Advice on Where to Apply, v.1253142

[farleyisgod]

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First of all, I realize that this thread has been done and redone, but I thought I'd try to get some personalized advice.

Before Tuesday morning, I was set on applying EDP to MCG (I'm a GA resident). However, I was pleasantly surprised by my MCAT score, so now I have a few more options to choose from. The "problem" (and YES, I realize that it's not actually a problem, per se) is that I don't know what the best viable options would be, so that's where you guys come in. 🙂

3.37 GPA, 35 MCAT, Decent EC's.
I've tried to look at some resources to gauge my competitiveness at some of the better schools, but I don't want to apply to places that would disregard me because of my GPA.

AGAIN, I realize that this isn't really a problem, and I'm not bitching or whining. I'm very happy with where I stand, but I thought I could use some SDN advice.

Reply to the thread or PM me if you'd like.
Thanks in advance! 🙂 and good luck to everyone in the application process.

 

[skypilot]

Those stats make you somewhat competitive at every mid tier school in the country and you have a shot at the top tier as well. So where do you want to live for the next four years?

Certainly all the Georgia schools and Tulane might take you.

 

[DadofDr2B]

Depending on your interests you might limit your applications to those schools who are good at educating in your area if you can limit your area. MCG for instance is excellent in the internal medicine area and the research area they would not be considered excellent. Make the school fit you. Just a suggestion.

 

[farleyisgod]

Those stats make you somewhat competitive at every mid tier school in the country and you have a shot at the top tier as well. So where do you want to live for the next four years?

Certainly all the Georgia schools and Tulane might take you.

I'd love to live on the West Coast (California) or in the Northeast (NY/Boston), as I've been in the South for almost my entire life. Stanford would be amazing, but a reach. Same with NYU.

Thanks for the reply!

 

[farleyisgod]

Depending on your interests you might limit your applications to those schools who are good at educating in your area if you can limit your area. MCG for instance is excellent in the internal medicine area and the research area they would not be considered excellent. Make the school fit you. Just a suggestion.

Yeah, that's something I'll definitely have to look into and keep in mind while I'm applying. Should I look at the schools' websites to get an idea about this?

Gracias 🙂

 

[skypilot]

I'd love to live on the West Coast (California) or in the Northeast (NY/Boston), as I've been in the South for almost my entire life. Stanford would be amazing, but a reach. Same with NYU.

Thanks for the reply!

Cali is tough. I didn't even apply there, but you have a shot especially at the private schools. As far as the Northeast I will give you the standard list, private schools are the way to go if you want to get admitted but you will pay a lot in tuition: GW, Drexel, Temple, Jefferson, Pitt, Tufts, NYMC, NYU, Einstein, Albany, BU, Dartmouth, Univ of Vermont,Rochester,Dartmouth Reach: Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Cornell, .... and so on.

You might also give the upstate public NY schools as I have heard they sometimes take out of staters.

Good luck!

 

[VCMM414]

where did u do your undergrad? i think in your case this could matter... an emory/duke 3.37 may be more favorable than a uga/gsu 3.37. also, are we talking about a static 3.37, or one with a visible upward trend? assuming you go to emory or gt, and assuming that you have a favorable trend in your gpa, stanford and most of the UCs are still long shots, but nyu/mssm/AE/tufts are not quite as much. if you favor california, you can also consider usc. a really nice school, imo.

sorry, i don't know what your definition of "better schools" is. do you consider usc-keck to be one? or are these stanford/columbia-level schools? how about schools that are just below the top, like baylor/emory/vandy?

 

[farleyisgod]

Cali is tough. I didn't even apply there, but you have a shot especially at the private schools. As far as the Northeast I will give you the standard list, private schools are the way to go if you want to get admitted but you will pay a lot in tuition: GW, Drexel, Temple, Jefferson, Pitt, Tufts, NYMC, NYU, Einstein, Albany, BU, Dartmouth, Univ of Vermont,Rochester,Dartmouth Reach: Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Cornell, .... and so on.

