cGPA 3.45, sGPA 3.55, MCAT = 36R

[TommyJohnMD]

NJ Resident

Top 15 University, yes the GPA is low but has an upward trend over the past year.

Good ECs:

150 hours of volunteering in ER, 50 hours of shadowing in ER
50 hours of shadowing 2 orthopedic surgeons (in clinic/office and OR)

president and philanthropy chair of fraternity (won university recognition award (individual) and national award (chapter))

vice president and secretary of club sports team (20 hour commitment per week)

tutoring, volunteer coach, teaching assistant, etc

1 year of volunteering in a research lab, one summer of full-time research project with presentation/paper at end

School List:

UMDNJ-NJ Medical
UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson
Georgetown
George Washington
Drexel
Jefferson
Albany Medical College
NY Medical College
Albert Einstein
Boston University
Tufts
Yale
Weill (Cornell)
Columbia


I feel like I'm doing a good job applying broadly with a few reach/dream schools. I'm also looking for 2-4 more schools to add. I've narrowed it to the following but am open to more suggestions:

Loyola
Keck (USC)
Wake Forest
Mount Sinai
Northwestern
Brown


**And yes, I'm looking at a 76.1% chance of acceptance with my stats**

**85% and 92% acceptance rates from my university with these stats over the past 2 years**

Any suggestions or words of advice is much appreciated about my school list or recommendations of where else I should be looking. Also, if I can pull a 4.0 this semester, that will push my GPA above a 3.5, how much of an impact will that be in an update letter?

Thanks guys, gotta do this fast

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[Catalystik]

?UCentral Florida, UConn, Loyola, SLU, Penn State, Mount Sinai.

Sending in an update letter after the fall term to report a continuing upward grade trend can only help you.

 

[TommyJohnMD]

?UCentral Florida, UConn, Loyola, SLU, Penn State, Mount Sinai.

Sending in an update letter after the fall term to report a continuing upward grade trend can only help you.

I sure hope so as well.

I figure over the next semester I can get my GPA above a 3.5 and the sGPA to a 3.6, and then graduate with a cGPA close to 3.6 if I really put my mind to it.

Would an update letter in December just explaining the activities I still continue to do, my grades, and possibly another semester of research be good to send in? Would I need an official transcript? Also I was thinking of continuing to shadow the orthopedics surgeons again, who agreed to write me a recommendation as an update letter

 

[Catalystik]

Such an update letter would be fine. You needn't send an official transcript unless it's asked for. Shadowing a primary care doc as well would be nice, and honestly, an MD letter isn't likely to have an impact (but won't hurt). Continue the clinical experience, too.