A somewhat different kind of applicant asking for school list critiques

[Kazema]

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Age: 23
Race: Asian/Pacific Islander
GPA: 3.0, 2.97 BCPM
Degree: B.S. in Cognitive Science at Carnegie Mellon
MCAT: 40P (14V 14P 12B)
ECs: psychological research on medical diagnosis, 1 year of volunteering in a psychiatric hospital, committed to a year's service at Rochester Americorps, other non-health related work experience and activities like music and athletics
LOR: 2 expected to be great, 1 maybe great but definitely at least good, 2 good

I was a computer science student but basically came into CMU having not developed any kind of motivation or work-ethic in high school. I honestly can't tell you why I was a CS student. So it's no surprise that after 7 semesters of being a CS student at CMU (I'm still amazed I lasted that long without getting tossed out) I had a 2.2 GPA and no chance of graduating on time. I took a leave of absence, during which I spent a LOT of time figuring out what I wanted to do, and here I am today. In my last four semesters, I had 19 A's and 1 B, which came in Analytic Chem Lab, which I took having not had Chemistry for over 2 years.

My list:

Hopkins
UPenn
Pitt
Rochester
Wash U
U of Chicago Pritzker
Emory
Ohio St.
Jefferson
Drexel
Penn St.
George Washington
Temple
St. Louis
Loyola
Philadelphia COM
Georgetown
Finch
Lake Erie COM

I am a PA resident, if you couldn't tell 😉. I picked schools based on rankings/acceptance data, curriculum type (PBL etc), location (I prefer urban, mid-Atlantic), and finally what little I know about their philosophies. For example, Rochester is one of my top choices despite not being in a major urban area because of their biopsychosocial approach. I've listed them by order of preference, again based on the still very limited information I have.

What do you think? Does my list match my circumstances?

EDIT: I should add, I did address my GPA and change of major in my PS.

EDIT2: I'm so rude! Thanks in advance 😉

 

[Prozach]

I think you have a great mix of schools in there, ranging from LECOM to JHU. You should be commended for turning your academic life around, and you really destroyed the MCAT. Your GPA, like you said, is a liability, but with your MCAT score and very confidence-inspiring PS, I think you'll definately get in somewhere. Good luck!

 

[Kazema]

Thanks for the feedback. I've been sitting here tweaking my list for the past 4 hours and will likely tweak it some more tomorrow before finalizing my app and sending it in.

And then I get to wait.

 

[chirurgeon]

FYI - Just found out today that Finch was placed on probation by the LCME (the accreditation body for medical schools in the US and Canada) so you may want to re-think Finch.

Casual analysis of your list:
Tier 1 schools: 6
Tier 2 schools: 6
Tier 3 schools: 7

In-state (PA): 7

You have an interesting and promising record, though to be honest, the numerical screening processes of the Tier 1 schools may unfortunately preclude you from receiving secondaries from most of them. I agree with Prozach that you will likely garner some secondaries and subsequent interviews.

Instead of Finch, I might suggest one or two of the NYC schools like NYMC or NYCOM.

Good luck! It sounds like you've got the maturity and wherewithal to be a professional physician!

 

[Prozach]

Not to hijack, but what's going on at Finch? And yes, I think NYMC should definately be on your list, probably the best alternative to Finch.

 

[oldtimer]

I would add Case. They seem to be forgiving of low GPA's if you have high MCAT's.

 

[Kazema]

Yeah, the numerical screening definitely worries me. Can't explain much if you don't get a chance 🙄 . Case was one of the schools I was considering, and I think I will add it. And replace Finch with NYMC. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[chirurgeon]

From today's Chicago Tribune:

Medical school put on probation
Administration, ties to hospitals, student debt cited

By Robert Becker
Tribune higher education reporter
Published June 16, 2004

An organization that reviews medical school curricula placed the Chicago Medical School on probation, citing the need for greater administrative stability, lower student debt and strengthened relationships with hospitals to enhance clinical education, school officials said Tuesday.

Though the school remains accredited, the Liaison Committee on Medical Education--a joint agency of the American Medical Association and the Association of American Medical Colleges--could keep the North Chicago medical school on probation for as long as two years.

The Chicago Medical School is currently the only American medical school on probation, school officials acknowledge.

"I share with the [committee] the sense of urgency to address some key issues," said K. Michael Welch, president and CEO of the newly renamed Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, which includes the medical school. "We are dedicated to working closely with them to end our probationary status."

Dr. Frank Simon, co-secretary of the Liaison Committee, said the committee's findings were confidential. Simon said placing a medical school on probation was "uncommon but not unheard of."

In an interview Tuesday, Welch said that soon after he assumed the presidency in December 2002 he initiated action on a number of the issues that would be cited in the accrediting agency's review.

