3.90 cGPA, 3.93 sGPA, 520 MCAT, CA ORM: Need help finalizing my School List

[BlackCusack4]

Hi Everyone,

I posted a what are my chances before but now I recently compiled a list of schools that I am interested in applying to and was wondering if I could get some feedback. My list is at 31 schools right now which is right around the amount of schools I'd like to apply to but I was wondering if there are some schools on the list that I should take off or if there are some schools that I should consider adding. I am particularly interested in research but would love an opportunity for volunteer experience as well. I am particularly worried that my weak extracurricular activities (volunteer) might hold me back so I'm not sure if my list is realistic. Here's a brief overview of my application:

4th year Undergraduate (just graduated) who will be taking a gap year

cGPA: 3.90 sGPA: 3.93

MCAT: 520 (132/127/131/130)

State of residence: CA

Ethnicity and/or race: Asian American

Undergraduate institution or category: Top 25 UC

Clinical experience (volunteer and non-volunteer)
- 50 hours Volunteering at a hospice (will continue through my gap year)
- 80 hours volunteering at an Alzheimer's Care Facility
- 30 hours volunteering as a medical scribe at a free clinic in an underserved community


Research experience and productivity
- 600 hours in a cancer research lab over 1.5 years
- 3rd Author on an Abstract that was presented at a National Conference
- Potential 1st Author Publication (Not sure if it will be published by June)

Shadowing experience and specialties represented
- ~50 hours shadowing (ENT, Anesthesiologist, Radiologist, Ophthalmologist)

Non-clinical volunteering
- 100 Hours as a youth basketball coach
- 50 hours as a tutor for elementary school refugee students.
- 50 hours as a middle school tutor at a school for underserved children
- 30 hours volunteering with my sports club

Other extracurricular activities (including athletics, military service, gap year activities, leadership, teaching, etc)
- 3 years on a sports club team at my university
- 1 year as a resident assistant (RA)
- TA for several upper division biology courses

Relevant honors or awards
- Several medals for winning 1st at races with my club team
- A program I planned as an RA won program of the month and was a finalist for program of the year

Here is my current school list:

UCSF
Stanford
UCLA
UCSD
UCI
USC
UC Davis
U Penn
U Michigan
Yale
NYU
Pittsburgh
U Chicago
Mt. Sinai
Emory
Case Western Reserve
Boston University
Ohio State
Iowa
U Colorado
Rochester
Albert Einstein
Cincinnati
Georgetown
U Miami
Tufts
Temple
Hofstra
VCU
Drexel
Mayo-Az


Thanks in advanced and any advice/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

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[curbsideconsult]

Dude, you're good. You have BU, why not add Harvard?

Also, are you East Asian or SE Asian (not Indian)?

 

[BlackCusack4]

Dude, you're good. You have BU, why not add Harvard?

Also, are you East Asian or SE Asian (not Indian)?

Thanks for the reassurance! I feel like Harvard is looking for Superstars so I'm not sure I should bother. I'm Southeast Asian.

 

[DubbiDoctor]

You have strong stats and a good list. Why apply to Drexel and Temple but not Jefferson, which accepted 178 OOS students for the last cycle? Other than that, maybe Duke?

 

[curbsideconsult]

Thanks for the reassurance! I feel like Harvard is looking for Superstars so I'm not sure I should bother. I'm Southeast Asian.

So Massachusetts has this thing where most SE Asians are considered URM. Not sure how that plays out with private schools, but just putting it out there. Your application is cake and your being SE Asian is icing (not sure if this is offensive to say but I'm saying it anyway).

 

[ThinCrustPizzaLover]

Your application is very, very solid. I'd aim high. Don't be afraid to add Harvard. I applied there last cycle as a pipe dream with similar stats/ECs and got an interview (no acceptance though). Also, with your stats and inclination toward research, I'd highly, highly recommend applying to WashU and Cornell.

I would also take off most of the low yield schools like BU, Georgetown, and Tufts. It might feel weird not having "safeties" but with your application, coupled with those grades from Berkeley/UCLA and honest/insightful/reflective essays, I would predict that most of many interviews will come from Top 20 schools. Good luck and feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

 

[thenucleusaccumbens]

Your application is very, very solid. I'd aim high. Don't be afraid to add Harvard. I applied there last cycle as a pipe dream with similar stats/ECs and got an interview (no acceptance though). Also, with your stats and inclination toward research, I'd highly, highly recommend applying to WashU and Cornell.

I would also take off most of the low yield schools like BU, Georgetown, and Tufts. It might feel weird not having "safeties" but with your application, coupled with those grades from Berkeley/UCLA and honest/insightful/reflective essays, I would predict that most of many interviews will come from Top 20 schools. Good luck and feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

agree 100%