523/3.99 School list

[Profkhaos]

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[ChosenStressor]

Depends on your priorities, but I would make a list gunning for Merit Aid... So look for schools that have a history of distributing merit aid and are in the top 50. After that, throw in your state school(s) and maybe a few "safety schools", which for you are out of state friendly state schools that provide the opportunity to receive instate tuition after your first year (May i suggest Ohio schools AKA OSU or ucincy).

Source: This is what I did, had pretty similar stats to you and was happy with my return at the end of the cycle.

 

[Checklist]

Your only weakness for top-20 schools is research, but your stats should get you some T20 interviews if you apply to enough of them. Make sure you include state schools and some mid-tiers, but definitely throw in plenty of top schools.

 

[ChosenStressor]

Your only weakness for top-20 schools is research, but your stats should get you some T20 interviews if you apply to enough of them. Make sure you include state schools and some mid-tiers, but definitely throw in plenty of top schools.

Essential advice, if you could build your research experience from now until interview day it could save you a lot of money in the long run

 

[Profkhaos]

Essential advice, if you could build your research experience from now until interview day it could save you a lot of money in the long run

I've been working on gaining some more research experience, but unfortunately I haven't had any luck. I'm still applying, so it's possible that I'll find something, but I'm guessing this will end up being all the research experience I have come application time. I think you're definitely correct, though!

 

[Goro]

Hey guys, hopefully I'm posting this in the correct spot.

I'm looking for some help building my school list. Here's my information:

Major: Microbiology (graduated three years ago)
GPA: 3.99
MCAT: 523
Clinical volunteering: About 250 hours in an emergency department when I submit.
Community volunteering: ~ 75 hours volunteering with homeless children. I also have other miscellaneous club volunteering (Relay for Life, fundraisers, etc), which I haven't added yet, but is likely somewhere in the area of 30-40 hours.
Shadowing: 100 hours of shadowing a pediatrician by the time I submit.
Research: Four months of soil microbiology research for a biotech company. No publications or presentations, but I did do some grant research for them as well. I also did undergraduate political science research on scientific racism, which another poster told me likely wouldn't be viewed as very significant.
Employment: I've been working as a scribe in my family's animal hospital. I also did a short stint as a substitute teacher. Chemistry TA in college.
EC: Pretty typical stuff. Did premed club, was an officer for the biology honors society at my school, wrote opinion columns for our school newspaper. Also studied abroad.

Based on other posts I've seen, I think my clinical/research is on the weaker side. I'm having a hard time deciding how top heavy to make my list, as my stats are solid but I definitely have some weak spots. I've been trying to use MSAR, but I still need some extra help narrowing my school list. Just let me know if you have any suggestions! Thanks!

Clinical hours are fine, it's your non-clinical ECs that are lacking. I strongly suggest getting in > 200 hrs of service to others less fortunate than yourself. > 300, even better. If you wish to aim high, you have to be high (in terms of hours). research hours are on the low side for the powerhouse,s but a 523 MCAT score is nothing to sneeze at.

I suggest, when you're ready:
Yale
WashU
Vanderbilt
NYU
U Chicago
U Penn
Northwestern
JHU
Harvard
Stanford
Sinai
Cornell
Columbia
Duke
U VA
U MI
BU
Case
USC/Keck
Mayo
U Cincy
Pitt
USF Morsani
Ohio State
Hofstra
U IA
UCSF
Albert Einstein
Emory
Rochester
Dartmouth
Miami
Western MI
Jefferson
U VM
Your state school

 

[Profkhaos]

Thanks for the advice, guys! It was very helpful.