30/3.7 - good enough if I apply early and broadly?

[JohnsonJohnson]

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Academic Qualification:

B.sc Honors in Biochemistry
3.75 cGPA/3.65 sGPA/30 L MCAT (10, 9 ,11)

ORM (Asian) - 26 years old - 3 years out of college.

EC:

Research - 3 years of full-time research and 6 first-author presentations
Clinical Volunteering - 5 years of hospital volunteering and 2 years hospice volunteering
Nonclinical volunteering - 1 year writing tutor, 1 year math tutor at an adult high school, 1 year english tutor at a community school, 8 months volunteering at a boys and girls club.
Leadership - founded an undergraduate academic journal
Shadowing - 80 hours (50 hr internal medicine clinic + 30 hr dermatology)
Work Experience - 3 internships (12 month) at a government laboratory, 1 summer working at a call center doing technical support


Schools:

Nebraska (home state)
Albany
NY medical college
Medical college of Wisconsin
Virginia Commonwealth
Tulane
Drexel
Temple
Saint Louis
Wayne State
Hofstra
Oakland
Creighton
Georgetown
Geoge Washington
Rosalind Franklin
Rush Medical College
Loyola
Cooper
Jefferson
Quinnipiac





What are my chances - and any suggestions about my school list? What schools should I add or remove?


Thanks everyone!!

 

[JohnsonJohnson]

Hello everyone - I am new to the forums - it is such a great resource!

If I have a 3.7/30 - and is an ORM - what are my overall chances if I apply early and broadly (20+ schools all within my range)?

Should I retake the MCAT and aim for a 33+? SDN makes me think because I am Asian I need to have a very high MCAT score to be competitive.

Thanks everyone.

 

[Josh7]

Hello everyone - I am new to the forums - it is such a great resource!

If I have a 3.7/30 - and is an ORM - what are my overall chances if I apply early and broadly (20+ schools all within my range)?

Should I retake the MCAT and aim for a 33+? SDN makes me think because I am Asian I need to have a very high MCAT score to be competitive.

Thanks everyone.

ya good enough

 

[MedPR]

As long as you realize top schools are out of reach.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile

 

[JohnsonJohnson]

As long as you realize top schools are out of reach.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile

These are my list - anything I should remove or add?

Schools:

Nebraska (home state)
Albany
NY medical college
Medical college of Wisconsin
Virginia Commonwealth
Tulane
Drexel
Temple
Saint Louis
Wayne State
Hofstra
Oakland
Creighton
Georgetown
Geoge Washington
Rosalind Franklin
Rush Medical College
Loyola
Cooper
Jefferson
Quinnipiac

 

[deleted357625]

These are my list - anything I should remove or add?

Schools:

Nebraska (home state)
Albany
NY medical college
Medical college of Wisconsin
Virginia Commonwealth
Tulane
Drexel
Temple
Saint Louis
Wayne State
Hofstra
Oakland
Creighton
Georgetown
Geoge Washington
Rosalind Franklin
Rush Medical College
Loyola
Cooper
Jefferson
Quinnipiac

you're set bruh!

 

[MedPR]

These are my list - anything I should remove or add?

Schools:

Nebraska (home state)
Albany
NY medical college
Medical college of Wisconsin
Virginia Commonwealth
Tulane
Drexel
Temple
Saint Louis
Wayne State
Hofstra
Oakland
Creighton
Georgetown
Geoge Washington
Rosalind Franklin
Rush Medical College
Loyola
Cooper
Jefferson
Quinnipiac

Seems like a good list.

 

[gyngyn]

Not bad, not bad at all!

 

[Lollygag]

These are my list - anything I should remove or add?

Schools:

Nebraska (home state)
Albany
NY medical college
Medical college of Wisconsin
Virginia Commonwealth
Tulane
Drexel
Temple
Saint Louis
Wayne State
Hofstra
Oakland
Creighton
Georgetown
Geoge Washington
Rosalind Franklin
Rush Medical College
Loyola
Cooper
Jefferson
Quinnipiac

Legit 😎

 

[LaCroix09]

These are my list - anything I should remove or add?

Schools:

Nebraska (home state)
Albany
NY medical college
Medical college of Wisconsin
Virginia Commonwealth
Tulane
Drexel
Temple
Saint Louis
Wayne State
Hofstra
Oakland
Creighton
Georgetown
Geoge Washington
Rosalind Franklin
Rush Medical College
Loyola
Cooper
Jefferson
Quinnipiac

You've got some pretty high ranking schools there. I'm sure you've got plenty of realistic choices too, I don't recognize all of the names. Add some D.O. schools (if there aren't any there) just to give yourself some more chances. My stats are very similar to your's and I've done well at D.O. and M.D. schools in state.

