Any Chance at Top School?

[oneday1]

URM African American and Hispanic
35R MCAT
MIT undergraduate
3.2 sGPA
3.4 cGPA
3 research publication, first author on one, other two are in major medical journals
Solid recommendations
200+ Clinical Shadowing Hours
2 year volunteering for an African healthcare non-profit
EMT-B but nothing done with it yet
Varsity athlete for a year
Mom is a physician
TX resident

Any chances at a top 20 school? Right now I know I'm lacking in the GPA department but I'm hoping the fact that I'm at a strong undergraduate school and have somewhat impressive ECs, research and URM status will at least get me looked at. Thoughts? Any chance?

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[coolingglasses]

URM African American and Hispanic
35R MCAT
MIT undergraduate
3.2 sGPA
3.4 cGPA
3 research publication, first author on one, other two are in major medical journals
Solid recommendations
200+ Clinical Shadowing Hours
2 year volunteering for an African healthcare non-profit
EMT-B but nothing done with it yet
Varsity athlete for a year
Mom is a physician
TX resident

Any chances at a top 20 school? Right now I know I'm lacking in the GPA department but I'm hoping the fact that I'm at a strong undergraduate school and have somewhat impressive ECs, research and URM status will at least get me looked at. Thoughts? Any chance?

I haven't heard of a school's reputations for toughness factoring into an application, though I could see it happening on a regional basis. Are any of the TX schools T20? Because I'd wager you have a great shot at all of them.

 

[pasiley]

You have a shot at a top school. I would also apply to many "safety" schools as well but your research, undergrad, ECs, and MCAT make you a decent candidate for the upper tiers.

One thing, was your volunteer work with the health care non-profit clinical or clerical? You may want to add some clinical volunteering in there if it was clerical.

According to the data below, between 2009-2011 there were only roughly 200 AA applicants with stronger stats than you that applied. Divide 200/3 and you get 60-70 applicants a year with the same or stronger stats than you. With the MSAR you can calcualte how many AAs are in the top 10s, 20s, etc. It will take some time though.

I would still apply to a board range of schools because even out of the 51 AAs with stats similar to yours that applied between 2009-2011, 7 managed not to be accepted. This probably had more to do with a top heavy application. Don't make that mistake and apply to "top" schools and middle of the road schools as well. I would definitely apply to all of your state schools.

https://www.aamc.org/download/157594/data/table25-b-mcatgpa-grid-black.pdf

 

[cyanide12345678]

Well your best chances would be at Southwestern and Baylor obviously because of your Texas residency. Your GPA is kinda low (even if we account for grade deflation at MIT), but it might be just enough. I'd be more hopeful for mid-tier schools like UTH, UTMB, UTSA. Those schools would definitely be showing you a lot of love.

Depending on how much money, time, and energy you want to spend, you can apply to texas schools with a few more top and mid tier AMCAS schools. The mid-tier texas schools are more than enough safeties for you Plus they are really cheap lol

 

[FalconSlice]

URM African American and Hispanic
35R MCAT
MIT undergraduate
3.2 sGPA
3.4 cGPA
3 research publication, first author on one, other two are in major medical journals
Solid recommendations
200+ Clinical Shadowing Hours
2 year volunteering for an African healthcare non-profit
EMT-B but nothing done with it yet
Varsity athlete for a year
Mom is a physician
TX resident

Any chances at a top 20 school? Right now I know I'm lacking in the GPA department but I'm hoping the fact that I'm at a strong undergraduate school and have somewhat impressive ECs, research and URM status will at least get me looked at. Thoughts? Any chance?

Everybody wants to go to a top 20. Apply broadly. The sad fact is that one can be doing amazing things in lab, in community, etc. but if you don't have the numbers, not many people will care. I am not saying you don't have a shot at a top 20--Everyone does. To be honest, being a URM, high MCAT, etc. does not detract from the fact that your GPA is really quite low for matriculants in top 20 schools. First and foremost, you must have the numbers.

 

[FalconSlice]

Btw, why does the fact that your mother is a physician matter at all?

 

[oneday1]

I have heard anecdotally that having a physician parent helps because you know first hand what you're getting yourself into. I don't know if that's true or not.

The list below would be ideal but I'm starting to think the list might be too upper tier heavy. I know I should never feel too confident but I think I have a good chance at Baylor and UTSW so I figure I might as well go for it with the good schools

1. Harvard
2. Hopkins
3. UPenn
4. Stanford
5. UCSF
6. Wash U. St. Louis
7. Columbia
8. Duke
9. Cornell
10. Mt. Sinai
11. Baylor
12. NYU
13. Mayo
14. Boston U
15. Einstein
16. Tufts
17. UC Irvine
18. Georgetown U
19. U Mass
20. Geroge Washington
21. UTSW

Other potential
Yale, UCLA, Dartmouth, Brown, Jefferson

 

[red doctober]

It would be pretty dumb not to apply to every Texas school...

 

[mcloaf]

I'm not as familiar with how large the boost of URM will be for you, but I find that to be an eye poppingly optimistic list with a 3.2 sGPA. Your research will help, but only if you get a human to look at your app, which might not happen...

Hopefully others will have more insight on this.

 

[Dannyw]

I have heard anecdotally that having a physician parent helps because you know first hand what you're getting yourself into. I don't know if that's true or not.

