Reach schools for low-gpa, high MCAT non-trad?

[Lord Humongus]

---

Members don't see this ad.

.

 

[WedgeDawg]

Look into Duke, USC-Keck, UVA, Emory, Case Western, and maybe Pitt and Columbia. None of these schools have a 3.6+ 10th percentile. All of the top 20s outside a couple UCs (for other reasons) have 10th percentile scores at 3.5+. Your exact MCAT score will also come into play here; a 35 is different from 39. A 3.4/3.2 is going to be difficult to overcome for a lot of these schools. If you hadn't already applied, I might recommend some post-bacc work which would put you on par for the top schools, but as it stands right now, you're in shaky territory.

 

[GrapesofRath]

I'm late 20's non-URM with a successful non-medical career, a 35+ MCAT and a crappy sub 3.4 cGPA and sub 3.2 sGPA (with some extenuating circumstances). I also applied as economically disadvantaged and have had a more or less interesting life in my own opinion.

I submitted about 20 apps so far and have 1 II and 1 rejection at this time. My biggest "reach" at this stage is probably Albert Einstein, other than that I've tried to aim for schools where my GPA is within spitting range of 10th percentile. Now that I've finished getting the more reasonable targets out of the way, it's time for some "moonshots."

Any ideas which higher ranked schools may be more likely to overlook ancient college underperformance in favor of a good MCAT and interesting overall application? I'm particularly interested in some West Coast schools, Chicago schools, and NYC schools but any other high ranked school that is known for being more forgiving of GPA trespasses is good too. Thanks!

When was the last time you were in school? Any upward trend?

Let's give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you do have some kind of upward trend. Here are some reaches I might look at
Dartmouth
Rochester
Mayo
USC
Boston U
Case Western
USC

Your best bet west coast is USC, Touro and Western. Your best bet for Chicago is Midwestern, Loyola, Rush and Rosalind.

I'll hold off on recommending any more reaches until we know more about you stat wise, your EC's and when you were last in school/of any upward trend.

 

[Lord Humongus]

.

 

[Banco]

If you already have 1 II then I think you will be fine this cycle.

Wedge and grapes gave some good suggestions. Hofstra likes high MCATs and give some leeway to GPAs.

 

[piii]

Why can't you just tell us your mcat score?

 

[PugsAndHugs]

unfortunately closer to 35 than to 40.

How unfortunate

 

[Lord Humongus]

If you already have 1 II then I think you will be fine this cycle.

Wedge and grapes gave some good suggestions. Hofstra likes high MCATs and give some leeway to GPAs.

Hah, I hope so. I won't really breathe easier until I have at least 3 IIs, since stats don't exactly become magically irrelevant post-interview. I already applied to Hofstra btw.

@Pii

Privacy reasons. Giving GPA/MCAT ranges instead of exact numbers seems to be rather common here anyway, so it should't be surprising.

 

[Goro]

Invest in MSAR Online and target schools whose median stats are closest to your own.

Frankly, while a 35 MCAT is nothing to sneeze at, unless you've aced a post-bac or SMP I think your reaches simply don't need the donations in the form of your app fees. Take your parents to dinner instead.

IF you have aced an SMP etc, then consider Columbia, Duke, Vandy, Case, BU and U Miami

I'm late 20's non-URM with a successful non-medical career, a 35+ MCAT and a crappy sub 3.4 cGPA and sub 3.2 sGPA (with some extenuating circumstances). I also applied as economically disadvantaged and have had a more or less interesting life in my own opinion.

I submitted about 20 apps so far and have 1 II and 1 rejection at this time. My biggest "reach" at this stage is probably Albert Einstein, other than that I've tried to aim for schools where my GPA is within spitting range of 10th percentile. Now that I've finished getting the more reasonable targets out of the way, it's time for some "moonshots."

Any ideas which higher ranked schools may be more likely to overlook ancient college underperformance in favor of a good MCAT and interesting overall application? I'm particularly interested in some West Coast schools, Chicago schools, and NYC schools but any other high ranked school that is known for being more forgiving of GPA trespasses is good too. Thanks!

 

[ConsultantMD]

I was pretty much exactly like you numbers wise and I basically only interviewed at my reach schools! If you don't try you'll never know... At least that was my motto. I applied to way to many schools but I would not have done it another way. While I did not ultimately get accepted to the top 10 schools I interviewed at, it was still an honor!

 

[mimelim]

This is the question that needs to be answered:

What do you bring to the table that other students (with better stats) don't?

If you take all 4,500 applicants with a 35/3.4/3.2 from the last two years, about 40% got into medical school. Those 40% convinced admissions committees that they were better for that school than people with better GPAs. It came down to research, LOR, PS, volunteering, etc. There are people at top schools with those stats, but they had something going for them that others didn't. If you go down to the less competitive schools, you find the exact same story, but in larger numbers. What are the best reach schools? Depends on what you bring to the table. For example, if you have a strong research background, schools like Duke/Columbia should be on your list. Without it, most likely just an admission donation.

 

[Goro]

To follow up on my learned colleague's comment. The "what do you bring to the table?" has to be something other than the 35 MCAT. Your reach schools will have tons of applicants with 35/3.7+, so you need that "wow" factor that @Law2Doc has discussed elsewhere.

See L2D's sage comment at the bottom of this thread:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/what-makes-the-difference.1153964/#post-16772944

This is the question that needs to be answered:

What do you bring to the table that other students (with better stats) don't?

If you take all 4,500 applicants with a 35/3.4/3.2 from the last two years, about 40% got into medical school. Those 40% convinced admissions committees that they were better for that school than people with better GPAs. It came down to research, LOR, PS, volunteering, etc. There are people at top schools with those stats, but they had something going for them that others didn't. If you go down to the less competitive schools, you find the exact same story, but in larger numbers. What are the best reach schools? Depends on what you bring to the table. For example, if you have a strong research background, schools like Duke/Columbia should be on your list. Without it, most likely just an admission donation.

 

[Flower70954]

I was pretty much exactly like you numbers wise and I basically only interviewed at my reach schools! If you don't try you'll never know... At least that was my motto. I applied to way to many schools but I would not have done it another way. While I did not ultimately get accepted to the top 10 schools I interviewed at, it was still an honor!

what schools did you get acceptances to?