MD Help Finalizing School List: 4.0 GPA, 525 MCAT, Okay ECs

[boundlesscorpuscle]

Hi everyone! I am new to SDN, though I have been lurking the site on and off throughout my pre-med years. I am trying to finalize my list of schools to apply to, and am specifically wondering if I should add more mid-tier schools or risk adding a few more Top 20/Top 10.

Here's what I'm working with:

Florida Resident
Major/Minor: Chemistry/Psychology
GPA: 4.0
Science GPA: 4.0
MCAT: 525 (131,130, 132, 132)

Experiences:
~425 hours of volunteering (includes clinical and non-clinical, e.g. BP screenings for the homeless, service-learning trip to Peru, tutoring kids)
~635 hours unpaid research experience (no publications, research in clinical psychology and medical anthropology)
~110 hours physician shadowing in EM and OB/Gyn
~150 hours listed as 'leadership' with Residence Hall Council and Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society
~500 hours paid employment as a receptionist at a private practice OB/Gyn and as a Biology lab assistant
~100 hours with my school's honors orchestra ensemble (I play viola)
I listed some hobbies of mine as well: playing guitar, SCUBA diving, and martial arts

I don't consider myself to be a disadvantage/underrepresented applicant.

I am not positive what specialty I want to pursue, nor what route I want to take in the profession (private practice/academic medicine/policy, etc.) although primary care, OB/Gyn, and EM interest me (probably because of shadowing haha).

Here is my school list as it currently stands:

University of South Florida
University of Florida
University of Central Florida
Florida State University
Florida Atlantic University
Florida International University
University of Miami
Emory University
University of Virigina
Indiana University
Baylor SOM
University of Michigan
Case Western University
Ohio State University
Drexel University
Boston University

I looked into Tulane and Albert Einstein. I ruled Tulane out because it is so low-yield and I don't think I'd be a great fit for NOLA. Albert Einstein just didn't vibe well with me.

Other schools I was considering: Wake Forest, UPenn, Pritzker (UChic), Vanderbilt.

I'd love to get some more info on mid-tier schools I should consider.

I appreciate any input! Thanks a lot!

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[vrazzles]

You will be screened out of a ton of those schools because of your MCAT (yield protection)

You need to apply higher. I would wager that you are more likely to get interviews from higher yield schools than lower ones. If I were you and finances allowed, I would apply to 15 top 20s and 10 schools ranked between 20-50 that do not have a large in-state preference. Statwhore schools like WashU, NYU, UPenn, etc. may be more likely to forgive your relatively weak ECs for to get a matriculant with your juicy stats.

You'll be fine.

 

[boundlesscorpuscle]

You will be screened out of a ton of those schools because of your MCAT (yield protection)

You need to apply higher. I would wager that you are more likely to get interviews from higher yield schools than lower ones. If I were you and finances allowed, I would apply to 15 top 20s and 10 schools ranked between 20-50 that do not have a large in-state preference. Statwhore schools like WashU, NYU, UPenn, etc. may be more likely to forgive your relatively weak ECs for to get a matriculant with your juicy stats.

You'll be fine.

Thanks for your response! As you put it, yield protection was my main concern with applying to lower/mid-tier schools, but I feared that I might be barred out of some of the Top 20 due to my sub-par ECs. I will look into some of the "statwhore" schools as you suggested!

 

[Faha]

You could add more top 20 schools such as:
Washington University
UPenn
UChicago
Vanderbilt
NYU
Pittsburgh

 

[boundlesscorpuscle]

You could add more top 20 schools such as:
Washington University
UPenn
UChicago
Vanderbilt
NYU
Pittsburgh

I have put WashU, UPenn, UChicago, and Vanderbilt on my list of schools to consider. Thanks for your help!

 

[Goro]

Hi everyone! I am new to SDN, though I have been lurking the site on and off throughout my pre-med years. I am trying to finalize my list of schools to apply to, and am specifically wondering if I should add more mid-tier schools or risk adding a few more Top 20/Top 10.

Here's what I'm working with:

Florida Resident
Major/Minor: Chemistry/Psychology
GPA: 4.0
Science GPA: 4.0
MCAT: 525 (131,130, 132, 132)

Experiences:
~425 hours of volunteering (includes clinical and non-clinical, e.g. BP screenings for the homeless, service-learning trip to Peru, tutoring kids)
~635 hours unpaid research experience (no publications, research in clinical psychology and medical anthropology)
~110 hours physician shadowing in EM and OB/Gyn
~150 hours listed as 'leadership' with Residence Hall Council and Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society
~500 hours paid employment as a receptionist at a private practice OB/Gyn and as a Biology lab assistant
~100 hours with my school's honors orchestra ensemble (I play viola)
I listed some hobbies of mine as well: playing guitar, SCUBA diving, and martial arts

I don't consider myself to be a disadvantage/underrepresented applicant.

