Please help with MD school choice!

[qwerty4550]

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First of all I would like to state that my overall science and cumulative GPA are including my postbac work. I had a rough first couple of years of undergrad, but have a strong upward trend my last couple of years.

sGPA:3.35
cGPA:3.41
post-bac GPA: 4.0 (29 semester units)
MCAT: 29Q (9 PS 😡, 10 VR 😀, 10 Bio)

EC:

• 40 hours of volunteer work in PCU at hospital (still doing this)
• 25 hours tutoring elementary students with reading
• 300+ medical volunteer/observation hours in Asuncion, Paraguay
• MD shadow experience
• Volunteer experience helping high school kids with disabilities
• 40 hours volunteer experience in ED
  
• Worked as a microbiologist for a few months before enrolling in postbac program.
• Assistant high school tennis coach for a year

Schools I am considering:

• Rosalind Franklin
• Virginia Commonwealth
• Uniformed Services-Hebert (Not completely sure I want to serve yet.)
• University of AZ-Tucson
• University of AZ-Phoenix
• Tulane
• Michigan State
• Commonwealth
• New York Medical College
• UC Davis
• UC San Francisco

I am applying to 2 in-state schools (California), but understand that they are very competitive. UCSF is definitely a reach for me, but the postbac program I went to has a good repuation with them. Are there any of these schools that I have no chance at? I plan on applying to 5-10 MD, as I believe my best chances are with applying broadly to DO. Any advice on which 5 I have the best shot at? Thanks for the help!

 

[boshtrich]

First of all I would like to state that my overall science and cumulative GPA are including my postbac work.

sGPA:3.35
cGPA:3.41
post-bac GPA: 4.0 (29 semester units)
MCAT: 29Q (9 PS 😡, 10 VR 😀, 10 Bio)

• Rosalind Franklin
• Virginia Commonwealth
• Uniformed Services-Hebert (Not completely sure I want to serve yet.)
• University of AZ-Tucson
• University of AZ-Phoenix
• Tulane
• Michigan State
• Commonwealth
• New York Medical College
• UC Davis
• UC San Francisco

I am applying to 2 in-state schools (California), but understand that they are very competitive. UCSF is definitely a reach for me, but the postbac program I went to has a good repuation with them. Are there any of these schools that I have no chance at? I plan on applying to 5-10 MD, as I believe my best chances are with applying broadly to DO. Any advice on which 5 I have the best shot at? Thanks for the help!

It's hard to say without more info on your EC's. Many schools will take lower stats if the applicant has strong extra curricular activities. For example, I know people were accepted to Jesuit schools like Creighton and Saint Louis with very similar stats due to their strong service record.

 

[qwerty4550]

I have added my EC. Please advise on what schools have a shot at or should not even consider. Thanks!

 

[boshtrich]

I have added my EC. Please advise on what schools have a shot at or should not even consider. Thanks!

As you said, UCSF and UC Davis would be reaches with a 29 MCAT but you never know. You should have a reasonable chance at Arizona-Phoneix, NYMC and Rosalind Franklin. Arizona-Tuscon seems to be more IS heavy than Phoenix but your stats are in range. I don't know all that much about Tulane, VCU or any of the DO schools. You seem to have enough non-clinical community service to at least look into the Jesuit schools (Creighton, Georgetown, Loyola and Saint Louis). I know that Creighton has tons of people from California.

 

[music2doc]

First of all I would like to state that my overall science and cumulative GPA are including my postbac work. I had a rough first couple of years of undergrad, but have a strong upward trend my last couple of years.

sGPA:3.35
cGPA:3.41
post-bac GPA: 4.0 (29 semester units)
MCAT: 29Q (9 PS 😡, 10 VR 😀, 10 Bio)

EC:

• 40 hours of volunteer work in PCU at hospital (still doing this)
• 25 hours tutoring elementary students with reading
• 300+ medical volunteer/observation hours in Asuncion, Paraguay
• MD shadow experience
• Volunteer experience helping high school kids with disabilities
• 40 hours volunteer experience in ED
• Worked as a microbiologist for a few months before enrolling in postbac program.
• Assistant high school tennis coach for a year

