Help Building A List of Schools

[n_d06]

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[drgweeds]

I think you're in line to get into a good medical program. If I were you, I would start out by making a big list of schools where you fall within the 25th-75th percentile for GPA and MCAT (for marticulants). You can use the MSAR. Then look at schools where you fall under the 25th percentile and put that into a dream pile.

Reduce the schools by where you want to live and you have your target school list. Pick 2-3 out of the dream pile and cross your fingers.

Lizzy M is also a strong indicator, but not perfect.

 

[Faha]

Where is your state of residence?

 

[fsk_962118]

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[fsk_962118]

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[n_d06]

I think you're in line to get into a good medical program. If I were you, I would start out by making a big list of schools where you fall within the 25th-75th percentile for GPA and MCAT (for marticulants). You can use the MSAR. Then look at schools where you fall under the 25th percentile and put that into a dream pile.

Reduce the schools by where you want to live and you have your target school list. Pick 2-3 out of the dream pile and cross your fingers.

Lizzy M is also a strong indicator, but not perfect.

I think the main issue is that my GPA is below or barely above the 10th percentile at almost all MD programs (except for maybe a handful).

 

[n_d06]

Where is your state of residence?

I’m a Texas resident

 

[drgweeds]

I'll see if I can make you a list. You have a decent chance at TX schools. Whats your sGPA?

 

[n_d06]

I'll see if I can make you a list. You have a decent chance at TX schools. Whats your sGPA?

~3.35

 

[Goro]

I have almost no idea what schools to "target" when building a list to apply to, mostly due to the wide gap between my GPA and MCAT (my GPA being below the range medical schools ask for, and my MCAT being above the average of almost all medical schools). Which schools/range of schools should I be prioritizing when making my list? Any input or help is appreciated, thanks!


Asian Male
GPA: ~3.5 (significant upward trend)
MCAT: 522
Attending a top 20 school, with reputation of "grade deflation" (don't know if this matters to adcoms)

~2 years in a research lab
Leadership positions in a couple of student clubs
2-3 non-clinical volunteering activities (been involved for 3-4 years)
100-150 hours clinical volunteering at a hospital
Shadowed for ~100 hours in a variety of specialties

I suggest increasing your clinical hours and targeting these:

Wash U
U Chicago
NYU
U Penn
Vanderbilt
Columbia
Sinai
Cornell
Northwestern
Case
Harvard
Yale
Stanford
JHU
U VM
UCSF
Miami
Tulane
Albert Einstein
Emory
BU
USC/Keck
Mayo
Rochester
Dartmouth
Duke
Pitt
Hofstra
Your state school

 

[Faha]

Since you are a Texas resident you are competitive for most of your Texas MD schools. Apply to all of them and you should receive several interviews.

 

[n_d06]

I suggest increasing your clinical hours and targeting these:

Wash U
U Chicago
NYU
U Penn
Vanderbilt
Columbia
Sinai
Cornell
Northwestern
Case
Harvard
Yale
Stanford
JHU
U VM
UCSF
Miami
Tulane
Albert Einstein
Emory
BU
USC/Keck
Mayo
Rochester
Dartmouth
Duke
Pitt
Hofstra
Your state school

Doesn’t my GPA put me out of contention for most of these schools though? Especially the elite ones

 

[Goro]

Doesn’t my GPA put me out of contention for most of these schools though? Especially the elite ones

A 522 MCAT and a rising GPA trend can't be sneezed at. Do not underestimate the power of stats whoredom, If you want to be more cautious, think Harvard OR Yale OR Stanford; U Penn OR U Chicago; Cornell OR JHU etc.,

But definitely apply to:
NYU
Columbia
Sinai
Duke
Pitt
Mayo
Vandy
UCSF
all Keck class schools

 

[Walter Raleigh]

If that top 20 school is MIT, Caltech, or Princeton, yes, adcoms will give you a tiny bit of leeway for it. 0.1 points or so, 0.2 if you are very lucky or something like a double major in biomedical and mechanical engineering at Caltech.

 

[Walter Raleigh]

Goro, don't those top-20 schools, especially Harvard and Yale, have 10th percentiles around 3.7 and median MCATs around 518 to 520? Also, I've heard that successful admits to said schools generally have some fairly killer ECs, like military service, Peace Corps, starting nonprofits, or significant publication records. Had a friend that didn't get any top-20 acceptances despite a 3.9, a 517, and a third-author paper in Cell. Guy had 400 hours of shadowing, 400 hours of clinical volunteering, and 400 hours of nonclinical volunteering to boot.