Good luck!

 

[JohnsonJohnson]

You've got some pretty high ranking schools there. I'm sure you've got plenty of realistic choices too, I don't recognize all of the names. Add some D.O. schools (if there aren't any there) just to give yourself some more chances. My stats are very similar to your's and I've done well at D.O. and M.D. schools in state.

Good luck!

Which schools are too high-ranking for me? I want all the tough schools out = any U.S. MD = good enough for me.

 

[Lafakads]

Which schools are too high-ranking for me? I want all the tough schools out = any U.S. MD = good enough for me.

I actually got the same stats and had a successful cycle.

I'd say boost your EC's up too while u can, be interesting.

We pretty much applied to most of the same schools, except I tossed out gtown and a few since 7 schools in FL.

I'd say apply early and dont suck on interviews and with those schools I'd be really shocked if u dont get in.

 

[Aerus]

Try to get as many mock interviews as you can before the cycle starts. Otherwise, good luck!

 

[SOMBound13]

These are my list - anything I should remove or add?

Schools:

Nebraska (home state)
Albany
NY medical college
Medical college of Wisconsin
Virginia Commonwealth
Tulane
Drexel
Temple
Saint Louis
Wayne State
Hofstra
Oakland
Creighton
Georgetown
Geoge Washington
Rosalind Franklin
Rush Medical College
Loyola
Cooper
Jefferson
Quinnipiac

List looks good. Not heavy schools which seem to get a heavier number of ORM applicants.

Give yourself the best chance by applying as early as you can.

 

[JohnsonJohnson]

Here are my qualifications:

Academic Qualification:

B.sc Honors in Biochemistry
3.75 cGPA/3.65 sGPA/30 L MCAT (10, 9 ,11)

ORM (Asian) - 26 years old - 3 years out of college.

EC:

Research - 3 years of full-time research and 6 first-author presentations
Clinical Volunteering - 5 years of hospital volunteering and 2 years hospice volunteering
Nonclinical volunteering - 1 year writing tutor, 1 year math tutor at an adult high school, 1 year english tutor at a community school, 8 months volunteering at a boys and girls club.
Leadership - founded an undergraduate academic journal
Shadowing - 80 hours (50 hr internal medicine clinic + 30 hr dermatology)
Work Experience - 3 internships (12 month) at a government laboratory, 1 summer working at a call center doing technical support

 

[SOMBound13]

If I remember correctly, G'town will screen a non-URM out with a section lower than a 10.. But, maybe I'm wrong.

You may need to check your schools to see if some/any will screen you out for the 9.

 

[JohnsonJohnson]

If I remember correctly, G'town will screen a non-URM out with a section lower than a 10.. But, maybe I'm wrong.

You may need to check your schools to see if some/any will screen you out for the 9.

Doesn't say so on their website.

Why would they have this unannounced policy? To steal our money? haha

 

[MedPR]

Doesn't say so on their website.

Why would they have this unannounced policy? To steal our money? haha

You laugh, but it's probably true 🙁

 

[SOMBound13]

Doesn't say so on their website.

Why would they have this unannounced policy? To steal our money? haha

I don't think any of the SOMs have listed their filters. Many SOMs do have filters to help with the initial down-selecting. From what I understand, human eyes do not look at every app. One filter might be that every white male must have at least a 9 in every section, or must have at least a 3.5 sGPA. If a SOM wants more regional diversity, but it doesn't get enough students from Alaska, it might lower the filters for students from that state.

 

[Cynicalbrit]

To be honest, I'd just go ahead and cross of GW and Georgetown, they just get so many applications every year that it probably wouldn't be worth it. You're ECs are very good, which will help. However, I believe there's a separate work/activities category for "Teaching," so you may want to list your tutoring under that, rather than Nonclinical volunteering.


Oh, and this thread belongs in "What Are My Chances", but I'm sure a mod can move it when they get the chance.

 

[MDhopeful23]

Stick with your list, apply early, prepare well for interviews and you should be good

 

[GreyEarl]

I wouldn't listen to these guys too seriously. I took SDN's advice and I applied to a lot of low-tier schools and I wasted a lot of money. People told me applying to non-top 30 schools was a waste of my money and I ended up getting some really great interviews. I have very similar stats to yours (my MDApps is changed a little for anonymity's sake). Your ECs are great, and it's good that you've been out of school for a while. I am in the same boat. PM me if you want more details, and add some reach schools to that list because "you never know!"

