3.91 sGPA, 3.925 cGPA, 37 MCAT school list

[beykass]

Hi SDN,

This is my first post, so a little nervous but I was wondering how my school list looked.

Virginia resident at a top 10 university. White male (Middle Eastern, but hey..).
3.91 sGPA, 3.93 cGPA
MCAT: 37 (14, 11, 12)

Research

• 2.5 years in a clinical research unit at a hospital (contributing author on a manuscript submitted, but not yet accepted, to journals)
• 2 years in a primate disease ecology lab

Clinical Volunteering

• 50 hours in pediatric unit of the hospital (ongoing)
• 50 hours between two nursing homes of very different socioeconomic status

Non-clinical volunteering

• Spent two summers in Tanzania (~500 hours), where I tutored students and created a science lab curriculum
• Camp counselor (100 hours) for a camp for kids whose parents have been affected by cancer
• 50 hours in an organization that fundraises and raises awareness for an NGO in Nicaragua
• 30 hours volunteering in an animal shelter

Leadership

• 100 hours - Executive board member (just appointed co-director) for an organization that raises awareness for HIV/AIDS. I have tested students weekly at my university and a local community college for 3 years.
• 100 hours as a staff member of a pre-orientation program that takes pfrosh on a hiking trip for two weeks before they start college
• 30 hours as a student-athlete tutor
• 50 hours as a member of my class council

School List:

State schools (EVMS, VT, VCU, UVA)
Cornell
Duke
Stanford
UCLA
UCSF (huge reach, but a dream school)
Columbia
Wash U
Case
Emory
Mt. Sinai
Penn
Harvard
Vandy
Hopkins
Baylor
Northwestern
NYU
Georgetown
Miami
Keck
Wake Forest
Pitt
Chicago

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[beykass]

Forgot to add shadowing experience. I have about 35 hours of shadowing between 3 different specialties

 

[Crabbycake]

I think you have great qualifications! Your MCAT is definitely a solid score, and your GPA is pretty solid as well. Your experience in Tanzania will definitely be something to talk about to the interviewers and on essays.

Of course, the schools like UCSF, Harvard, Yale, JH etc... are gonna be all reaches for anyone, but I'd say that it's quite possible that you may be accepted into them.
I don't know much about the state schools (I'm from California), but I'd say out of that list you most are either Low Reach (Penn, Chicago, UCLA) or reasonable.

You should definitely apply to a lot more safeties, however. A big chunk of your list is composed of high-tier schools.

Great work, bud, and good luck.

Any shot at a chance from you?

 

[Lamel]

It is a top heavy list, but I think it works well for you, as long as you have all your state schools and a couple other "safeties". I don't think Georgetown is worth it for you.

You can possibly increase some clinical volunteering and shadowing over this summer though.

 

[WedgeDawg]

You have a nearly guaranteed acceptance at UVA provided you don't spit on your interviewer.

Source: I am a VA resident from a top 10 school with similar stats and experiences (you're arguably a stronger applicant than I was). UVA sends interviews to IS applicants based on them meeting a minimum stat threshold (approximately LizzyM 74) and minimum EC qualifications. 80% of IS interviewed applicants are accepted.

State schools (EVMS, VT, VCU, UVA) Only apply to VCU and UVA. You will be offered interviews at both, but will probably not end up attending the VCU one because you will be accepted to UVA before then.
Cornell
Duke
Stanford
UCLA Consider removing, but it's okay if you want to keep it
UCSF (huge reach, but a dream school)
Columbia
Wash U
Case
Emory
Mt. Sinai
Penn
Harvard
Vandy
Hopkins
Baylor Remove
Northwestern
NYU
Georgetown Remove
Miami Remove
Keck
Wake Forest
Pitt
Chicago

Consider adding Yale and Michigan.

Feel free to PM me if you have questions, as we are very very similar applicants and our school list is also very similar (feel free to look at my MDApps profile).

 

[beykass]

Thanks so much, everyone, for your very helpful responses. I truly appreciate it during these trying times