Chance Me? I'm stuck

[dreblackwell]

Hello Future Docs!

So the title says it all. I'm a senior and I can't decided if I should apply to medical school or not this round (So I would send in applications in June 2014). Here are my stats:

I'm a WA resident, I go to a small LAC in Cali, major in microbiology, minor english

400 Hours Hospital Volunteer (ER Department)
Shadowed with Family Practice, Ortho and Cardio during winter break all four years
250 Hours working in a free local free clinic
I'm a eating disorder mentor currently and have been for 3 years
I started the Public Health club and public health internship assistance at my university
I co-founded a website for students in my area to connect with local NGOs
President of premed and biology club

Took my MCAT end of junior year. By some miracle I got a 40.
My GPA is super low though, 3.5 cumulative. Around 3.4 science GPA. I got C's in three classes freshman year because I had a horrid eating disorder. I got better and managed to get A/A-/B+ for the rest of my time at school, but the damage had been done freshman year.

I'm aiming high:

Hopkins, Dartmouth, Harvard, Yale, UWashington, Stanford, Tufts

What do you all think?

Oh and I'm graduating early and doing a semester with WorldTeach during the spring term.

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[Etyan]

Your GPA is not inhibitory, and your ECs look good. As to whether this is good enough for the schools you've listed - tough to tell. Initial reaction is "probably not." It would be wise to expand that list a bit more; you have a good shot at getting accepted somewhere.

 

[ciestar]

Not bad to aim high, but I'd add some lower tier schools as well.
It looks like you're applying to a lot of research intensive schools with no research coupled with a lower than average GPA.

I'm not saying it's hopeless. Go ahead and try, just expand your list a bit.

 

[NervousNerd]

The schools you have listed love one thing: RESEARCH

Exception to this is Dartmouth who focuses more on extreme long term volunteerism.

If I were you, find a research gig at your school. Personally, I chose organic chemistry, loved it so much I published twice, maybe you will too!

You have great leadership EC's. Keep this up and show commitment. Other than this, GPA might hurt but a 40 MCAT will speak volumes to that 3.5 and show you actually retained what you learned, this is a big deal.

Final words, you are sitting pretty. If you can, so some meaningful contribution to science in research and the top 20 will probably have a seat for you

 

[NervousNerd]

The schools you have listed love one thing: RESEARCH

Exception to this is Dartmouth who focuses more on extreme long term volunteerism.

If I were you, find a research gig at your school. Personally, I chose organic chemistry, loved it so much I published twice, maybe you will too!

You have great leadership EC's. Keep this up and show commitment. Other than this, GPA might hurt but a 40 MCAT will speak volumes to that 3.5 and show you actually retained what you learned, this is a big deal.

Final words, you are sitting pretty. If you can, show some meaningful contribution to science in research and the top 20 will probably have a seat for you

 

[dreblackwell]

Forgot to mention research!

I did research on water quality of the San Fran bay with my school and a couple of profs for two summers. Microbiology stuff.