Another school list...please help!

[ando9000]

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I will be taking the July MCAT and feel fairly confident that I will be prepared to do well. I have a 3.92 cGPA and 4.0 sGPA. Nevada resident.

ECs.

-Full ride scholarship/ 2 year Division I baseball player- (career ending injury required me to not be able to play after soph year)
-Physical therapy technician 1 yr- Direct patient contact everyday
-2+ years of Doc shadowing with an Ortho Surgeon + small amounts of time with other specialties.
- 1 year on-going Volunteer at local SOM outreach clinic for individuals with no insurance
-1 year on-going intro biology TA discussion group leader
- multiple baseball camps for children and people with disabilities
- One semester of research in bio lab at my undergraduate university which will continue into the fall, along with this whole summer volunteer research position at Boston University School of Medicine.
- 1 year Internship in training room at my university/ helping out at baseball games after I was unable to play
-Warehouse worker in a specialty gas warehouse
-1 semester worked as an aide for man with quadriplegia
-1+ year Volunteer in surgical transport at local hospital



Tentative list of schools

BU
Columbia
Duke
Georgetown
George Washington
Jefferson
Mayo?
New York Medical College
NYU
Northwestern
Oregon Health and sciences
Penn state
University of Penn
Temple
Tufts
San francisco?
Pritzker?
Colorado
Nevada
U North Carolina
U Pitt
U Washington
Vanderbilt
Wake Forest
Dartmouth?


Too many reach schools or good mix of all? Obviously expecting an above average MCAT (32-37) but we all know things don't always go as planned. Any help would be tremendous. Thanks all!

 

[reddoc]

Your application looks very good but need to know MCAT. Your school list is very top heavy and if your MCAT is not stellar, I would add several schools in lower to mid tier level.

 

[ando9000]

Thank you very much, I know the MCAT score will determine which are likely, but I was just looking to feel things out. Any suggestions on out of state friendly middle of the road schools?

 

[reddoc]

Might want to look at MCW, Miami, Vermont, Einstein, Loyola.

 

[ando9000]

Great advice thank you so much. If my MCAT turns out to be greater than 33 should I be decently competitive at most schools on the list?

 

[Catalystik]

As you'll only have a semester and a part of a summer of research listed on your application, you might rethink the inclusion of the research giants on your list. Top-ranked schools also like to see strong leadership.

 

[ando9000]

If there were three research giants you would take off, which would you suggest? I would hope my athletic experiences on the field and through volunteering with baseball camps, TA and tutoring experience, and being a varsity quarterback for three years will play into leadership.

 

[Catalystik]

Duke and UChicago for sure (both of which require research during med school). Consider removing UPenn, UCSF, UPitt. Columbia is high on the list, but I won't suggest it since they love those excelling in the Arts of Sports from what I've heard.

Coaching, TA, and tutoring are usually listed under Teaching. But if you can make a case for one/some of them being Leadership, then go for it. Team captain is definitely Leadership.

 

[ando9000]

Great thank you. Would it be unwise to try and use a high school sports experience (as I said varsity quarterback for three years) as a leadership position? It truly made me grow up and learn to lead since I was only 15 years old being the "boss" of mainly 18 year olds.

 

[Catalystik]

There is no bar to listing a HS experience that you consider "significant" but my fear would be that it wouldn't be much regarded. Alternatively, you might work it into your PS somehow. Or even into a Secondary essay.

 

[tlaloc87]

Duke and UChicago for sure (both of which require research during med school). Consider removing UPenn, UCSF, UPitt. Columbia is high on the list, but I won't suggest it since they love those excelling in the Arts of Sports from what I've heard.

I'd advocate keeping Pitt if you like what you read/hear about it. I got in with ZERO research. But the rest of that advice is solid -- Duke, Pritzker, Penn, UCSF all want strong research.

re: Columbia, it's a toss-up. They took no interest in me, and that may or may not have been due to research.

 

[ando9000]

That sounds like a plan to me. How about the schools like BU, Jefferson, Wake Forest, etc.. Would a 33 and up make me fairly competitive? I have access to the MSAR and know all of the "average" and median scores they accept but with the rest of my stats would those type of schools be reasonable?

 

[ando9000]

Also how much will a July MCAT hurt me? I will be submitting in June ASAP and completing all secondaries as well that I receive w/o needing my MCAT score. If I am complete and all they need is my MCAT (released in late August) can I expect to start hearing from schools soon after?