Schools I am considering:

• Rosalind Franklin
• Virginia Commonwealth
• Uniformed Services-Hebert (Not completely sure I want to serve yet.)
• University of AZ-Tucson
• University of AZ-Phoenix
• Tulane
• Michigan State
• Commonwealth
• New York Medical College
• UC Davis
• UC San Francisco

I am applying to 2 in-state schools (California), but understand that they are very competitive. UCSF is definitely a reach for me, but the postbac program I went to has a good repuation with them. Are there any of these schools that I have no chance at? I plan on applying to 5-10 MD, as I believe my best chances are with applying broadly to DO. Any advice on which 5 I have the best shot at? Thanks for the help!

Pretty weak for MD. Primarily apply DO. sGPA and science MCAT scores are fairly concerning. ECs appear quite light -- esp. in terms of clinical volunteering (US-based). Esp. with low numbers, you need a good hook but I don't see any real hook here. Seems lacking in anything interesting that might grab an adcom's attention (in a positive manner, anyway).

Basically, tell me -- why should they notice you in the crowd of over 3,500 3.8/33+ers? Heck, even the 7,000+ second/third tiers of applicants (3.6-3.8+/30-32+ers) will be looked at before you. Half of US MD schools could easily fill their classes with nothing but 3.6+/30+ applicants! If it were simply by the numbers, they would fill up at about 3.5+/29+. In other words, you need a hook. Why would anyone want to scrape you off the bottom of the barrel instead of going for a more apparent "cream of the crop" applicant?

 

[qwerty4550]

Pretty weak for MD. Primarily apply DO. sGPA and science MCAT scores are fairly concerning. ECs appear quite light -- esp. in terms of clinical volunteering (US-based). Esp. with low numbers, you need a good hook but I don't see any real hook here. Seems lacking in anything interesting that might grab an adcom's attention (in a positive manner, anyway).

Basically, tell me -- why should they notice you in the crowd of over 3,500 3.8/33+ers? Heck, even the 7,000+ second/third tiers of applicants (3.6-3.8+/30-32+ers) will be looked at before you. Half of US MD schools could easily fill their classes with nothing but 3.6+/30+ applicants! If it were simply by the numbers, they would fill up at about 3.5+/29+. In other words, you need a hook. Why would anyone want to scrape you off the bottom of the barrel instead of going for a more apparent "cream of the crop" applicant?

Thanks for sharing your opinion. Luckily for me it isn't simply by the numbers. However, I know that the postbac program will work in my favor. Did I always make the right decisions as a premed? Of course not. But I know that the extra time I took to better prepare myself for medical school will pay off. While I understand that there are thousands of applicants that have better academic credentials, that does not mean that they will be better physicians. I just hope that admission officers look at my application as an entirety and not focus too much on certain credentials.

Why would anyone want to scrape you off the bottom of the barrel instead of going for a more apparent "cream of the crop" applicant?

Because some people like the crunchy parts that are found on the "bottom of the barrel."

Also, as I said I am applying mainly DO. What would help the most is if you would help critique my MD list. 🙂 Thanks!

 

[qwerty4550]

As you said, UCSF and UC Davis would be reaches with a 29 MCAT but you never know. You should have a reasonable chance at Arizona-Phoneix, NYMC and Rosalind Franklin. Arizona-Tuscon seems to be more IS heavy than Phoenix but your stats are in range. I don't know all that much about Tulane, VCU or any of the DO schools. You seem to have enough non-clinical community service to at least look into the Jesuit schools (Creighton, Georgetown, Loyola and Saint Louis). I know that Creighton has tons of people from California.

Thanks for the advice! I will definitely look into those schools.🙂

 

[SixStringPsych]

Thanks for sharing your opinion. Luckily for me it isn't simply by the numbers. However, I know that the postbac program will work in my favor. Did I always make the right decisions as a premed? Of course not. But I know that the extra time I took to better prepare myself for medical school will pay off. While I understand that there are thousands of applicants that have better academic credentials, that does not mean that they will be better physicians. I just hope that admission officers look at my application as an entirety and not focus too much on certain credentials.


Because some people like the crunchy parts that are found on the "bottom of the barrel."

