MD Reapplicant 3.4cGPA, 3.0sGPA, 3.7SMP, 520 MCAT

[xxabi]

Hi everyone,

I will be re-applying this current cycle after an unsuccessful 2015-2016 cycle. I am completely lost as to what schools that I should consider, here are my stats:

uGPA: 3.4
sGPA (undergrad): 3.0
SMP GPA: 3.7
MCAT: 6/2016 520 (128/130/130/132) (retake from 6/2015 - 504)

I am also struggling to decide whether I should be applying as a California or Louisiana resident. I would prefer to apply as a California resident as I would be able to live at home and save on rent. However, I do have the option of switching my residency to Louisiana which would make me a candidate to LSU-NOLA and LSU-S, both schools that heavily favor in state students. I would really like to go MD, if possible.
My school list is as follows for right now (aside from removing/adding CA or LA schools depending on my choice of residency). # of schools is not an option...I've saved a lot of money this year working so I can add as many as needed. I do not want to re-apply for a third cycle.

School List:
Rosalind Franklin
GW
Albany
Jefferson
Drexel
EVMS
George Washington
Loyola
Quinnipiac
Temple
Tulane
Wake Forest
Rush
Vanderbilt
Tulane
Case Western
Frank Netter

I feel like a lot of these are still long shots with my terrible uGPA and sGPA from undergrad. Also, I plan to apply to DO schools this cycle as well and have already shortlisted that list, so I really need help with my MD list NOT DO list.

If y'all need any additional information, please let me know.

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[GrapesofRath]

Complete no brainer to become an LA resident. It's not even close. LA is a fantastic state for MD admission. Admission to CA schools is incredibly hard. If you arent a fit for the mission based schools in CA, generally speaking you can count on two hands the number of SMP grads who have made it to the other CA schools the past 5-10 years. You cant depend on them at all.

LSU NO I believe uses your most recent 32 credits of masters/PB work to calculate your GPA(ie your UG GPA wont matter). If in fact your SMP qualifies, your official numbers are 3.7/520 candidate for LSU NO not a 3.0 sGPA/520 candidate . You are a strong candidate for the state schools in LA if you are a resident from there. Same cant be said for CA. Become an LA resident youll likely have a good cycle if the interviews ok. Furthermore, there would then be no point in applying to many of these OOS schools youve listed above as 90% of people from LA who get into an MD school stay in state.

 

[xxabi]

Complete no brainer to become an LA resident. It's not even close. LA is a fantastic state for MD admission. Admission to CA schools is incredibly hard. If you arent a fit for the mission based schools in CA, generally speaking you can count on one maybe two hands the number of SMP grads who have made it to the other CA schools the past 5-10 years. You cant depend on them at all.

LSU NO I believe uses your most recent 32 credits of masters/PB work to calculate your GPA(ie your UG GPA wont matter). If in fact your SMP qualifies, your official numbers are 3.7/520 candidate for LSU NO not a 3.0 sGPA/520 candidate . You are a strong candidate for the state schools in LA if you are a resident from there. Same cant be said for CA. Become an LA resident youll likely have a good cycle if the interviews ok. Furthermore, there would then be no point in applying to many of these OOS schools youve listed above as 90% of people from LA who get into an MD school stay in state.

Thanks for your response! While I would be okay with staying in Louisiana for 4 more years to attend either of the LSUs, I would like the option of attending an out of state institution. Do you think that switching my residency to Louisiana I would be pretty much jeopardizing my chances of being considered at private universities around the country? I'm not sure how it works but would my chances of interviewing at private OOS institutions be reduced if they see I'm a LA resident and assume I'll just stay in state for med school?

I guess my question is, would I stand a better chance of being considered for interviews at the private institutions I listed above if I stuck with my CA residency vs switching to LA residency? My family is nowhere near the South which is my only hesitation to be in med school in LA for 4 years. It is obviously a silly reason since my career is my priority right now, but I appreciate your insight and I apologize if my question is very convoluted.

 

[Goro]

No. They have that mentality for TX residents.


. Do you think that switching my residency to Louisiana I would be pretty much jeopardizing my chances of being considered at private universities around the country? I'm not sure how it works but would my chances of interviewing at private OOS institutions be reduced if they see I'm a LA resident and assume I'll just stay in state for med school?

The state residency issue is a non-issue for private schools.

I recommend:

Case
Albany
NYMC
Tufts
GWU
Gtown
Drexel
Rosy F
Tulane
Columbia
Duke
U Miami
UCD
UCI
UCR (IF you're from the Inland Empire)
VCU
EVMS
Tulane
Vandy
(note: Netter = Quinnipiac)
U VM
UNLV (maybe)
U AZ (maybe)
Oakland B
Any DO school, starting with Western and Touro-CA


I guess my question is, would I stand a better chance of being considered for interviews at the private institutions I listed above if I stuck with my CA residency vs switching to LA residency? My family is nowhere near the South which is my only hesitation to be in med school in LA for 4 years. It is obviously a silly reason since my career is my priority right now, but I appreciate your insight and I apologize if my question is very convoluted.[/QUOTE]

 

[GrapesofRath]

Thanks for your response! While I would be okay with staying in Louisiana for 4 more years to attend either of the LSUs, I would like the option of attending an out of state institution. Do you think that switching my residency to Louisiana I would be pretty much jeopardizing my chances of being considered at private universities around the country? I'm not sure how it works but would my chances of interviewing at private OOS institutions be reduced if they see I'm a LA resident and assume I'll just stay in state for med school?

