522, 3.85, lackluster ECs, WAMC and School List?

[tigermuffinbanana]

• cGPA: 3.85, sGPA: 3.78. (upward trend, 3.95 average after freshman year)
• MCAT: 522 (131/131/129/131)
• Residence: TX
• Race: Asian, Male (ORM)
• Undergrad: State school, Major: Biology, Minors: Medical Humanities, Chemistry
• Clinical Experience:
  • 80 hours volunteering and shadowing at a medical clinic in Honduras
  • 80+ hours volunteering at hospital (projected 200+ if that matters)
• Research Experience:
  • 1000+ hours in a biochemistry/pharmacology lab, 2 conference poster presentations, paper manuscript submitted (first author), awarded research fellowship from University, awarded Provost grant for research. Projected senior honors thesis
• Shadowing Experience:
  • Overall ~50 hours total shadowing orthopedic surgeon, and family physician
• Nonclinical volunteering:
  • 50 hours tutoring underprivileged children in local community
  • 70 hours at a child sex abuse victim center
• Relevant honors or awards:
  • National Merit Finalist and full scholarship recipient
  • Dean’s list all years
  • Competitive honors major and in general honors college
• School list: I want to apply to 25+ schools, what other schools should I add?
  • All Texas Schools
    • curious WAMC at UTSW and Baylor?
  • Einstein
  • Hofstra
  • Vanderbilt
  • BU
  • Columbia
  • Cornell
  • Icahn Mt. Sinai
  • Stony Brook
  • UCLA
  • UC Irvine
  • UCSD
  • Duke
  • Case Western
  • University of Michigan
• Fairly strong LoR's (3 science, 1 non-science, HPAC committee letter-awaiting grade)
• Plan on upping volunteer hours over summer (but those go into projected I'm guessing), want to expand my school list and wondering if its too top heavy? Also wondering my chances at top Texas schools.
• Also wondering what my chances are at MD/PhD programs?

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[manofsteel9]

There’s no other way to say it: you’re gucci. Take out the UC’s unless you have a compelling reason to apply there and add a couple more mid-tiers (Jefferson, UVA, Emory, etc) and a couple more reach schools.

 

[tigermuffinbanana]

There’s no other way to say it: you’re gucci. Take out the UC’s unless you have a compelling reason to apply there and add a couple more mid-tiers (Jefferson, UVA, Emory, etc) and a couple more reach schools.

Yeah, wasn't too set on the UC's because of the IS bias. I appreciate the reply! Will look into those other schools.

 

[Faha]

You should receive several interviews from your Texas schools. Apply only to OOS schools that appeal to you over your Texas schools.

 

[QueenAudrey]

@Faha @Catalystik - do adcoms care if OP was a National Merit Finalist or does it fall in the realm of “It happened in high school, who cares?” Should we include that sort of thing in our app?

 

[tigermuffinbanana]

@Faha @Catalystik - do adcoms care if OP was a National Merit Finalist or does it fall in the realm of “It happened in high school, who cares?” Should we include that sort of thing in our app?

I was wondering the same. I figured that since the scholarship is something that has to be renewed yearly and is based on achievements in college to judge doing so that it could be included.

 

[Catalystik]

@Faha @Catalystik - do adcoms care if OP was a National Merit Finalist or does it fall in the realm of “It happened in high school, who cares?” Should we include that sort of thing in our app?

If a scholarship is based solely on HS accomplishments it shouldn't be included in an Honors/Awards space of a med school application. If it's based on college GPA or other college-based accomplishments, then list it, being sure to include the criteria.

 

[Walter Raleigh]

OP has just barely enough volunteering hours. @Goro: should OP leave the mission trip off of his application? Chances better with a gap year, but if OP really wants medical school now they're competitive.

 

[Goro]

OP has just barely enough volunteering hours. @Goro: should OP leave the mission trip off of his application? Chances better with a gap year, but if OP really wants medical school now they're competitive.

Yes, leave off the mission trip. Extracurriculars are really cookie cutter. This is the type of application that I would say is of a person who wants to be doctor as long as he can stay inside the research lab
Stanford another research ****** will love them though

 

[Walter Raleigh]

Yeah, if OP can get another 100-150 hours of clinical and nonclinical volunteering they'll be golden. As it is? They're silver. They should apply to Texas schools and any out-of-state top-20 schools that interest them.

 

[bludoge445]

I had lower stats than u and similar EC as u (same research and volunteering hours) with only difference being some added experience in engineering. I applied as a traditional ORM (Asian) from Texas and received a lot of love in state and some II to oos top 20s too. I think ur chances of getting either bcm or Utsw is extremely high and ur chances of getting top 20s will be high as well. I would apply to all Texas schools and only oos schools that you would attend over utsw/baylor. I honestly don’t think you need to apply to 25+ schools as a Texan because u should get into a Texas med school barring any insane f ups or being a complete potato in interviews, and secondaries are a complete and utter pain to complete for that many schools. I think u should target for 15-20 schools if u want to attend an OOS top 20 applying to only reaches and Texas schools or if u want to save money and time, apply to only Texas schools and bcm because the odds of u not getting atleast one acceptance to dell,mcgovern,utsw, or Baylor is extremely extremely low. Personally I would remove some UC’s and UMich due to instate bias unless u really want to goto those schools and remove Einstein/Hofstra/stony brook unless u would goto those schools over Texas schools. GL with ur cycle!!