underserved is part of my application, it's mostly been in urban environments. Definitely don't consider myself a farm boy haha.

 

[kiwitwin11]

Hi, I’m an Asian female with similar stats (cGPA 3.83, sGPA 3.72, 518). I posted a WAMC/school list thread a while ago if you want to look at what people said in response to my school list (although I think our lists are fairly similar already haha). I would type it out here but I’m on my phone atm!

 

[KatsuCurry]

Hi, I’m an Asian female with similar stats (cGPA 3.83, sGPA 3.72, 518). I posted a WAMC/school list thread a while ago if you want to look at what people said in response to my school list (although I think our lists are fairly similar already haha). I would type it out here but I’m on my phone atm!

Damn we're basically stat twins haha. Thanks for the tip, I'll take a look over your posted list.