MD Help Me Create a Balanced Medical School List (3.9+ GPA, 522 MCAT, Research-Focused)

[ForgetfulDemon]

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In short, I have a very heavy research profile and solid stats. I currently have a very top-heavy list and would appreciate it if anyone can give me insights into what schools might not be as interested in me based on my profile and regional preferences. I also am looking for other schools I may have not included that would complement my existing set.

I have a solid but not crazy amount of clinical exposure (~100 hours shadowing, ~150 clinical volunteer, ~100 clinical position that does not deal directly with patients.) I have comparatively little non-clinical volunteering (~100 hours).

Research-wise: I have one publication (not first- or second-author) and have around 1400 hours logged. I also did an internship that was science-related but not really research (500 hours). I will continue doing research with explicit clinical applications this upcoming year for a gap year.

Otherwise: I have a couple campus leadership positions (maybe 300 hours total), odd jobs to earn income (maybe another 300 hours), and a few things just for fun (300 hours or so). Recommendations and personal statement should be very strong.

Academics:

University: Highly-ranked private research University
Major: Biological Sciences, Class of 2019
GPA: low 3.9x cGPA, high 3.8x sGPA. Sort of an upward trend (lower semester 1 GPA as I was transitioning to college and did not do as well as I had wanted in [particularly in introductory Biology]; excluding semester 1 I have a high 3.9x cGPA and a low-3.9x sGPA.)
MCAT: 522 (13x, 13x, 131, 13x)

DEMOGRAPHICS:
Ethnicity: White / Male
I also know I am explicitly considered a URM for at least 5 or 6 schools on my list if that helps. Possibly URM for other schools too.


Current List:
Two in-state public schools where I am well above the median for GPA and MCAT. Will not post to remain anonymous.

Current list (21 + in-state schools, clustered by region)

• Stanford
• UCSF
• UCLA
• University of Southern California
• Yale
• Boston University
• Penn
• NYU
• Columbia
• Weill Cornell
• Albert Einstein
• Mount Sinai
• Duke
• Vanderbilt
• University of Virginia
• Northwestern
• Ohio State
• Case Western - Cleveland Clinic
• University of Chicago
• WashU
• Michigan

As you can see, this is not a super-realistic list. I would appreciate any feedback people may have!

I look forward to constructive criticism and hope people do not roast me too badly lol. Thank you!

 

[Faha]

You have a good list and should receive several interviews.

 

[ForgetfulDemon]

@Goro it seems like a bunch of people consult you for their lists. Do you have any idea what schools I should add or take off?

 

[deleted972488]

Your list is good. You’ll risk yield protection at many schools but not these and your state schools.

Add Hopkins, Pittsburgh, and both Mayos.

 

[Goro]

@Goro it seems like a bunch of people consult you for their lists. Do you have any idea what schools I should add or take off?

ECs are really cookie cutter. When you aim high, you have to be high. Uchicago is a school that like service. Add some Keck and Einstein class schools to the list

 

[deleted972488]

you have to be high

That’s not legal where I live.

 

[ForgetfulDemon]

ECs are really cookie cutter. When you aim high, you have to be high. Uchicago is a school that like service. Add some Keck and Einstein class schools to the list

@Goro Thank you! Glad you say that about UofC; I never got the impression they were so service-oriented based on the people I know there but it looks like you are correct after glancing at their site. I was purposefully vague about my ECs and people have told me they're fairly strong but I am looking to add more schools in the class you mentioned.

Do you know what schools in that range might be reasonable to add? I only can think of Emory, Rochester, and Brown but my advisor discouraged me from applying from to those places based on past applicants with comparable stats from my undergrad institution. I also found a bunch of public schools that are not super OOS friendly which is not reassuring.

