3.9, 3.9, 37 MCAT - what schools

[shoopshoop]

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I'm applying in 2015 for fall acceptance to 2016. I got my MCAT back a few weeks ago and got a 37 - (14/12/11). I thought I should get a rough idea for where I should apply:

 

[pink/\floyd]

Most advisors here will ask you to invest in a MSAR and pick your own list of schools first. They would then offer you feedback i.e, ask you to add/subtract schools as necessary. Obviously your stats are good so pick your state schools, top 25 schools (esp if you have any pub) and some safety OOS private schools. Make a list of 20-25 schools.

 

[shoopshoop]

Most advisors here will ask you to invest in a MSAR and pick your own list of schools first. They would then offer you feedback i.e, ask you to add/subtract schools as necessary. Obviously your stats are good so pick your state schools, top 25 schools (esp if you have any pub) and some safety OOS private schools. Make a list of 20-25 schools.

thanks! any idea about my other two questions? i also am not exactly sure how to use the MSAR to choose my school list/i'll probably wait till the new updated one comes out

 

[pink/\floyd]

The MSAR allows you to arrange schools based on MCAT/GPA (10% to 90% or vice versa). You can also use the tools to look only for private/public schools and then arrange them according to different metrics. In your case, you can anywhere you want! But in terms of safety schools, def apply to state schools + OOS schools where you fit their mission. All this information is provided in the MSAR. Or you could just look at other similar threads as this one: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/3-9-sgpa-cgpa-37-mcat.1033107/
Gap year: do something meaningful that you will enjoy, and that would also make you unique.
Last question, I'm not sure. Other more experienced members will be able to answer.

PS: MSAR is online and only 25$.

 

[shoopshoop]

Tentative list so far!

Rutgers-NJMS
Rutgers-RWJ
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Cooper
UPenn
Columbia
UChicago
Weill Cornell
Mount Sinai
WashU
Loyola Chicago
NYU
Boston U
Tufts
Harvard
Einstein

 

[Aerus]

Tentative list so far!

Rutgers-NJMS
Rutgers-RWJ
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Cooper
UPenn
Columbia
UChicago
Weill Cornell
Mount Sinai
WashU
Loyola Chicago
NYU
Boston U
Tufts
Harvard
Einstein

You can do better than that. You need more top 20's!

 

[pink/\floyd]

Tentative list so far!

Rutgers-NJMS
Rutgers-RWJ
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Cooper
UPenn
Columbia
UChicago
Weill Cornell
Mount Sinai
WashU
Loyola Chicago
NYU
Boston U
Tufts
Harvard
Einstein

Vanderbilt, Duke, Tulane, Brown, USC, Baylor, UCLA, UCSF, WU at SL, Georgetown, UMich, Yale, Johns Hopkins, Mayo, UConn, Cleveland Clinic, Stanford are some more options.

 

[shoopshoop]

You can do better than that. You need more top 20's!

really? i thought this was too top-heavy!

 

[pink/\floyd]

Well increase your odds and add more schools.

 

[shoopshoop]

awesome thanks for all your help guys! i would really prefer to be in the east coast but i think i can add places like UConn, Georgetown, Yale and Hopkins.

any idea on how i can get some adcom feedback particularly on the rest of my questions? @gyngyn @LizzyM @Goro if you don't mind this would be so helpful and much appreciated!

 

[Goro]

You're a rock star, shoop, so the sky's the limit.

My list:
Rutgers-NJMS
Rutgers-RWJ
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Dartmouth
Cooper
UPenn
Columbia
UChicago (note: it seems that U Chi likes people from the Midwest; if true, treat this one with caution)
Weill Cornell
Mount Sinai
WashU
Loyola Chicago
NYU
Boston U
Pitt
Northwestern
Baylor
Duke
U VA
U MI
Harvard
Yale
JHU
Einstein
Vanderbilt
USC
Stanford
Tulane
U Miami

 

[shoopshoop]

You're a rock star, shoop, so the sky's the limit.

My list:
Rutgers-NJMS
Rutgers-RWJ
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Dartmouth
Cooper
UPenn
Columbia
UChicago (note: it seems that U Chi likes people from the Midwest; if true, treat this one with caution)
Weill Cornell
Mount Sinai
WashU
Loyola Chicago
NYU
Boston U
Pitt
Northwestern
Baylor
Duke
U VA
U MI
Harvard
Yale
JHU
Einstein
Vanderbilt
USC
Stanford
Tulane
U Miami

wow thank you SO much! i am so happy you think i am capable of applying to so many amazing schools!

any answers to the last few questions - what should i do in this last year before applying/what weaknesses to address and should i mention being an abortion clinic escort?

 

[Goro]

You've done so much that I think you deserve to do whatever you really want to do.


any answers to the last few questions - what should i do in this last year before applying/what weaknesses to address and


Maybe not at Loyola.
should i mention being an abortion clinic escort?

 

[Aerus]

really? i thought this was too top-heavy!

No way! Goro's list was way more appropriate for you. You've basically nailed everything. You might not have unique stuff like "Olympic Athelete" or "cured cancer", but you're one of those "mega cookie cutter" applicants that top med schools fill their classes with.

