How Many Schools do I Apply to?

[kris_noles15]

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I'm having a tough time deciding which schools to apply to, and how many. I am on the fence about DO and MD, but I'm starting to lean more heavily to DO as time goes on. My pre-med advisor is wanting me to apply to both schools, but I really am not sure where to go from there. I live in Florida, and would definitely like to stay in the south due to family circumstances and money, so I know that diminishes the number, but I would like other opinions. Right now I am currently looking at:
MD: FSU, USF, UCF, FAU
DO: NSU, LECOM-B, and PCOM-Ga

cGPA: 3.67 sGPA: 3.60 MCAT: pending (been scoring in mid-20s on practices, take exam next week)
My ECs aren't stellar, but I have also been working and held leadership positions in my sorority. I really kind of shot myself in the foot by not participating in a lot of shadowing and volunteering my freshman and sophomore years--I really have no idea why--and I'm trying my best to make up for it now. I've been working in a cardiovascular research lab for 6 months, and trying to develop my own project. This summer--while going to school and studying for MCAT--I've been shadowing/volunteering at a GI clinical and procedural office.

 

[ortnakas]

It's new, but I've heard good things about CUSOM in North Carolina. I think they are looking for students interested in practicing in underserved parts of the South.

 

[el_duderino]

All of them.

Just kidding. With a "mid-20s" MCAT and that GPA you probably won't get far with MD. But if it comes back as a 28? 29? Then absolutely apply MD.

I suggest submitting your app soon so it gets verified, but only submit to one each of DO and MD. Then when your MCAT score comes back you can decide whether to submit to additional schools and can better curate the list.

 

[kris_noles15]

Thank you so much! Yeah, the MCAT is the one thing that is really worrying me. I've been taking a Kaplan class, and not doing so bad, but I've recently gone through some major family problems which have put a halt on my studying and progress :/

So, when I submit my application, do I just need all of the sections done, or can I send it in without my LORs and MCAT score? I am finishing up my personal statements right now, and those are the last things for each of the applications that I actually have to fill out. Oh, and what about my transcript? Do I need to get that sent when I send the actual application in to each service?

 

[el_duderino]

You can submit your app and get in the verification queue without LORs and MCAT, as long as they have all your transcripts. You must designate one school in order to submit. The app will automatically go out to designated schools once it's "complete" by having all LORs and an MCAT score in.

Once your app is complete, you can designate additional schools and the application will go to them immediately.