Feedback on school list? CA resident

[micheller90]

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Hello all,

I am a CA resident so I am for sure applying to UCSF, UCLA, UOP, and USC. Really aiming for SF or UOP as top choices, followed by UCLA. Knowing how competitive CA schools are I can't rest on my laurels without applying out of state. For out of state schools I tentatively have Michigan, Pitt, UDM, the three texas schools (I know there's hardly any chance), and Buffalo.

Do you have any suggestions on add/remove for OOS schools? If I do end up having to go out of state, I want it to be as low cost as possible. Are there any schools that I have a possibility of receiving any scholarships? Stats are:

BCP: ~3.5, cGPA: ~3.6 from UC Santa Barbara
23 AA
24 TS
22 OC
23 GC
28 Bio
25 RC
19 QR
23 PAT
~150 shadowing hours + a little assisting, ~250 volunteer hours + leadership, ~600 research hours, 2+ years of working in microbiological lab

Thanks a bunch in advance! 🙂

 

[Scumbag_Steve]

.

 

[jsptr986]

do you have any ties to texas?

 

[micheller90]

do you have any ties to texas?

No, but my dentist who I shadowed and who wrote my letter went to Baylor and said it was really great, so I thought I'd humor her. Thinking about adding the other two TX schools, on the off chance I could be that 1 OOS person accepted haha. That tuition tho, so much less than CA schools. Still I'm certainly not expecting to get an interview in TX but at least I can say I tried haha.

 

[jsptr986]

I've heard all the adcoms mention they like OOS "from surrounding states and those with ties to texas" but your dat will for sure get you noticed. baylor accepted 2 CA students last year and i know san antonio has a few CA students. its worth a shot, consider applying through tmdsas its $140 for all three schools. also, would you honestly leave cali to go to pittsburg or detroit??

 

[micheller90]

I wouldn't be happy about it. I put detroit in there mainly because my bf is in the automobile/mechanical engineering field so he would have no problem getting a job there. Plus the school is supposed to have really good facilities. Really trying to stay in the bay area though. Just trying to think about back up

 

[jsptr986]

I wouldn't be happy about it. I put detroit in there mainly because my bf is in the automobile/mechanical engineering field so he would have no problem getting a job there. Plus the school is supposed to have really good facilities. Really trying to stay in the bay area though. Just trying to think about back up

Statistically you look great, you're applying with 3.5/3.6 and 23/24/23! As long as you interview well, I would say you have a very good chance at being accepted to ALL your state schools.
I'm a TX resident with similar stats, 3.5/3.6 and 22/22/21. I had a hard time deciding where to apply and someone asked me "if you got accepted to your state schools and school X, would you choose school X?" I was able to cut my list down from 12 to 7 and applied OOS to OK, UoP, UCSF, and Columbia. If you have the money do it, but I wouldn't be worried just get your app in asap. Good luck!

 

[micheller90]

Statistically you look great, you're applying with 3.5/3.6 and 23/24/23! As long as you interview well, I would say you have a very good chance at being accepted to ALL your state schools.
I'm a TX resident with similar stats, 3.5/3.6 and 22/22/21. I had a hard time deciding where to apply and someone asked me "if you got accepted to your state schools and school X, would you choose school X?" I was able to cut my list down from 12 to 7 and applied OOS to OK, UoP, UCSF, and Columbia. If you have the money do it, but I wouldn't be worried just get your app in asap. Good luck!

Thank you! Yeah you are right that is good advice. I can probably at least eliminate Pitt haha. My app is already in, just passing the time waiting for GPA verification! Good luck to you too

 

[micheller90]

I've heard all the adcoms mention they like OOS "from surrounding states and those with ties to texas" but your dat will for sure get you noticed. baylor accepted 2 CA students last year and i know san antonio has a few CA students. its worth a shot, consider applying through tmdsas its $140 for all three schools. also, would you honestly leave cali to go to pittsburg or detroit??

Side note - is there an advantage to using tmdsas over aadsas (besides price) if you are OOS?

 

[jsptr986]

Side note - is there an advantage to using tmdsas over aadsas (besides price) if you are OOS?

AADSAS limits you to so many entries per section, TMDSAS lets you enter as many entries as you want per section (healthcare activities, non-healthcare activities, awards/honors, work, leadership, planned activities). AADSAS character limit is 175 i think, tmdsas is 300. so the app is longer but for the most part the questions are the same. i think the price is probably the biggest advantage.
there are two additional essays though, one required and one optional. advantage? you'd have to decide for yourself. as I'm typing i am reading that you already submitted so all of this doesn't help you now! haha but good luck anyway.

 

[micheller90]

Haha yes I've already applied to Baylor but not the other two. Another whole app would probably be way too much hassle for my situation. Thanks!

 

[jsptr986]

Haha yes I've already applied to Baylor but not the other two. Another whole app would probably be way too much hassle for my situation. Thanks!

yeah its not worth it, did you do the baylor 2nd app? i would consider adding houston and san antonio. houston is in brand new facility and only 2 years old. san antonio is finishing a brand new clinic building this summer. Ive been to both and they're gorgeous.

 

[micheller90]

yeah its not worth it, did you do the baylor 2nd app? i would consider adding houston and san antonio. houston is in brand new facility and only 2 years old. san antonio is finishing a brand new clinic building this summer. Ive been to both and they're gorgeous.

No I haven't done the second app yet. Need to get on that! I've never been to tx but for some reason it is appealing to me. I should get out of my silicon valley bubble at some point in my life haha

 

[jsptr986]

No I haven't done the second app yet. Need to get on that! I've never been to tx but for some reason it is appealing to me. I should get out of my silicon valley bubble at some point in my life haha

its pretty simple, there are a few disadvantage status short answer opportunities if you think they apply to you. id recommend answering at least one, other than that its mostly just name, address, stuff like that.
I've only been to LA, but i thought cali was gorgeous and i assume northern CA is even more so. texas might be a shock to you then haha bc it is hot as hell and there is essentially no scenery. however, the economy is great and the cost of living is much lower than CA.