Enough Initiative for the Ivies?

[mildconcussion]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I'm going to submit my app. tomorrow and am contemplating taking the ivies out of my list. To anyone who wants to give their opinions, here's my EC's, leadership and Research. Do you think it's enough to catch their eye?. I'm paying the full $30 for each school, so I might cut back if it's a lost cause.

EC:

-8 Honor socities (includes Phi Beta Kappa)
-Member of several different organizations (no officer positions here)
-Christian bible teacher (5 years total)
-Peer tutor (5 years total; with one really good student)
-Applying for job as a supplemental instructor for O-Chem courses
-Contributing Writer to several newspaper (so I have publications)
-Medical Center Volunteer (1.5 years 200+ hours)
-Physician Shadowing (just started, but will have 40+ hrs by the end of summer)

Leadership:
-Served as Treasurer for 2 honor societies (really active; bunch of comm. service projects)
-Current Vice-President for same two honor societies
-Peer tutor (I guess😕)
-Own a home business...work with several people

Research:
-1 year (will be 2 years total)
-Will be submitting first paper for publishing this summer
-Will be giving a student seminar/presentation about the paper at Biology society meeting
-Rather unconventional topic (evolutionary ecology as an explanation for cancer progression).


So....waddaya guys think?

Thanks


EDIT: forgot to mention... My PI is co-authoring the paper with me. He told me directly that the research data is good enough that he wants more than just a "sporting interest in it"

 

[mdbound1987]

You've got some good stuff, but nothing amazing. Basically, if you have a gpa/mcat that are on the low end for the top schools, your ECs and such are not great enough to make up for it. Hopefully your gpa/mcat are excellent. Also, most of these schools are very research-oriented, so the fact that you only have one year could hurt you a little bit. That publication would help. Also, your shadowing is a serious issue too. Even if you have a little over 40 hours after this summer, that is still very few hours compared to most who are accepted to these schools. Plus, adcoms are gonna wonder why you waited until the summer you applied to shadow. It seems as if you are trying to squeeze it in at the last minute, which you are essentially doing. Also, unless you forgot to list it, a complete lack of non-medical community service is an issue too. At some schools, your medical volunteering would be enough, but at top 25 schools, the majority of the applicants who get accepted are going to have both medical and non-medical community service. I hope the best for you, but do not just apply to ivies and top 25 schools because you could be in for a serious reality check due to these issues. Apply very broadly...some top schools, a good number of mid-tier schools, and some safety schools as well. You do not want to have to reapply due to an school list that is too top-heavy.

 

[mildconcussion]

You've got some good stuff, but nothing amazing. Basically, if you have a gpa/mcat that are on the low end for the top schools, your ECs and such are not great enough to make up for it. Hopefully your gpa/mcat are excellent. Also, most of these schools are very research-oriented, so the fact that you only have one year could hurt you a little bit. That publication would help. Also, your shadowing is a serious issue too. Even if you have a little over 40 hours after this summer, that is still very few hours compared to most who are accepted to these schools. Plus, adcoms are gonna wonder why you waited until the summer you applied to shadow. It seems as if you are trying to squeeze it in at the last minute, which you are essentially doing. Also, unless you forgot to list it, a complete lack of non-medical community service is an issue too. At some schools, your medical volunteering would be enough, but at top 25 schools, the majority of the applicants who get accepted are going to have both medical and non-medical community service. I hope the best for you, but do not just apply to ivies and top 25 schools because you could be in for a serious reality check due to these issues. Apply very broadly...some top schools, a good number of mid-tier schools, and some safety schools as well. You do not want to have to reapply due to an school list that is too top-heavy.

Thanks. Would the bible teaching thing count as non-medical community service? I don't get paid for that.

And, I only took this long to shadow because I couldn't find a single MD that would take the liability and let me shadow. In the end, the first guy to take me was a DO!

My GPA is 3.88 overall and 3.9 Sci from Freshman to Senior year. My mCAT is in one week!

 

[rockaction]

Couple points:

1. Not all Ivies are created equal. Dartmouth and Brown are ranked considerably lower than Cornell, Columbia, Yale, Penn, and Harvard. Other top schools like Stanford, UCSF, UCLA, Mt Sinai, and Michigan are tougher to get into than Dartmouth and Brown.

2. It's not just $30 to apply to these schools. The Ivies have pretty high secondary fees as well (on the order of ~$100).

3. Bible teaching probably won't be considered non-medical volunteering. Adcoms are pretty diverse these days, so it's at least good to see that you've got some evolution research in there so they don't get any "fundie" ideas about you 😉

 

[mildconcussion]

Couple points:

1. Not all Ivies are created equal. Dartmouth and Brown are ranked considerably lower than Cornell, Columbia, Yale, Penn, and Harvard. Other top schools like Stanford, UCSF, UCLA, Mt Sinai, and Michigan are tougher to get into than Dartmouth and Brown.