Welch said a primary concern of his is the school's reliance on tuition to fund operations.

Welch said when he took over, the school generated little in the way of clinical income, philanthropy was not well developed and 60 percent of revenue stemmed from student tuition.

That figure has dropped to 48 percent, which Welch declared is "still high, and we'll work over the next five years to reduce that even more."

With the $36,000 annual tuition at Chicago Medical among the highest in the country, student debt has become a major issue. Welch said that when he arrived at the school two years ago, 65 percent of those graduating owed more than $200,000 in loans.

"I've said it was egregious, and we've begun to work to reduce that," said Welch.

Welch said he has frozen tuition for the next five years and initiated fundraising efforts to ease student costs.

He said the percentage of medical students receiving tuition assistance has increased from 1 percent when he arrived at Franklin to currently around 52 percent.

Welch said other key steps are already under way to address the committee's concerns, including the appointment of departmental chairmen and a new medical school dean, who began earlier this month.

Welch also said the medical school had undertaken efforts to update the school's curriculum. The school continues searching for a primary hospital partner to train third- and fourth-year students, who currently rotate through several area hospitals.

But the current clinical arrangements provide Chicago Medical with little say over who teaches its students.

 

[chirurgeon]

For more info, here is the relevant URL directly from the Chicago Medical School of the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science website:

http://www.finchcms.edu/cms/accreditation/index.cfm

 

[exmike]

case western seems to consider students like you with disparate gpa/mcats. i'd throw that in.

 

[Yogi Bear]

you should throw in albert einstein (solid school), nymc (lotta out of state students), vanderbilt (has one of the highest mcat averages), creighton (accepts quite a bit of nontrad students)

 

[willthatsall]

Do you know if any of those schools that are going to cut you because of your GPA?

 

[doc luv]

i would add uva to your list. obviously i'm biased, but also i believe that uva actually has most of its out of state students come from pa.

 

[Kazema]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll probably be revising and re-revising my list all weekend before submitting on Monday.

will - Not sure which schools will screen me out completely. I asked my premed advisor and she agreed that it was a concern, but that there was a chance that my MCAT score might get me past the screening and lead them to examine my GPA more closely. I'm hoping that they will notice the discrepancy between my early and late GPA and not write me off as a total slacker 😉.

 

[exmike]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll probably be revising and re-revising my list all weekend before submitting on Monday.

will - Not sure which schools will screen me out completely. I asked my premed advisor and she agreed that it was a concern, but that there was a chance that my MCAT score might get me past the screening and lead them to examine my GPA more closely. I'm hoping that they will notice the discrepancy between my early and late GPA and not write me off as a total slacker 😉.

btw i had a very similar profile to you, 2.3 after 2 years, did well afterwards. ended up with a 3.1/3.01. I scored 5 lower on the MCAT and had plenty of success.

 

[Premedtomed]

Age: 23
Race: Asian/Pacific Islander
GPA: 3.0, 2.97 BCPM
Degree: B.S. in Cognitive Science at Carnegie Mellon
MCAT: 40P (14V 14P 12B)
ECs: psychological research on medical diagnosis, 1 year of volunteering in a psychiatric hospital, committed to a year's service at Rochester Americorps, other non-health related work experience and activities like music and athletics
LOR: 2 expected to be great, 1 maybe great but definitely at least good, 2 good

I was a computer science student but basically came into CMU having not developed any kind of motivation or work-ethic in high school. I honestly can't tell you why I was a CS student. So it's no surprise that after 7 semesters of being a CS student at CMU (I'm still amazed I lasted that long without getting tossed out) I had a 2.2 GPA and no chance of graduating on time. I took a leave of absence, during which I spent a LOT of time figuring out what I wanted to do, and here I am today. In my last four semesters, I had 19 A's and 1 B, which came in Analytic Chem Lab, which I took having not had Chemistry for over 2 years.

My list:

Hopkins
UPenn
Pitt
Rochester
Wash U
U of Chicago Pritzker
Emory
Ohio St.
Jefferson
Drexel
Penn St.
George Washington
Temple
St. Louis
Loyola
Philadelphia COM
Georgetown
Finch
Lake Erie COM

I am a PA resident, if you couldn't tell 😉. I picked schools based on rankings/acceptance data, curriculum type (PBL etc), location (I prefer urban, mid-Atlantic), and finally what little I know about their philosophies. For example, Rochester is one of my top choices despite not being in a major urban area because of their biopsychosocial approach. I've listed them by order of preference, again based on the still very limited information I have.

What do you think? Does my list match my circumstances?

EDIT: I should add, I did address my GPA and change of major in my PS.

EDIT2: I'm so rude! Thanks in advance 😉

ppl like you make feel that I am not a part of the smart Asian American group 😳
Got great stats dude.