 

[Catalystik]

Academic Qualification:

B.sc Honors in Biochemistry
3.75 cGPA/3.65 sGPA/30 L MCAT (10, 9 ,11)

ORM (Asian) - 26 years old - 3 years out of college.

EC:

Research - 3 years of full-time research and 6 first-author presentations
Clinical Volunteering - 5 years of hospital volunteering and 2 years hospice volunteering
Nonclinical volunteering - 1 year writing tutor, 1 year math tutor at an adult high school, 1 year english tutor at a community school, 8 months volunteering at a boys and girls club.
Leadership - founded an undergraduate academic journal
Shadowing - 80 hours (50 hr internal medicine clinic + 30 hr dermatology)
Work Experience - 3 internships (12 month) at a government laboratory, 1 summer working at a call center doing technical support


Schools:

Nebraska (home state)
Albany
NY medical college
Medical college of Wisconsin
Virginia Commonwealth
Tulane
Drexel
Temple
Saint Louis
Wayne State
Hofstra
Oakland
Creighton
Georgetown
Geoge Washington
Rosalind Franklin
Rush Medical College
Loyola
Cooper
Jefferson
Quinnipiac





What are my chances - and any suggestions about my school list? What schools should I add or remove?


Thanks everyone!!

I think your odds will far exceed the ~70% MD acceptance rate that past over-represented applicants have experienced in the last three years, assuming supportive LORs, well-written essays, lack of legal issues, and decent interview skills.. You've developed a very nice application.

Good list. You might add 2-3 dream schools just for fun if you can afford them.

 

[cherahla]

These are my list - anything I should remove or add?

Schools:

Nebraska (home state)
Albany
NY medical college
Medical college of Wisconsin
Virginia Commonwealth
Tulane
Drexel
Temple
Saint Louis
Wayne State
Hofstra
Oakland
Creighton
Georgetown
Geoge Washington
Rosalind Franklin
Rush Medical College
Loyola
Cooper
Jefferson
Quinnipiac

I would take off Tulane. They prefer high MCAT scores.

 

[BABSstudent]

Here are my qualifications:

Academic Qualification:

B.sc Honors in Biochemistry
3.75 cGPA/3.65 sGPA/30 L MCAT (10, 9 ,11)

ORM (Asian) - 26 years old - 3 years out of college.

EC:

Research - 3 years of full-time research and 6 first-author presentations
Clinical Volunteering - 5 years of hospital volunteering and 2 years hospice volunteering
Nonclinical volunteering - 1 year writing tutor, 1 year math tutor at an adult high school, 1 year english tutor at a community school, 8 months volunteering at a boys and girls club.
Leadership - founded an undergraduate academic journal
Shadowing - 80 hours (50 hr internal medicine clinic + 30 hr dermatology)
Work Experience - 3 internships (12 month) at a government laboratory, 1 summer working at a call center doing technical support

The ECs look great! With them, I may even add a few higher schools that are research orientated. You may get an interview because your research is better than 75% of applying students. I mean, 6 first author presentations looks better than everyone else just working in labs. Anyone with a publication is going to beat you however.

 

[cherahla]

Here are my qualifications:

Academic Qualification:

B.sc Honors in Biochemistry
3.75 cGPA/3.65 sGPA/30 L MCAT (10, 9 ,11)

ORM (Asian) - 26 years old - 3 years out of college.

EC:

Research - 3 years of full-time research and 6 first-author presentations
Clinical Volunteering - 5 years of hospital volunteering and 2 years hospice volunteering
Nonclinical volunteering - 1 year writing tutor, 1 year math tutor at an adult high school, 1 year english tutor at a community school, 8 months volunteering at a boys and girls club.
Leadership - founded an undergraduate academic journal
Shadowing - 80 hours (50 hr internal medicine clinic + 30 hr dermatology)
Work Experience - 3 internships (12 month) at a government laboratory, 1 summer working at a call center doing technical support

These are fantastic! I would apply to University of Vermont and Oregon HSU, as they like older, well-rounded applicants with tons of research experience.

 

[dsoz]

These are fantastic! I would apply to University of Vermont and Oregon HSU, as they like older, well-rounded applicants with tons of research experience.

OOS at OHSU needs slightly better stats. The "Mission Based Group" for OOS needs a 32 MCAT. Don't waste your $ applying to OHSU.

I do agree that they like older students (they picked me, and I will probably be the oldest in the class).

I can't tell you about Vermont. I applied, but did not get an interview invite before I was accepted to OHSU and withdrew from all other schools.

