MD Need Help with School List! (3.82, 521)

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6Cobra

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So I will be applying this upcoming cycle and would like some advice and critiques for the list that I have thus far. I really appreciate it and am looking forward to any constructive criticism. Thanks!

Overview:

General: From CA, taking 2 gap years, went to a top public school (biology degree, 2019), and have been working as a clinical research assistant since the top of the year.
cGPA- 3.82
sGPA- 3.80
MCAT- 521
ORM

Research- 1310 hours in two labs during undergrad (3 years)
- 350 as a research assistant for an ecology lab (1 year)
- 960 in a GI lab, 2 posters (2 years)
-currently work as a clinical research assistant as well (see work for this).

Shadowing- 240 hours for primary care doctor.

Clubs- 180 hours
-150 hours in a club that set up health fairs for under-served areas.
-30 hours in a club helping under-served students get into college.

Volunteering- 120 hours
-worked in a temple to help conduct operations and serve the community spiritually.

Work (Clinical) - 1000 hours by the time I submit, and 3000 for when I matriculate. I work as a CRA and help patients navigate the clinical trials they are on. My research group creates and conducts these trials. I spend a good amount of my time with patients before their appointment asking them about their symptoms and how they're feeling so I can report any adverse events. Then I spend time with the patient during their nurse, NP, and physician visit to make sure the trials are going on smoothly. When I am not dealing with patient related matters, I handle regulatory issues and write papers for the research group.

Achievements- I received a $11,400 scholarship for the stem research I conducted during my 2nd and 3rd year of college. I also was on deans list 7 times and received cum laude when I graduated. I have a second author publication coming out on the clinical research I've worked on.

My school list thus far (based on 2020 msar data)
I also should note that I would not prefer to go to a highly religious school.

Reach: NYU, Yale, Perelman, Columbia, Harvard, Cornell, Northwestern, Mayo (both), Stanford, Icahn, UCSF
Hit: UCLA, UCI, UCSD, USC, Case Western, UMichigan, Miami Miller, Brown, Thomas Jefferson, Arizona-Phoenix
Safe: Michigan State, UCR, UCD, Wisconsin, Albany, Oakland, Penn State, George Washington, Temple, Colorado, Arizona- Tucson
Unsure- Kaiser
34 Total

I feel like my list is a bit too top heavy, and I want to make sure I have a good spread of different types of schools. Once again I really appreciate the advice! Thanks a ton for the help!

 
You will want to have more non-clinical volunteer work other than just the temple volunteering.

Other than that, I’d remove:
Michigan State
UCR (unless you are from Riverside county)
U of A-Tucson
Wisconsin

Definitely add CUSM as a good safety school just because you are from CA.

If you really want more safeties, consider adding high-quality (well-ranked) lower stat schools as safeties like:
Emory
Georgetown
Hofstra
Tufts
Wake
Temple
MCW
Rush
Vermont
VCU

You could also consider:
Rochester
Albert Einstein
Iowa
Ohio State
Cincy
USF
Dartmouth
If you are interested in any of those.

Odds are that you will probably end up at a UC though lol, so idk how much applying to 35+ schools will help you. If I were you, I’d apply to the UCs, whichever reaches/ivies you want, and a few safeties for a total of like 25-30 schools. Try 10 ivies/reaches, 9 in-state (except UCR, CNU, and LLU since you don’t want a religious school), and 10 targets/safeties like Miami, Jefferson, etc.
 
m1redsox said:
You will want to have more non-clinical volunteer work other than just the temple volunteering.

Other than that, I’d remove:
Michigan State
UCR (unless you are from Riverside county)
U of A-Tucson
Wisconsin

Definitely add CUSM as a good safety school just because you are from CA.

If you really want more safeties, consider adding high-quality (well-ranked) lower stat schools as safeties like:
Emory
Georgetown
Hofstra
Tufts
Wake
Temple
MCW
Rush
Vermont
VCU

You could also consider:
Rochester
Albert Einstein
Iowa
Ohio State
Cincy
USF
Dartmouth
If you are interested in any of those.

Odds are that you will probably end up at a UC though lol, so idk how much applying to 35+ schools will help you. If I were you, I’d apply to the UCs, whichever reaches/ivies you want, and a few safeties for a total of like 25-30 schools. Try 10 ivies/reaches, 9 in-state (except UCR, CNU, and LLU since you don’t want a religious school), and 10 targets/safeties like Miami, Jefferson, etc.
Click to expand...

Hey I appreciate the advice. I'll probably keep UCR bc I'm close to there and Michigan bc I've got family there. I also agree with you on my volunteering hours being weak, but it's tough to get more rn with covid 19. Out of the schools you listed, which ones do you think are the best? Thanks, and I appreciate the help!
 
6Cobra said:
Hey I appreciate the advice. I'll probably keep UCR bc I'm close to there and Michigan bc I've got family there. I also agree with you on my volunteering hours being weak, but it's tough to get more rn with covid 19. Out of the schools you listed, which ones do you think are the best? Thanks, and I appreciate the help!
Click to expand...
I’ve heard that a lot of people have had success getting volunteer hours through different crisis hotline companies. That’s a pretty solid volunteer option that’s still available.

