advice please!?

[wolf]

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my science gpa is 3.4 , overall gpa 3.6 . (it would have been higher if not for a C in a calc II class 1st semester). like everyone else i did volunteering, psychology research, extracuric., went abroad too.
what do you think are my chances of getting into such schools as columbia, yale, cornell, or dartmouth?

also, which schools are the easiest to get into in the northeast? i'm a NY resident so i'm talking about ny, nj, ma, pa, vt. etc.
(i heard jefferson, mcph, but i'm not sure)

i'm gettin depressed here so any advice would be helpful.

 

[nicolette]

Hi Wolf,
In answer to your first question, that depends on what you got on your MCATs. Needless to say, the higher the score, the better your chances at all schools. However, be forewarned that the admissions process is a complex and confusing one. Despite the efforts of pre-meds all over this country, there is no magic formula that will ensure an acceptance. Your gpa is good and you should have a fair shot at your state schools provided that all other aspects of your application are okay. Remember to be on top of things, apply early, and I think you should be okay.

Best of luck.

 

[Lt. Ub]

I echo that - a stellar MCAT will catch their attention. No matter how much they try to hide it, most schools on that list of yours won't even consider the prettiest application unless it makes a certain MCAT and GPA cut-off. I go to Penn Med and interview for the med school and I'm pretty sure that's the case here. Go for the top, but don't forget to have a few "safety schools" on hand.

Philly

------------------
"They do certainly give very strange and newfangled names to diseases."
- Plato

 

[wolf]

thank you so much for your replies.

i'm applying to allopathic schools; 4 state schools, 4 other "safety" (though none of them are really "safe" for me), 4 mid, 6 top med.

i'm also sending applications to 5 osteopathic ones. one of them is michigan state: what do u think are my chances of getting in? (they accept 85% from in-state and have acceptated avg gpa of 3.4)

--how do these numbers look to you?

 

[noah]

I would apply to any of the SUNY schools you are interested in, NYMC, Einstein, MCPHU, Temple, & Jefferson. New Jersey state schools are hard to get into from out of state & may not be worth the money, but you certainly have a shot. To be honest with you, I'd think about applying to more mid-level schools, top schools are a long shot for those with solid but average numbers like your own. Do well on your MCATs (over 32 if possible), write a great essay, get your AMCAS in as early as possible and you have a good chance of getting in to an allopathic school. You have an even better chance of getting into DO schools, such as NYCOM. Good Luck

 

[Rock]

wolf...do you mind telling what those 'safety schools' are??..or could anyone give examples of 'safetty schools'

 

[wolf]

"safety": some of the schools noah mentioned: such as temple, jefferson, vermont (3.3 avg gpa) and state schools

 

[noah]

Actually Vermont is very hard to get into from out of state and temple and jefferson only interview about 10% of out of state applicants. Although the average GPA is lower, they still admit only about 2-4% of out of state students. The moral of the story - there is no such thing as safety schools, admission is guaranteed nowhere.

 

[wolf]

yeepee...

what about mcp hahnemann and nymed college? (for ny resid)

 

[noah]

Wolf - both schools interview many people and NYMC may give a slight preference for NY residents (in terms of granting interviews). You should check out the U.S. News and World Report website for data on in state/ out of state interview and acceptance state at all med schools.

 

[austinite]

Wolf:

Being from Texas, I had a great choice here itself..but I applied to some out of state schools as safety schools..and certainly do not start worrying about ur GPA from now itself..DO what u can by taking science classes in the summer...but certainly don't stress over it. Make A's..and pull it up.

I will be attending UT Southwestern in the fall..and have applied to several out of state..including MCPHU...I wanted to write about that particular school here...MCPHU gets 8000 applications..they interview over a 1000 students...they accept 500..and have 220 spots..which they are decreasing next year. MCPHU has a great curriculum..but is trying to get into the middle range of schools. Their setback..is NO research funding. However, if u are just in for getting into med school..and worried about ur acceptance..apply here. I applied and got in 5 days after my interview. MCPHU is very particular about the student behind the application. Their interviews with a student and faculty member are taken seriously..and they give heavy consideration to non-traditional students. THat is the reason for their low avg un.grad gpa..but don't be fooled..these are grad students with 4.0's..so u can't really see that in the undergrad GPA. U have to come across as a mature student..and if u have the decent numbers..MCP is a great safety school. I don't want to say u will definitely get in..but if u have decent MCATs..above a 30..and have some kind of clinical experience..I think u have a great chance. Just don't blow off the interviews..and MAKE SURE U KNOW...WHY u want to attend MCPHU!! I think that is taken pretty seriously.

 

[buttercup]

wolf- what year are you? Where are you in school?
I had basically the same science and all around GPA as you my soph to jr. year and boosted it up some more late jr. year and then more senior year. I went to stanford, so that helped a bit.
Research and volunteership will definetely help you, but you do need to rock the MCAT world. I studied really hard, did really well on the MCAT and am going to Cornell. If you can do that I'd say you have a good shot at Cornell, Pitt., NYU., but I can't speak to the others as I didn't apply there.
You sound like you're in decent shape though!! Good luck to you

 

[wolf]

hi buttercup,
unfortunately i'm in my jr. yr. and applying now. already took the mcat but no score yet.
did u apply the summer after your senior year? what did u do for a year?
does anyone know anything about post-bac. programs?

 

[wolf]

u asked where i go to school: suny binghamton
. that probably wont help my application.
where did u go to for undergrad?

 

[noah]

Wolf - SUNY Binghamton is actually a pretty well-regarded school especially in the NE. Do well on your MCATs and you'll be fine - Be sure to apply to SUNY med schools