You might also give the upstate public NY schools as I have heard they sometimes take out of staters.

Good luck!

If I apply to places in California, they'll be private schools... probably just Stanford. And thanks for that standard list for the Northeast... 🙂 I'll go through and see what would be good fits for me.

 

[farleyisgod]

where did u do your undergrad? i think in your case this could matter... an emory/duke 3.37 may be more favorable than a uga/gsu 3.37. also, are we talking about a static 3.37, or one with a visible upward trend? assuming you go to emory or gt, and assuming that you have a favorable trend in your gpa, stanford and most of the UCs are still long shots, but nyu/mssm/AE/tufts are not quite as much. if you favor california, you can also consider usc. a really nice school, imo.

sorry, i don't know what your definition of "better schools" is. do you consider usc-keck to be one? or are these stanford/columbia-level schools? how about schools that are just below the top, like baylor/emory/vandy?

I went to Georgia Tech, but I'm afraid out-of-state med schools won't realize the hard work it takes to achieve even a 3.37. There's definitely an upward trend in my GPA from year to year, so that's a plus point. I'm gonna apply to Stanford as one of my reach schools (maybe I can get lucky!) and I'll definitely consider USC (although I don't know too much about the school.) Also, it's definitely good to hear that NYU would be in reach for me.

I'd be more than happy at Emory, but I'd like to explore other options as well.
Thanks for your reply! 🙂

 

[skypilot]

I went to Georgia Tech, but I'm afraid out-of-state med schools won't realize the hard work it takes to achieve even a 3.37. There's definitely an upward trend in my GPA from year to year, so that's a plus point. I'm gonna apply to Stanford as one of my reach schools (maybe I can get lucky!) and I'll definitely consider USC (although I don't know too much about the school.) Also, it's definitely good to hear that NYU would be in reach for me.

I'd be more than happy at Emory, but I'd like to explore other options as well.
Thanks for your reply! 🙂

Are you an engineer? Add more reach schools. The med schools definitely do realize the value of a 3.37 from Georgia Tech. I'd add Pitt and UMichigan if you interested in living in those areas. In Cali I would add USC, UCLA, what the heck throw in UC Davis and UCSF if you've got lots of dough for applications. Apply to the Cali schools based on percentage of out of staters accepted.

 

[VCMM414]

Are you an engineer? Add more reach schools. The med schools definitely do realize the value of a 3.37 from Georgia Tech. I'd add Pitt and UMichigan if you interested in living in those areas. In Cali I would add USC, UCLA, what the heck throw in UC Davis and UCSF if you've got lots of dough for applications. Apply to the Cali schools based on percentage of out of staters accepted.

I wouldn't bet on people realizing about the rigors of Tech. Ultimately, GT does not have the household name-brand of MIT or Cal Tech. I've only heard of great things about GT (I did not go to Tech), and I used to be under the assumption that the general public knows all about GT, but I am not so sure anymore. Tech grads on this very website have reportedly felt a lack of name-recognition (and the wow! factor) during the med application circuit. One poster that comes immediately to mind is SunnyS81, who's now at UMich. You may want to pm her, but I remember she said something to the effect that at one of her (top school) interviews the interviewer had not heard of GT. It came as a surprise to me, since I am well aware of the academic prowess of Tech, but I guess not everyone in medicine does. Point is, do NOT automatically assume that people will give you any extra credit for having completed an engineering major at GT, especially with schools outside the southeast. I hope I haven't offended anyone with this.

By the way, UCD may be fairly pointless to you. I think people on this site have previously said UCD and UCI are two UCs that basically do NOT take non-Cali applicants. LA and SF, on the other hand, are the most receptive of the bunch.

edit: I was pleasantly surprised by USC when I visited it. It has one of the country's strongest ophthal and neurosurg departments. LA County is an excellent place for clinical training (much like Grady is for Emory, of which I am sure you are aware). About the only knock on USC is that it is separated from its undergrad campus, but then again some people might like that. Also, it's still not as highly recognized as some other med schools, but I'm sure they are trying hard to fix that.