CA res, mediocre GPA, needs help with choosing schools to apply to

[Ookluh]

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Title pretty much says it all. I have been reading through the forums for some time now, trying to get an idea of where people think are the "safer" schools to apply to. My basic info and tentative schools list can be found here:
http://mdapplicants.com/viewprofile.php?myid=8349

The list is already at 21, but I'd like to hear some thoughts. Do I have too many "reaches"? Since 7 of the 20 are California schools, I'm guessing I'm good on reaches - but I think this also means that I should be applying to maybe 25-30 schools total.

Or am I a little heavy on the "safer" schools (if there is such a thing)? This question comes about because I'm wondering if I can afford to add some more desireable schools that aren't necessarily at the very highest tier, but perhaps with more appealing locations than the alternatives I have lined up.

It's hard for me to judge how I stand because, though my MCAT is above average for nearly every medical school, my GPA is below average for every medical school- I'm not sure how these two will balance out in the decision. Any suggestions on schools to add, or drop? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[littlealex]

I'd love to hear this too. I'm basically in the same boat as you are: California resident, below average GPA (3.4 for me), and a 36 on the MCAT.

Your school list is very similar to mine, except I'm not applying to Stanford, and I threw in a few more schools in the New England area where I went to undergrad.

 

[alwaysaangel]

I think your list looks pretty good.

Take off stanford if you don't have any interest in being a teacher doctor. Thats their emphasis and you'll be hard pressed to get in if you have no interest in eventually being an attending or something.

Also, I don't think I would list the poker thing. No offense, but (what I'm assuming was) online poker just isn't all that interesting to adcoms.

But good luck to both of you, I managed a Cali school with subpar numbers (3.6 and 33) so its definitely doable.

 

[Medikit]

Your GPA is definitely going to hurt you, I recommend adding more schools from the middle and a few more from the bottom

Remove SUNY Upstate and Downstate

Add any of the following: Albert Einstein, Mount Sinai, MCOW, Wake Forest, NYMC, Rochester, Dartmouth, and Vermont.

 

[Wanna_B_Scutty]

Your GPA is definitely going to hurt you, I recommend adding more schools from the middle and a few more from the bottom

Remove SUNY Upstate and Downstate

Add any of the following: Albert Einstein, Mount Sinai, MCOW, Wake Forest, NYMC, Rochester, Dartmouth, and Vermont.

Why are you recommending that he remove the SUNYs? I had understood that (1) they didn't favor students from their own state and (2) that they were much less competitive than Einstein and Sinai.

Also, I disagree with your advice to add Wake. They screen *hard* for OOS GPA. As a matter of fact, they told me flat-out that my GPA (which is higher than the OP's) was the reason I was not offered a secondary.

 

[Ookluh]

Thanks for all of the good replies so far guys. Stanford probably will be a long shot, but my girlfriend will be heartbroken if I don't do everything I can to try to stay in state. As far as adding, I'll probably add: NYMC, Einstein, Vermont, as they were already on my probably list.. and maybe any combination of Rochester, Indiana, or U. of Cinc. I'm also curious why the SUNYs were mentioned for removal.

Any more insight out there on these options (or any others) would still be wonderfully helpful!

 

[alwaysaangel]

Thanks for all of the good replies so far guys. Stanford probably will be a long shot, but my girlfriend will be heartbroken if I don't do everything I can to try to stay in state.

Then add Loma Linda

 

[Ookluh]

Then add Loma Linda

Well, perhaps short of that. Her brother is gay, and I'm doubtful that their conservative policies would align with our views.

 

[littlealex]

Don't you have to demonstrate a strong committment to faith for loma linda to really consider you?

 

[Ookluh]

That's what I hear, which I haven't shown either - so it's a no-match from their standpoint and my standpoint.

 

[ClockworkDoc]

Any suggestions for me?

 

[alwaysaangel]

Don't you have to demonstrate a strong committment to faith for loma linda to really consider you?

Yeah. In general, but he didn't say if he was Christian or not and if he's not interested in teaching his chances are about the same as Stanford.

Apparently they take some people that would just fit into their "lifestyle" but for the most part I think you really need to be 7th day adventist or really active in a christian church.

But its a moot point because he wouldn't want to go there.

 

[moomix906]

I dont think Dartmouth and Mt. Sinai should be considered mid level, they are small enough that they don't hand out that many acceptances, and I think more competitive than many people imagine them to be.

