@libertyyne brings up a good point. I was also foolish in college. I spent 1000s of hours on "ECs" that would set me apart. I had a solid GPA (near perfect) and then got a 29 on my MCAT. Very few MD schools interviewed me, those that did waitlisted me and said they couldn't admit a 29 despite an otherwise flawless application and interview. I saw "flawless application and interview" because upon being rejected, I contacted to the schools to see what I could improve upon, and all of them said my MCAT locked me out.
Students should focus more on the MCAT and GPA. I promise a top-20 or even a top-20-powerhouse will look at you with a 520 and a 3.95. Let's face reality: Everyone can shadow. Everyone can do research. Everyone can volunteer. Everyone can be a TA. Everyone can go to a third world country for a week and take selfies of them performing procedures they're not legally allowed to and posting it on social media, woops, I meant, Global Medical stuff. Everyone can get "letters of recommendation from a doctor I shadowed that IS ON THE ADMISSIONS COMMITTEE!!!!"
Not everyone can excel in the classes or the MCAT. I belong to the latter and am working to improve it. A medical school can't admit or even interview someone without good stats; because, believe it or not, step 1, NBME Shelf exams, and all the other paper based exams are based on knowledge and excellent testtaking. Yes, you can argue your evals by your 3rd and 4th year preceptors make up a large chunk of your grade, but (for now, under a Trump Regime...) still license and award medical diplomas upon students proving themselves on written examinations.