cGPA 3.8, sGPA 3.7, MCAT 511, Good EC's - Chances?

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archer1440

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I’m currently debating whether I should retake the MCAT in May before applying in the upcoming cycle. I’ve been dealing with a serious physical injury that makes it difficult to sit for an extended time, and though I have been studying again, my score has not been going up as I had hoped (especially CR). Based on the list of schools I found so far within my range of GPA and MCAT, any input would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
  1. cGPA: 3.79, sGPA: 3.73
  2. MCAT: 511 (C/P 131, CR 126, BB 128, Psych 126)
  3. CA resident, US citizen
  4. Asian
  5. Top 10 University
  6. Clinical experience (volunteer and non-volunteer)
    -80 hours volunteering in a hospital
  7. Research experience and productivity
    -400 hours of research at MGH
    -600 hours of research at university
    -Potential publication in the future
  8. Shadowing experience and specialties represented
    -200 hours
    -Hepatobiliary, Orthopedics, Radiology, Emergency, Burn Surgery
  9. Non-clinical volunteering
    -200 hours as Camp Kesem counselor
    -20 hours at church serving food for the local homeless
  10. Other extracurricular activities (including athletics, military service, gap year activities, leadership, teaching, etc)
    -Former vice president of archery club, current coach. Nationally ranked/former junior national team.
    -President of cultural organization on campus
  11. Strong letters of recommendation from PI, academic advisor/mentor
Current List of Schools Based on Newly Updated MSAR:
  1. University of California, Davis, School of Medicine
  2. University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine
  3. Tufts University School of Medicine
  4. Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
  5. University of Massachusetts Medical School
  6. University of California, Riverside School of Medicine
  7. University of California, Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine
  8. Emory University School of Medicine
  9. The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University
  10. Drexel University College of Medicine
  11. Albany Medical College
  12. Georgetown University School of Medicine
  13. California University of Science and Medicine-School of Medicine
  14. Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California
  15. University of Washington School of Medicine
  16. McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
  17. Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine
  18. University of California, San Diego School of Medicine
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I think you’ll have success with that MCAT and you don’t need to retake.

I’d remove UMass and UWash since you’re not IS at either place. Remove all TX schools. Brown heavily favors their own undergrads.
 
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@gyngyn Can I ask you what those three schools are? Also to clarify, you suggest having 15 schools where I have a fair chance at an interview?

I have been reading your posts on SDN, and it's an honor to hear from you!
 
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archer1440 said:
@gyngyn Can I ask you what those three schools are? Also to clarify, you suggest having 15 schools where I have a fair chance at an interview?

I have been reading your posts on SDN, and it's an honor to hear from you!
Click to expand...
I'm pretty sure you can guess! In a lucky cycle you have 5 on that list. There is nothing wrong with your MCAT (as long as that is the only one...).
I do suggest that CA applicants have 15 schools where they have a fair to good chance at an interview.
This seems to result in at least 4 interviews.
 
U Washington, UMass and the Texas schools accept very few non resident with your stats and no connection to the state. I suggest these OOS schools with your stats:
Vermont
Quinnipiac
Tufts
Albany
New York Medical College
Seton Hall
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Penn State
George Washington
Eastern Virginia
NOVA MD
Oakland Beaumont
Western Michigan
Medical College Wisconsin
Rosalind Franklin
Tulane
 
gyngyn said:
I'm pretty sure you can guess! In a lucky cycle you have 5 on that list. There is nothing wrong with your MCAT (as long as that is the only one...).
I do suggest that CA applicants have 15 schools where they have a fair to good chance at an interview.
This seems to result in at least 4 interviews.
Click to expand...

Hmm... UCD (my top choice as of right now!), UCI, and possibly UCLA? Am I on the right track? What can I do as an applicant to increase the number of potential interviews?

Yes, this is my only MCAT score. I am still contemplating on taking it again, but I'll most likely make that decision based on a practice test I take in the next few weeks. In the case that I decide not to retake the MCAT, now I won't feel so bad! Thank you.
 
archer1440 said:
Hmm... UCD (my top choice as of right now!), UCI, and possibly UCLA? Am I on the right track? What can I do as an applicant to increase the number of potential interviews?

Yes, this is my only MCAT score. I am still contemplating on taking it again, but I'll most likely make that decision based on a practice test I take in the next few weeks. In the case that I decide not to retake the MCAT, now I won't feel so bad! Thank you.
Click to expand...
Those were not the three...
Do you have a connection to the Central Valley that you didn't mention?
 
gyngyn said:
Those were not the three...
Do you have a connection to the Central Valley that you didn't mention?
Click to expand...
Yes - during high school, I travelled to Sacramento and Tulare (near Fresno) every year to compete at national/state archery tournaments. Other than that, I am a SoCal resident.

I'm totally lost on what the three schools are... I know you don't have to tell me, but I'd really appreciate it if you could at least give me a hint 🙂
 
archer1440 said:
Yes - during high school, I travelled to Sacramento and Tulare (near Fresno) every year to compete at national/state archery tournaments. Other than that, I am a SoCal resident.

