526/3.9 Reapplicant School List Advice?

[fk259]

Hi all,

526/3.9 from a T20 undergrad, double majored in Bio and Chem, FL resident. This past cycle, I received one interview and I am currently on the waitlist. I think the major factors contributing to a lack of good results were 1. Not having anyone vet my essays, 2. Minimal clinical experience (around 70 volunteering, 80 shadowing), and 3. Arrogantly top-heavy school list (see below). I was hoping to have some suggestions on where to look to apply this year.

Other EC's: 350 hours of TAing, 1200 hours of college research across 2 labs (0 pub 1 poster), 500 hours high school research (1 pub + poster), 100 hours of leadership activity, 100 hours volunteering.

Over the past year, I've added around 2000 hours of paid clinical experience. I've also been able to do some clinical research while doing this job and published a paper that was recently accepted. I've rewritten my PS and the majority of my activities section from scratch and am much happier with this version than last year's. Have had multiple sets of eyes help me revise and work on my essays.

Thanks in advance.

School List Last Year:
Einstein
Boston University
Columbia
Duke
Florida State
Harvard
Sinai
Hopkins
Mayo
NYU
Northwsetern
Penn
Stanford
South Florida
Central Florida
UChicago
UFlorida
UMichigan
UWisconsin (used to live in WI)
Cornell
Yale

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[voxveritatisetlucis]

Improve writing skills. Make sure that the LORs weren’t bad either.

Has to be something that stood out negatively. There aren’t many 526/3.9/top 20 graduates out there

 

[chilly_md]

Leave off the high school hours. You are correct in your assessment regarding your very low clinical hours from last cycle. That was likely a major reason why most schools did not offer an interview.

You should apply to:
All FL schools
Vanderbilt
WUSTL
Mayo
Case
Sinai
UVA
Baylor
UTSW
Pitt
Keck
Rochester
Hofstra
Ohio State
Cincinnati
Dartmouth
Western MI
SUNY-SB
U Mass
Iowa
Albert Einstein
Emory
Tufts
Jefferson
Brown
Wisconsin
Colorado
Vermont

And a few DO schools since this is your 2nd time applying. Consider:

PCOM
DMU
NYITCOM
KCU

 

[Goro]

Leave off the high school hours. You are correct in your assessment regarding your very low clinical hours from last cycle. That was likely a major reason why most schools did not offer an interview.

You should apply to:
All FL schools
Vanderbilt
WUSTL
Mayo
Case
Sinai
UVA
Baylor
UTSW
Pitt
Keck
Rochester
Hofstra
Ohio State
Cincinnati
Dartmouth
Western MI
SUNY-SB
U Mass
Iowa
Albert Einstein
Emory
Tufts
Jefferson
Brown
Wisconsin
Colorado
Vermont

And a few DO schools since this is your 2nd time applying. Consider:

PCOM
DMU
NYITCOM
KCU

Agree 100%

 

[fk259]

Leave off the high school hours. You are correct in your assessment regarding your very low clinical hours from last cycle. That was likely a major reason why most schools did not offer an interview.

You should apply to:
All FL schools
Vanderbilt
WUSTL
Mayo
Case
Sinai
UVA
Baylor
UTSW
Pitt
Keck
Rochester
Hofstra
Ohio State
Cincinnati
Dartmouth
Western MI
SUNY-SB
U Mass
Iowa
Albert Einstein
Emory
Tufts
Jefferson
Brown
Wisconsin
Colorado
Vermont

And a few DO schools since this is your 2nd time applying. Consider:

PCOM
DMU
NYITCOM
KCU

Thanks for the reply, it has been a big help.
Do you think I should also leave out the publication and poster I had in high school?

 

[chilly_md]

Thanks for the reply, it has been a big help.
Do you think I should also leave out the publication and poster I had in high school?

Keep the publication. And you can probably group your poster with the college one under 1 slot.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Who has read your essays this time?

 

[fk259]

My dad is a professor, he has helped edit a lot. I also had extensive help from a resident, my boss (an MD), and two other doctors who used to be on an admission committee.

 

[chilly_md]

Why not KCOM as well for DO schools?

If they want to add KCOM, they can.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

My dad is a professor, he has helped edit a lot. I also had extensive help from a resident, my boss (an MD), and two other doctors who used to be on an admission committee.

They weren't available to read your essays last cycle?