Please help me pare down my list of schools!

[sunnycold]

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I've got 19 schools listed, but would like to apply to 10-12 schools total. Also, I'm not sure if I have enough "safety" schools chosen. (Although is any school a safety school?) Any advice/comments would be appreciated!

http://www.mdapplicants.com/viewprofile.php?myid=8290

 

[caprisun]

first of all.. id say that if you have the money.. why not apply to all the schools. everyones philosophy differs but i like the "you never know.." philosophy. sure it might be a longshot but someone has to fill the spot.. might as well take a stab at being that someone... and i really do believe that if you have the right numbers.. the more places you apply.. the more places you'll get in.

second.. here's my breakdown of the list of schools based on MCAT and GPA's.. you should also look at IS/OOS ratios but most of these schools seem okay since they are private (I'm too lazy to check vandy, ohio, st. louis, oregon.. so make sure you check those).


TOP
Columbia University (35/3.77)
Dartmouth College (33/3.77)
New York University (35/3.83)
Northwestern University (35/3.80)
Stanford University (35/3.80)
University of Southern California (33/3.68)
University of Chicago, Pritzker (33/3.82)
University of Michigan (35/3.80)
Vanderbilt University (35/3.83)
Ohio State University (33/3.81)

NOT SO TOP
Albany Medical College (31/3.58)
Albert Einstein of Yeshiva University (32/3.77)
Boston University (32/3.74)
Georgetown University (31/3.69)
Loyola University Chicago (30/3.65)
Tufts University (33/3.69)
Oregon Health & Science University (33/3.75)
Saint Louis University (31/3.74)
University of Washington (32/3.72)


you have an amazing GPA and your MCATs are competitive at most schools and decent at the top tier schools. If I was going to cut any down, I would do so from the TOP list. If it were up to me I'd probably cut Ohio and Vandy. Also think about locations where you would dread to live in even if you got in.. possibly places like Albany, Oregon, Albert Einstein (Bronx).

lastly, I might just add a one or two safety schools (if there is such a thing) that has some lower numbers that aren't in terrible locations. you always hear about those amazing applicants that fall through the cracks so "you never know.." pm me if you have any other questions.

 

[etf]

thank you for spelling "pare" correctly.

 

[kidthor]

I don't think you should cut any. But, you might add GWU and Case Western!

I've got 19 schools listed, but would like to apply to 10-12 schools total. Also, I'm not sure if I have enough "safety" schools chosen. (Although is any school a safety school?) Any advice/comments would be appreciated!

http://www.mdapplicants.com/viewprofile.php?myid=8290

 

[sunnycold]

Thanks for all of your comments/input. I wish I could apply to all 19 but that would be difficult for me financially.

 

[sendwich]

most of the application year costs fall under "flying out for interviews". why not apply to all and see which schools invite you for interviews?

 

[enigma85]

Unless you bomb the interview, you have an excellent chance of acceptance to your state school, UWash, which is outstanding. I would look closely at the other schools you've selected. Tufts and BU are outrageously expensive and receive something like 10,000 applications. Same thing for G'town. If you love Boston or DC or have strong ties to the area, then I guess you can keep them, but otherwise I'd cut those 3. You might as well add Cornell if you're applying to Columbia. Have you looked at Mt. Sinai, URochester, MCW, UPitt, Jefferson, Case Western? I would keep your list to 15-20 schools.