I am not positive what specialty I want to pursue, nor what route I want to take in the profession (private practice/academic medicine/policy, etc.) although primary care, OB/Gyn, and EM interest me (probably because of shadowing haha).

Here is my school list as it currently stands:

University of South Florida
University of Florida
University of Central Florida
Florida State University
Florida Atlantic University
Florida International University
University of Miami
Emory University
University of Virigina
Indiana University
Baylor SOM
University of Michigan
Case Western University
Ohio State University
Drexel University
Boston University

I looked into Tulane and Albert Einstein. I ruled Tulane out because it is so low-yield and I don't think I'd be a great fit for NOLA. Albert Einstein just didn't vibe well with me.

Other schools I was considering: Wake Forest, UPenn, Pritzker (UChic), Vanderbilt.

I'd love to get some more info on mid-tier schools I should consider.

I appreciate any input! Thanks a lot!

Work on the self esteem and aim higher.

I suggest:
NYU
Vanderbilt
WashU
Yale
JHU
Northwestern
U Chicago
U Penn
Columbia
Duke
Harvard
Sinai
Cornell
Stanford
U MI
U VA
BU
Case
Mayo
Pitt
UCSD
UCSF
Hofstra
Ohio State
U Cincy
USC/Keck
USF Morsani and all other FL schools
Albert Einstein
Dartmouth
Emory
Rochester
Jefferson
U IA
U VM
Western MI

 

[boundlesscorpuscle]

Work on the self esteem and aim higher.

I suggest:
NYU
Vanderbilt
WashU
Yale
JHU
Northwestern
U Chicago
U Penn
Columbia
Duke
Harvard
Sinai
Cornell
Stanford
U MI
U VA
BU
Case
Mayo
Pitt
UCSD
UCSF
Hofstra
Ohio State
U Cincy
USC/Keck
USF Morsani and all other FL schools
Albert Einstein
Dartmouth
Emory
Rochester
Jefferson
U IA
U VM
Western MI

Ah, yes, perpetually having to work on that self-esteem! Can't help it when surrounded by so many wonderful applicants.

I have all 7 Florida allopathic programs on my list, along with Ohio State, UMich, UVA, BU, and Emory. I'll look into Northwestern, Dartmouth, and Case Western, probably a few of the others too. I am unfortunately trying to limit my list to about 20 schools simply because of finances. Thanks for all of your suggestions!

 

[bonedoc5576]

OP, your humility is refreshing! Take the good advice you have from these wise, experienced pros and AIM HIGHER!!!!

 

[boundlesscorpuscle]

OP, your humility is refreshing! Take the good advice you have from these wise, experienced pros and AIM HIGHER!!!!

Thank you for the vote of confidence, bonedoc5576!

 

[bonedoc5576]

This is the list I would consider:

University of Florida
Florida State
Miami
Vanderbilt
Emory
Duke
UVA
Wash U
NYU
PENN
USC
Northwestern
Chicago
Yale
Baylor
Michigan
Boston
Case
Wake Forest
Another top 20

 

[Walter Raleigh]

Cut those low and midtier schools. Apply to four state schools, four midtiers, and then another dozen or so top 20s that interest you. Start your list with Harvard, Yale, and WashU. Your stats are stellar, 90th percentile or better for top 20s. That outweighs your ECs - which are not bad by any stretch.

 

[boundlesscorpuscle]

Cut those low and midtier schools. Apply to four state schools, four midtiers, and then another dozen or so top 20s that interest you. Start your list with Harvard, Yale, and WashU. Your stats are stellar, 90th percentile or better for top 20s. That outweighs your ECs - which are not bad by any stretch.

Thank you for your input and encouragement! I like that application strategy. I will try to update you all once I compose my final list.

 

[Walter Raleigh]

When Goro's telling you to shoot for the stars, you can feel pretty comfortable in shooting for the stars.

 

[boundlesscorpuscle]

Hi Everyone,

As promised, after doing some research and soul-searching, here is my updated list of schools:

University of South Florida
University of Florida
University of Central Florida
Florida State University
Florida International University
University of Miami
Baylor
University of Michigan
Ohio State University
Emory University
University of Virigina
Indiana University
Boston University
UPenn Perelman School of Medicine
UChicago Pritzker School of Medicine
UWash in St. Louis
Vanderbilt
Northwestern
Dartmouth
University of Pittsburgh

I am debating whether to add UIA to the list in place of Vanderbilt (still not sold on either school yet). I appreciate any thoughts on the new list!