MD Chances for Top-20? 3.6 cGPA , 3.6 sGPA, 35 MCAT. CA Resident.

[fukuyou]

.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[gyngyn]

As long as you can interview well, you should be fine with that list.

 

[Goro]

I suggest:

All UC's (except Riverside)
USC
Mt. Sinai
NYU
Northwestern
Columbia
Tufts
BU
UVM
Wake Forest
Thomas Jefferson
St. Louis.
Tulane
U Miami
Rochester
Einstein
Vandy
Emory
Gtown
Hofstra
U South FL
U AZ
Pitt
Loyola

 

[GrapesofRath]

Follow the advice of these two ADCOMs. You are in very solid shape; just work on the interview techniques, making secondaries that make it clear your passion for medicine, your strengths and be able to tie all your activities and things about you together cogently that create a unique and powerful image about you.

 

[fukuyou]

.

 

[GrapesofRath]

Sounds good! Thank you all for your advice, I really appreciate it! Still early in the process, but I will add a bunch of those schools to the list. I guess I hadn't considered many schools outside of the Northeast/California.

One last question. I know they're not the end-all and be-all, but since my publications are a strong point on my application, especially my Nature and Cell papers, would that help get my foot in the door for interviews at some of the top tiers? I would be thrilled to get into any MD school, but hey can't hurt to aim high right?

There's a reason Goro recommended some big names like Pitt, Sinai, NYU, Vandy, Northwestern and Columbia. Your research is a significant part of why.
You might benefit from a list where 60% of OOS didn't have 35+ MCAT medians which doesn't include others like Illinois that are very competitive OOS. But by and large you are fine. Only recommendation I might have for your initial list is add a couple more lower tiers: U of Arizona, Oakland, Quinnipac, Wake Forest and Medical College of Wisconsin would be some of the first ones I would consider in your shoes. But this is all relatively minor stuff if you can interview fairly well and write cogent essays that describe your passion for medicine.

 

[Goro]

Yes!!!

Sounds good! Thank you all for your advice, I really appreciate it! Still early in the process, but I will add a bunch of those schools to the list. I guess I hadn't considered many schools outside of the Northeast/California.

One last question. I know they're not the end-all and be-all, but since my publications are a strong point on my application, especially my Nature and Cell papers, would that help get my foot in the door for interviews at some of the top tiers? I would be thrilled to get into any MD school, but hey can't hurt to aim high right?

 

[fukuyou]

.

 

[Banco]

You've got a killer app. Great research, clinical, volunteering, and athletic involvement.

Some may say that your GPA is on the low side for top 20s; but honestly from a top 10 LAC + upward trend + excellent MCAT, you are fine. Just write a good application, submit early, and enjoy your interviews.

Why leave out Cornell if you have the rest of the NYC schools?