MD 4.0 GPA, 515 MCAT. Help with school list.

[retzev16]

Closed, thanks for the help guys!

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[Banco]

I think your application is overall very good; do beef up your clinical volunteering (which you seem to be doing, so that's good - remember you can always input future hours too). Since you have exemplary shadowing you should have a good idea what to write/talk about when discussing "why medicine". Your research seems fine, especially since you are continuing it with the physician.

You should search MSAR for schools where your stats are near the median. I think overall you should be aiming for mid-tiers.

Safe options (Pick 6-8):
University of Oklahoma
Creighton
MCW
Albany
Hofstra
NYMC
Vermont
VCU
EVMS
VTech
Rush
Loyola
Rosalind Franklin
Temple
Jefferson
Drexel
TCMC
Penn State

Targets:

Rochester
Einstein
Cincinnati
SLU
Ohio State
Tufts
BU
Miami
Iowa
Indiana

Reaches:

Emory
USC
Case Western
Any others you really want

 

[DarthKat]

TCMC wants to increase the amount of physicians in North Eastern PA. They are pretty mission focused. I would probably remove that from the safe options unless you fit their mission.

 

[Banco]

TCMC wants to increase the amount of physicians in North Eastern PA. They are pretty mission focused. I would probably remove that from the safe options unless you fit their mission.

Thanks for mentioning that. Yeah don't pick them from the list randomly, pick ones where you truly want to go and fit their mission. I am just giving a rough stats based list.

 

[retzev16]

Thank you guys. This is really helpful in giving me a starting list which I can refine, which was what I was after. I appreciate it!

 

[Goro]

Those low clinical hours are not just glaring, they're lethal. You need to have > 100 hours.

Once you get them in, think about the following:

University of Oklahoma
Creighton
MCW
Albany
Hofstra
NYMC
Vermont
VCU
EVMS
VTech
Rush
Loyola
Rosalind Franklin
Temple
Jefferson
Drexel
Rochester
Einstein
Cincinnati
Hofstra
SLU
Ohio State
Tufts
BU
Miami
Emory
USC
Case Western
U AZ



It seems to me that my most glaring weakness here is the low number of hours spent volunteering in general. I am proud of my GPA and MCAT, and I believe I have strong letters of rec as well (but with a committee interview in my very near future, so we'll see how that goes). No family members in medicine. I am just totally lost on where I ought to apply. I will definitely be applying to my state school, and I would be very happy to attend there, but I understand that I can't unduly limit my chances at an admission by restricting myself to that school. Advice, recommendations, critiques, etc. etc. are ALL welcomed and appreciated! Thank you all so much![/QUOTE]

 

[retzev16]

Thank you for replying, Goro! My app isn't in its final state; these numbers should all improve over this summer and next two semesters, between the possible TA position, time spent in activities for the vice-presidency, and maintained (and definitely going to be increased) volunteering.