Final Edit to School List?

[ERinspired]

Hi everyone, I'm sorting through and doing a final edit of my school list before the upcoming application cycle and I would appreciate some feedback!

Summary of my stats: 3.79 cGPA, 3.69 sGPA, 509 (124/127/128/130) MCAT. 2 years as an EMT then an AEMT. 3 years worth of exec board positions in student orgs. 2 years CNA work. 400+ clinic volunteering. 1 year of research with a mention in a publication. 150+ shadowing hours, 50 with a DO.

Current List:

Top Choices:
CCOM
DMU
ATSU-KCOM
NSU
PCOM
RowanSOM

Mid-Range:
UNECOM
RVUCOM
LECOM-E
LECOM-B
AZCOM

Low Tier:
MUCOM
BCOM
LMU-DCOM
CUSOM

So, I have 15 schools on my list and don't necessarily want to apply to any more than that for financial reasons. However, I'm wondering if it'd be in my best interest to add the Touro's? Are there any that I should definitely remove? (Regionally, I'm in the Midwest.)

I really appreciate the help!

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[0dee]

Why not KCU?

EDIT: plus your stats are too good to give your money to BCOM.

 

[ERinspired]

Why not KCU?

EDIT: plus your stats are too good to give your money to BCOM.

I think that I read on their site that they auto-reject for any subsection of the MCAT below 125. (I have a 124 in Chem/Phys.)

 

[mathnerd88]

You'll be fine at most DO schools, even with that 124 subscore. I would expect you to even get accepted at some of your top choices.

 

[AlteredScale]

I think that I read on their site that they auto-reject for any subsection of the MCAT below 125. (I have a 124 in Chem/Phys.)

Your other sections and GPA will get you through that screen. I go there and had one section of my MCAT lower than their cutoff.


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[ERinspired]

Your other sections and GPA will get you through that screen. I go there and had one section of my MCAT lower than their cutoff.


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Good to know! Thanks! Do you think it would be worth adding? Based on what I know about its reputation, it would probably fit in with the top choices, correct?

 

[DO2015CA]

Apply to some your state MD as well unless that gpa is with retakes

 

[drkube]

You should also consider adding a few MD schools as well, especially your state schools. Your mcat is about the median for the CA & NY touros I believe and your gpa is above their averages so I would go ahead and apply to them too.

Other than that your list looks good to me. Good luck.

 

[chizledfrmstone]

Good to know! Thanks! Do you think it would be worth adding? Based on what I know about its reputation, it would probably fit in with the top choices, correct?

Add KCU.

 

[change4med]

I think your stats are competitive for any DO school you want to attend (3.8/3.7/29.5), I would personally take out BCOM and swap for TUNCOM unless being that much closer to home is a factor (I think you can get lower interest rates usually with federal loans), but that's up to you! Like everyone else said I would add state MD schools too unless your GPA is with retakes

 

[AlteredScale]

Good to know! Thanks! Do you think it would be worth adding? Based on what I know about its reputation, it would probably fit in with the top choices, correct?

Glad to help! I mean I guess it could be a top choice but I don't think it matters much haha.

I definitely agree with the other posters about adding some MD schools in there. Your in state MD and private MDs will be your best bet.


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[ERinspired]

I think your stats are competitive for any DO school you want to attend (3.8/3.7/29.5), I would personally take out BCOM and swap for TUNCOM unless being that much closer to home is a factor (I think you can get lower interest rates usually with federal loans), but that's up to you! Like everyone else said I would add state MD schools too unless your GPA is with retakes

I appreciate everyone's advice on this. No, my GPA is not with retakes. However, I got some bad advice from a pre-health advising committee earlier this year after I took my MCAT that caused a lethal domino effect. I had already been considering DO school prior to taking my MCAT due to a lot of exposure to the field. After the MCAT, my advisors were very concerned about my unbalanced MCAT score and basically told me that I was not at all competitive for any MD schools. So, I decided since I was already leaning in that direction that I'd focus my efforts on DO schools. My LORs are all coming from people that know me fairly well and this was discussed with them (most of them we quite excited about it). So, I've obviously not read my LORs but I believe that they most likely directly mention osteopathic medicine.

