Background: Canadian Student, applying in 2020 (class of 2024)
School: University of Toronto (top-ranked in Canada; ~20th worldwide) -- graduating with two majors and a minor (I guess the extra programs of study look good on an app?)
GPA: Looking at around a ~3.9 when applying, the thing about this is, I did badly in one semester (first semester second year with a 3.42), rest of my semesters are all 4.0.
MCAT: Haven't written this --> would super appreciate opinions on what I need to score to be competitive
Ethnicity: Indian (Not native American)
Research Background:
1) Position 1: worked here for about 2 years, probably around ~500 hours, second author publication in decently good journal currently under peer review. Two poster presentations, including one at the National Canadian Cancer Research Conference.
2) Position 2: International Research position at a top 20 worldwide university, worked for 3 months in the summer, full-time (~450 hours), PI said when they publish I'll get like 4th author (doubt it'll get published before I apply). Two Poster Presentations.
3) Position 3: Currently working here, for the 2018-2019 academic year, about ~10 hours/week for the school year (~240 hours), planning on continuing for 2019-2020 as well (so around another ~240 hours). 2nd author publication in Nature Medicine. One Poster Presentation upcoming in 2019.
4) Position 4: Upcoming 2-week research project on the evolutionary biology of the tropics in 2019 in Peru.
Volunteering:
1) Working for a CRA-registered non-profit for the past 2 years, and will until I graduate, ~400 hours so far, prob another ~200 before I apply (lead about 150 students at 7 universities for this)
2) Trained EMR, volunteering with local First Responders ~100 hours
3) Working with Canadian Blood Services & One Match at donation drives and recruiting donors ~100 hours
4) Life Sciences Peer Mentor, ~75 hours
5) Going to volunteer at a top hospital in India next summer for about 1 month (~150 hours)
*note: I have a couple things I did in high school too that are possibly relevant (~300 hours) but I'm assuming I shouldn't include these. Also, there are some other things I have planned but I haven't included them because they won't be done by the time I apply so I won't be able to include them in my apps.
Scholarships:
Dean's list every year
Scholarships for academic and extracurricular merit equalling ~$25,000 (doesn't include entrance scholarships into uni)
Other:
1) Part of three intermural teams
2) Been going to the gym 5-times a week for the past 2 years.
Schools I'm considering applying to:
Michigan, UCLA, UCSD, Duke, NYU, UCSF, UWSOM, Cornell, Stanford, UPenn
*note: I know these all seem like reach schools, but if I can't get into those, I'd rather just go to one of the Canadian med schools as there are some pretty high good med schools here.
Assuming my MCAT will be good enough, and not the deciding factor for getting an offer, what are my chances? (and what do I need to improve on?)
School: University of Toronto (top-ranked in Canada; ~20th worldwide) -- graduating with two majors and a minor (I guess the extra programs of study look good on an app?)
GPA: Looking at around a ~3.9 when applying, the thing about this is, I did badly in one semester (first semester second year with a 3.42), rest of my semesters are all 4.0.
MCAT: Haven't written this --> would super appreciate opinions on what I need to score to be competitive
Ethnicity: Indian (Not native American)
Research Background:
1) Position 1: worked here for about 2 years, probably around ~500 hours, second author publication in decently good journal currently under peer review. Two poster presentations, including one at the National Canadian Cancer Research Conference.
2) Position 2: International Research position at a top 20 worldwide university, worked for 3 months in the summer, full-time (~450 hours), PI said when they publish I'll get like 4th author (doubt it'll get published before I apply). Two Poster Presentations.
3) Position 3: Currently working here, for the 2018-2019 academic year, about ~10 hours/week for the school year (~240 hours), planning on continuing for 2019-2020 as well (so around another ~240 hours). 2nd author publication in Nature Medicine. One Poster Presentation upcoming in 2019.
4) Position 4: Upcoming 2-week research project on the evolutionary biology of the tropics in 2019 in Peru.
Volunteering:
1) Working for a CRA-registered non-profit for the past 2 years, and will until I graduate, ~400 hours so far, prob another ~200 before I apply (lead about 150 students at 7 universities for this)
2) Trained EMR, volunteering with local First Responders ~100 hours
3) Working with Canadian Blood Services & One Match at donation drives and recruiting donors ~100 hours
4) Life Sciences Peer Mentor, ~75 hours
5) Going to volunteer at a top hospital in India next summer for about 1 month (~150 hours)
*note: I have a couple things I did in high school too that are possibly relevant (~300 hours) but I'm assuming I shouldn't include these. Also, there are some other things I have planned but I haven't included them because they won't be done by the time I apply so I won't be able to include them in my apps.
Scholarships:
Dean's list every year
Scholarships for academic and extracurricular merit equalling ~$25,000 (doesn't include entrance scholarships into uni)
Other:
1) Part of three intermural teams
2) Been going to the gym 5-times a week for the past 2 years.
Schools I'm considering applying to:
Michigan, UCLA, UCSD, Duke, NYU, UCSF, UWSOM, Cornell, Stanford, UPenn
*note: I know these all seem like reach schools, but if I can't get into those, I'd rather just go to one of the Canadian med schools as there are some pretty high good med schools here.
Assuming my MCAT will be good enough, and not the deciding factor for getting an offer, what are my chances? (and what do I need to improve on?)
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