Can I make any Ivy Leagues?

[jokoron123]

Hey guys, I'm going to apply next cycle and would love to start compiling some school lists. I don't really know where I currently stand and would appreciate school suggestions.

• School/State/General info
  • NJ resident
  • Small, public university with ~80% acceptance rate. The university had only a symbolic research program, getting publications was very hard.
  • Dual Major in Biology and Biochemistry
  • Graduated in 3 years at age of 20
  • Doing 3 years of Postbac at NIH (currently starting my 2nd year)
• GPA/MCAT
  • 3.96 (science GPA is 3.94)
  • 517 (130/127/130/130)
• Experiences
  • Founding member and president of a Medical Research Club
  • Designed an experiment (bio-related) that was selected to fly on International Space Station by NASA. (sounds impressive but there wasn't much competition)
  • Won an award that included 1,000 USD research grant
  • Undergrad research project - ~700 hours (about?)
  • Worked as an O.Chem teaching assistant
  • Worked as a tutor
  • Paid summer research internship at another ~80% acceptance public university
• Publications/Presentations/Posters
  • 3rd author on a paper from Postbac lab (will possibly get published in Mol. Cell)
  • 1st author (paper currently in progress, should get published by application) in a specialized journal
  • Will possibly have 1-2 additional papers in review at time of application
  • Three posters at national conferences - one of them won an award
  • Two posters at local uni symposium - won 1st and 2nd place respectively
  • Two posters related to Postbac
• Volunteering/Shadowing
  • 100 hours volunteering in ER
  • ~30 hours shadowing Oncologist
  • ~30 hours shadowing general medicine doctor
  • still have opportunity to shadow an MD/PhD before application cycle (also maybe could volunteer more)
• Miscellaneous
  • English second language, caucasian.

Besides, MD school lists, I was hoping someone could suggest:
1) I am interested in MD/PhD. What would be some MD/PhD programs I should consider?
2) Best way to improve resume before next spring?
3) Is MCAT worth a retake? my FLs were: 517,519,520,520

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[Faha]

You do not need to retake the MCAT. Apply to your 3 NJ state public MD schools and any MD/PhD programs that appeal to you. You could add another 100+ clinical volunteering hours.

 

[jokoron123]

You do not need to retake the MCAT. Apply to your 3 NJ state public MD schools and any MD/PhD programs that appeal to you. You could add another 100+ clinical volunteering hours.

Thank you for the feedback,
looking at the NJ schools, they have avg MCATs 507-512, and avg GPAs 3.69-3.79. I know that my resume is lacking (few pubs given the amount of research, and very poor volunteering), but do you think I could go any place higher?

 

[Faha]

Thank you for the feedback,
looking at the NJ schools, they have avg MCATs 507-512, and avg GPAs 3.69-3.79. I know that my resume is lacking (few pubs given the amount of research, and very poor volunteering), but do you think I could go any place higher?

Are you interested in applying to MD/PhD only or also MD only programs ?

 

[Goro]

Hey guys, I'm going to apply next cycle and would love to start compiling some school lists. I don't really know where I currently stand and would appreciate school suggestions.

• School/State/General info
  • NJ resident
  • Small, public university with ~80% acceptance rate. The university had only a symbolic research program, getting publications was very hard.
  • Dual Major in Biology and Biochemistry
  • Graduated in 3 years at age of 20
  • Doing 3 years of Postbac at NIH (currently starting my 2nd year)
• GPA/MCAT
  • 3.96 (science GPA is 3.94)
  • 517 (130/127/130/130)
• Experiences
  • Founding member and president of a Medical Research Club
  • Designed an experiment (bio-related) that was selected to fly on International Space Station by NASA. (sounds impressive but there wasn't much competition)
  • Won an award that included 1,000 USD research grant
  • Undergrad research project - ~700 hours (about?)
  • Worked as an O.Chem teaching assistant
  • Worked as a tutor
  • Paid summer research internship at another ~80% acceptance public university
• Publications/Presentations/Posters
  • 3rd author on a paper from Postbac lab (will possibly get published in Mol. Cell)
  • 1st author (paper currently in progress, should get published by application) in a specialized journal
  • Will possibly have 1-2 additional papers in review at time of application
  • Three posters at national conferences - one of them won an award
  • Two posters at local uni symposium - won 1st and 2nd place respectively
  • Two posters related to Postbac
• Volunteering/Shadowing
  • 100 hours volunteering in ER
  • ~30 hours shadowing Oncologist
  • ~30 hours shadowing general medicine doctor
  • still have opportunity to shadow an MD/PhD before application cycle (also maybe could volunteer more)
• Miscellaneous
  • English second language, caucasian.

Besides, MD school lists, I was hoping someone could suggest:
1) I am interested in MD/PhD. What would be some MD/PhD programs I should consider?
2) Best way to improve resume before next spring?
3) Is MCAT worth a retake? my FLs were: 517,519,520,520

App is that of a typical lab rat, I'm afraid. Heavy on research, light on clinical exposure, all volunteering is on campus.

Get out of your comfort zone and engage in service to others less fortunate than yourself. And bulk up the clinical exposure. your stats deserve it. And yes, the Really Top Schools will then be in reach. Can't comment on MD/PhD.

Retaking a 517 would lead to your judgement being questioned. You'd get rejected from gyngyn's school, for sure.

 

[jokoron123]

Are you interested in applying to MD/PhD only or also MD only programs ?

I am interested in applying to both MD and MD/PhD programs

 

[jokoron123]

App is that of a typical lab rat, I'm afraid. Heavy on research, light on clinical exposure, all volunteering is on campus.

Get out of your comfort zone and engage in service to others less fortunate than yourself. And bulk up the clinical exposure. your stats deserve it. And yes, the Really Top Schools will then be in reach. Can't comment on MD/PhD.

Retaking a 517 would lead to your judgement being questioned. You'd get rejected from gyngyn's school, for sure.

Thank you for the feedback,
Yes I agree, I will try to squeeze in as much volunteering as I can before applications start.

 

[Mad Jack]

Ivy means nothin in the world of MDs. T20 is the rough equivalent

 

[Faha]

I am interested in applying to both MD and MD/PhD programs

I suggest these MD schools in addition to your NJ state public schools:
Harvard
Yale
Dartmouth
Brown
Tufts
Hofstra
Einstein
Mount Sinai
NYU
Columbia
Cornell
Rochester
Pittsburgh
Jefferson
Case Western
Ohio State
Cincinnati
U Michigan
Washington University
Northwestern
Vanderbilt
USC Keck
Miami
USF Morsani
Emory
Vanderbilt
Duke

 

[jokoron123]

I suggest these MD schools in addition to your NJ state public schools:
Harvard
Yale
Dartmouth
Brown
Tufts
Hofstra
Einstein
Mount Sinai
NYU
Columbia
Cornell
Rochester
Pittsburgh
Jefferson
Case Western
Ohio State
Cincinnati
U Michigan
Washington University
Northwestern
Vanderbilt
USC Keck
Miami
USF Morsani
Emory
Vanderbilt
Duke

NYU? I was under the impression that my MCAT is well below their median

 

[Faha]

NYU? I was under the impression that my MCAT is well below their median

Do you really want to pass up a chance for free tuition ?

 

[lacrossegirl420]

@jokoron123 : even for schools w/ 521/2 medians 517 is still competitive (aka won't get ur app immediately trashed)