Hi,
I really need help as to what schools I should focus on. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated! Here's my profile:
3.4 cGPA, 3.5 sGPA, 30P MCAT (11VR, 9PS, 10BS) First time on the MCAT, no time to retake unfortunately
I go to a top 5 undergrad on east coast and am a CA resident and class of 2012. I'm also economically disadvantaged and come from a low-income family if this helps give you some perspective.
My ECs:
Shadowing: Did 100s of hours shadowing all of sophomore year and some of junior year. Shadowed surgeons in the OR, saw them follow up, met weekly in one of their offices for an entire quarter, shadowed an internist, and more shadowing was done at my volunteer clinic (see next)
Clinical Experience: I've volunteered at a local free clinic for 2 years and still am. The patient base is made up of mostly immigrants, the uninsured, and the poor. I'm really into serving the disadvantaged community and am thinking of doing primary care because of that or surgery because of my shadowing experiences. I also am EMT certified and worked on campus as an EMT for a year, but I wasn't very interested/active so I quit since all I did was bandage cuts and scrapes.
Leadership: I've been president of a couple groups (still am) for several years
Research: Been working in a lab on campus for a year and still am.
LOR:
Will be getting one letter from an advisor from each of the groups I've led. Each of these advisors have a medical background. I'll also get one from my PI of course. A well-known bio prof and a humanities prof both have agreed to write me letters once I finish my PS.
So.. aside from taking chances at the top tier schools and all the UCs (including UCLA PRIME), which schools should I really be considering? I really don't know any schools beyond the top schools. THANKS SO MUCH!
I really need help as to what schools I should focus on. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated! Here's my profile:
3.4 cGPA, 3.5 sGPA, 30P MCAT (11VR, 9PS, 10BS) First time on the MCAT, no time to retake unfortunately
I go to a top 5 undergrad on east coast and am a CA resident and class of 2012. I'm also economically disadvantaged and come from a low-income family if this helps give you some perspective.
My ECs:
Shadowing: Did 100s of hours shadowing all of sophomore year and some of junior year. Shadowed surgeons in the OR, saw them follow up, met weekly in one of their offices for an entire quarter, shadowed an internist, and more shadowing was done at my volunteer clinic (see next)
Clinical Experience: I've volunteered at a local free clinic for 2 years and still am. The patient base is made up of mostly immigrants, the uninsured, and the poor. I'm really into serving the disadvantaged community and am thinking of doing primary care because of that or surgery because of my shadowing experiences. I also am EMT certified and worked on campus as an EMT for a year, but I wasn't very interested/active so I quit since all I did was bandage cuts and scrapes.
Leadership: I've been president of a couple groups (still am) for several years
Research: Been working in a lab on campus for a year and still am.
LOR:
Will be getting one letter from an advisor from each of the groups I've led. Each of these advisors have a medical background. I'll also get one from my PI of course. A well-known bio prof and a humanities prof both have agreed to write me letters once I finish my PS.
So.. aside from taking chances at the top tier schools and all the UCs (including UCLA PRIME), which schools should I really be considering? I really don't know any schools beyond the top schools. THANKS SO MUCH!
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