I would second the statement above to add DO schools. Shadow a DO, get a DO letter, be able to explain the "why DO?" question and you WILL get an acceptance to a DO school. You will also be likely to get an acceptance at an MD school, but having a DO acceptance in your pocket will make for lower stress interviews at MD schools.

Make sure your application is submitted the first week (or first day) that you can.

dsoz

 

[bananapancake33]

Add schools like Albert Einstein who like research. With your ECs, I think you can apply higher than your stats. I have a 29 mcat and a lower gpa but got interviews at schools that typically take higher mcat scores. Most of my interviewers commented on my stellar ECs.

You will absolutely get in!! Good luck!!

 

[sinombre]

You have 6 first author publications? That's pretty darn impressive. I think you're in really good shape if you apply early 👍

 

[Snackish]

I don't think any of the SOMs have listed their filters. Many SOMs do have filters to help with the initial down-selecting. From what I understand, human eyes do not look at every app. One filter might be that every white male must have at least a 9 in every section, or must have at least a 3.5 sGPA. If a SOM wants more regional diversity, but it doesn't get enough students from Alaska, it might lower the filters for students from that state.

Hope so. I'm from Alaska with a 3.7 and 30 MCAT. No interviews but complete in October due to September MCAT. No research though.

 

[JohnsonJohnson]

Hope so. I'm from Alaska with a 3.7 and 30 MCAT. No interviews but complete in October due to September MCAT. No research though.

Not a single interview? I'm pooping in my pants now...

How many schools/which schools did you apply to?

October is not THAT late!

 

[JohnsonJohnson]

I think your odds will far exceed the ~70% MD acceptance rate that past over-represented applicants have experienced in the last three years, assuming supportive LORs, well-written essays, lack of legal issues, and decent interview skills.. You've developed a very nice application.

Good list. You might add 2-3 dream schools just for fun if you can afford them.

Thanks very much for the advice!

To save cost - which of the schools on my list do you think I should remove? I heard Tulane is not realistic for me because they want high MCAT, GW and Georgetown gets TONS of application - do you think I am a good fit?

 

[sinombre]

Not a single interview? I'm pooping in my pants now...

How many schools/which schools did you apply to?

October is not THAT late!

October is actually pretty late--the first acceptances go out in October (think about how much time it takes to have primary and secondaries reviewed, have an interview offered, schedule and attend the interview, and then have the admissions committee make a decision). You should really plan on applying as early as possible. Having every secondary submitted before the end of August is ideal.

 

[MedPR]

Not a single interview? I'm pooping in my pants now...

How many schools/which schools did you apply to?

October is not THAT late!

October is very late.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile

 

[Mavii]

Not a single interview? I'm pooping in my pants now...

How many schools/which schools did you apply to?

October is not THAT late!

The only people that say this are the people submitting/getting complete in October

 

[Nymphicus]

Moved to WAMC.

 

[BABSstudent]

The only people that say this are the people submitting/getting complete in October

I know people who submit in October, November and December and all say the same thing.

They think that because the deadline for secondaries is in January, that anything before then is early.

 

[MonkeyDRuffy]

These are my list - anything I should remove or add?

Schools:

Nebraska (home state)
Albany
NY medical college
Medical college of Wisconsin
Virginia Commonwealth
Tulane
Drexel
Temple
Saint Louis
Wayne State
Hofstra
Oakland
Creighton
Georgetown
Geoge Washington
Rosalind Franklin
Rush Medical College
Loyola
Cooper
Jefferson
Quinnipiac

As long as your EC's and LORS are fine and that you can interview well, I am sure you can gain admission in at least one of those schools.

 

[SOMBound13]

Hope so. I'm from Alaska with a 3.7 and 30 MCAT. No interviews but complete in October due to September MCAT. No research though.

While for many of us, having everything complete in October would be near-fatal, you'd think that an Alaskan applicant would get some love somewhere.

where did you apply? Does Alaska have an agreement with another state's med schools to give priority to their applicants since it doesn't have an MD school?

Not a single interview? I'm pooping in my pants now...

How many schools/which schools did you apply to?

October is not THAT late!

For most applicants, that is "late". I have a cousin in Indiana. Good stats. Has had 2 app cycle failures. She's been told over and over to apply early. She thinks that applying in the Fall is early because it's before the deadline.

 

[BABSstudent]

While for many of us, having everything complete in October would be near-fatal, you'd think that an Alaskan applicant would get some love somewhere.

where did you apply? Does Alaska have an agreement with another state's med schools to give priority to their applicants since it doesn't have an MD school?

