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Thanks for the feedback everyone! Deleted for privacy reasons
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Hey everyone,
I'm a middle class white guy, just graduated in the Spring and I just got my MCAT scores. I was a bit shocked and actually cried a little. Here's a breakdown:
PS: 131
CARS: 130
BS: 131
Psych/soc: 129
Statistics-wise, I'm situated to apply to at least some top-tier schools (3.84 cGPA, ~3.92 sGPA). I'm wondering if I should even bother, as I have yet to cure cancer, solve world hunger, open a homeless shelter, etc. I'm planning on applying next cycle. Here's a basic outline of my EC's:
Research:
-2 years hypothesis-driven research in a genetics lab
-2 poster presentations (1 in-house, 1 regional)
Clinical:
-130 hours volunteer patient transport over 3 years
-1 week volunteering at camp for children with cancer
-75 hours shadowing a variety of specialties
Work/other volunteer:
-1 month volunteering at a non-medical camp
-1 year tutoring chemistry/biochem/ochem (paid)
-1 year tutoring ochem (unpaid)
-Volunteered in orphanage in Tanzania for a week in 2010 after high school (not sure if relevant).
Leadership:
-1 year treasurer, 1 year VP in pre-med society
-Fraternity pledge class president
Hobbies, achievements, etc:
-Competetive powerlifter, set state record in Arizona
-Climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro after high school
-Honor society, award for achievement in ochem, pre-med scholarship award
-I've played guitar for 14 years, recorded an album and toured with a band
-Food blogger
-Martial arts (currently training Soo Bahk Do)
-Travelled to several countries in Europe as well as Kenya and Tanzania
-Planning on going to China for several months next Spring to study Bajiquan (martial art) along with Buddhism, Mandarin, and some other subjects.
I applied for a few hospital jobs (scribing, research, etc) after graduation but I recently moved to a super rural town in Idaho with not a lot going on, so I remain unemployed and searching for some volunteer opportunities, etc. I would REALLY appreciate any suggestions about what I need to improve, etc to be more competitive.
Thank you and good luck to everyone who applied this cycle!
Where do you want to go? Do you want to be in an urban setting for med school or a rural setting? I think you can get almost anywhere, even though you haven't cured cancer, but will let those with more experience weigh in on that.
You are a good candidate for WWAMI at UWash and also UUtah under their Idaho program. (Not sure if Colorado or Oregon have a program for Idaho residents.) Read the UWash thread for this year to see how the Idaho people apply.
Otherwise you'll just need to review the mission statements of schools and find one where both your MCAT and GPA are within the >10% < 90% range, that take a high percentage of OOS students and appeal to you. Unfortunately, other public schools in the west (Arizona, New Mexico, California) are relatively OOS-unfriendly.
You have a chance at top-20 and should apply to those that appeal. UMich, Duke, Emory, Vanderbilt,
Johns Hopkins and Penn are possibles. Ohio State takes a lot of OOS students.
Congrats on the MCAT score.
Hey everyone,
You're golden; aim high.
@Goro Thank you so much for your reply! Do you see any areas that you think need improvement?
I'm still trying to find some things to do in this town (population around 2000) so I might just end up volunteering at the library, going to martial arts class, shadowing a bit, and running my food blog before I go to China for a few months early next year. I've always heard that I need to be doing something really meaningful in my time off, so even if this stuff is meaningful to me, do you think that I need to keep looking for more "meaningful" volunteer opportunities? I applied to big brother big sister and a few others but no dice. I'm applying to volunteer for a crisis hotline because I think that it would be really cool and I have time, but besides that, the market is limited.
Your local houses of worship could point you in the way of things to do.
though if you can find some more volunteering opportunities, that might help you out a bit
@WedgeDawg thanks for the feedback! I used your Applicant Rating System and found it very helpful (I think I landed in the low 90's). I am starting volunteering at a crisis hotline that primarily provides to an underserved community (super rural town in Idaho) as well as suicide-prevention seminars at high schools, etc. I was also considering doing a two week program at a medical school that would give me a ton of shadowing/clinical experience to bump those numbers up a bit too.
