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- Jun 19, 2019
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Hello! I am looking to finalize my school list. I was originally planning to apply to closer to 18 schools but added more reaches after receiving my MCAT score. My list is definitely top heavy but I am wondering if I have enough of a foundation of target schools. I know I have strong ECs and very strong LORs. My GPA seems to be my biggest weakness.
Thank you for all the help!!
Female, White, LGBTQ, Disadvantaged
Year in school: Graduated from a top NESCAC
Country/state of residence: TN
WARS: 90
Cumulative GPA: 3.65 (strong upward trend with near straight A's my last two years. UG solidly known for grade deflation)
Science GPA: 3.55
MCAT Scores: 520 (130/130/130/130)
Research – include any abstracts/posters/publications and how you were credited (eg. First author, senior author, etc):
5000+ hours with honors thesis (1000), multiple internships (800), and two years of full time work in HIV/ COVID-19 research for a Harvard lab (4000)
I have two poster presentations (one on campus and one at national conference) and some coauthorships on abstracts. Should have a publication around interview season as an update.
Volunteering (clinical) – include hours/sites: I have very little clinical “volunteering” because I had certifications to work in healthcare and did that for many years.
Physician shadowing – include hours/specialties:
40 ish hours of physician shadowing in the emergency department.
Non-clinical volunteering:
Leader of sexual assault advocacy group throughout college (many hours a week spent working with survivors, running phone lines, setting up events, and working with college title IX administration) (~400 hours).
Current search and rescue team member (One weekend every month of training plus searches) (~200 hours).
Part of multiple efforts to promote queer inclusion on campus and visibility (a couple hours a month) (~50 hours).
Crisis text line (~ 200 hours)
Extracurricular activities:
Varsity Athlete for a unique team sport throughout college with a national championship and multiple leadership awards (15-20 hours per week) (~2000 hours).
Current youth coach for climbing (5-10 hours per week) (~500 hours).
Hobbies: Climbing and backpacking
Employment history:
Worked as CNA/ED tech full-time on every break from college for 4 years (50+ hours per week during all breaks) (~1600 hours).
Worked as a tutor, TA, and lab assistant for many years across multiple disciplines in college (10-15 hours per week for 3 years) (1000+ hours).
Worked several other odd jobs during college such as being a secretary or barista
Immediate family members in medicine? (y/n): No
Specialty of interest: Emergency Medicine or Surgery
Graduate degrees: none
Interest in rural health (y/n): Y, I am from a rural area originally.
Harvard (Near my partner so I have to try lol)
Yale (Seem to recruit queer applicants)
Northwestern (considered URM)
UChicago
Michigan (strong ties)
Duke
Pitt
Vanderbilt (IS but private)
Mayo
Emory
Colorado
Brown
Case Western
Dartmouth (Strong ties)
BU (strong ties)
Tufts (strong ties)
Cincinnati
Ohio State
Wake Forest
Vermont
Medical College of Wisconsin (considered URM)
Tennessee (IS)
ETSU (IS)
Hello! I am looking to finalize my school list. I was originally planning to apply to closer to 18 schools but added more reaches after receiving my MCAT score. My list is definitely top heavy but I am wondering if I have enough of a foundation of target schools. I know I have strong ECs and very strong LORs. My GPA seems to be my biggest weakness.
Thank you for all the help!!
Female, White, LGBTQ, Disadvantaged
Year in school: Graduated from a top NESCAC
Country/state of residence: TN
WARS: 90
Cumulative GPA: 3.65 (strong upward trend with near straight A's my last two years. UG solidly known for grade deflation)
Science GPA: 3.55
MCAT Scores: 520 (130/130/130/130)
Research – include any abstracts/posters/publications and how you were credited (eg. First author, senior author, etc):
5000+ hours with honors thesis (1000), multiple internships (800), and two years of full time work in HIV/ COVID-19 research for a Harvard lab (4000)
I have two poster presentations (one on campus and one at national conference) and some coauthorships on abstracts. Should have a publication around interview season as an update.
Volunteering (clinical) – include hours/sites: I have very little clinical “volunteering” because I had certifications to work in healthcare and did that for many years.
Physician shadowing – include hours/specialties:
40 ish hours of physician shadowing in the emergency department.
Non-clinical volunteering:
Leader of sexual assault advocacy group throughout college (many hours a week spent working with survivors, running phone lines, setting up events, and working with college title IX administration) (~400 hours).
Current search and rescue team member (One weekend every month of training plus searches) (~200 hours).
Part of multiple efforts to promote queer inclusion on campus and visibility (a couple hours a month) (~50 hours).
Crisis text line (~ 200 hours)
Extracurricular activities:
Varsity Athlete for a unique team sport throughout college with a national championship and multiple leadership awards (15-20 hours per week) (~2000 hours).
Current youth coach for climbing (5-10 hours per week) (~500 hours).
Hobbies: Climbing and backpacking
Employment history:
Worked as CNA/ED tech full-time on every break from college for 4 years (50+ hours per week during all breaks) (~1600 hours).
Worked as a tutor, TA, and lab assistant for many years across multiple disciplines in college (10-15 hours per week for 3 years) (1000+ hours).
Worked several other odd jobs during college such as being a secretary or barista
Immediate family members in medicine? (y/n): No
Specialty of interest: Emergency Medicine or Surgery
Graduate degrees: none
Interest in rural health (y/n): Y, I am from a rural area originally.
Harvard (Near my partner so I have to try lol)
Yale (Seem to recruit queer applicants)
Northwestern (considered URM)
UChicago
Michigan (strong ties)
Duke
Pitt
Vanderbilt (IS but private)
Mayo
Emory
Colorado
Brown
Case Western
Dartmouth (Strong ties)
BU (strong ties)
Tufts (strong ties)
Cincinnati
Ohio State
Wake Forest
Vermont
Medical College of Wisconsin (considered URM)
Tennessee (IS)
ETSU (IS)
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