MD school list - please help!

[aladeen]

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EDIT: Thank you to everyone who helped. No more replies please. Apps submitted, woo!

Hi! Thank you in advance to anyone able to help me out.
Before I mention anything else, I don't have my MCAT score yet - taking in 5 days though, and anticipating 30-33, based off AAMC average. If it's under a 30, I'm retaking in December and applying again next cycle. EDIT: Got my score today: 31, PS 10/ VR 11/ BS 10
So, moving on to other stats:
- cGPA: 3.67
- sGPA: 3.59
- BA at top 25 private school in CA
- LA resident
- ORM woman
- Heavily involved with service organizations and student-run non-profits during undergrad
- Have interned and worked at 4 non-profits on public health projects
- Doing health-related AmeriCorps program next year in NE
- Negligible research. 5 hrs/week for about a year.
- 150 hours shadowing
- ~500 hours as medical assistant at clinic in underserved area

Here's my list so far. I know there are a lot of reaches here, but I feel like my ECs and work experience are pretty strong - more knowledgeable ones, please correct me if I'm wrong! I'm also a good interviewer. Any help paring this down would be greatly appreciated, because I most likely don't have enough funds to apply to all of these. (Updated list below, as of 7/22)

- Drexel
- GW
- Georgetown
- Howard
- Keck
- LSUNO
- Loyola Chicago
- Temple
- Brown
- Tufts
- Tulane
- VCU
- Dartmouth
- Rutgers
- UCLA

Again, thanks so much to anyone able to take a minute to help me out with this!

 

[el_duderino]

Strongly suggest you submit to one school, probably LSU, to get in the verification queue. Wait until your MCAT score report comes in to curate the rest of the list.

 

[aladeen]

Yup, that's exactly what I did. Any suggestions based off my projected score? I know it's silly to assume anything, but I'd like to be as ready to go as possible once the score comes in.

 

[el_duderino]

Eh I'm not sure there's much you can do, really. Your school list at 29 will look dramatically different than your list at 33.

 

[Mr.Happy]

Have to agree with jonnythan here. Not much we can do without the MCAT score. Don't worry, as soon as you receive your MCAT score, update this thread and ask for a list of schools. You will receive a list in less than 24 hours, probably in even less time. The adcoms like Goro, gyngyn etc. and the members are very helpful.

 

[aladeen]

All right. Thank you both!
I'll update this in a month then.

 

[el_duderino]

Good luck on the MCAT!

 

[Mr.Happy]

Yes, take all the AAMC practice tests and relax the day before the MCAT. Have a good night's sleep and then eat a good breakfast on the day of the MCAT. Make sure you take some food for the MCAT testing breaks too. Forget about your diet on MCAT testing day, trust me, you will be glad you did.

 

[aladeen]

Thanks!
Mr. Happy- don't worry, MCAT studying has been a time of very little diet and exercise, lol.

 

[Goro]

Based upon your GPA, goro suggests

- BU
- Drexel
- GW
- Georgetown
- Keck
-- Loyola Chicago
- NYMC
- Temple
- Tufts
- Tulane
- VCU
Your state school

Naturally, everything will depend upon your MCAT score. Do some research on Howard, please.

 

[aladeen]

Based upon your GPA, goro suggests

- BU
- Drexel
- GW
- Georgetown
- Keck
-- Loyola Chicago
- NYMC
- Temple
- Tufts
- Tulane
- VCU
Your state school

Naturally, everything will depend upon your MCAT score. Do some research on Howard, please.

Thank you so much, goro! 🙂 I hope you'll let me bother you once I have the score as well.
Would you mind clarifying about Howard? If it's regarding the low chance considering my not being an AA (I am an ORM), I took a bunch of courses at another HBC, and the pre-med advisor there actually highly recommended it for me. Would you say don't bother anyway?

 

[Goro]

If you're not a URM, then you need a demonstrated committement to the underserved, especially minority communities. Merely attending a HBC doesn't give me hope for your chances at an HBC med school. Suggest you chat with the Admissions dean for feedback.

I took a bunch of courses at another HBC, and the pre-med advisor there actually highly recommended it for me. Would you say don't bother anyway?[/QUOTE]

 

[aladeen]

If you're not a URM, then you need a demonstrated committement to the underserved, especially minority communities. Merely attending a HBC doesn't give me hope for your chances at an HBC med school. Suggest you chat with the Admissions dean for feedback.

I took a bunch of courses at another HBC, and the pre-med advisor there actually highly recommended it for me. Would you say don't bother anyway?

[/QUOTE]

Got it. Thank you for your input!

 

[aladeen]

Bump! Received my MCAT score today - 31. Any advice would be appreciated, again 🙂

 

[gyngyn]

Bump! Received my MCAT score today - 31. Any advice would be appreciated, again 🙂

Have you revised your list?

 

[aladeen]

Have you revised your list?

Yes, sorry, I thought I edited my original post. Here is the list, which I am trying to get down to 10 schools:

- Drexel
- GW
- Georgetown
- Howard
- Keck
- LSUNO
- Loyola Chicago
- Temple
- Brown
- Tufts
- Tulane
- VCU
- Dartmouth
- Rutgers
- UCLA

 

[gyngyn]

Right off the bat delete Rutgers (no OOS), delete USC and UCLA (stats).
There are only 5 schools on your list where you have a fair to good chance at an interview. That's a little scanty.

 

[aladeen]

Right off the bat delete Rutgers (no OOS), delete USC and UCLA (stats).
There are only 5 schools on your list where you have a fair to good chance at an interview. That's a little scanty.

Could you suggest some schools that I should replace some of the ones on my list with? As I'm only applying to 10, I'm OK with 3 or so that are major gambles in terms of even an interview. I'm an SC alum, which I understand helps things. I'll delete Rutgers and UCLA.

 

[gyngyn]

Could you suggest some schools that I should replace some of the ones on my list with? As I'm only applying to 10, I'm OK with 3 or so that are major gambles in terms of even an interview. I'm an SC alum, which I understand helps things. I'll delete Rutgers and UCLA.

I'm beginning to think you haven't looked at the MSAR. You might want to check with your pre-health advisors to make sure you have a shot at Keck. The median for matriculates is 35...

 

[aladeen]

I'm beginning to think you haven't looked at the MSAR. You might want to check with your pre-health advisors to make sure you have a shot at Keck. The median for matriculates is 35...

Haha, I've actually essentially lived on MSAR for the past three weeks. I did indeed speak to my pre health advisors, and they confirmed that I do have a good shot at Keck. I've also spoken to the Keck professors I took classes with, and to the dean of admissions there, all of whom confirmed I have a fighting chance - which is the most anyone can say, right? Thank you so much for your help though! I appreciate that you took out the time.

 

[gyngyn]

Haha, I've actually essentially lived on MSAR for the past three weeks. I did indeed speak to my pre health advisors, and they confirmed that I do have a good shot at Keck. I've also spoken to the Keck professors I took classes with, and to the dean of admissions there, all of whom confirmed I have a fighting chance - which is the most anyone can say, right? Thank you so much for your help though! I appreciate that you took out the time.

If the dean of admissons knew your score and said to apply, then I guess you should!