Advice on school list + adding more

[chuxi]

Hi there! I'm really new to SDN so please forgive me if this is in the wrong place/needs to be formatted differently. I'm seeking help with my school list because I'm just not sure if I've applied to enough schools and if I should add more. I'm also a reapplicant (3 interviews, 1 MD 2 DO, 2 waitlists 1 reject) so I'm sure that will affect the things here.

GPA: 3.38 undergrad + 4.0 in a diy postbacc
MCAT: 514 (129/128/129/128)
Basics: CA ORM female
Summary: 250+ hours of clinical experience, 1000+ service hours, 3 leadership positions in service organizations, 2000+ undergrad research hours, 3 publications + 3 more in progress or pending approval

I can always provide more information if needed. Thanks so much for your consideration!

DOs:
MWU CCOM
MWU AZCOM
Western COMP
Western COMPNW
CHSU COM
NOVA Southeastern
PNWU COM
Touro NY
Touro CA
KCUMB

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[deleted859689]

Any significant difference between your app now and last year? what schools did you get interviews at? what do schools did you apply to last cycle?

 

[Goro]

Hi there! I'm really new to SDN so please forgive me if this is in the wrong place/needs to be formatted differently. I'm seeking help with my school list because I'm just not sure if I've applied to enough schools and if I should add more. I'm also a reapplicant (3 interviews, 1 MD 2 DO, 2 waitlists 1 reject) so I'm sure that will affect the things here.

GPA: 3.38 undergrad + 4.0 in a diy postbacc
MCAT: 514 (129/128/129/128)
Basics: CA ORM female
Summary: 250+ hours of clinical experience, 1000+ service hours, 3 leadership positions in service organizations, 2000+ undergrad research hours, 3 publications + 3 more in progress or pending approval

I can always provide more information if needed. Thanks so much for your consideration!

DOs:
MWU CCOM
MWU AZCOM
Western COMP
Western COMPNW
CHSU COM
NOVA Southeastern
PNWU COM
Touro NY
Touro CA
KCUMB

I can't recommend Nova or CHSU

Add in TUNCOM, DMU, PCOM, CUSOM, LECOM, NYITCOM

 

[chuxi]

Any significant difference between your app now and last year? what schools did you get interviews at? what do schools did you apply to last cycle?

Hi! I did a DIY postbacc with a 4.0, retook the MCAT (it was expired) for a 514, published three papers, and got about 50 more hours of shadowing in. The adcoms I spoke to recommended I improve my GPA and gain more clinical shadowing hours, so I'm not sure how significant of a difference these are, but I followed the advice given to me.

Last year, I interviewed at FAU, MWU AZCOM, and KCUMB. I applied to many DO schools (all of the above and 10 more, like Edward Via, Liberty, if you can name it then I probably applied there) and more MD schools than I should've, haha.

 

[chuxi]

I can't recommend Nova or CHSU

Add in TUNCOM, DMU, PCOM, CUSOM, LECOM, NYITCOM

Hi! Fantastic, thank you for the recommendations. Would you be willing to elaborate more on Nova/CHSU?

 

[deleted859689]

Hi! Fantastic, thank you for the recommendations. Would you be willing to elaborate more on Nova/CHSU?

I bet my bananas you'll get into a DO school somewhere this time around. Make sure to review/revise your personal statement and secondaries.

 

[chuxi]

I bet my bananas you'll get into a DO school somewhere this time around. Make sure to review/revise your personal statement and secondaries.

I've definitely asked trusted friends and my PI to look at my personal statement and other essays, haha. Thank you so much for the encouragement! ^_^ I know you're a DO student, but would you know if it's worth it to apply to MDs this cycle or if my app would be DOA at an MD? I can always post this in the MD threads if this question is more suitable there.

 

[deleted859689]

I've definitely asked trusted friends and my PI to look at my personal statement and other essays, haha. Thank you so much for the encouragement! ^_^ I know you're a DO student, but would you know if it's worth it to apply to MDs this cycle or if my app would be DOA at an MD? I can always post this in the MD threads if this question is more suitable there.

I'm no expert, but from reading on SDN being a CA resident makes it harder. @Faha @Goro With the stats from your initial post, I just found it surprising you didn't get into a DO school first time around which led me to think it could've been something outside of stats e.g. interview/PS/secondaries that didn't get you in.

 

[chuxi]

I'm no expert, but from reading on SDN being a CA resident makes it harder. @Faha @Goro With the stats from your initial post, I just found it surprising you didn't get into a DO school first time around which led me to think it could've been something outside of stats e.g. interview/PS/secondaries that didn't get you in.

I knew I didn't do well in one of my interviews right off the bat (my post-II rejection at the MD), but I heard back from the adcoms at the DO schools I interviewed at that my clinical experience was lacking/didn't have enough shadowing hours and that was eventually what kept me on the waitlist vs other applicants. It was really a bummer because I felt that the interviews themselves went quite well, but I'm definitely hoping that my app shows I've made an effort to address those deficiencies.

 

[Rogue42]

1. Congrats on your 4.0 DIY. How many hours was it? Because it makes a critical difference - like 12 is nothing and 30 is nothing to bat an eyelash at.
2. What is your science GPA? It needs to be above a 3.0 to get looks. I CANNOT stress this point enough. None of the rest of the advice in my post or this thread matters unless you sGPA is over 3.0.

