Need Help Deciding on Schools. First time Posting

[SR93]

Hello!

This is my first time posting on SDN, but I've now become really in need of help. I am reapplying this year after not getting in last cycle. I applied really late last cycle due to retaking my MCAT, so I knew I had no chance.
Now, I've applied to a few schools already, but I don't want to risk not getting in by applying to so few. I can't decide any other schools either since I don't want to risk applying to a school I don't have a chance in. Here are my stats:

Graduated from Rutgers University with B.A. in Cell Bio/Neuroscience & Economics
GPA: 3.85, Science GPA: 3.7ish

MCAT: 25, 31 (I did poorly the first time and bumped up after)

Experience: I've presented at an international medical conference, had my research published by them. I did research with Robert Wood Johnson's Family Medicine Residency Program for a year. For 3 years, I've worked with them in simulated patient training. I shadowed here physicians as well.
I've also worked at a hospital doing research with the Nursing Dept. I have volunteered for 3 different hospitals, including one in Pakistan. My volunteer work includes patient transport, assisting nurses, and designing posters, videos, and presentations for international conferences.
I also volunteered for NJPIRG. It was a volunteer group and I helped create Christmas cards and feed the homeless in the New Brunswick area.
I worked for a year in a printing company as a designer and had my work used in the community (from logos, business cards, etc.)

Extracurricular: I was a part of a few clubs, I play piano and am learning guitar, I practice archery, and I write.

Awards: Went to RU on a full scholarship, received an Academic Excellence Award in 2013, was Dean's List all 4 years, and graduated an Honor's Scholar (Part of Honors Program and completed all requirements and thesis)

The schools I've applied to so far are:
Robert Wood
NJMS
Drexel
Temple
Stony Brook
UMich
Rowan Cooper Med
Mayo (Rejected)
UNorth Carolina Chapel Hill
Warren Alpert (Just a reach)
GW
Virginia Commonwealth
UWashington

I really need some suggestions on what schools to apply given my stats. I have applied to all schools in state, but am looking for OOS now. I don't mind where, so long as I have a shot.

Thank you so much for your help. I'm really confused and in need of help.

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[DrMidlife]

Congrats on that MCAT improvement, but unfortunately a 31 on a 2nd try takes the shine off your nice GPA.

UMich & UWash are public NIH-loaded schools, probably between Brown & Mayo in competitiveness. OOS acceptances at those two are in the 3.8/38 range.

UNC and VCU are public and have higher standards for OOS than instate students.

Generally public schools are only going to look at OOS students in the top 5% of applicants. Even Vermont, which doesn't even have enough instate apps to fill the class.

Use the MSAR to find (a) private schools where you're in range and (b) publics that have low ranges and take more than say 30% OOS. Make friends with the midwest.

Be terrified about cost of attendance. Prioritize your home state's schools.

Best of luck to you.

 

[SR93]

Congrats on that MCAT improvement, but unfortunately a 31 on a 2nd try takes the shine off your nice GPA.

UMich & UWash are public NIH-loaded schools, probably between Brown & Mayo in competitiveness. OOS acceptances at those two are in the 3.8/38 range.

UNC and VCU are public and have higher standards for OOS than instate students.

Generally public schools are only going to look at OOS students in the top 5% of applicants. Even Vermont, which doesn't even have enough instate apps to fill the class.

Use the MSAR to find (a) private schools where you're in range and (b) publics that have low ranges and take more than say 30% OOS. Make friends with the midwest.

Be terrified about cost of attendance. Prioritize your home state's schools.

Best of luck to you.

Thanks a lot for your help! It gave me a lot of good advice. I only found info from old MSARs, and using that I made a list of possible choices. Would you mind giving me your input on them? Or if you have any other suggestions, that would be fantastic.

Loma Linda, CA
William Beaumont, MI
Albert Einstein, NY
Albany, NY
Thomas Jefferson, PA
Meharry, TN
Penn State, PA
East Virginia, VA
West Virginia, WV
Medical College of Wisconsin, WI

And I was also maybe considering U Miami, Tulane, and maybe Vermont (as a shot). I couldn't find many midwest schools that accepted over 30% OOS.
My top choices are definitely Robert Wood and NJMS, as I am an NJ resident. But I can't just rely on 2 schools. May I ask for your input?

Thanks so much! It means a lot.

 

[Banco]

Remove Washington (massive in state bias), UNC (in state bias), Michigan (your states are too low), and Brown (only interview 3% of applicants and your stats are low). I believe Meharry is mission based, so remove it as well. Loma Linda is a religious school, are you Christian? If not, remove it.


Consider:

William Beaumont, MI
Albert Einstein, NY
Albany, NY
Thomas Jefferson, PA
Penn State, PA
East Virginia, VA
West Virginia, WV
Medical College of Wisconsin, WI
NYMC
TCMC
Vermont
Creighton
Marshall
Central Michigan
Western Michigan
Tulane
Any DO school


Your best shots are definitely RWJ and NJMS, hopefully with your improved MCAT they give you an interview.

 

[SR93]

Remove Washington (massive in state bias), UNC (in state bias), Michigan (your states are too low), and Brown (only interview 3% of applicants and your stats are low). I believe Meharry is mission based, so remove it as well. Loma Linda is a religious school, are you Christian? If not, remove it.