It depends on how many schools you want to add. Honestly, they are all solid schools. Some have higher stats than others, but I would start by choosing places that interest you. Do you prefer Chicago (or midwest) or east coast? The south (NC, GA) or New England/Philly? The best schools are probably Emory, OH state, Rochester, Albert Einstein, Iowa, Dart and Cincy since they are all T50. Maybe you could throw GT in there too. However, I’m not sure if these are your best “safety” options since your GPA is right around their median and your volunteering is low (granted, all your other ECs are solid). I’d suggest doing a few of those T50s and a few others that interest you like Tufts (if you like Boston), Temple (if you’re down with Philly), or MCW (if you have family in the North).
 
I'll agree your community service hours are lacking (more info on your club activities). Show us a committed activity that reveals your ability to immerse yourself around the challenges of vulnerable populations. But all-in-all, you have a strong shot, and I would agree that you should make sure your UC schools know who you are.
 
m1redsox said:
I’ve heard that a lot of people have had success getting volunteer hours through different crisis hotline companies. That’s a pretty solid volunteer option that’s still available.

It depends on how many schools you want to add. Honestly, they are all solid schools. Some have higher stats than others, but I would start by choosing places that interest you. Do you prefer Chicago (or midwest) or east coast? The south (NC, GA) or New England/Philly? The best schools are probably Emory, OH state, Rochester, Albert Einstein, Iowa, Dart and Cincy since they are all T50. Maybe you could throw GT in there too. However, I’m not sure if these are your best “safety” options since your GPA is right around their median and your volunteering is low (granted, all your other ECs are solid). I’d suggest doing a few of those T50s and a few others that interest you like Tufts (if you like Boston), Temple (if you’re down with Philly), or MCW (if you have family in the North).
Click to expand...

Alright that sounds good, m
m1redsox said:
I’ve heard that a lot of people have had success getting volunteer hours through different crisis hotline companies. That’s a pretty solid volunteer option that’s still available.

It depends on how many schools you want to add. Honestly, they are all solid schools. Some have higher stats than others, but I would start by choosing places that interest you. Do you prefer Chicago (or midwest) or east coast? The south (NC, GA) or New England/Philly? The best schools are probably Emory, OH state, Rochester, Albert Einstein, Iowa, Dart and Cincy since they are all T50. Maybe you could throw GT in there too. However, I’m not sure if these are your best “safety” options since your GPA is right around their median and your volunteering is low (granted, all your other ECs are solid). I’d suggest doing a few of those T50s and a few others that interest you like Tufts (if you like Boston), Temple (if you’re down with Philly), or MCW (if you have family in the North).
Click to expand...

Thanks again! I'm gonna start doing some research and try to add some of those. Thanks for the insight!
 
Mr.Smile12 said:
I'll agree your community service hours are lacking (more info on your club activities). Show us a committed activity that reveals your ability to immerse yourself around the challenges of vulnerable populations. But all-in-all, you have a strong shot, and I would agree that you should make sure your UC schools know who you are.
Click to expand...

Sounds good! I appreciate the help, and I'll try to let it be better known in my application how my activities help the under-served.
 
Mr.Smile12 said:
I'll agree your community service hours are lacking (more info on your club activities). Show us a committed activity that reveals your ability to immerse yourself around the challenges of vulnerable populations. But all-in-all, you have a strong shot, and I would agree that you should make sure your UC schools know who you are.
Click to expand...

Will do. I'm going to try to get some more volunteering done but I'll prepare for the worst.
 
6Cobra said:
@Goro do you have any suggestions. I greatly appreciate it!
Click to expand...
Get in more service to others, nonclinically. I doubt that you need two gap years to do this.

Some of the schools suggested to you as safeties will likely resource protect you, (rightly) thinking that you'll go elsewhere.
I suggest:
NYU
Columbia
WashU
Vanderbilt
Yale
JHU
U Chicago
U Penn
Northwestern
Harvard
Mayo
Cornell
Stanford
Case
Duke
Sinai
U VA
BU
Baylor
Pitt
ALL UCs, UCR (IF you’re from the Inland Empire)
USC/Keck
U MI
Rochester
Hofstra
Ohio State
U Cincy
Dartmouth
Western MI
USF Morsani
U MA
U IA
Albert Einstein
Emory
Tufts
NYU-LI
Jefferson
Miami
U CO
SLU
U VM
U WI
Kaiser
CalU MD
 
Goro said:
Get in more service to others, nonclinically. I doubt that you need two gap years to do this.

Some of the schools suggested to you as safeties will likely resource protect you, (rightly) thinking that you'll go elsewhere.
I suggest:
NYU
Columbia
WashU
Vanderbilt
Yale
JHU
U Chicago
U Penn
Northwestern
Harvard
Mayo
Cornell
Stanford
Case
Duke
Sinai
U VA
BU
Baylor
Pitt
ALL UCs, UCR (IF you’re from the Inland Empire)
USC/Keck
U MI
Rochester
Hofstra
Ohio State
U Cincy
Dartmouth
Western MI
USF Morsani
U MA
U IA
Albert Einstein
Emory
Tufts
NYU-LI
Jefferson
Miami
U CO
SLU
U VM
U WI
Kaiser
CalU MD
Click to expand...
Thanks for the list, and I'll definitely get started on some service activites! Thanks a ton!
 
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