GPA 3.78, MCAT 39, very poor ECs

[blahbar]

I'm a semi non-trad (graduated in 2012, planning to apply next cycle), looking for some ideas on my chances/where to apply/how to strengthen my application over the next few months before I apply. Unfortunately I am a DC resident, so would be OOS pretty much everywhere. My stats are below.

GPA(both cumulative and science):3.78
MCAT: 39 (12PS, 14 V, 13BS)
ECs: I have been working as a paralegal for a year and a half, have about 50 hours of volunteering at a hospital over the past 6 months(planning to continue), recently started escorting at planned parenthood about 3.5 hours a week. I am working on setting up some shadowing. In college I worked as a TA (not in a lab), played a club sport (in which I held a leadership position), and a few other non "medically" ECs. I did no volunteering or research during undergrad.

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[Indianarn]

I'm a semi non-trad (graduated in 2012, planning to apply next cycle), looking for some ideas on my chances/where to apply/how to strengthen my application over the next few months before I apply. Unfortunately I am a DC resident, so would be OOS pretty much everywhere. My stats are below.

GPA(both cumulative and science):3.78
MCAT: 39 (12PS, 14 V, 13BS)
ECs: I have been working as a paralegal for a year and a half, have about 50 hours of volunteering at a hospital over the past 6 months(planning to continue), recently started escorting at planned parenthood about 3.5 hours a week. I am working on setting up some shadowing. In college I worked as a TA (not in a lab), played a club sport (in which I held a leadership position), and a few other non "medically" ECs. I did no volunteering or research during undergrad.

What is your questions? I hope you already applied. I think you should be in with this score. I would have killed, or many be killed twice or three times for these stats.

 

[blahbar]

Thanks for the response, and I am not crazy-I am very happy with my stats (although too much SDN reading has perhaps made me less happy with them), but I know that my ECs are lacking. I guess my questions can be boiled down to:what to focus on in improving my ECs in the time I have left before applying next cycle/what schools should I be looking at where lack of research isn't going to knock me out of the running.

 

[masaraksh]

Thanks for the response, and I am not crazy-I am very happy with my stats (although too much SDN reading has perhaps made me less happy with them), but I know that my ECs are lacking. I guess my questions can be boiled down to:what to focus on in improving my ECs in the time I have left before applying next cycle/what schools should I be looking at where lack of research isn't going to knock me out of the running.

-Find a clinic/hospital/random something else and volunteer there 1 evening a week
-Find 2-4 doctors and try to shadow each 2-3 days
-Advertise and find 1-3 kids to tutor english/general chem/maths once a week

BAM! 3 great entries for your app (with not too much hassle), clinical exp from the clinic, hopefully a rec letter from one of the docs.

 

[Omppu27]

You still have 6 months to rack up ECs... You're stats make you competitive for almost every medical school in the country. If you can get that hospital volunteering to 100+ hrs, keep volunteering at PP, and get some shadowing i think you will have a great shot at an acceptance next cycle. However, since you have done no shadowing, getting into a top school might be tough. Have you thought about trying to land a research position for your gap year??

EDIT: the reason why I said that you're competitive for almost every school in the country is because of your GPA. But now that i think about it, with a 39 mcat, you are competitive for EVERY school in the country IMO. But again, the top schools aren't just number crazy. They like to see the ECs as well.

 

[masaraksh]

You still have 6 months to rack up ECs... You're stats make you competitive for almost every medical school in the country. If you can get that hospital volunteering to 100+ hrs, keep volunteering at PP, and get some shadowing i think you will have a great shot at an acceptance next cycle. However, since you have done no shadowing, getting into a top school might be tough. Have you thought about trying to land a research position for your gap year??

EDIT: the reason why I said that you're competitive for almost every school in the country is because of your GPA. But now that i think about it, with a 39 mcat, you are competitive for EVERY school in the country IMO. But again, the top schools aren't just number crazy. They like to see the ECs as well.

Kind of far from the truth.

Top 10 schools consistently reject high stats applicants. It is much more about ECs & research & leadership. Mid-tier, yeah, you'll get auto-IIs just due to stats.

 

[mcloaf]

Kind of far from the truth.

Top 10 schools consistently reject high stats applicants. It is much more about ECs & research & leadership. Mid-tier, yeah, you'll get auto-IIs just due to stats.

This.

 

[Omppu27]

I'm not saying OP is gonna get IIs from everywhere he applies. I just said that his numbers (GPA and Mcat) would be within range of all schools.

Edit: I do agree that OPs numbers won't be enough without greater ECs

 

[thegypsyqueen]

Don't rely on your stats. They are really really good but unless you remedy the lack of ECs you could be out of luck. I met some high stat reapps on the interview trail that struck out due to their lack of ECs. You NEED shadowing, non-clin volunteerism, and clinical volunteering. It would help to have some research, teaching, and unique ECs but this is not as imperative.

 

[DokterMom]

Guess what folks are saying is that your stats are top-20, but your ECs are mid-tier.
You may be able to bring your ECs up a few notches, but for the truly elite medical schools, you need duration as well as depth of volunteering.

Select your schools accordingly.
Definitely apply to some top-20 programs, but I'd focus mainly on the 20-50 tier, where your stats will look terrific, your ECs will be 'fine', and you might pull in some meaningful financial aid.

 

[MedWonk]

You find yourself in the enviable position of having a relatively easy way of strengthening your app. Your work experience as a paralegal can be a plus. Keep up the hospital volunteering and I think you'll be fine. Research isn't required to get in. I have no research and I got in, mainly because I have other strong ECs and did not apply to schools whose mission it is to churn out an army of researchers. Your ECs aren't really that weak. The only thing missing may be some shadowing. Otherwise I think you'll be fine.

 

[Indianarn]

I'm a semi non-trad (graduated in 2012, planning to apply next cycle), looking for some ideas on my chances/where to apply/how to strengthen my application over the next few months before I apply. Unfortunately I am a DC resident, so would be OOS pretty much everywhere. My stats are below.

GPA(both cumulative and science):3.78
MCAT: 39 (12PS, 14 V, 13BS)
ECs: I have been working as a paralegal for a year and a half, have about 50 hours of volunteering at a hospital over the past 6 months(planning to continue), recently started escorting at planned parenthood about 3.5 hours a week. I am working on setting up some shadowing. In college I worked as a TA (not in a lab), played a club sport (in which I held a leadership position), and a few other non "medically" ECs. I did no volunteering or research during undergrad.

To me your EC's look great too. You should be able to get in 100%. Only thing I would do it continue what you are doing and shadow a few physicians. You sound like a great candidate. Don't wait too long and apply early next year.