 

[LizzyM]

You shouldn't need to apply to more than 15 schools but your list should be well chosen. You don't mention your home state.... do pay close attention to state schools that don't accept OOS students or who admit very few.

If you like research you should shoot for the top schools in NYC plus Yale, etc.
I have my doubts about:
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Cooper

Those schools may figure, "This one's going to go to one of those top schools so we shouldn't waste an interview slot on this one."

Not sure about OOS/IS for these two:
Rutgers-NJMS
Rutgers-RWJ

If you are a NY state resident you should consider Downstate and Stony Brook at the very least and perhaps Buffalo and the other upstate schools including Rochester (which is private).

 

[lizlemon12]

I have very similar stats and a few less EC's / research / clinical work. I have a strong preference for either NYC, the west coast, or Indiana but you might find some school overlap in my tentative list:

Reach / Top 20s
Cornell
Columbia
UChicago
Mt. Sinai
Northwestern
UCSD
Mayo
Dartmouth
WashU St. Louis

Targets (I chose schools where my stats were slightly above average)
Boston U
NYU
Loyola Chicago

Safety:
Einstein
NYMC
Indiana (resident)
Rush (Chicago)
Hofstra

 

[gyngyn]

Not sure about OOS/IS for these two:
Rutgers-NJMS
Rutgers-RWJ

Between the two they took one OOS regular MD student last year.

 

[shoopshoop]

You shouldn't need to apply to more than 15 schools but your list should be well chosen. You don't mention your home state.... do pay close attention to state schools that don't accept OOS students or who admit very few.

If you like research you should shoot for the top schools in NYC plus Yale, etc.
I have my doubts about:
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Cooper

Those schools may figure, "This one's going to go to one of those top schools so we shouldn't waste an interview slot on this one."

Not sure about OOS/IS for these two:
Rutgers-NJMS
Rutgers-RWJ

If you are a NY state resident you should consider Downstate and Stony Brook at the very least and perhaps Buffalo and the other upstate schools including Rochester (which is private).

Between the two they took one OOS regular MD student last year.

ah forgot to mention - I'm an NJ resident!

 

[gyngyn]

ah forgot to mention - I'm an NJ resident!

Then you are golden there.

 

[adriano710]

I'm applying in 2015 for fall acceptance to 2016. I got my MCAT back a few weeks ago and got a 37 - (14/12/11). I thought I should get a rough idea for where I should apply:

Stats:
cGPA - 3.9
sGPA - 3.9
Neuroscience major
MCAT - 37 on 1st try

ECs
By the time I apply I will have:
3 years of research (including one full time summer) with a pending first author pub
1 prestigious summer research internship
2 years of being an RA (employed)
4 years of being a student ambassador - been promoted (employed)
2 years of weekly hospital volunteering (during school year)
2 years of volunteering at a psychiatric institution (non-clinical)
1.5 years of being a writing tutor
1.5 years of being an abortion clinic escort
Run a voluntary translating service
Shadowed a primary care physician, a neurologist, an ENT person and scrubbed in the OR a few times

I've also been a TA for a few semesters on and off, and had some other pretty significant club involvement.

Questions:
- What schools should I be aiming for/applying to?
- What should I do in the one year I have till I apply to improve my chances? I will be a senior in college this fall.
- Should I mention being an abortion clinic escort? Or will it turn people off?

Anywhere you want

 

[shoopshoop]

Anywhere you want

Then you are golden there.

thank you so much everybody for your confidence in my application! our premed advisors are notorious for being pessimistic about applications (guessing thats the way my school maintains a high acceptance rate to med schools) and i really wanted to know where i would be competitive. seriously, you guys are all amazing.

 

[shoopshoop]

hi everybody,

i'm revisiting this just to get an update on my list. i have realized i really would love to be in a school that's a) in an urban/city area preferably on the east coast, and b) is well-regarded in general (coming from a less popular undergrad has made me realize that name is kinda important). hence i am thinking of shotgunning a lot of top schools to see if i can get some love somewhere especially since i got some prize money to help fund that. is this a bad approach? otherwise i feel like this list is too top-heavy and too long.

Drexel
Temple
Brown
Rutgers RWJ
Rutgers NJMS
UMD
Tufts
Jefferson
Hoftsra
Einstein
BU
UCSF
Columbia
JHU
UVA
Harvard
Yale
Mount Sinai
NYU
Weill Cornell
Stanford
UPENN
WashU

maybe add/switch around with some on top?
GWU
Georgetown
NYMC
Cooper

any and all advice is appreciated thank you so much!

 

[Banco]

Remove UMD. Add pitt or case western. But overall a good list, you don't really need more.

I'd be surprised if you didn't get into one of the Rutgers schools.

 

[shoopshoop]

Remove UMD. Add pitt or case western. But overall a good list, you don't really need more.

I'd be surprised if you didn't get into one of the Rutgers schools.

thanks! also any weeding is great, i would like to apply to 20 schools but my neuroticism is getting the best of me.

 

[Banco]

thanks! also any weeding is great, i would like to apply to 20 schools but my neuroticism is getting the best of me.

Your list looks fine as it is, you're a great applicant. I'd replace WashU with Pitt though since you say you wanna be closer to the east coast.

Also I've heard some not so good things about Drexel recently, plus it gets so many apps, you can remove that. You already have Temple and Jeff.