I'm totally lost on what the three schools are... I know you don't have to tell me, but I'd really appreciate it if you could at least give me a hint 🙂
Click to expand...
Most of them are OOS.
 
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archer1440 said:
I’m currently debating whether I should retake the MCAT in May before applying in the upcoming cycle. I’ve been dealing with a serious physical injury that makes it difficult to sit for an extended time, and though I have been studying again, my score has not been going up as I had hoped (especially CR). Based on the list of schools I found so far within my range of GPA and MCAT, any input would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
  1. cGPA: 3.79, sGPA: 3.73
  2. MCAT: 511 (C/P 131, CR 126, BB 128, Psych 126)
  3. CA resident, US citizen
  4. Asian
  5. Top 10 University
  6. Clinical experience (volunteer and non-volunteer)
    -80 hours volunteering in a hospital
  7. Research experience and productivity
    -400 hours of research at MGH
    -600 hours of research at university
    -Potential publication in the future
  8. Shadowing experience and specialties represented
    -200 hours
    -Hepatobiliary, Orthopedics, Radiology, Emergency, Burn Surgery
  9. Non-clinical volunteering
    -200 hours as Camp Kesem counselor
    -20 hours at church serving food for the local homeless
  10. Other extracurricular activities (including athletics, military service, gap year activities, leadership, teaching, etc)
    -Former vice president of archery club, current coach. Nationally ranked/former junior national team.
    -President of cultural organization on campus
  11. Strong letters of recommendation from PI, academic advisor/mentor
Current List of Schools Based on Newly Updated MSAR:
  1. University of California, Davis, School of Medicine
  2. University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine
  3. Tufts University School of Medicine
  4. Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
  5. University of Massachusetts Medical School
  6. University of California, Riverside School of Medicine
  7. University of California, Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine
  8. Emory University School of Medicine
  9. The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University
  10. Drexel University College of Medicine
  11. Albany Medical College
  12. Georgetown University School of Medicine
  13. California University of Science and Medicine-School of Medicine
  14. Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California
  15. University of Washington School of Medicine
  16. McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
  17. Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine
  18. University of California, San Diego School of Medicine
Click to expand...
Here is a more realistic list:
Rochester (maybe)
Hofstra (maybe)
Albert Einstein (maybe)
UCF (maybe)
Pitt (maybe)
U Toledo
Dartmouth
U VM
Miami
Tufts
George Washington
Georgetown
SLU
Albany
Rush
Rosy Franklin
NYMC
MCW
VCU
EVMS
Wake Forest
Netter
Jefferson
Temple
Drexel
Creighton
Tulane
Loyola
Uniformed Services University/Hebert (just be aware of the military service commitment)
Oakland-B
Nova MD
CUSM
UCD
UCI
UCR IF you're from the Inland Empire

Any DO program. I can't recommend Touro-NY, Nova, LUCOM, for different reasons. MSUCOM? Read up on Larry Nasser and you decide
 
Thank you everyone for your feedback. How does this updated school list look?
@gyngyn Does this list include more schools where I have a fair chance for interviews?

  1. Tufts University School of Medicine
  2. University of California, Davis, School of Medicine
  3. University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine
  4. Albany Medical College
  5. University of California, Riverside School of Medicine
  6. Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
  7. Wake Forest School of Medicine of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center
  8. California Northstate University College of Medicine
  9. California University of Science and Medicine-School of Medicine
  10. Georgetown University School of Medicine
  11. Drexel University College of Medicine
  12. University of Massachusetts Medical School
  13. University of California, Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine
  14. Emory University School of Medicine
  15. Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University
  16. Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine
  17. Medical College of Wisconsin
  18. Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine
  19. New York Medical College
  20. Saint Louis University School of Medicine
  21. Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California
  22. University of Washington School of Medicine
  23. The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University
  24. University of Arizona College of Medicine
  25. University of California, San Diego School of Medicine
  26. Rush Medical College of Rush University Medical Center
 
You can delete :
U of WA (you are not WWAMI)
Northstate (they have chosen to deny their students access to federal aid and payback mechanisms)
Rush (service hours)
MA (not instate)
Drexel, GT (>10k aps)
Brown (many seats reserved for special programs)
Dartmouth (are you quirky enough?)

Substitute: Carle IL, VA tech, Einstein, Oakland, Tulane, VT.
 
gyngyn said:
You can delete :
U of WA (you are not WWAMI)
Northstate (they have chosen to deny their students access to federal aid and payback mechanisms)
Rush (service hours)
MA (not instate)
Drexel, GT (>10k aps)
Brown (many seats reserved for special programs)
Dartmouth (are you quirky enough?)

Substitute: Carle IL, VA tech, Einstein, Oakland, Tulane, VT.
Click to expand...
I will disagree with my learned colleague on U IL-Carle, as this school wants engineering majors, I beleive. Va Tech seems to like people from the rural areas of VA and neighboring states.
 
Goro said:
I will disagree with my learned colleague on U IL-Carle, as this school wants engineering majors, I beleive. Va Tech seems to like people from the rural areas of VA and neighboring states.
Click to expand...
He's an engineering major from a top 10...
 
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