MD Just submitted my primary - help on list of schools!

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AnchorDown3

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I am set on applying MD this cycle. I have not taken the MCAT yet; I am taking it in July.

cGPA: 3.47
~800 hours research experience
~400 hours shadowing
~200 hours non-clinical volunteering
~50 hours clinical volunteering
-Held two jobs through college
-Family income <$25k
-TN resident

Obviously, these schools are dependent on my MCAT, and I have a lot of reach schools on there right now, but I'm in the beginning stages of finalizing my list. Any help is appreciated!

UTHSC
ETSU
Emory
Dartmouth
Indiana
USC
OSU
Penn St
Temple
Tufts
Tulane
USF
UCLA
UC Irvine
UC San Diego
UCF
UC
UL
Miami
UNC
VCU
Vtech
Wake Forest
Vanderbilt
Duke
Columbia
NYU
Stanford
UC SF
Uva
Cornell
 
you did well by submitting your application early: this way you'll be verified and ready to go once you get your MCAT back (in august 🙁)

your list is going to depend on your MCAT score. but i can tell you that you can safely eliminate all the california schools, all the NYC schools, duke, and vandy. several of the others you might be able to keep if your MCAT is stellar

you need to seek out some more private schools where you are above the 10th percentile for GPA. get the MSAR and come up with 20 realistic schools and we'll go from there. (but again, it's all going to depend on the MCAT ultimately)
 
There is no list without an MCAT score(which by the way would be late for this cycle). Anything under 30 and your focus should be on DO schools outside of your state MD schools.
 
Vain Brother said:
you did well by submitting your application early: this way you'll be verified and ready to go once you get your MCAT back (in august 🙁)

your list is going to depend on your MCAT score. but i can tell you that you can safely eliminate all the california schools, all the NYC schools, duke, and vandy. several of the others you might be able to keep if your MCAT is stellar

you need to seek out some more private schools where you are above the 10th percentile for GPA. get the MSAR and come up with 20 realistic schools and we'll go from there. (but again, it's all going to depend on the MCAT ultimately)
Click to expand...

I currently attend Vandy, so I thought I would just throw it in there because why not. I'm within most of the CA schools' 10th percentile GPA. I'm definitely looking to trim down on the reach schools and add more private schools. What would you recommend?
 
GrapesofRath said:
There is no list without an MCAT score(which by the way would be late for this cycle). Anything under 30 and your focus should be on DO schools outside of your state MD schools.
Click to expand...
I should be on the tail end of normal if I pre-write my secondaries.
 
does any1 else think that <3.5GPA is gonna be a tough sell for MD? Wasn't the average matriculant stat 3.7 33?

Whats your sGPA? what were you scoring on your practice MCATs?
 
the average MD MCAT is a little above a 31, not 33.

a 3.47 is doable for MD. (i had several acceptances with a slightly lower GPA.) but it has to come attached to a high MCAT and some good experiences. and, generally, a realization that top-20s are not a realistic expectation
 
With schools like Vandy which are highly regarded and known for grade-deflation your best bet is to get info from your pre-med advising committee about how those in the past from your school have done with med school admission with gpas of different ranges including yours. That will give you a better idea of how ADCOMS view GPAs from Vandy than anything anybody on here tells you.

Your pushing the tail end of normal. You might be able to make it work but regardless there is no reasonable list without an MCAT score. If we make the major assumption you have a solid MCAT score(at least the MD matriculant average) target state schools, newer MD schools(think Oakland, Quinnipac, Western Michigan---avoid the new Florida schools) and lower tiers. Start with Philly Triplets, Loyola, Rush, Albany, Wake Forest, Tufts, Miami, Tulane, Eastern Virginia and Medical College Wisconsin.
 
Vain Brother said:
the average MD MCAT is a little above a 31, not 33.

a 3.47 is doable for MD. (i had several acceptances with a slightly lower GPA.) but it has to come attached to a high MCAT and some good experiences. and, generally, a realization that top-20s are not a realistic expectation
Click to expand...

You had several acceptances already? Are you meaning to say that you applied last cycle and turned down several MD acceptances? If so what was your MCAT score last cycle? That will also play a factor in your school list if you are re-taking the MCAT rather than just taking it for the first time
 
URMD said:
You had several acceptances already? Are you meaning to say that you applied last cycle and turned down several MD acceptances? If so what was your MCAT score last cycle? That will also play a factor in your school list if you are re-taking the MCAT rather than just taking it for the first time
Click to expand...
He probably just finished his cycle and hasn't updated to Med Student (Accepted). Turning down acceptances is a guaranteed way to get rejected everywhere the following cycle.
 