2. It's not just $30 to apply to these schools. The Ivies have pretty high secondary fees as well (on the order of ~$100).

3. Bible teaching probably won't be considered non-medical volunteering. Adcoms are pretty diverse these days, so it's at least good to see that you've got some evolution research in there so they don't get any "fundie" ideas about you 😉

haha....good point on the religious thing. I guess I'll switch out Cornell for Dartmouth. Do you know if I'll be at a huge disadvantage at Brown because of their BS/MD program students?

 

[mdbound1987]

As for Brown, I do not know if this is true, but I've seen on this site that they are particular about accepting a lot of in-state/regional applicants. The way it was described, it sounded like a private school whose in-state acceptance % is like that of state schools. Again, idk if this is true so someone correct me if I am wrong. Idk anything about the BS/MD students there. Your gpa is amazing so if you do well on the mcat and get some interviews, make sure you explain you situation in terms of difficulty finding physicians to shadow. Do not sound as if you are making excuses though. As far as the Bible teaching goes, it may be a stretch for community service, but it is definitely worth a try. If you don't have any other non-medical community service, then you should try and convince them it is. If they don't see it that way, at least you tried.

 

[mildconcussion]

As for Brown, I do not know if this is true, but I've seen on this site that they are particular about accepting a lot of in-state/regional applicants. The way it was described, it sounded like a private school whose in-state acceptance % is like that of state schools. Again, idk if this is true so someone correct me if I am wrong. Idk anything about the BS/MD students there. Your gpa is amazing so if you do well on the mcat and get some interviews, make sure you explain you situation in terms of difficulty finding physicians to shadow. Do not sound as if you are making excuses though. As far as the Bible teaching goes, it may be a stretch for community service, but it is definitely worth a try. If you don't have any other non-medical community service, then you should try and convince them it is. If they don't see it that way, at least you tried.

Huh... didn't see that about Brown. Must have missed that fact.

Hmmm...well, I have been performing beach clean ups and wetland preservation for 3 years now. But, I am not associated with the organizations in the strictest sense (ie: full-time roster). But I guess i can leave that out of my description....I have performing the activity nonetheless.

 

[mspeedwagon]

This is VERY true. You have a much better shot at Harvard/Stanford/Yale than you do at Brown.

Brown takes virtually NO applicants off AMCAS (normally less than 50). Of those 50 almost all are from RI or Brown alum. Of those that aren't, the rest are added for diversity sake (normally URM).

Almost all the spots in the Brown med school class go to PLME (BS/MD) students and post-bac with linkages to Brown.

Brown is NOT worth applying to! REPEAT... don't waste your money, BROWN is NOT worth applying to.

As for Brown, I do not know if this is true, but I've seen on this site that they are particular about accepting a lot of in-state/regional applicants. The way it was described, it sounded like a private school whose in-state acceptance % is like that of state schools. Again, idk if this is true so someone correct me if I am wrong. Idk anything about the BS/MD students there. Your gpa is amazing so if you do well on the mcat and get some interviews, make sure you explain you situation in terms of difficulty finding physicians to shadow. Do not sound as if you are making excuses though. As far as the Bible teaching goes, it may be a stretch for community service, but it is definitely worth a try. If you don't have any other non-medical community service, then you should try and convince them it is. If they don't see it that way, at least you tried.

 

[pdxjazz]

This is VERY true. You have a much better shot at Harvard/Stanford/Yale than you do at Brown.

Brown takes virtually NO applicants off AMCAS (normally less than 50). Of those 50 almost all are from RI or Brown alum. Of those that aren't, the rest are added for diversity sake (normally URM).

Almost all the spots in the Brown med school class go to PLME (BS/MD) students and post-bac with linkages to Brown.

Brown is NOT worth applying to! REPEAT... don't waste your money, BROWN is NOT worth applying to.

Any insight into Dartmouth?

 

[mspeedwagon]

With the MCAT in the mid to high 30s you should have an excellent shot.

Any insight into Dartmouth?

 

[NotAsking4Much]

If you get above a 33, you have a shot.

I think you have some potential in your ECs, but as is with everything, it's all about how you present / spin it into something that catches their eye.

 

[mildconcussion]

This is VERY true. You have a much better shot at Harvard/Stanford/Yale than you do at Brown.

Brown takes virtually NO applicants off AMCAS (normally less than 50). Of those 50 almost all are from RI or Brown alum. Of those that aren't, the rest are added for diversity sake (normally URM).

Almost all the spots in the Brown med school class go to PLME (BS/MD) students and post-bac with linkages to Brown.

Brown is NOT worth applying to! REPEAT... don't waste your money, BROWN is NOT worth applying to.

Thanks so much for confirming that. I'll sub something else for it. I'm thinking of lighten my list a little.

 

[mildconcussion]

If you get above a 33, you have a shot.

I think you have some potential in your ECs, but as is with everything, it's all about how you present / spin it into something that catches their eye.

Thanks! BTW Yale is my first choice! Go Bulldogs!