Chances/Areas to Improve?

[tedwick]

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so, i'm brand new here, and feel bad that my first post is just going to as a lot of questions. but you all seem like a helpful bunch. so here goes. 🙂

credentials:
undergrad at a prestigious MA university, junior
MI Resident
cGPA: 3.8/4
sGPA: 3.7/4
MCAT: 36Q: 11V;14PS;11BS
biological engineering major, possibly doubling with pure biology. will minor in economics.

my extracurriculars are fairly limited, but i'm pretty heavily involved in them:

• research since freshman year, no publications. current lab has name recognition, have been there about a year.
• head of two dance groups on campus. this includes administrative stuff, choreographing, putting on shows, teaching, etc.
• moonlight as a bartender. that's almost like a club, right?

I'm looking at top-50 schools, thinking MSTP. My premed advisor said I should be competitive, but I'm starting to wonder if that's the case. I should be doing some shadowing over the summer, but that would be the extent of my clinical experience. I did some volunteer work in high school, but no straight-up volunteer work in college, as all of it has been dance related. teaching free community classes, organizing shows for charity, stuff like that. i couldn't start to quantify those hours (the two charity shows i ran could very well be over 40 hours on their own), but other than that, it's zero.

I have a few questions:
a) Am I competitive at top-25 schools? especially for MSTPs (i haven't been able to come across much data for them). i'm especially kind of in love with harvard, stanford, and ucsf. umich is also one i'm looking at heavily.
b1) how crucial is hospital/clinical volunteering beyond shadowing for a bit?
b2) i'm entirely occupied during weekdays, and am having a hard time finding a clinical opportunity in the boston area that's available nights or weekends. ideas?
c1) how should i go about addressing the dance/volunteer aspect? it feel like it would come off as complete BS to an application reader, especially since it's so intertwined with something i do that's non-volunteer. is it worth getting a LOR from someone that knows me in that arena?
c2) i've got a PhD friend that was the manager of the bar i work at and worked really closely with for most of my dance things. Unfortunately for LOR purposes, we're very good friends. If he's never dealt with me in an academic setting, is this appropriate?
d) my MCAT BS is apparently fairly low for the schools i'm looking at (it had been over a year since i took orgo, and i've never taken biology on a non-cellular level). i was only able to put a week into studying heavily for the test, but felt fairly prepared. should i consider retaking?

Thanks in advance! Hopefully as I go through this, I can start answering questions instead of asking so many of them. : )

 

[NeuroChaos]

Most important: Get Clinical experience. Vol in hosptial/hospic w/e. It should not be to difficut. Ur amazing app is tanked if no cllinical

Now moving on

1) U look competitive provided u get some clinicals; Pretty decent for MSTP also.
b1) Very important. Research may off set it to some extent, but you seem to have 0, which may be problematic. You need to be in hosp 6-8 months w/ ~5 hrs/week to get a sense of the environment.
b2) some hosp should allow u to volunteer on weekends; I did it
c1) No advice. But it is a pretty cool things to put on ur app; makes u unique
c2) Not sure;
d) DONOT RETAKE; that is an amazing score; BS is fine

 

[witness23]

agree with neuro on everything, adding input into question c2:

no, this is not appropriate. if he wants to comment on your work ethic as a bartender/server, thats fine but not useful

 

[JJMrK]

Don't retake the MCAT (or even worry about your numbers). Just get some clinical volunteering and you're set.

 

[J ROD]

Again, get clinical volunteering now and do some shadowing.

That is a huge hole in your application.

 

[Mobius1985]

I'd emphasize again that you need clinical experience AND shadowing. Folks with better stats than yours have come up empty on acceptances during the application season for the lack of same.

The dance thing is unique and interesting and has given you leadership experience. Your passion for this activity will come through. I think it's great you've linked it with an altruistic activity (assuming it's related to the charity shows).

You don't need clubs. The bartender gig is appropriate to mention as you deveop great people skills.

I'd have said you need a minimum of a year of weekly clinical experience, considering that 1.5 years is about average for applicants. It's apparently true though, that some schools excuse you from the typical involvement when you go MD/PhD.