Help! Do you suggest EDP??

[FredAstaire]

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Hello,

I have

B.sc Honors in Microbiology, Minor in Anthropology
cGPA: 3.68
sGPA: 3.61
MCAT: 35 (12 Bio, 12, physical sciences, 11 VR)


EC:

2 years of research at state, national, and medical research laboratories, with no publications however.

1 year as a international student mentor
1 year as writing tutor
1 year as campus buddy for international student

300 hours of clinical volunteering with palliative patients

Trying desperately to find a shadow position right now.

Resident State: Nebraska

Hoping to apply to EDP in University of Nebraska...what do you suggest?

 

[FredAstaire]

BUMP

Catalystik can you give me some advice? THanks.

 

[Catalystik]

It would be a rare thing that I would recommend EDP. If you were geographically restrained due to family issues or a spouse's job, that might be a good reason. The problem with applying EDP, is that if you aren't accepted, you aren't in the regular pool of applicants until October, by which time, your chances are diminished. Also, it isn't a good idea to go EDP unless your application is clearly better than the typical acceptee's for that school.

Now that said, Nebraska does take a lot of EDPs, along the lines of one third of the class. Your MCAT is clearly above their median for acceptees, but your GPA is not. You have some good ECs going for you, but not everything I'd want to see: shadowing is missing as well as noncampus, nonmedical community service. Maybe Nebraska doesn't care about those things.

It would be a thought, if you go to school there, to ask your premed advisor what your odds are based on a knowledge of your entire application. If it's 90%, then go for it. If it's lower, only you know your own risk tolerance. But with the understanding that if you aren't accepted, you'd be handicapped for the rest of the cycle, possibly not getting in anywhere due to the lateness of your submission. Is knowing you're accepted a few months earlier worth that risk?

 

[FredAstaire]

It would be a rare thing that I would recommend EDP. If you were geographically restrained due to family issues or a spouse's job, that might be a good reason. The problem with applying EDP, is that if you aren't accepted, you aren't in the regular pool of applicants until October, by which time, your chances are diminished. Also, it isn't a good idea to go EDP unless your application is clearly better than the typical acceptee's for that school.

Now that said, Nebraska does take a lot of EDPs, along the lines of one third of the class. Your MCAT is clearly above their median for acceptees, but your GPA is not. You have some good ECs going for you, but not everything I'd want to see: shadowing is missing as well as noncampus, nonmedical community service. Maybe Nebraska doesn't care about those things.

It would be a thought, if you go to school there, to ask your premed advisor what your odds are based on a knowledge of your entire application. If it's 90%, then go for it. If it's lower, only you know your own risk tolerance. But with the understanding that if you aren't accepted, you'd be handicapped for the rest of the cycle, possibly not getting in anywhere due to the lateness of your submission. Is knowing you're accepted a few months earlier worth that risk?

Thanks for your advice!

Here is the logic I'm thinking...

As a Nebraska resident, my best shot would probably be my home state U of Nebraska, correct? Furthermore, EDP would give me a better shot than regular applicant pool, as my application is viewed more favorably correct?

With this logic, wouldn't EDP at the school I have the best shot make sense?

 

[Catalystik]

There are a number of med schools less selective than Nebraska where you'd theoretically have a better chance. Examples with a good OOS acceptance rate would be maybe: MSU, Oakland (new), Hofstra (new), Virginia Tech Carilion (new), Commonwealth in Pa, Virginia Commonwealth, EVMS, Drexel, NYMC, Tulane, UIllinois, Rush, GWU.

Your stats are more competitive than needed for those listed above, and there are actually a good number of schools that would consider you favorably in addition to these that are equally selective or a bit more.

We don't know that you'd be considered more favorably than the regular applicant pool, since your cGPA is lower than their median for all acceptees. The stats are that 294 residents apply. About 213 are interviewed. 44 are accepted EDP. 110 matriculate. The class size is 124.

For additional input to help you make an informed decision, you might visit last year's School Specific thread (see the top of PreMed Allo) and see if you can glean any information about people who got in EDP. If you see that a lot of folks got in with lower stats and lesser ECs than yours, it would be ressuring (since I sense this is what you plan to do anyway).

 

[FredAstaire]

There are a number of med schools less selective than Nebraska where you'd theoretically have a better chance. Examples with a good OOS acceptance rate would be maybe: MSU, Oakland (new), Hofstra (new), Virginia Tech Carilion (new), Commonwealth in Pa, Virginia Commonwealth, EVMS, Drexel, NYMC, Tulane, UIllinois, Rush, GWU.

Your stats are more competitive than needed for those listed above, and there are actually a good number of schools that would consider you favorably in addition to these that are equally selective or a bit more.

We don't know that you'd be considered more favorably than the regular applicant pool, since your cGPA is lower than their median for all acceptees. The stats are that 294 residents apply. About 213 are interviewed. 44 are accepted EDP. 110 matriculate. The class size is 124.

For additional input to help you make an informed decision, you might visit last year's School Specific thread (see the top of PreMed Allo) and see if you can glean any information about people who got in EDP. If you see that a lot of folks got in with lower stats and lesser ECs than yours, it would be ressuring (since I sense this is what you plan to do anyway).

Hi, I'm confused when you say that my cGPA is lower than their median acceptees'

Their Median accepted GPA is a 3.7, mine is a 3.68. Are you saying that 0.02 actually makes a difference? My pre-med advisor said if its within 0.02 then just round up...

 

[Catalystik]

My information is that for the last two years median acceptee cGPA is 3.8. What year's MSAR is your data from?