Consider:

William Beaumont, MI
Albert Einstein, NY
Albany, NY
Thomas Jefferson, PA
Penn State, PA
East Virginia, VA
West Virginia, WV
Medical College of Wisconsin, WI
NYMC
TCMC
Vermont
Creighton
Marshall
Central Michigan
Western Michigan
Tulane
Any DO school


Your best shots are definitely RWJ and NJMS, hopefully with your improved MCAT they give you an interview.

Thanks a lot for the help! But I also have a few questions. I looked it up and found that Central Michigan is heavily biased against OOS, even more so than Washington. Same with Marshall. So I should avoid those, no? And also, I'm finding very little stats and info on Western Michigan. Is it a newer school?

Thanks again for your help!

 

[Goro]

Here's a more realistic list:


Rush

NYMC

Creighton

Albany

Rosy Franklin

Drexel

Temple

Loma Linda (but read their list of don'ts)

MCW

St. Louis U

WVU

Jefferson

Creighton

Tulane

Loyola

U Miami

Wake Forest

EVMS

VCU

All new MD programs except Hofstra, Central MI, Va Tech, FIU, FAU and UCF

Any DO program, starting with PCOM, Rowan and Touro-NY

Your state school(s).

Hello!

This is my first time posting on SDN, but I've now become really in need of help. I am reapplying this year after not getting in last cycle. I applied really late last cycle due to retaking my MCAT, so I knew I had no chance.
Now, I've applied to a few schools already, but I don't want to risk not getting in by applying to so few. I can't decide any other schools either since I don't want to risk applying to a school I don't have a chance in. Here are my stats:

Graduated from Rutgers University with B.A. in Cell Bio/Neuroscience & Economics
GPA: 3.85, Science GPA: 3.7ish

MCAT: 25, 31 (I did poorly the first time and bumped up after)

Experience: I've presented at an international medical conference, had my research published by them. I did research with Robert Wood Johnson's Family Medicine Residency Program for a year. For 3 years, I've worked with them in simulated patient training. I shadowed here physicians as well.
I've also worked at a hospital doing research with the Nursing Dept. I have volunteered for 3 different hospitals, including one in Pakistan. My volunteer work includes patient transport, assisting nurses, and designing posters, videos, and presentations for international conferences.
I also volunteered for NJPIRG. It was a volunteer group and I helped create Christmas cards and feed the homeless in the New Brunswick area.
I worked for a year in a printing company as a designer and had my work used in the community (from logos, business cards, etc.)

Extracurricular: I was a part of a few clubs, I play piano and am learning guitar, I practice archery, and I write.

Awards: Went to RU on a full scholarship, received an Academic Excellence Award in 2013, was Dean's List all 4 years, and graduated an Honor's Scholar (Part of Honors Program and completed all requirements and thesis)

The schools I've applied to so far are:
Robert Wood
NJMS
Drexel
Temple
Stony Brook
UMich
Rowan Cooper Med
Mayo (Rejected)
UNorth Carolina Chapel Hill
Warren Alpert (Just a reach)
GW
Virginia Commonwealth
UWashington

I really need some suggestions on what schools to apply given my stats. I have applied to all schools in state, but am looking for OOS now. I don't mind where, so long as I have a shot.

Thank you so much for your help. I'm really confused and in need of help.

 

[Banco]

Thanks a lot for the help! But I also have a few questions. I looked it up and found that Central Michigan is heavily biased against OOS, even more so than Washington. Same with Marshall. So I should avoid those, no? And also, I'm finding very little stats and info on Western Michigan. Is it a newer school?

Thanks again for your help!

Washington is a top 10 school that is VERY selective for OOS. It is definitely not worth keeping.

I though Marshall had like >20% OOS no? If that number is wrong then yeah forget about them.

Central and Western Michigan are both new schools, and both at least interview a decent amount of OOS students; that's why I recommended them.

 

[gyngyn]

Thanks a lot for the help! But I also have a few questions. I looked it up and found that Central Michigan is heavily biased against OOS, even more so than Washington. Same with Marshall. So I should avoid those, no? And also, I'm finding very little stats and info on Western Michigan. Is it a newer school?

Thanks again for your help!

UW takes OOS students from WWAMI states by contract. You are not in a WWAMI state.
The other schools listed here have taken CA applicants with a single MCAT of 32 or better. It remains to be seen if your combination of MCAT scores will meet with similar success, but I would recommend them over U of WA.

 

[GrapesofRath]

Your best chance will be \with your state schools. Assuming you are an NJ resident: UMDNJ interviews around 35% of IS applicants. Robert Woods interviews between 25-30% of IS applicants I believe. While Cooper doesn't have that high a % of IS applicants interviewed rate, it is also in your arsenal.

Those schools that don't superscore and give the weight to your most recent score are also where your odds are best.

You've been given a good list of OOS schools. Use them. Particularly since you are a re-applicant it is in your best interest to use that list as exhaustively as possible. For the schools that consider only the highest score a 3.8/31 puts you in solid shape to nab several II's if you apply as broadly as Goro has suggested. Nail the II's you get. Also since you are a re-applicant and probably have no interest in applying again, it's in your best interest to apply to DO programs. Any of them will suffice.