Help with School List/Gap Year Plans

[starlite911]

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Hello! I am a current senior at a top 20 undergrad. I will be graduating with a degree in Honors Biological Sciences with a research distinction, and I'm a resident of IN. I will be taking a year off before I graduate to improve my extracurriculars/clinical experience. I'm primarily interested in med schools known for research & academic medicine.

Numbers
cGPA: 3.8
sGPA: 3.7
MCAT: 36 (12P 11V 13B)

Extracurriculars
Research: 3 years total (1 semester in parasitology lab, 2.5 years on regenerative biology). Have presented research at multiple conferences, but a publication is unlikely, although I will write an honors thesis. Also won two awards to continue conducting research for 2 summers
Clinical: ~150 hours volunteering in surgery waiting room/ICU
Shadowing: ~40 hours; neurology and medical genetics
Other: Co-chair for charity walk on campus for 2 years, leadership position on class and dorm council, leadership committee in biology department

Work
Teaching assistant: Cell biology (1 year), cell biology advanced lab (1 semester)
Biology lab assistant: 1 semester
Mentor for freshmen athletes: 1 year

School List
1. Rush Medical School
2. Indiana University School of Medicine
3. Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University
4. Temple University School of Medicine
5. University of Wisconsin School of Medicine & Public Health
6. Loyola Medical School
7. Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University
8. Tufts University School of Medicine
9. Boston University School of Medicine
10. Case Western Reserve University
11. Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
12. University of Michigan Medical School
13. Duke University School of Medicine
14. University of Pittsburgh
15. Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University
16. Vanderbilt School of Medicine
17. Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
18. University of Chicago The Pritzker School of Medicine

Basically, I'd like advice on my school list, as well as some suggestions for more mid-tier schools known for research. Additionally, advice for how to best strengthen my application during my year off would be greatly appreciated! Thanks guys!

 

[LuluLovesMe]

My advice would be to buy the MSAR and pick 5 schools where your MCAT is lower than their average (There are only 7 schools that even fit this criteria I believe). Pick 10 schools where your MCAT is equal to their average and pick 5 schools where your MCAT is +/- 1 of their 90th percentile MCAT. Throw in your state schools. Throw out schools that aren't friendly to OOS.

 

[starlite911]

My advice would be to buy the MSAR and pick 5 schools where your MCAT is lower than their average (There are only 7 schools that even fit this criteria I believe). Pick 10 schools where your MCAT is equal to their average and pick 5 schools where your MCAT is +/- 1 of their 90th percentile MCAT. Throw in your state schools. Throw out schools that aren't friendly to OOS.

Thanks for the advice! I'll probably substitute some of the 5 out of the top 7 for more closer to my average just based on personal interest though, especially since I feel that my clinical experience is a little less than it should be.

 

[starlite911]

advice from @Goro @LizzyM and/or @gyngyn would be greatly appreciated! thanks 🙂

 

[Goro]

Nothing wrong with aiming high! Suggest more service-related ECs. Get off campus and out of your comfort zone.

Your state school, and maybe those next door.
1. Rush Medical School
2. Indiana University School of Medicine
3. Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University
4. Temple University School of Medicine
6. Loyola Medical School
8. Tufts University School of Medicine
9. Boston University School of Medicine
10. Case Western Reserve University
13. Duke University School of Medicine
14. University of Pittsburgh
15. Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University
16. Vanderbilt School of Medicine
17. Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Drexel
Any new MD school, esp. VA Tech and Hofstra
Dartmouth
Tulane
Baylor
USC
U AZ
U CO
U Cinci
U Miami
U So FL
U Toledo
Tulane
Gown
GWU
Emory
Einstein



[/QUOTE]

 

[starlite911]

Nothing wrong with aiming high! Suggest more service-related ECs. Get off campus and out of your comfort zone.

Your state school, and maybe those next door.
1. Rush Medical School
2. Indiana University School of Medicine
3. Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University
4. Temple University School of Medicine
6. Loyola Medical School
8. Tufts University School of Medicine
9. Boston University School of Medicine
10. Case Western Reserve University
13. Duke University School of Medicine
14. University of Pittsburgh
15. Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University
16. Vanderbilt School of Medicine
17. Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Drexel
Any new MD school, esp. VA Tech and Hofstra
Dartmouth
Tulane
Baylor
USC
U AZ
U CO
U Cinci
U Miami
U So FL
U Toledo
Tulane
Gown
GWU
Emory
Einstein

[/QUOTE]
Thanks for the suggestions! I noticed you removed Brown, which makes sense since they tend to favor their own undergrads. What was your reasoning for removing U Wisconsin? Thanks!

 

[Goro]

I didn't know your geography.....but after looking now at UWI's IS/OOS ration, and your numbers, I conclude that U WI should be on your list!


Thanks for the suggestions! I noticed you removed Brown, which makes sense since they tend to favor their own undergrads. What was your reasoning for removing U Wisconsin? Thanks![/QUOTE]

 

[Lamel]

Your application is overall very good, and so is your list. Look into: NYU, Cornell, Einstein.

You could perhaps improve your non-clinical volunteering. Mention any dedicated hobbies too.


Your app and numbers are similar to mine, and so is the school list. You can check out my mdapps.