Come back when you have an MCAT score. And remove these schools from your list. Your GPA is nearly 0.4 points lower than their median.

Invest in MSAR Online and target schools whose median stats are closest to your own. Pay very careful attention to the Acceptance Information tab.




Dartmouth
USC
OSU
UCLA
UC Irvine
UC San Diego
UCF
UC
UL
UNC
Vanderbilt
Duke
Columbia
NYU
Stanford
UC SF
Uva
Cornell
 
efle said:
He probably just finished his cycle and hasn't updated to Med Student (Accepted). Turning down acceptances is a guaranteed way to get rejected everywhere the following cycle.
Click to expand...

No because he just started this thread this morning....He applied last cycle, garnered several MD acceptances with a slightly lower GPA , then proceeded to turn them down. Now he is submitting his primary for the upcoming cycle and needs help on his school list. He must have had a previous MCAT as well and is rewriting it.

Maybe he wasn't happy with the tier of schools he got into and hes trying for better ones. May help explain why is list is so top heavy with all the cali schools and such.

But ya as you said, his chances now are very low...uh oh.
 
GPA is blatantly the weakest part of my application. However, I hope my MCAT and the rest of my app (strong ECs, PS, etc) can make my chances salvageable.
 
Goro said:
Come back when you have an MCAT score. And remove these schools from your list. Your GPA is nearly 0.4 points lower than their median.

Invest in MSAR Online and target schools whose median stats are closest to your own. Pay very careful attention to the Acceptance Information tab.




Dartmouth
USC
OSU
UCLA
UC Irvine
UC San Diego
UCF
UC
UL
UNC
Vanderbilt
Duke
Columbia
NYU
Stanford
UC SF
Uva
Cornell
Click to expand...
But if my GPA is within the 10th percentile, shouldn't I include at least a few as my reaches?
 
GrapesofRath said:
With schools like Vandy which are highly regarded and known for grade-deflation your best bet is to get info from your pre-med advising committee about how those in the past from your school have done with med school admission with gpas of different ranges including yours. That will give you a better idea of how ADCOMS view GPAs from Vandy than anything anybody on here tells you.

Your pushing the tail end of normal. You might be able to make it work but regardless there is no reasonable list without an MCAT score. If we make the major assumption you have a solid MCAT score(at least the MD matriculant average) target state schools, newer MD schools(think Oakland, Quinnipac, Western Michigan---avoid the new Florida schools) and lower tiers. Start with Philly Triplets, Loyola, Rush, Albany, Wake Forest, Tufts, Miami, Tulane, Eastern Virginia and Medical College Wisconsin.
Click to expand...
What are the Philly Triplets?
 
AnchorDown3 said:
GPA is blatantly the weakest part of my application. However, I hope my MCAT and the rest of my app (strong ECs, PS, etc) can make my chances salvageable.
Click to expand...
Assuming Vandy to be similar to Wustl, you might check this out to see what your odds would be with various MCATs, once you've taken the test

edit: see also my conversion tables to compare to the old score bins
 
AnchorDown3 said:
This is super helpful! Although it says "Engineering applications are not included" in the data. I'm a BME major..
Click to expand...
I believe engi was excluded due to a difference in grading/GPAs; they did not have minus or plus grades in our engineering school until last year iirc. Can't comment on how similar engi is at Vandy
 
efle said:
I believe engi was excluded due to a difference in grading/GPAs; they did not have minus or plus grades in our engineering school until last year iirc. Can't comment on how similar engi is at Vandy
Click to expand...
I found Vandy's 2014 report http://as.vanderbilt.edu/hpao/documents/2014_Annual_Report.pdf and it shows favorable trends for BMEs over the past three cycles (16/18 accepted, 20/26 accepted, 10/12 accepted).

Additionally, 86% of applicants with GPA >3.4 AND MCAT >30 last year were accepted.

This data tells me that basically I need to rock my MCAT to be competitive, and make sure my list is realistic.
 
Last edited:
AnchorDown3 said:
I found Vandy's 2014 report http://as.vanderbilt.edu/hpao/documents/2014_Annual_Report.pdf and it shows favorable trends for BMEs over the past three cycles (16/18 accepted, 20/26 accepted, 10/12 accepted).

Additionally, 86% of applicants with GPA >3.4 AND MCAT >30 last year were accepted.

This data tells me that basically I need to rock my MCAT to be competitive.
Click to expand...

The whole BME thing is nice but that's not what I would focus on.