For MD, your gpa, regardless of the diy repair, probably isn't high enough to be competitive for (m)any of your state schools in CA. I would research the averages, and apply smartly to them. For example, I wouldn't waste your time on UCLA, UCSF, etc.. For other MD schools, it'll be a tough go still. I don't have a ready list, but you might be lucky to find some newer, private MD schools. But, that's about the end of your MD chances.

For DO, I would (given personal finances) literally apply to every school that you feel comfortable going to - including the ones that you are a reapplicant at.

 

[chuxi]

1. Congrats on your 4.0 DIY. How many hours was it? Because it makes a critical difference - like 12 is nothing and 30 is nothing to bat an eyelash at.
2. What is your science GPA? It needs to be above a 3.0 to get looks. I CANNOT stress this point enough. None of the rest of the advice in my post or this thread matters unless you sGPA is over 3.0.

For MD, your gpa, regardless of the diy repair, probably isn't high enough to be competitive for (m)any of your state schools in CA. I would research the averages, and apply smartly to them. For example, I wouldn't waste your time on UCLA, UCSF, etc.. For other MD schools, it'll be a tough go still. I don't have a ready list, but you might be lucky to find some newer, private MD schools. But, that's about the end of your MD chances.

For DO, I would (given personal finances) literally apply to every school that you feel comfortable going to - including the ones that you are a reapplicant at.

Hi! Unfortunately, my DIY was part-time so it wasn't too many hours. My science GPA is a 3.35, both my cGPA and sGPA are fairly even. (Not great, but over a 3.0!) But thank you so much for the rest of your advice, I'll definitely take your thoughts into account when I'm adding more schools in.

 

[Rogue42]

Hi! Unfortunately, my DIY was part-time so it wasn't too many hours. My science GPA is a 3.35, both my cGPA and sGPA are fairly even. (Not great, but over a 3.0!) But thank you so much for the rest of your advice, I'll definitely take your thoughts into account when I'm adding more schools in.

Good to hear about your science GPA!

However, word of caution from the wise, a DIY-postbacc 4.0 doesn't hold a whole lot of weight when the hours aren't high. Not because it isn't impressive, but usually because the too few hours aren't enough to 1.) increase you're gpa to a statistically significant difference from the year before (as a reapplicant to schools) and 2.) show that you've really changed your study habits.

I am not trying to be mean or degrade the work you have done, just letting you know to keep that in mind when moving forward with your application season! Best of luck!

 

[chuxi]

Good to hear about your science GPA!

However, word of caution from the wise, a DIY-postbacc 4.0 doesn't hold a whole lot of weight when the hours aren't high. Not because it isn't impressive, but usually because the too few hours aren't enough to 1.) increase you're gpa to a statistically significant difference from the year before (as a reapplicant to schools) and 2.) show that you've really changed your study habits.

I am not trying to be mean or degrade the work you have done, just letting you know to keep that in mind when moving forward with your application season! Best of luck!

That's completely understandable! I did consider the relative lack of hours when applying but I figured that doing the diy part-time and still maintaining a 4.0 while working full-time would show that I've somewhat improved my study habits, haha. Once again, thanks so much for your insightful advice, much appreciated! ^__^

 

[Goro]

Hi! Fantastic, thank you for the recommendations. Would you be willing to elaborate more on Nova/CHSU?

Nova: Two of the four last years have declining first-time COMLEX pass rates. The last two years for which we have data are in the low 90s. Some 7% of their 2018 grads failed to match, ditto 4% of their Class of 2019. There are also signs of significant delay to graduation in these numbers. That’s still not good for a veteran school. I’d expect > 95% pass rates and match rates closer to 100%. These problems are you expect from a new school, not a veteran. Something is very wrong there. See: Residency Match Data and COMLEX Level 3 Board Scores | NSU COM

CUHS is too new and appears to be too limited in rotations sites.

Note: You should also try these schools:

BU
Pitt
Mayo
Mt Sinai (maybe)
Keck (maybe)
UCSF
EVMS
U Miami
Hofstra
Emory
Jefferson
Drexel
Albany
Tufts
NYMC
Rush
Loyola
Rosy Franklin
Tulane
Wake
MCW
SLU
Creighton
Wayne State
Netter
NYU.LI

 

[chuxi]

Nova: Two of the four last years have declining first-time COMLEX pass rates. The last two years for which we have data are in the low 90s. Some 7% of their 2018 grads failed to match, ditto 4% of their Class of 2019. There are also signs of significant delay to graduation in these numbers. That’s still not good for a veteran school. I’d expect > 95% pass rates and match rates closer to 100%. These problems are you expect from a new school, not a veteran. Something is very wrong there. See: Residency Match Data and COMLEX Level 3 Board Scores | NSU COM

CUHS is too new and appears to be too limited in rotations sites.

Note: You should also try these schools:

BU
Pitt
Mayo
Mt Sinai (maybe)
Keck (maybe)
UCSF
EVMS
U Miami
Hofstra
Emory
Jefferson
Drexel
Albany
Tufts
NYMC
Rush
Loyola
Rosy Franklin
Tulane
Wake
MCW
SLU
Creighton
Wayne State
Netter
NYU.LI

Great, thank you so much for your advice. I really appreciate that you took the time to write this out for me!