Feedback Please!

[tarheel1408]

Hey everyone, I just created an account and I'm preparing for the stress of this coming application cycle. I was hoping to get some feedback from some of you all about my chances at acceptance in this cycle or if I should go ahead and prepare to apply again next year.

My stats:

cGPA: 3.66
sGPA: 3.52
MCAT: 32S 11 VR / 11 BS / 10 PS

Research: I have worked in a clinical lab since early this year and will have a publication prior to 2013.

ECs:

Have shadowed with multiple surgeons and spent a significant amount of time in the OR observing cardiothoracic and neurosurgery. Also have spent time in pain clinic with the doctor.

As a rising senior I'm living off campus this year, but during my sophomore and junior years I served on the executive board of the residential government for the community in which I lived

I am a CPR instructor for the Red Cross Club here at my school. I was also the treasurer for the ARCC during my junior year, and for the upcoming year I will be the co-chair of the health and safety committee, which is in charge of CPR instruction. I also volunteer in the community through the ARCC.

Here is the list of schools to which I'm applying (yes I know my chances are zilch at some of them). I'm a North Carolina resident

UNC
ECU
Wake Forest
Duke
Georgetown
UVA
VCU
Johns Hopkins
U Chicago
UMD
Oregon Health & Science University

Added:
EVSU
VPI
Louisville

I don't think anything else is super significant but feel free to ask, and thanks for your opinions!

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[Goro]

Delete Johns Hopkins and Oregon and I'd say you're good to go.

Hey everyone, I just created an account and I'm preparing for the stress of his coming application cycle. I was hoping to get some feedback from some of you all about my chances at acceptance in this cycle or if I should go ahead and prepare to apply again next year.

My stats:

cGPA: 3.6
sGPA: 3.5
MCAT: 32S 11 VR / 11 BS / 10 PS

Research: I have worked in a clinical lab since early this year and will have a publication prior to 2013.

ECs:

Have shadowed with multiple surgeons and spent a significant amount of time in the OR observing cardiothoracic and neurosurgery. Also have spent time in pain clinic with the doctor.

As a rising senior I'm living off campus this year, but during my sophomore and junior years I served on the executive board of the residential government for the community in which I lived

I am a CPR instructor for the Red Cross Club here at my school. I was also the treasurer for the ARCC during my junior year, and for the upcoming year I will be the co-chair of the health and safety committee, which is in charge of CPR instruction. I also volunteer in the community through the ARCC.

Here is the list of schools to which I'm applying (yes I know my chances are zilch at some of them). I'm a North Carolina resident

UNC
ECU
Wake Forest
Duke
Georgetown
UVA
VCU
Johns Hopkins
U Chicago
UMD
Oregon Health & Science University

I don't think anything else is super significant but feel free to ask, and thanks for your opinions!

 

[Catalystik]

UChicago is quite a stretch as well. Consider adding Virginia Tech, Rush, Rosalind Franklin, EVMS, Louisville, and LSU-NO among others.

One should always allow that a second application cycle might be needed and accordingly continue to beef up one's activities. This effort is also useful for the sake of Secondary essays, update letters, and interview conversations.

 

[Ironmandoc]

Your app seems super top heavy for someone with a below average gpa for most of the schools on your list...

Add some lower tier schools and as others said, take out Hopkins and Pritzker because you're really wasting your money.

 

[tarheel1408]

Thanks for the responses guys and gals. Taking into account that I should probably add some schools that more align with my low GPA and MCAT, do you think I'm that much more likely to get into other schools than my in state schools?

I wanted to apply to some schools like UChicago and Hopkins on the slim chance that something non-numerical on my application clicked with someone on the adcom, and money isn't really an issue.

I guess, flat out, just looking at that list of 11 schools, would you say my chances are about on par with the history for applicants at my GPA and MCAT to go somewhere (~70%)?

 

[carnelian]

Personally, I think it's fine applying to one or two reaches/dream schools, as long as you have enough targets/"safeties." After all, you never really know what can happy. Even for top schools, there's a range of accepted GPAs and MCAT scores. Chances may be slim, but better than never trying and spending the rest of your life asking "what if's" right?

That said, I think you should add a few more schools more in line with your stats, and keep Hopkins and Chicago. But you will probably get accepted somewhere as long as you apply broadly (I'd personally recommend 15-20 schools) -- your stats are about average for accepted students, and your ECs look pretty good too. Work hard on the secondaries and rock your interviews

 

[tarheel1408]

Based on recommendations I've added EVSU, Louisville and VPI to the list of schools that I'm applying to. I want to thank everyone for their helpful responses so far, and if there's anything else you think would help me please tell me!

 

[tarheel1408]

Hey all, I want to thank everyone again for all the advice they gave me to begin the cycle. I don't have any acceptances yet and my prospects aren't looking good, so I'm beginning preparations for a gap year and being a reapplicant.

I know my GPA and MCAT are on the low side - do you think I need to put any effort into improving them? If so, which one, and what would be the best way to do that?

MCAT: 10 PS, 11 VR, 11 BS, S
cGPA: 3.65
sGPA: 3.53

ECs:
Clinical Research- 8 months and running, no publications yet
Clinical Volunteering- 150 hours
Non Clinical Volunteering- Depends, does being a CPR instructor count? If so, probably like 300.
Shadowing - ~50 hours, CT surgery, neurosurgery, anesthesia. I know, no office-based PCP. I know I need to fix that.

My final school list:
UNC
ECU
Wake Forest
Duke
UVA
VCU
Eastern Virginia
Virginia Tech
Louisville
Georgetown
UMD
Johns Hopkins
Chicago
OHSU

I've interviewed at UNC, ECU, and Wake Forest, but I've only gotten waitlists.

I've heard about things like an SMP, or taking post-bac classes, or even getting an MPH. What do you think would benefit me the most?

 

[Goro]

I'm surprised you haven't done as well as you should have. U Chicago and Hopkins was a stretch, as was OHSU, and U MD.

I suspect the sGPA is what's holding you back, and perhaps poor interview skills.

Suggest adding more low-tier schools, like Rosy Franklin and NYMC. You're a lock for any DO school too.
If you can get the sGPA >3.6, then I can't see how you can go wrong. Oh, someone with worse numbers than yours got into IU, so perhaps try them, and UKY

ECs:
Clinical Research- 8 months and running, no publications yet
Clinical Volunteering- 150 hours
Non Clinical Volunteering- Depends, does being a CPR instructor count? If so, probably like 300.
Shadowing - ~50 hours, CT surgery, neurosurgery, anesthesia. I know, no office-based PCP. I know I need to fix that.

My final school list:
UNC
ECU
Wake Forest
Duke
UVA
VCU
Eastern Virginia
Virginia Tech
Louisville
Georgetown
UMD
Johns Hopkins
Chicago
OHSU

I've interviewed at UNC, ECU, and Wake Forest, but I've only gotten waitlists.

I've heard about things like an SMP, or taking post-bac classes, or even getting an MPH. What do you think would benefit me the most?

 

[Catalystik]

I've interviewed at UNC, ECU, and Wake Forest, but I've only gotten waitlists.

I've heard about things like an SMP, or taking post-bac classes, or even getting an MPH. What do you think would benefit me the most?

Taking upper-level Bio and getting all As would be the most useful.

I have seen a ECU waitlistee accepted when they added a week of rural doc shadowing (at the school's suggestion). If you are not from a rural area and/or don't have rural ties evident from your application, you might consider this and having the doc send in an LOR regarding the experience. In addition, be sure your ongoing activities are in accord with the mission statements of the schools you'd most like to attend.