Chances for CA applicant for top research schools + school list help!

[kobemd54]

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[theclem]

I would say that list is definitely top-heavy.

 

[MedBound1]

Hi everyone!

Just wanted to see how well I stack up as an applicant for research focused schools. I'm leaning towards becoming an academic physician and would love to pursue biomedical research which is why my school list is aiming for more research oriented schools. I am a non-traditional, graduated a semester early in Dec 2010.

Stats and Demographics:
Undergrad: top 25
cGPA: 3.8
sGPA: 3.76
MCAT: balanced 35 (O on writing though)
non-URM

EC's:
Research - 5 years total
2 years of clinical/ translational research at med school (2 posters, abstract published, publication(s) in the works)
1 year of basic science research (awarded summer funding)
2 years of basic science research (high school to freshman year of college)
research editor for undergrad science journal
research chair for stem cell organization

Teaching - minored in education, will be a focus of my app essay
2 years as group leader/tutor
1 summer as lab lecturer for organic chemistry
1 year of private tutoring (ranging from disadvantaged high school students to college students)
1 semester tutoring at elementary school and international high school

Community Service
Coordinator for undergrad organization that focuses on volunteer work by undergrads for the community around the school

Random honors societies and awards, many hours of shadowing in various specialties, etc.

Currently working as a clinical research coordinator at top 5 research med school.

School List
-Baylor
-BU
-Case Western
-Columbia
-Drexel
-Duke
-Emory
-Dartmouth
-Georgetown
-Harvard
-Johns Hopkins
-Keck at USC
-Mayo
-Mt. Sinai
-NYU
-Northwestern
-Ohio State
-OregonHSU
-Penn
-Stanford
-Brown
-Temple
-Tufts
-UC's (UCLA, UC Irvine, UCSF, UCSD, UC Davis)
-Michigan
-University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
-Pitt
-UVA
-Vanderbilt
-Cornell

Too top heavy? What do you think my chances are at these schools (especially CA schools) and can you suggest some safeties? Should I retake my MCAT to have a better chance at these schools (jk, maybe)?

It certainly is a very top heavy list, however, you have the GPA, MCAT and Research experience to have a decent shot at most any of them (but unfortunately it's a crapshoot type cycle at all these schools, with way more qualified applicants than seats). You don't really have any schools that are really really safe, find a couple in MSAR that interest you in the lower-mid tier realm (this could be creighton, drexel, SUNY schools, VCU, EVMS). You could add Wake Forest for another mid-tier.

In regards to the MCAT... Harvard's avg MCAT is a balanced 35, don't retake a balanced 35... if you don't get into these schools, the MCAT is not your problem.

My overall opinion is that your list looks pretty good though. Going much over 30 schools leaves a hurting wallet and a huge stack of secondaries and potential travel expenses. I think you'll get an acceptance somewhere in this list, probably at a top 20 (all you need is 1 🙂 ) .

 

[kautionwirez]

list looks fine.

 

[kobemd54]

Thank you for the input! I'll look to add in the safeties that MedBound1 mentioned. Any more suggestions?

 

[kobemd54]

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[kobemd54]

bumping.

 

[MetabolismASE]

Have you considered MD/PhD?

 

[kobemd54]

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[kobemd54]

bump.