chances at UC Davis medical school? GPA 3.9 MCAT 518

[JohnChenko]

Hi there,

It has always been my dream to go to med school at UC Davis. A quick google search suggests that the acceptance rate of UC Davis med school hovers around 5 percent, yet the average GPA of matriculated students is around 3.7. I have reasonably good extracurriculars (spent a summer living with and shadowing a rural doctor who lives in an isolated tribal village+taught family planning and hygienic living practices, got published in a good journal for my research on curative properties of a certain plant, practice an ancient dying form of martial art which is losing popularity but focuses on improving the health and well being of the individual, president of a research organization at my university in which my responsibilities included mentoring peers). I am really good at conveying my passion during interviews and I am pretty good at writing thoughtful personal statements. Although I haven't read them, I have a haunch my letters of rec probably convey how intelligent+passionate I am. My stats suggest I have a higher GPA and MCAT compared to the norm, however looking at the acceptance rate suggests that UC Davis is still hyper-competitive. What do you think my chances are? Would you say I have a shot at other schools such as UCSF, UCLA, Duke Medical, and HMS?

Thanks in advance

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[Doug Underhill]

With good stats, you're likely to get in somewhere. However, you can't guarantee getting into a certain school, with few exceptions for people in certain states.

What do you think my chances are?

Probably about 15-20% for Davis alone, 90% for med school as a whole

Would you say I have a shot at other schools such as UCSF, UCLA, Duke Medical, and HMS?

Absolutely. Your app probably needs more volunteering, though, unless you have more you haven't described.

 

[GrapesofRath]

UC Davis takes a bunch of their own undergrads. If you did UG there that will be to your benefit. If you are an OOS applicant, realize UC Davis didn't matriculate a single OOS last year.

The other thing more than any as gyngyn said last week is UCD more than any school in CA is committed to serving the most vulnerable populations of CA. How well you fit this mission statement and convey it will go along ways to determining your fate there.

 

[Goro]

If you're from OOS, chances are 0.

Hi there,

It has always been my dream to go to med school at UC Davis. A quick google search suggests that the acceptance rate of UC Davis med school hovers around 5 percent, yet the average GPA of matriculated students is around 3.7. I have reasonably good extracurriculars (spent a summer living with and shadowing a rural doctor who lives in an isolated tribal village+taught family planning and hygienic living practices, got published in a good journal for my research on curative properties of a certain plant, practice an ancient dying form of martial art which is losing popularity but focuses on improving the health and well being of the individual, president of a research organization at my university in which my responsibilities included mentoring peers). I am really good at conveying my passion during interviews and I am pretty good at writing thoughtful personal statements. Although I haven't read them, I have a haunch my letters of rec probably convey how intelligent+passionate I am. My stats suggest I have a higher GPA and MCAT compared to the norm, however looking at the acceptance rate suggests that UC Davis is still hyper-competitive. What do you think my chances are? Would you say I have a shot at other schools such as UCSF, UCLA, Duke Medical, and HMS?

Thanks in advance

 

[Shirafune]

Hi there,

It has always been my dream to go to med school at UC Davis. A quick google search suggests that the acceptance rate of UC Davis med school hovers around 5 percent, yet the average GPA of matriculated students is around 3.7. I have reasonably good extracurriculars (spent a summer living with and shadowing a rural doctor who lives in an isolated tribal village+taught family planning and hygienic living practices, got published in a good journal for my research on curative properties of a certain plant, practice an ancient dying form of martial art which is losing popularity but focuses on improving the health and well being of the individual, president of a research organization at my university in which my responsibilities included mentoring peers). I am really good at conveying my passion during interviews and I am pretty good at writing thoughtful personal statements. Although I haven't read them, I have a haunch my letters of rec probably convey how intelligent+passionate I am. My stats suggest I have a higher GPA and MCAT compared to the norm, however looking at the acceptance rate suggests that UC Davis is still hyper-competitive. What do you think my chances are? Would you say I have a shot at other schools such as UCSF, UCLA, Duke Medical, and HMS?

Thanks in advance

Check out the UCDSOM application thread for the current and past cycles. Do you fit their mission statement? Can you reasonably support the "why this school" question and the like in the secondaries? If it isn't clear yet, don't bank on an acceptance at any one MD school. Apply broadly and I think you'll land a "great" school.