Do I need to add anymore schools:)

[artaxerxes]

As of right now, I have a fair amount of schools already, but I was thinking about maybe adding a few more mid/high mid level schools

my current stats are
GPA 3.78, BCMP 3.75
MCAT 40N, OK EC's, 2 years research/volunteering at hospital, some shadowing (maybe 100 hrs by interview time). No leadership positions or publications (maybe end of the year). Somewhat lacking in health related experience, but will be volunteering heavily for the next year.

Here's my current list, let me know if my analysis is more or less correct

Super Reach
Harvard
Johns Hopkins
Washington U
U Penn

Reach
Columbia
Duke
NYU
Cornell
Yale
U of Chicago

Competitive
Wake Forest
Georgetown
U of Rocheter
Umass<---Dream non-reach school, MA resident
Tufts
BU
Mt Sinai

"Safeties"
Loyola
Drexel

As you can see, my application is a bit top heavy, I'm wondering if I should add a few more schools even if a lot fo the admission stats will overlap. A few I'm looking at are Northwetern, Umich-ann arbor, temple....I'm trying to stay out of Texas and the west cost, can't stand either any imput will be great

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[TheRealMD]

Hmm...

that lack of health care experience might sink you. Some people have saved african babies!

Anyway, at this point, I assume you've finished your primary. Simply know your product and sell it well. Interviews will come just from your stats but you'll get coldly rejected if you act like a douche.

Also, be aware that some schools will flat out not show interest in you because it's statistically unlikely that you would go there if you can go somewhere else more desirable. Sad to say, but that's how it is.

On the other hand, you not liking Texas will sink your app TOTALLY. Sorry pal!

 

[artaxerxes]

My dislike of texas mainly come from the heat.....I can barely stand the summers in MA, I'll melt in texas, Never liked the left cost, don't really know why.

 

[enigma85]

Why Wake, Drexel? These schools will probably look at your stats and believe it unlikely that you will attend. You have a very good shot at schools like Vanderbilt, Pittsburgh, Michigan, Northwestern--most of which also give attractive merit-based scholarships for individuals like yourself. FYI, you would probably get an auto-invite for interview from Michigan and Pittsburgh. Getting an early acceptance from either of these schools will probably reduce your stress and expenditures.

 

[hp540]

Wow are you kidding me?

I mean, your writing sample sucks, but that doesn't mean anyhting in the US.

 

[drizzt3117]

I think you'll be competitive at all of the schools on your list. I don't consider any of them to be reaches, really. I would drop Drexel and add NWU and Michigan, maybe Einstein and NYMC if you want some more midrange schools.

 

[Husky85]

With your stats I don't know if I'd bother applying to Drexel or Loyola, unless you're interested in their programs specifically...because unless you show a compelling interest in them they may not take you seriously.

I'd suggest adding instead Vanderbilt (fairly southern, I know you don't like heat but it's a good school), UPitt (automatic interviews, great for someone with your stats), Penn State (if you have a connection to the state). Also, I think that UConn's admissions process is friendlier to OOS students from New England than to those from across the country. I know that they've given OOS New Englanders a tuition break in past years. UVermont and UCincinnati are also great schools that don't get too warm, although I'm not familiar with their OOS policies.

If you're really attached to the idea of applying to a school with a high acceptance rate, try UToledo. They give out oodles of merit based money.

 

[trichomoniasis]

apply to any and every school that you can see yourself attending, then start cutting the list down once you start getting acceptances.

 

[richardlo]

As of right now, I have a fair amount of schools already, but I was thinking about maybe adding a few more mid/high mid level schools

my current stats are
GPA 3.78, BCMP 3.75
MCAT 40N, OK EC's, 2 years research/volunteering at hospital, some shadowing (maybe 100 hrs by interview time). No leadership positions or publications (maybe end of the year). Somewhat lacking in health related experience, but will be volunteering heavily for the next year.