UW has an agreement with Alaska to give them 20 seats. No more, no less. Those seats are very difficult to get.

 

[Catalystik]

As you do research on each school via their websites, consider pruning a few based on cost of attendance, safety of area, recreational activities available, weather, distance from loved ones, curriculum type (PBL, traditional lecture, organ-based, block scheduling), or grading (P/F vs grades).

 

[mmmcdowe]

Academic Qualification:

B.sc Honors in Biochemistry
3.75 cGPA/3.65 sGPA/30 L MCAT (10, 9 ,11)

ORM (Asian) - 26 years old - 3 years out of college.

EC:

Research - 3 years of full-time research and 6 first-author presentations
Clinical Volunteering - 5 years of hospital volunteering and 2 years hospice volunteering
Nonclinical volunteering - 1 year writing tutor, 1 year math tutor at an adult high school, 1 year english tutor at a community school, 8 months volunteering at a boys and girls club.
Leadership - founded an undergraduate academic journal
Shadowing - 80 hours (50 hr internal medicine clinic + 30 hr dermatology)
Work Experience - 3 internships (12 month) at a government laboratory, 1 summer working at a call center doing technical support


Schools:

Nebraska (home state)
Albany
NY medical college
Medical college of Wisconsin
Virginia Commonwealth
Tulane
Drexel
Temple
Saint Louis
Wayne State
Hofstra
Oakland
Creighton
Georgetown
Geoge Washington
Rosalind Franklin
Rush Medical College
Loyola
Cooper
Jefferson
Quinnipiac





What are my chances - and any suggestions about my school list? What schools should I add or remove?


Thanks everyone!!

Not bad, not bad at all!

I think your odds will far exceed the ~70% MD acceptance rate that past over-represented applicants have experienced in the last three years, assuming supportive LORs, well-written essays, lack of legal issues, and decent interview skills.. You've developed a very nice application.

Good list. You might add 2-3 dream schools just for fun if you can afford them.

Thanks very much for the advice!

To save cost - which of the schools on my list do you think I should remove? I heard Tulane is not realistic for me because they want high MCAT, GW and Georgetown gets TONS of application - do you think I am a good fit?

As you do research on each school via their websites, consider pruning a few based on cost of attendance, safety of area, recreational activities available, weather, distance from loved ones, curriculum type (PBL, traditional lecture, organ-based, block scheduling), or grading (P/F vs grades).

Merging duplicate threads.

 

[JohnsonJohnson]

UW has an agreement with Alaska to give them 20 seats. No more, no less. Those seats are very difficult to get.

How many applicants are from Alaska? 20 could be great odds if there are only 21 applicants.

 

[MedPR]

How many applicants are from Alaska? 20 could be great odds if there are only 21 applicants.

70 in 2012.

https://www.aamc.org/download/321460/data/2012factstable3.pdf

 

[Snackish]

Alaska has no med school but UW accepts 20 Alaskans each year but got rejected pre interview from them. UW seems to favor older applicants. Heard of another guy from Alaska with better stats than me that got rejected pre interview. Graduated from Tulane University but got rejected pre interview from Tulane. Seems they like higher MCAT scores.

I am late. Had to retake 31 MCAT because I got a 6 on verbal ( physics was 14 and bio 11). In September got 30. (Verbal 11; physics 10 ; bio 9). Am scheduled to take again in May and focusing on all 3 sections. 2nd MCAT focused a lot on verbal for obovios reasons.

Did shadowing, volunteering. Applied 20 schools. Will apply DO and md next year.

Hawaii. Rejected
Oregon. Not do secondary because oos needs 32 MCAT
Albany. No word
Easter Virginia. No word
VCU. Email say like consider you further and scheduling interviews. Apparently have see if a spot opens up.
Drexel. Reject. Might look at you in the spring.
SUNY buffalo. No word.
SUNY upstat. Rejected
MCW. Small pool 10/17/12
New Jersey. No word. (Mistake to apply jersey schools since takes few oos)
Robert wood Johnson. No word
Univ Nebraska. Rejected
Boonshoft Wright. No word
Toledo. No word
Rush. No word
Temple. No word
Loyola Sritch. No word
George Washington. No word
Tulane. Rejected. No love from my school
UW. Rejected

Excuse the typos/short hand since typing on ipad. Some schools I shouldn't have applied too but overall now know being late hurt. Personally I think now that if you are oos, your MCAT has be 32 and higher to get a decent chance at an interview if you are a cookie cutter applicant.