Also, as I said I am applying mainly DO. What would help the most is if you would help critique my MD list. 🙂 Thanks!

+1 OP. People can talk all they want about 3.5+/33+ applicants or whatever but post baccs will always be looked at differently than kids coming right out of their senior year of undergrad. I start my post Bacc year in the Fall after a tough time in undergrad and I'm positive that kicking butt in my program will help me immensely. Not to mention, the "smarter" kids are usually more socially awkward. You should be able to show much more personality during interviews than most of those "cream of the crop" applicants.

Good on you OP, apply to as many MD schools as your wallet allows and I'm sure you will make it into at least one.

 

[qwerty4550]

bump!

 

[Fed]

Your recent academic work is fairly impressive, but your overall numbers are below average. Also, your ECs are average and seem to be lacking longevity (multi-year commitments).

So, hit up your state schools and a smattering of bottom-tier MD schools. I would also apply to some DO schools if I were you. KCUMB (3.63/27) comes to mind.

 

[qwerty4550]

Your recent academic work is fairly impressive, but your overall numbers are below average. Also, your ECs are average and seem to be lacking longevity (multi-year commitments).

So, hit up your state schools and a smattering of bottom-tier MD schools. I would also apply to some DO schools if I were you. KCUMB (3.63/27) comes to mind.

Thank you for your input. I am applying mainly DO, but wanted opinions on how to narrow my MD list. I am going to apply to UC Davis and UCSF (instate schools) and know that both are reaches. It does not help that my instate schools are extremely competitive. Out of the list that I provided, which would you consider "bottom tier"? I am not applying to the historically african american colleges (Howard, Meharry, Morehouse,...) as I do not think I have a reasonable shot there.

 

[Fed]

Thank you for your input. I am applying mainly DO, but wanted opinions on how to narrow my MD list. I am going to apply to UC Davis and UCSF (instate schools) and know that both are reaches. It does not help that my instate schools are extremely competitive. Out of the list that I provided, which would you consider "bottom tier"? I am not applying to the historically african american colleges (Howard, Meharry, Morehouse,...) as I do not think I have a reasonable shot there.

Wait, are you AA? That would change things for the better.

I'm not sure that applying to a really good school like UCSF (3.79/35) is even worth it. That's just my opinion. Perhaps you have a unique life story or there is something special that I haven't seen yet. I suppose two or three reaches is reasonable, but if you're white, UCSF is a huuuuge reach. Check out an MSAR--your numbers are probably below the 10th percentile.

So look at low/moderate-stats MD schools as your practical reaches. Schools like USC, Loma Linda, GWU, Georgetown, RFU, Rush, Tufts, Albany, and NYMC.

Good luck. Hopefully there are others who can advise you.

 

[qwerty4550]

Wait, are you AA? That would change things for the better.

I'm not sure that applying to a really good school like UCSF (3.79/35) is even worth it. That's just my opinion. Perhaps you have a unique life story or there is something special that I haven't seen yet. I suppose two or three reaches is reasonable, but if you're white, UCSF is a huuuuge reach. Check out an MSAR--your numbers are probably below the 10th percentile.

So look at low/moderate-stats MD schools as your practical reaches. Schools like USC, Loma Linda, GWU, Georgetown, RFU, Rush, Tufts, Albany, and NYMC.

Good luck. Hopefully there are others who can advise you.

I am not AA. I am half white and half Japanese, which is definitely not a benefit when looking at admission numbers. The only reason I am applying to UCSF is the school I went to postbac at has a good reputation with them. I have been avidly checking out MSAR to make sure my list is reasonable. I am looking at most of the MD schools I apply to as my "reaches." My updated list is below:

• Rosalind Franklin
• Virginia Commonwealth
• University of AZ-Phoenix
• Creighton
• George Washington
• UC Davis
• UCSF

 

[limus]

Tufts is low/moderate? I thought it'd be considered upper-middle tier.

 

[Fed]

Tufts is low/moderate? I thought it'd be considered upper-middle tier.

IDK. Maybe. I think of middle-tier as Vanderbilt (3.8/33 I think), and upper-tier as WUSTL et al. (3.9/35 I think)