Very interesting data. This is worth considering

2014 GPA<3.4 and MCAT 30+: 8/24. GPA: <3.5 30+ MCAT: 19/40
2013: GPA<3.4 and MCAT 30+: 13/28 GPA: <3.5 30+ MCAT: 20/38

Here is perhaps the most important piece of info. Look at Page 15 as well for specific data relevant to you:
Those with 30+ MCATs and GPAs between 3.4-3.5

Rough estimation, some dots were close and were hard to count but by my guess: 15/20 were accepted for 2014. For 2013 it was around 11/15. For 2014 6/7 with MCAT scores over 30-34 were accepted. So that means around 9/13 between 30-34 were accepted. For 2013: 6/10 with MCATS between 30-34 were accepted. Keep in mind this includes URMs. I'm only talking about first time applicants here.

Bottom line aim for 32+ equivalent on the MCAT and you'll be competitive.
 
GrapesofRath said:
The whole BME thing is nice but that's not what I would focus on.

Very interesting data. This is worth considering

2014 GPA<3.4 and MCAT 30+: 8/24. GPA: <3.5 30+ MCAT: 19/40
2013: GPA<3.4 and MCAT 30+: 13/28 GPA: <3.5 30+ MCAT: 20/38

Here is perhaps the most important piece of info. Look at Page 15 as well for specific data relevant to you:
Those with 30+ MCATs and GPAs between 3.4-3.5

Rough estimation, some dots were close and were hard to count but by my guess: 15/20 were accepted for 2014. For 2013 it was around 11/15. For 2014 6/7 with MCAT scores over 30-34 were accepted. So that means around 9/13 between 30-34 were accepted. For 2013: 6/10 with MCATS between 30-34 were accepted. Keep in mind this includes URMs. I'm only talking about first time applicants here.

Bottom line aim for 32+ equivalent on the MCAT and you'll be competitive.
Click to expand...
Competitive for realistic schools, I guess we should say. Does this change your above recommendation for me any?
 
efle said:
Your #1 recommendation is still to get yourself an MCAT score and come back
Click to expand...

This. Saying you'll get a 32+ MCAT and actually getting it are two completely different things. And realistic schools are the lower tiers I listed above as an example, not highly ranked private schools or public schools that dont take many OOS applicants.
 
efle said:
Your #1 recommendation is still to get yourself an MCAT score and come back
Click to expand...
I understand the importance and value of this recommendation. However, as someone whose application will be on the late end of the cycle anyways, I'm hoping to have my secondaries prewritten, so if I am able to come up with a loose list of schools, I can at least work on that after I take my MCAT. I know it's stupid and ignorant to assume, but for the purpose of the reason stated in the previous sentence, I'd like to assume 30+ for the sake of the argument.
 
AnchorDown3 said:
I understand the importance and value of this recommendation. However, as someone whose application will be on the late end of the cycle anyways, I'm hoping to have my secondaries prewritten, so if I am able to come up with a loose list of schools, I can at least work on that after I take my MCAT. I know it's stupid and ignorant to assume, but for the purpose of the reason stated in the previous sentence, I'd like to assume 30+ for the sake of the argument.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't say it's dangerous to assume 30+, since like a 31 would only be average for a Vandy student, let alone an engineering one. It's more where in 30+ you end up. If you pull a 38 you will suddenly want to have a different list than this. If there are schools you will absolutely apply to (like maybe Vandy med, your state schools) you could do those secondaries now at least. But it's impossible to critique a list well without a much more specific MCAT than "30+"...even a 30 vs 34 can be a total game changer.
 
efle said:
I wouldn't say it's dangerous to assume 30+, since like a 31 would only be average for a Vandy student, let alone an engineering one. It's more where in 30+ you end up. If you pull a 38 you will suddenly want to have a different list than this. If there are schools you will absolutely apply to (like maybe Vandy med, your state schools) you could do those secondaries now at least. But it's impossible to critique a list well without a much more specific MCAT than "30+"...even a 30 vs 34 can be a total game changer.
Click to expand...
Understandable. Thanks for your help!
 
GrapesofRath said:
This. Saying you'll get a 32+ MCAT and actually getting it are two completely different things. And realistic schools are the lower tiers I listed above as an example, not highly ranked private schools or public schools that dont take many OOS applicants.
Click to expand...
Do you know of any public schools that accept more OOS than others off the top of your head? Any on my original list?
 
AnchorDown3 said:
I'd imagine legacy and/or remarkable family donations.
Click to expand...
Yeah, probably was like *shrug* we get millions to admit him, he fails boards anyways and never goes on to harm patients. Whatever, let him take up a seat for a few years
 
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