Crisis hotline sounds like it'll be a great experience! The two week thing probably wouldn't make any sort of difference on your application, especially since your shadowing numbers are already fine, so only do it if you find it interesting in its own right.
Hey everyone,
I'm a middle class white guy, just graduated in the Spring and I just got my MCAT scores. I was a bit shocked and actually cried a little. Here's a breakdown:
PS: 131
CARS: 130
BS: 131
Psych/soc: 129
Statistics-wise, I think I'm situated to apply to at least some top-tier schools (3.84 cGPA (not 3.81), ~3.92 sGPA). I got a D in calc 1 due to stress from family circumstances. I also took 3 classes at community college right out of high school (received A's), went to a large state school for a year and a half, and transferred to a small liberal arts school with a 3.4 GPA overall. I received all A's after the transfer, so I have a fairly strong upward trend. Maybe someone could recommend schools that this would appeal to if possible.
I'm wondering if I should bother applying to top tier schools (Penn State, Hopkins, Harvard, etc.), as I have yet to cure cancer, solve world hunger, open a homeless shelter, etc. I'm planning on applying next cycle. Here's a basic outline of my EC's:
Research:
-2 years hypothesis-driven research in a genetics lab
-2 poster presentations (1 in-house, 1 regional)
Clinical:
-130 hours volunteer patient transport over 3 years
-1 week volunteering at camp for children with cancer
-75 hours shadowing a variety of specialties
Work/other volunteer:
-1 month volunteering at a non-medical camp
-1 year tutoring chemistry/biochem/ochem (paid)
-1 year tutoring ochem (unpaid)
-Volunteered in orphanage in Tanzania for a week in 2010 after high school (not sure if relevant).
Leadership/awards:
-1 year treasurer, 1 year VP in pre-med society
-Fraternity pledge class president
-Honor society, president's list, award in ochem
Hobbies, achievements, etc:
-Competetive powerlifter, set state record in Arizona
-Climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro after high school
-Honor society, award for achievement in ochem, pre-med scholarship award
-I've played guitar for 14 years, recorded an album and toured with a band
-Food blogger
-Martial arts (currently training Soo Bahk Do)
-Travelled to several countries in Europe as well as Kenya and Tanzania
-Planning on going to China for several months next Spring to study Bajiquan (martial art) along with Buddhism, Mandarin, and some other subjects.
I applied for a few hospital jobs (scribing, research, etc) after graduation but I recently moved to a super rural town in Idaho with not a lot going on, so I remain unemployed and searching for some volunteer opportunities, etc. I would REALLY appreciate any suggestions about what I need to improve, etc to be more competitive.
Thank you and good luck to everyone who applied this cycle!
I would go ahead and apply to some dreamshot schools. I went to Fresno State 89 to 96, applied to 35 med schools, cGPA 3.85, sGPA 3.94. MCAT 30. Got into UCSF. Graduated 2001. Sat on admissions committee for three years. Schools want talent with a well rounded background.
@WedgeDawg @Goro do either of you see my getting a D in calc 1, then later retaking it for an A to be a red flag? Or the transferring schools? Again, my gpa saw a strong upward trend after the transfer (3.97 in those last 3 years).
I am hoping a sort of "come back" story could be compelling to adcoms.
Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
Thanks a lot for the feedback! Do you think that it's okay to include things that I did before college, such as recording an album with a band, in my application? I also climbed Kilimanjaro right before I started college.
Edit: I'm actually planning on applying to UCSF! I lived in California growing up and love the area.
Thanks a lot for the feedback! Do you think that it's okay to include things that I did before college, such as recording an album with a band, in my application? I also climbed Kilimanjaro right before I started college.
Edit: I'm actually planning on applying to UCSF! I lived in California growing up and love the area.
Yes. Absolutely include the band experience, climbing experience. As a physician in private practice now, those hobbies keep you from getting burned out. Based on what you've presented, you should do well in an interview.