 

[n_d06]

A 522 MCAT and a rising GPA trend can't be sneezed at. Do not underestimate the power of stats whoredom, If you want to be more cautious, think Harvard OR Yale OR Stanford; U Penn OR U Chicago; Cornell OR JHU etc.,

But definitely apply to:
NYU
Columbia
Sinai
Duke
Pitt
Mayo
Vandy
UCSF
all Keck class schools

Goro, what schools would you put in "Keck class schools"?

 

[n_d06]

Since you are a Texas resident you are competitive for most of your Texas MD schools. Apply to all of them and you should receive several interviews.

Do you think my stats/app have a chance at non-Texas schools, and if so, around what range of schools would seem to be the best targets?

 

[Goro]

Goro, what schools would you put in "Keck class schools"?

Emory
Hofstra
Dartmouth
BU
Einstein
Case

 

[Faha]

Do you think my stats/app have a chance at non-Texas schools, and if so, around what range of schools would seem to be the best targets?

The adcoms on this site have mentioned many times that schools outside of Texas generally do not interview Texas applicants since they assume they will attend a Texas school. In 2017 almost 1,500 Texas residents matriculated to Texas MD schools while only 232 matriculated to OOS MD schools. The majority of those 232 would be URM, those who attended the undergraduate school of the institution, legacies and very high stat candidates (GPA > 3.8).

 

[OneTwoThreeFour]

Just to piggyback off of @Goro, Sinai took me with a 3.5 and a 40 MCAT (old scoring). Schools worry that low GPA=inability to handle the rigors of med school. Upward trend + good MCAT tends to soften that concern significantly. You won't get auto-screened out at the top places and assuming the rest of your application is solid, you'll get good interviews.

 

[n_d06]

The adcoms on this site have mentioned many times that schools outside of Texas generally do not interview Texas applicants since they assume they will attend a Texas school. In 2017 almost 1,500 Texas residents matriculated to Texas MD schools while only 232 matriculated to OOS MD schools. The majority of those 232 would be URM, those who attended the undergraduate school of the institution, legacies and very high stat candidates (GPA > 3.8).

So does this mean there's almost no point in applying to medical schools outside Texas (with my stats/app)? Additionally, does this trend also apply to top-tier private schools (like Sinai, Emory, Cornell, Northwestern, etc etc) or is this mostly applicable to mid/low-tier schools?

 

[Faha]

You can try some top tier schools since some may be interested due to your high MCAT.

 

[OneTwoThreeFour]

So does this mean there's almost no point in applying to medical schools outside Texas (with my stats/app)? Additionally, does this trend also apply to top-tier private schools (like Sinai, Emory, Cornell, Northwestern, etc etc) or is this mostly applicable to mid/low-tier schools?

If you're at undergrad in Texas it will likely be harder to get non-Texas interviews. But if you are interested in a few top tier schools I wouldn't not apply just because of that fact. The only thing you have to lose is money. And after 4 years of med school you'll lose a whole lot more of that anyway!

 

[n_d06]

If you're at undergrad in Texas it will likely be harder to get non-Texas interviews. But if you are interested in a few top tier schools I wouldn't not apply just because of that fact. The only thing you have to lose is money. And after 4 years of med school you'll lose a whole lot more of that anyway!

I don’t know if it makes a difference but I actually attend an undergrad outside of Texas. So in general, it seems like the only schools that wouldn’t be biased against TX applicants would be top-tier schools (since they don’t necessarily expect all accepted students to choose TX in-state options over them)

 

[Goro]

@Goro , Would I be at a considerable disadvantage for an interview/offer at these schools (Keck class schools) since I am a Texas resident and they may expect me to favor my in-state choices over them?

Med schools outside of TX know that you are most likely to stay in TX, so yes, it will be a lot harder.

 

[n_d06]

Med schools outside of TX know that you are most likely to stay in TX, so yes, it will be a lot harder.

But you still recommend the list you provided above?

 

[Goro]

But you still recommend the list you provided above?

No, stick with the TX schools

 

[n_d06]

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