The list below would be ideal but I'm starting to think the list might be too upper tier heavy. I know I should never feel too confident but I think I have a good chance at Baylor and UTSW so I figure I might as well go for it with the good schools

1. Harvard
2. Hopkins
3. UPenn
4. Stanford
5. UCSF
6. Wash U. St. Louis
7. Columbia
8. Duke
9. Cornell
10. Mt. Sinai
11. Baylor
12. NYU
13. Mayo
14. Boston U
15. Einstein
16. Tufts
17. UC Irvine
18. Georgetown U
19. U Mass
20. Geroge Washington
21. UTSW

Other potential
Yale, UCLA, Dartmouth, Brown, Jefferson

You won't be considered for UMass. You need to have gone to high school in Massachusetts or lived/worked there for five years (I think its five).

 

[FalconSlice]

I have heard anecdotally that having a physician parent helps because you know first hand what you're getting yourself into. I don't know if that's true or not.

The list below would be ideal but I'm starting to think the list might be too upper tier heavy. I know I should never feel too confident but I think I have a good chance at Baylor and UTSW so I figure I might as well go for it with the good schools

1. Harvard
2. Hopkins
3. UPenn
4. Stanford
5. UCSF
6. Wash U. St. Louis
7. Columbia
8. Duke
9. Cornell
10. Mt. Sinai
11. Baylor
12. NYU
13. Mayo
14. Boston U
15. Einstein
16. Tufts
17. UC Irvine
18. Georgetown U
19. U Mass
20. Geroge Washington
21. UTSW

Other potential
Yale, UCLA, Dartmouth, Brown, Jefferson

You sure you don't want to apply to any more top tier schools? This list is very top-heavy. As has been said before, your GPA is much too low compared to average matriculant data from these schools. Apply to some more safety schools to make sure you at least get in. It is okay to have a few reaches. Having 15 top tier schools is a little crazy. But, whatever... to each his own I guess. It is your decision.

Just my opinion but going to a top med school is a nice thing to do, but not extremely important as just getting in an MD program. If you apply to these schools, I think you will: lose a lot of money from secondaries, be disappointed by many schools, and perhaps not be accepted by a single school.

Again, just my perspective. You can do whatever you think is right for you.

 

[FalconSlice]

I have heard anecdotally that having a physician parent helps because you know first hand what you're getting yourself into. I don't know if that's true or not.

I feel that this is BS. Just because you have a parent in the medical field does not give you a leg up. However, if you are affected by that parent's profession and can communicate how this shaped your life and make you decide on medicine is a different issue (I don't think you mean this though). just having a family member as a physician doesn't do jack. Again, all my opinion. Others can comment to the veracity of this.

 

[FalconSlice]

It would be pretty dumb not to apply to every Texas school...

Also, this

 

[sliceofbread136]

Your list + all Texas schools (except maybe TCOM) would make a well balanced yet very long list of schools.

 

[BeancheBlanco]

URM African American and Hispanic
35R MCAT
MIT undergraduate
3.2 sGPA
3.4 cGPA
3 research publication, first author on one, other two are in major medical journals
Solid recommendations
200+ Clinical Shadowing Hours
2 year volunteering for an African healthcare non-profit
EMT-B but nothing done with it yet
Varsity athlete for a year
Mom is a physician
TX resident

Any chances at a top 20 school? Right now I know I'm lacking in the GPA department but I'm hoping the fact that I'm at a strong undergraduate school and have somewhat impressive ECs, research and URM status will at least get me looked at. Thoughts? Any chance?

Just chiming in to say medical schools do not care at all about undergraduate difficulty or even the reputation of your undergraduate school. A 3.7 at Harvard is worse than a 3.8 at a typical state school.

 

[Mako555]

Just chiming in to say medical schools do not care at all about undergraduate difficulty or even the reputation of your undergraduate school. A 3.7 at Harvard is worse than a 3.8 at a typical state school.

Just chiming in to say

 

[yellowfish]

Just chiming in to say medical schools do not care at all about undergraduate difficulty or even the reputation of your undergraduate school. A 3.7 at Harvard is worse than a 3.8 at a typical state school.

False.

OP, your clinical experience/volunteering looks to be a little bit on the soft side. Do you have any leadership activities?

Why is UC Irvine on your list? Add a few more Texas schools, and I'd say you'll be fine with that list of schools, especially if you improve your leadership/clinical experiences (assuming you didn't leave anything out).

 

[Tots]

False.

OP, your clinical experience/volunteering looks to be a little bit on the soft side. Do you have any leadership activities?

Why is UC Irvine on your list? Add a few more Texas schools, and I'd say you'll be fine with that list of schools, especially if you improve your leadership/clinical experiences (assuming you didn't leave anything out).

What do you have against UC Irvine

No, but seriously as an out of state resident UC Irvine is probably not worth your money - their class is like ~95% in state. but maybe if you just always wanted to live in Irvine......

 

[sliceofbread136]

Just chiming in to say medical schools do not care at all about undergraduate difficulty or even the reputation of your undergraduate school. A 3.7 at Harvard is worse than a 3.8 at a typical state school.

 

[Geebeejay]

Just chiming in to say medical schools do not care at all about undergraduate difficulty or even the reputation of your undergraduate school. A 3.7 at Harvard is worse than a 3.8 at a typical state school.

not true, but a 3.2 at MIT is probably worse than a 3.8 at a "typical state school". Schools take it into account, but not that much.

 

[antonius89]

That's what I don't understand about medical school. MIT is an amazing school (wish I went there) and it's notoriously difficult. Cal is the same way. Average math major GPA is 2.7 (B-). Not fair lol. Should of went to a UC (besides UCLA) where they hand out free A's lol.