Here's my current list, let me know if my analysis is more or less correct

Super Reach
Harvard
Johns Hopkins
Washington U
U Penn

Reach
Columbia
Duke
NYU
Cornell
Yale
U of Chicago

Competitive
Wake Forest
Georgetown
U of Rocheter
Umass<---Dream non-reach school, MA resident
Tufts
BU
Mt Sinai

"Safeties"
Loyola
Drexel

As you can see, my application is a bit top heavy, I'm wondering if I should add a few more schools even if a lot fo the admission stats will overlap. A few I'm looking at are Northwetern, Umich-ann arbor, temple....I'm trying to stay out of Texas and the west cost, can't stand either any imput will be great

You got great GPA and MCAT. I don't think you need those two "safeties". Sometimes I wonder how difficult it is to get in med schools in US... your MCAT score is better than those of the other test-takers (I think it's 99%). I am just wondering if someone with great stats (like 37 or above) start worrying about whether he/she will get into medical schools or if he/she has enough "safeties", then what should be the mere mortals do?

 

[Husky85]

I am just wondering if someone with great stats (like 37 or above) start worrying about whether he/she will get into medical schools or if he/she has enough "safeties", then what should be the mere mortals do?

Pray to whatever deity suits your fancy.

Seriously though, no school is just going to accept someone based on good stats. Stats get you the interview. Someone with good stats but a bad interview, poor lors, or poor essays likely won't get in. Even with a 40N. The stats are what get you in the door and give you the opportunity to impress adcoms. Where one person with a 3.5/27M won't even get their application looked at at Cornell, the person with 3.8/40R will get considered.

On the other hand the 3.5/27M has a better chance at a Drexel or GWU than does the 3.8/40 because those schools will not take the stronger applicant seriously...assuming that they will just proceed to go to a school with higher average statistics/prestige/whathaveyou.

Med schools want the complete package. You need to be able to speak and write well to be a physician (working with patients and publishing papers or submitting reports) but you also cannot be a ***** (because ***** doctors kill patients, like Doug on Scrubs!).

 

[richardlo]

Pray to whatever deity suits your fancy.

Seriously though, no school is just going to accept someone based on good stats. Stats get you the interview. Someone with good stats but a bad interview, poor lors, or poor essays likely won't get in. Even with a 40N. The stats are what get you in the door and give you the opportunity to impress adcoms. Where one person with a 3.5/27M won't even get their application looked at at Cornell, the person with 3.8/40R will get considered.

On the other hand the 3.5/27M has a better chance at a Drexel or GWU than does the 3.8/40 because those schools will not take the stronger applicant seriously...assuming that they will just proceed to go to a school with higher average statistics/prestige/whathaveyou.

Med schools want the complete package. You need to be able to speak and write well to be a physician (working with patients and publishing papers or submitting reports) but you also cannot be a ***** (because ***** doctors kill patients, like Doug on Scrubs!).

I do understand that stats is just the first step. However, I think I read a post some time ago about a person with great stats (something similar to the original poster's) who was considering applying to some carribbean schools because he thought he was exercising great caution on the whole application game. I think he will get interviews based on his stats, but that guy "seemed to" think that he won't even get interviews, and that's why he's backing things up with carribbean schools. It is just depressing to see this.

 

[artaxerxes]

thanks for the advice all, the reason I've put drexel and lloyla on are because I REALLY don't want to the whole application again, and I figure with my fee waver, it won't cost me too much to apply, even less if I don't get an interview.

In addition to that, Lloyla is friendly to my Jesuit college, and we'd traditionally been a feeder school for it. Drexel I kinda pulled out of a hat, entering class size are a plus and I don't mind the city that its in.

I've added Case West, U Mich Ann Arbor, and Northwestern

 

[lord_jeebus]

I also recommend adding Pitt: an excellent school with a location that keeps them from being too picky and numerous full merit scholarships (I didn't even get interviews at lots of schools but Pitt offered me one of these, I'm guessing mainly because of high MCAT).

Vanderbilt would be good for similar reasons, although I don't know much about them (did not apply due to location).

Besides that, and including the schools you just added, I think you have a great list, and you're likely to do quite well in this process.