Am I wasting my money??? ~3.59 sgpa, ~3.82cgpa, 28S, NJ Resident

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Caledfwlch

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I've already written a long post asking about if/when I should retake MCAT. For my second ridiculously long post, I would really just appreciate some advice about if I have ANY shot at all if I go ahead with my application this cycle to lower-tier schools, as my stats currently stand.

NJ resident, 28S MCAT (8PS/10BS/10VR)
around 3.59sgpa (after some MAJOR damage control over the last two years to bring it up from a 2.78)
around 3.82cgpa

Majors: English Lit, Biology (also, an A.A in Religous Studies...not that it helps with anything)
Minor: Women's studies

Strong LOR, good PS (I think it still needs work though.) Female, 22 yrs old, not an URM.

ECs/awards:
Dean's scholarship (all 4 years of college)
Dean's list (all 4 years of college)
1 year clinical research assistant in radiation oncology (1 year)
clinical research assistant in interventional radiology (1 summer)
~200+ volunteer hours at NJ hospital (2 summers)
~90-100 volunteer hours at NY hospital (8 months, but only 4-5 hours a week)
1 publication (in an ethics journal)
1 published abstract
1 unpublished paper draft (a paper was published based on my draft, but I had left the research team at this point, and was not included as an author. I am given credit in an LOR as having written the first draft though, not sure if that count really.)
tutor/high school mentor in an afterschool program (2 years)
Resident Advisor (2 years)
section editor for campus newspaper (1 year)
publicity representative, women's studies society (1 year)
board member, sharsheret breast cancer awareness club (1 year)
medical ethics society volunteer (1 year)
blood drive board member (1 year)
quidditch team captain (2 years...but didn't include this on my app. should I?)
intern, then editoral assistant at a medical publishing company (10 months so far...didn't include this on my app. either, should I?)

I know I'm not even a contender for top schools. Right now, I am considering applying to:

MD: Upstate, Cooper, Temple, Buffalo, Commonwealth, Hofstra, Robert Wood Johnson, George Washington, NYMC, Jefferson, Penn State

DO: Touro, UMDNJ, NYCOM

On the fence about: Sackler, Ben Gurion, Technion, Drexel, Albany, Howard, Downstate, UMDNJ, Maryland...what do you guys think?

Do I even have a shot at any of the places on my list, or am I throwing out application money? If not, are there any other schools I should be considering? Advice is welcomed and much appreciated. Please be honest.

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Commonwealth - Not unless you can convince them that you'd stay in Pennsylvania (northeastern especially). Also they only have 65 spots with the majority being IS.

Upstate - your chances are slim to none. Only 13 OOS matriculated there for the incoming 2009-2010 class. They accept mostly IS. Your chances are much better at downstate (which still isn't that good of a chance).

I'd say add UMDNJ (not sure why you wouldn't have added this MD school), Downstate (see above for why), and Drexel. Your EC's are very good it's just your MCAT that's holding you back a little.

Your MCAT is on the borderline for Penn State, but after interviewing there and seeing the types of applicants they accept, I'd say you have a very good chance of being accepted there (especially with women's studies). Also, I don't know where in NJ you live but I have family that are only 2 hours away from Hershey and they live in NJ. So location is a plus and one that you could bring up during an interview.
 
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Thank you for the advice! And clearly I didn't look at the MSAR close enough for Upstate, so thanks for pointing out the IS thing.

And I didn't add UMDNJ to my MD list because according to the MSAR, their lower range of MCAT scores is a 29 (same situation as Downstate). I know they favor NJ residents, but I don't even have the minimum score...wouldn't that be a waste of an application? Although I very much want to get in this cycle, worst case scenario if I don't get in, end up retaking my MCATs (and :xf: score 30+) to reapply next cycle, wouldn't it up my chances to apply to UMDNJ then as a first-time applicant? Or would it not matter that I was a reapplicant?
 
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Thank you for the advice! And clearly I didn't look at the MSAR close enough for Upstate, so thanks for pointing out the IS thing.

And I didn't add UMDNJ to my MD list because according to the MSAR, their lower range of MCAT scores is a 29 (same situation as Downstate). I know they favor NJ residents, but I don't even have the minimum score...wouldn't that be a waste of an application? Although I very much want to get in this cycle, worst case scenario if I don't get in, end up retaking my MCATs (and :xf: score 30+) to reapply next cycle, wouldn't it up my chances to apply to UMDNJ then as a first-time applicant? Or would it not matter that I was a reapplicant?

It wouldn't matter if you were a reapplicant schools don't view that any differently. Also be careful, a 29 isn't their minimum score, it's just the lower end of the MCAT 10-90th percentile range (i.e. there are still applicants getting in with an MCAT < 29). Also those are the stats for the accepted applicants, not those who matriculate. You'll find that the matriculant stats are much lower (since those with higher stats usually get accepted to multiple places). But anyway going back to your chances, I'd say you have a shot at UMDNJ b/c your GPA is good, you're a NJ resident (that will help a TON), and your EC's are very impressive.
 
Here's a look at the Class of 2014 profile. I'd say your chances are pretty good.

Total Applicants:3,456
New Jersey Residents:1209
Out of State Residents:2247

Interviews: 652
Total Offers of Acceptance:371
New Jersey Residents:344
Out of State Residents:27

Matriculated:178 ( Males: 94 , Females: 84 )
New Jersey Residents:174
Out of State Residents:4
Mean MCAT Score:31.75 (Verbal 9.96; Physical Sciences. 10.77; Biological Sciences 11.02)
Mean Science GPA:3.58
Mean Total GPA: 3.64
 
Thank you for the info and guidance! I think I will add UMDNJ to my list then, and and hope for the best.
 
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