Need Advice 3.94 GPA 31 MCAT Non-Trad with Unique History/EC's

[DRos28]

Hi All!

First of all here are my stats:

31 MCAT (10/11/10), 3.94 cGPA, 3.93 sGPA , MA resident, Bio Major

So my numbers are pretty average but my situation is somewhat unique...

I dropped out of high school and got my GED. I worked as a chemical dependency counselor for teenagers at an adolescent drug rehabilitation facility after getting my GED and I realized at that time that I wanted to pursue a career in medicine. After working at that job for a year I transitioned to community college and ultimately a small liberal arts college (tier I).

My other ECs:

1 year of hospital volunteering
1/2 year research
3 years volunteering at a camp for children who have life threatening illnesses
~40 hours shadowing in primary care, surgery and emergency medicine
Summer internship at a medical technology company
Licensed horseback riding instructor - I have been riding for 15 years and teaching for 5
Calculus TA
Volunteered at an inner city high school tutoring algebra

First question: Should I mention dropping out in my PS to explain taking the community college route?

Second question: Can you help me with my school list? Please let me know any schools that I should remove or add!

Here is my extremely preliminary list:

UMASS
Tufts
BU
UVM
Albert Einstein
George Washington
Georgetown
Jefferson
New York Medical College
NYU
Oregon
Temple
Drexel
Brown
University of Colorado
UConn
University of Washington
Wake Forest

Let me know what you think! Thanks in advance!

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[Catalystik]

Hi All!

First of all here are my stats:

31 MCAT (10/11/10), 3.94 cGPA, 3.93 sGPA , MA resident, Bio Major

So my numbers are pretty average but my situation is somewhat unique...

I dropped out of high school and got my GED. I worked as a chemical dependency counselor for teenagers at an adolescent drug rehabilitation facility after getting my GED and I realized at that time that I wanted to pursue a career in medicine. After working at that job for a year I transitioned to community college and ultimately a small liberal arts college (tier I).

My other ECs:

1 year of hospital volunteering
1/2 year research
3 years volunteering at a camp for children who have life threatening illnesses
~40 hours shadowing in primary care, surgery and emergency medicine
Summer internship at a medical technology company
Licensed horseback riding instructor - I have been riding for 15 years and teaching for 5
Calculus TA
Volunteered at an inner city high school tutoring algebra

1) First question: Should I mention dropping out in my PS to explain taking the community college route?

2) Second question: Can you help me with my school list? Please let me know any schools that I should remove or add!

Here is my extremely preliminary list:

UMASS
Tufts
BU
UVM
Albert Einstein
George Washington
Georgetown
Jefferson
New York Medical College
NYU
Oregon
Temple
Drexel
Brown
University of Colorado
UConn
University of Washington
Wake Forest

Let me know what you think! Thanks in advance!

1) No one will care about your HS record. And lots of folks go to a CC for financial or scheduling reasons.

2) Some of your choices are pretty reachy for your stats and limited research, but including some dream schools is fine. Oregon requires OOSers to have an MCAT of 32+. UWashington isn't friendly to OOSers outside the WWAMI region, except for MD/PhD.

 

[DRos28]

2) Some of your choices are pretty reachy for your stats and limited research, but including some dream schools is fine. Oregon requires OOSers to have an MCAT of 32+. UWashington isn't friendly to OOSers outside the WWAMI region, except for MD/PhD.

Thanks for the response! Do you think any of these are a complete waste of time? Would you add any mid/low tier schools to compensate?

 

[11MD2B]

I think you have a very compelling story and a great claim for a medical school seat.

I would mention your GED/community college situation not to explain it but to highlight it.

As for your list of schools, I wouldn't drop any of them.
I can say that your record would appeal quite a bit to UMASS and particularly BU.

Best of luck!

 

[Goro]

Great personal story and yes, mention it in your PS. I think it might very well make up for the slightly below avg MCAT. I think even the Ivies should be on your list.

Hi All!

First of all here are my stats:

31 MCAT (10/11/10), 3.94 cGPA, 3.93 sGPA , MA resident, Bio Major

So my numbers are pretty average but my situation is somewhat unique...

I dropped out of high school and got my GED. I worked as a chemical dependency counselor for teenagers at an adolescent drug rehabilitation facility after getting my GED and I realized at that time that I wanted to pursue a career in medicine. After working at that job for a year I transitioned to community college and ultimately a small liberal arts college (tier I).

My other ECs:

1 year of hospital volunteering
1/2 year research
3 years volunteering at a camp for children who have life threatening illnesses
~40 hours shadowing in primary care, surgery and emergency medicine
Summer internship at a medical technology company
Licensed horseback riding instructor - I have been riding for 15 years and teaching for 5
Calculus TA
Volunteered at an inner city high school tutoring algebra

First question: Should I mention dropping out in my PS to explain taking the community college route?

Second question: Can you help me with my school list? Please let me know any schools that I should remove or add!

Here is my extremely preliminary list:

UMASS
Tufts
BU
UVM
Albert Einstein
George Washington
Georgetown
Jefferson
New York Medical College
NYU
Oregon
Temple
Drexel
Brown
University of Colorado
UConn
University of Washington
Wake Forest

Let me know what you think! Thanks in advance!

 

[DRos28]

I think you have a very compelling story and a great claim for a medical school seat.

I would mention your GED/community college situation not to explain it but to highlight it.

As for your list of schools, I wouldn't drop any of them.
I can say that your record would appeal quite a bit to UMASS and particularly BU.

Best of luck!

Thank you! My advisor and several others have recommended that I highlight the story. I was just concerned that it might indicate that I am a risky choice for medical schools because of my record of dropping out. I have worked really hard to better myself since then though, so I think I will mention it. It has taken a lot of determination for me to get to the point of applying to medical school.

Great personal story and yes, mention it in your PS. I think it might very well make up for the slightly below avg MCAT. I think even the Ivies should be on your list.

Even with the low MCAT/ lack of research? I'm wondering if there are certain top 20 schools that would look at me more favorably because of my story. I was really gunning for the 35+ MCAT but obviously I didn't make it and I am not willing to retake a balanced 31 this close to the application cycle.

 

[Catalystik]

Would you add any mid/low tier schools to compensate?

Yes. You might potentially consider more schools with a social mission since your nonmedical community service seems above average, like Loyola and Creighton.

 

[DRos28]

I've done a lot more research and here is my list:

Georgetown
Colorado
Yeshiva
USC
Tufts
UMass
UVM
Creighton
George Washington
Hofstra
NYMC
SUNY Downstate
Tulane
Rochester
BU
Rosalind Frankin
Drexel
Dartmouth
Brown
University of Wisconsin
Virginia Commonwealth
Rush
Quinnipiac
NYU
Jefferson

I need to cut 5 schools. Suggestions?

 

[calgirl1234]

cut brown. the class size is small and half of the people they take went to brown for undergrad