 

[Medikit]

Also, I disagree with your advice to add Wake. They screen *hard* for OOS GPA. As a matter of fact, they told me flat-out that my GPA (which is higher than the OP's) was the reason I was not offered a secondary.

Screens are good, it would only cost $30 if his GPA screened him out. I go to Wake Forest and I have classmates with a lower GPA than the OP so I say go for it.

Why are you recommending that he remove the SUNYs? I had understood that (1) they didn't favor students from their own state and (2) that they were much less competitive than Einstein and Sinai.

For some reason I thought that SUNYs preferred instate, I guess I'm wrong about that.

 

[nka1985]

I'd say some other good bets are Virginia Commonwealth (I have a little higher GPA and a little lower MCAT, and this is where I'm going), NYMC, maybe the other George in DC. You already have some good picks on your list, especially Drexel, Ros F, Albany. If you can afford it, don't be afraid to apply to a lot of schools, it will improve your chances.

 

[154241]

As far as adding, I'll probably add: NYMC, Einstein, Vermont, as they were already on my probably list.. and maybe any combination of Rochester, Indiana, or U. of Cinc.

I heard Indiana was pretty unfriendly to OOS... could be wrong.

 

[stbxTechie]

Thanks for all of the good replies so far guys. Stanford probably will be a long shot, but my girlfriend will be heartbroken if I don't do everything I can to try to stay in state.

And you're definitely set on allopathic? Otherwise could add Western/COMP and Touro.

Do any of the neighboring state school (NV/AZ) accept OOS?

 

[alwaysaangel]

And you're definitely set on allopathic? Otherwise could add Western/COMP and Touro.

Do any of the neighboring state school (NV/AZ) accept OOS?

Nope. AZ won't accept ANYONE out of state. They won't even take applications from OOS applicants. And NV is very OOS unfriendly. Can't blame them though - if they did allow OOSers they would be full of Californians trying to stay close to home.

 

[enigma85]

I would remove Indiana and Rush and maybe Penn State. Consider SLU, Cincinnati, Rochester, Pitt, VCU, EVMS, maybe even Northwestern

 

[Ookluh]

It's funny that a couple of you mentioned VCU, because I just met a family that went to school out in Virginia tonight and they were telling me to look into it.

I looked up Indiana's numbers. They don't seem, percentage-wise, significantly worse than schools like U. of Vermont or even Albany for that matter.. as far as OOS acceptance rates go. I could certainly be wrong- and maybe all the OOSers they do accept have some sort of ties, I don't know. Hmm..

And unfortunately, no.. none of the surrounding states are very OOS friendly, unless you happen to live in one of those surrounding states. I don't know what it's technically called, but they basically have an agreement that they'll help each other's students out and accept them in each other's states. Consequently, they accept very few from states not in this agreement.

P.S. Definitely Allopathic.

 

[Ookluh]

Any suggestions for me?

Are you sure you want to apply to 40 schools? Secondaries?

 

[lordmickytron]

your app looks kinda like mine. heres my md apps, hopefully it helps.

http://mdapplicants.com/viewprofile.php?myid=5871

 

[Hassler]

I think your list looks pretty good.

Take off stanford if you don't have any interest in being a teacher doctor. Thats their emphasis and you'll be hard pressed to get in if you have no interest in eventually being an attending or something.

Also, I don't think I would list the poker thing. No offense, but (what I'm assuming was) online poker just isn't all that interesting to adcoms.

But good luck to both of you, I managed a Cali school with subpar numbers (3.6 and 33) so its definitely doable.

Unless he won the World Series of Poker 😀

 

[stbxTechie]

Nope. AZ won't accept ANYONE out of state. They won't even take applications from OOS applicants. And NV is very OOS unfriendly. Can't blame them though - if they did allow OOSers they would be full of Californians trying to stay close to home.

Thanks, had suspected as much. Not good news for the OP, or a couple of years from now when I'm applying, for me either.

(Well, more my wife, really - I'm an expatriate New Yorker and would sort of like to move back East.)

 

[Ookluh]

Thanks for the profile lordmickytron - congrats on UCSF! My ECs may not match yours, but it's refreshing to know that I may still have a chance at most of the UCs.

As for the Poker thing, I certainly didn't win the WSOP.. but I made enough on an hourly basis to consider it a flexible part-time job, so I figured it might be worth mentioning. It's not in a laboratory or clinic, but it consumed time and was income nonetheless 🙂