MD 3.89/510 Re-applicant, WAMC?

[Beemo1999]

Hi everyone! After having seen many other students get decent advice from these threads, I've decided to try out a WAMC post myself. As a bit of background, I am a graduate from the University of Maryland. I graduated with a 3.89 cGPA, 3.84 sGPA with a degree in Physiology/Neurobiology. I took my MCAT last year, and while I didn't do horribly (510), it was a bit below what I was usually getting on full length practice exams (514-515). My specific breakdown was 128 P/C, 125 CARS, 129 B/B, 128 P/S. I applied to the 2020-21 cycle without knowing my MCAT score, since I had to keep delaying due to COVID, and I may have applied to too many top tier schools. I got a few schools placing me on-hold, and one interview. I am working under the assumption that I will be applying again next cycle, and I was hoping to see how my overall application looks. I will go ahead and list my work/activity hours, as well as my prospective list of schools.

1. NIH Summer Research Internships: 900 hours
2. NIH IRTA Postbac Research Program: ~2200 hours
3. Poster Presentations: 3 posters from various internships and the postbac
4. Publications: I have a paper with a co-authorship, hopefully will be accepted soon
5. Conference Attendance: I took part in two genetics based research conferences
6. Clinical Volunteering: 140 hours at a pregnancy center serving an underserved area
7. Club leadership: 180 hours
8. Clinical Shadowing: 230 hours, ranging from small clinics to large hospitals
9. Emergency Room Volunteer: 50 hours
10. Food Service Volunteer: 100 hours
11. Tutoring: 110 hours, virtually taught K-12 students in the Washington DC area
12. Honors/Awards: Part of school's honor program, dean's list all semesters

Obviously, research is my strongest and most unique aspect, but my MCAT prohibits me from applying to research heavy schools. Given my shortcomings this cycle, here is the list that I am thinking of for the 2022 cycle:

Safety (these include MCAT score 510-513, with at least 50% OOS acceptance)

1. Loma-Linda
2. Albany
3. Carle Illinois
4. Rosiland Franklin
5. Drexel
6. Eastern Virginia
7. George Washington
8. Georgetown
9. Hackensack
10. Temple
11. Loyola
12. New York Medical College
13. NOVA
14. Oakland Beaumont
15. Penn State
16. Vermont
17. Rush
18. USUHS
19. Virginia Commonwealth University
20. Virginia Tech
21. Wake Forest
22. University of Maryland (514 MCAT, but I am in-state)

Reach (these include MCAT scores 514-515, which I am at least in the 10th percentile for)

1. Albert Einstein
2. Long Island
3. Tufts
4. Quinnipiac
5. Thomas Jefferson
6. University of Colorado
7. University of Miami

Other schools (these schools have suitable MCATs, but usually have an OOS acceptance of 25-35%)

1. Cooper: 512
2. Florida International: 511
3. Long Island: 515
4. Michigan State: 509
5. Western Virginia: 509
6. University of South Carolina Greensville: 509

I'm curious to hear what you guys think about my list and overall application. I think my spread of schools is pretty good, but my biggest concern is the MCAT at this point. I look forward to seeing what you guys have to say!

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[Faha]

Carle Illinois has a small class and they are looking for applicants with an engineering background. Michigan State and South Carolina accept few non residents with no connection to the state. You could add these schools:
TCU-UNT
Creighton
St. Louis
Medical College Wisconsin

 

[Beemo1999]

Carle Illinois has a small class and they are looking for applicants with an engineering background. Michigan State and South Carolina accept few non residents with no connection to the state. You could add these schools:
TCU-UNT
Creighton
St. Louis
Medical College Wisconsin

Thank you so much for replying! It's always refreshing to get these insights which are not readily available on the MSAR. While your list for extra schools looks great (I think I forgot to check schools in Wisconsin, whoops!), I am a little confused by the St. Louis option. I really like the school and what it stands for in terms of research innovation, but the MCAT seems way out of my league at 521. The lowest MCAT they accepted so far has been a 516. I'll go ahead and jot the others down though!

 

[Faha]

St. Louis has a 10th percentile 0f 508 for the MCAT. You are looking at the stats for Washington University (in St, Louis).

 

[Beemo1999]

St. Louis has a 10th percentile 0f 508 for the MCAT. You are looking at the stats for Washington University (in St, Louis).

Ahh OK, now I see it on MSAR! Thank you very much for your insight! I do have one more question; since my MCAT might be the limiting reagent in my application, how do you think I will fair this cycle given that almost all of these schools are rather competitive? I debating taking the exam again if that needs to be done.

 

[Faha]

The GPA-MCAT grid shows you have a ~80% chance for a MD acceptance. If your MCAT were 515 it would only increase to 90%. As a reapplicant you should also apply to several DO schools.

 

[Banco]

I think with a more balanced list this year in concordance with your MCAT should yield you better results. Your "safety" list is more like a target list, but is pretty appropriate. You can keep all of the ones you designated as "reach."

I would remove South Carolina and Michigan state.

 

[Beemo1999]

I think with a more balanced list this year in concordance with your MCAT should yield you better results. Your "safety" list is more like a target list, but is pretty appropriate. You can keep all of the ones you designated as "reach."

I would remove South Carolina and Michigan state.

Thanks Banco! I will certainly remove those, as well as Carle Illinois since they do seem to be VERY bio-engineering focused. I also agree that I probably should have designated most those schools as "target," that was a semantic error on my part. I assume you think that this list, alongside those schools Faha has mentioned, is as good a list as I could make? Also, in response to what Faha recently said regarding DO schools, I am mostly just interested in MD programs at the moment for a variety of reasons.

 

[Banco]

Thanks Banco! I will certainly remove those, as well as Carle Illinois since they do seem to be VERY bio-engineering focused. I also agree that I probably should have designated most those schools as "target," that was a semantic error on my part. I assume you think that this list, alongside those schools Faha has mentioned, is as good a list as I could make? Also, in response to what Faha recently said regarding DO schools, I am mostly just interested in MD programs at the moment for a variety of reasons.

Yeah I think that list would be as good as you can make it. I think if you apply broadly like this you’ll get interviews from MD schools. After that it’s up to you. Make sure your essays are solid.