 

[deleted966008]

I second adding Pitt and both Mayo schools, and consider adding 3 or 4 of these if you're looking to round out your list:

- Hofstra
- USC Keck
- Emory
- Cincinnati
- Dartmouth
- South Florida

 

[Goro]

I second adding Pitt and both Mayo schools, and consider adding 3 or 4 of these if you're looking to round out your list:

- Hofstra
- USC Keck
- Emory
- Cincinnati
- Dartmouth
- South Florida

I agree 100%

 

[deleted972488]

What is the White Male/URM thing all about?

Probably LGBT.

 

[deleted966008]

Yes on the two Mayo's but don't waste your money at Pitt, Boston University, Hofstra, Cincinnati, Dartmouth and South Florida.
,
With your stats and background, all of those schools will reject you pre-II. They'll believe that with your stats you'll go to a top-tier school, and will view you thus as not a fit. I know this from experience. I had similar stats. Ended up getting into a T5 school.

Better to concentrate on fewer schools, as you have, and devote quality time to your essays. These are extremely important and will take you way more time than you can imagine now to complete.

I respectfully disagree on the basis that despite high stats and strong research, OP has low non clinical volunteering and clinical exposure that is arguably cookie cutter. These schools have roughly 518 medians, they don’t yield protect.

Maybe it can be argued that Dartmouth is worth removing, but there are people I’ve seen on here who got T5 acceptances and also got massive scholarships to some of these schools. Good to have choices.

 

[deleted972488]

I respectfully disagree on the basis that despite high stats and strong research, OP has low non clinical volunteering and clinical exposure that is arguably cookie cutter. These schools have 518 medians, they don’t yield protect.

Maybe it can be argued that Dartmouth is worth removing, but there are people I’ve seen on here who got T5 acceptances and got massive scholarships to some of these schools. Good to have choices.

I agree. Also, the secondaries aren't THAT bad. I've already prewritten more than 15 and I essentially have the same school list as OP.

 

[deleted972488]

Well we can conduct a controlled experiment here. OP applies to all the lower ranked schools suggested. We circle back January 15. I bet $100 that he will have zero IIs from those schools.

Stats aren't everything. Also, that wouldn't really be a controlled experiment. What's the control group?

 

[deleted972488]

Just an experiment. Stats are not everything, but they are largely the basis upon which lower ranked schools screen out candidates for interviews. A lower ranked school like Hofstra is not going to say, "Oh, this gentleman has T10 stats but he's a little low on clinical hours, so let's make a play for him."

Idk. OP is <90% for both metrics at Hofstra, so clearly they accept some people with high stats.

 

[deleted966008]

Well we can conduct a controlled experiment here. OP applies to all the lower ranked schools suggested. We circle back Jauary 15. I bet $100 that he will have zero IIs from those schools.

Hahahah you’re on! 😛

I understand your reasoning, but I will say just because all matriculants to top schools have high GPAs and MCATs doesn’t mean everyone with high GPAs and MCATs will matriculate to a super prestigious school. I had T10 stats and unless I get off a waitlist this late, will matriculate at a mid-tier. It just helps to keep your options open - that’s all I’m proposing for OP.

 

[pwk4d]

Yes on the two Mayo's but don't waste your money at Pitt, Boston University, Hofstra, Cincinnati, Dartmouth and South Florida.
,
With your stats and background, all of those schools will reject you pre-II. They'll believe that with your stats you'll go to a top-tier school, and will view you thus as not a fit. I know this from experience. I had similar stats. Ended up getting into a T5 school.

Better to concentrate on fewer schools, as you have, and devote quality time to your essays. These are extremely important and will take you way more time than you can imagine now to complete.

FWIW I had comparable stats to OP plus some rather unique life experiences and got II from Cincy & Pitt (which is a T15).

 

[deleted966008]

Also my last plea for OP to include those schools is 12% of applicants with 3.8+ and 518+ don’t get in ANYWHERE. Now with that being said I do think OP will have a very successful cycle but that still blows my mind

 

[pwk4d]

Did you get accepted to both?

Accepted to Pitt, ended up declining II at Cincy.