I think your stats are competitive for any DO school you want to attend (3.8/3.7/29.5), I would personally take out BCOM and swap for TUNCOM unless being that much closer to home is a factor (I think you can get lower interest rates usually with federal loans), but that's up to you! Like everyone else said I would add state MD schools too unless your GPA is with retakes

This sounds like really good advice. The location difference between the two is not really a concern for me. The only hesitation I have is that I think that BCOM would be (for lack of a better word) more of a "safety school" than TUNCOM. Does anyone have any advice on this?

 

[drkube]

This sound like really good advice. The location difference between the two is not really a concern for me. The only hesitation I have is that I think that BCOM would be (for lack of a better word) more of a "safety school" than TUNCOM. Does anyone have any advice on this?

I would take an older school over a newer one. This is gonna be BCOM's first class so it's gonna be a bit rocky as with any school's first year. You have the stats to get an interview at TUNCOM so I wouldn't bother with BCOM unless you really want a safety school.

 

[DO2015CA]

I appreciate everyone's advice on this. No, my GPA is not with retakes. However, I got some bad advice from a pre-health advising committee earlier this year after I took my MCAT that caused a lethal domino effect. I had already been considering DO school prior to taking my MCAT due to a lot of exposure to the field. After the MCAT, my advisors were very concerned about my unbalanced MCAT score and basically told me that I was not at all competitive for any MD schools. So, I decided since I was already leaning in that direction that I'd focus my efforts on DO schools. My LORs are all coming from people that know me fairly well and this was discussed with them (most of them we quite excited about it). So, I've obviously not read my LORs but I believe that they most likely directly mention osteopathic medicine.



This sounds like really good advice. The location difference between the two is not really a concern for me. The only hesitation I have is that I think that BCOM would be (for lack of a better word) more of a "safety school" than TUNCOM. Does anyone have any advice on this?

Pre-med advisors don't know what the hell they are talking about in 99% of the cases. tell your LOR writers to just say medicine and then apply both

 

[ERinspired]

Pre-med advisors don't know what the hell they are talking about in 99% of the cases. tell your LOR writers to just say medicine and then apply both

Yeah, I wish I had realized this before taking some bad advice.

My own desire to be on top of my requirements and build the best application possible has backed me into a corner because I have most of my letters already (I'm using Interfolio) and I think I'd lose quality in the letters if I asked for them to be edited.

At least I didn't self-sabotage and get myself into a horrible situation with no hope anywhere at least. Hopefully, I'll still get an acceptance that I'm happy with and others can learn from this.

 

[DO2015CA]

Yeah, I wish I had realized this before taking some bad advise.

My own desire to be on top of my requirements and build the best application possible has backed me into a corner because I have most of my letters already (I'm using Interfolio) and I think I'd lose quality in the letters if I asked for them to be edited.

At least I didn't self-sabotage and get myself into a horrible situation with no hope anywhere at least. Hopefully, I'll still get an acceptance that I'm happy with and others can learn from this.

shoot them an email like "hey I think I've decided to apply to X MD schools because I think they fit with my goals. Do you think there would be a problem using those letters for the school. i.e. did you write osteopathic medicine"

No harm in that and you won't know whats in them still

 

[DO2015CA]

honestly the upside of getting into your state MD is so high that its silly to not at least try.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

honestly the upside of getting into your state MD is so high that its silly to not at least try.

I know, might as well throw an app or two out there. The payoff could potentially be huge

 

[MADD!!!]

Honestly, I'd be surprised if you didn't get into CCOM or AZCOM(especially) just based on your stats alone. Same with DMU actually. I'd omit from applying to the LECOM's and all the lower-tier schools you've listed.

Worst case scenario, you will hear results from your top choice schools by October and if you didn't get into any or was waitlisted, it still wouldn't be late to apply to the lower tiers then.

 

[ERinspired]

I've heard several times that my list might be too long/I might be wasting money applying to so many. Do you think I'd still have good luck this cycle applying to a more restricted list:

CCOM
DMU
MUCOM
ATSU-KCOM
RVUCOM
NSU-COM
AZCOM/MWU
PCOM
CUSOM

 

[mathnerd88]

I've heard several times that my list might be too long/I might be wasting money applying to so many. Do you think I'd still have good luck this cycle applying to a more restricted list:

CCOM
DMU
MUCOM
ATSU-KCOM
RVUCOM
NSU-COM
AZCOM/MWU
PCOM
CUSOM

What state are you from/currently reside in?

 

[ERinspired]

What state are you from/currently reside in?

Wisconsin


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