I guess my question is, would I stand a better chance of being considered for interviews at the private institutions I listed above if I stuck with my CA residency vs switching to LA residency? My family is nowhere near the South which is my only hesitation to be in med school in LA for 4 years. It is obviously a silly reason since my career is my priority right now, but I appreciate your insight and I apologize if my question is very convoluted.

a) Your chances of having an MD acceptance are far better being an LA resident than a CA resident.
b) If you are absolutely hell bent on going OOS DO is one option.
c) Lower tier OOS schools might be less likely to interview a LA resident. This is not just entirely a TX rule/trend like others might suggest. They also generally speaking dont interview that many people with an MCAT this high regardless of state of residency. Being an SMP grad might affect that at some places
d) This is why state school options are important for you. While many SMP grads absolutely have success in MD admission, at the same time you have to remember you were someone who needed an SMP. That in and of itself can bring some concerns to some: private schools often aren't necessarily lining up giving top priority to people who needed an SMP. And CA schools unless you strongly fit the mission based schools like I said above are not something you can rely on at all when you needed an SMP even if theyll still certainly consider you. The number of people who needed an SMP who got into UCLA Irvine UCSD Keck or UCSF the past 5 years may very well be in single digits.
e) Your best chance at an OOS school may very well be your host SMP institution or schools SMP grads from your program historically have had success with. If those schools really value SMP grads from your program, your state of residency may very be irrelevant to them.

 

[Goro]

No. They have that mentality for TX residents.


. Do you think that switching my residency to Louisiana I would be pretty much jeopardizing my chances of being considered at private universities around the country? I'm not sure how it works but would my chances of interviewing at private OOS institutions be reduced if they see I'm a LA resident and assume I'll just stay in state for med school?

The state residency issue is a non-issue for private schools.

I recommend:

Case
Albany
NYMC
Tufts
GWU
Gtown
Drexel
Rosy F
Tulane
Columbia
Duke
U Miami
UCD
UCI
UCR (IF you're from the Inland Empire)
VCU
EVMS
Tulane
Vandy
(note: Netter = Quinnipiac)
U VM
UNLV (maybe)
U AZ (maybe)
Oakland B
Any DO school, starting with Western and Touro-CA


I guess my question is, would I stand a better chance of being considered for interviews at the private institutions I listed above if I stuck with my CA residency vs switching to LA residency? My family is nowhere near the South which is my only hesitation to be in med school in LA for 4 years. It is obviously a silly reason since my career is my priority right now, but I appreciate your insight and I apologize if my question is very convoluted.[/QUOTE]

 

[xxabi]

@Goro Thank for you suggestions and revamping my list of schools. Also apologies for the Netter/Quinipiac conversion. Would I only consider UNLV and U AZ if I stayed a CA resident or is it a solid consideration even if I switch my residency to Louisiana? I'm assuming the UCs also only apply to me if I continue with my CA residency.

@GrapesofRath Thanks for your input! I may have misunderstood your post - do you mean that I will be less likely to obtain interviews at OOS private institutions as a LA resident? Also how do I combat the high MCAT score with low tier schools? It seems so counter productive, I brought up my MCAT score to try to make up for my ****ty uGPA for low-tier schools but now it may work against me?

 

[GrapesofRath]

@Goro Thank for you suggestions and revamping my list of schools. Also apologies for the Netter/Quinipiac conversion. Would I only consider UNLV and U AZ if I stayed a CA resident or is it a solid consideration even if I switch my residency to Louisiana? I'm assuming the UCs also only apply to me if I continue with my CA residency.

@GrapesofRath Thanks for your input! I may have misunderstood your post - do you mean that I will be less likely to obtain interviews at OOS private institutions as a LA resident? Also how do I combat the high MCAT score with low tier schools? It seems so counter productive, I brought up my MCAT score to try to make up for my ****ty uGPA for low-tier schools but now it may work against me?

There might be some schools who view an LA resident as lower yield given generally speaking 90% stay IS for med school in LA and the 10% people who go OOS for med school in LA are people who get into top schools or have unique circusmtances. You cant predict or determine this before hand or to what extent this may be true. Same with an applicant with such a high MCAT score. You cant do anything about this. Being an SMP grad might change how they view you at some places. One example is if your SMP program is a feeder to certain lower tier OOS schools. But generally speaking when you have this kind of MCAT score, lower tier/lower stat schools often arent the ones most likely to interview you. You cant really "combat" this.

 

[Goro]

Both if you're a CA resident.

@Goro Would I only consider UNLV and U AZ if I stayed a CA resident or is it a solid consideration even if I switch my residency to Louisiana? I'm assuming the UCs also only apply to me if I continue with my CA residency.

 

[Goro]

Also, a 520 MCAT score is nothing to sneeze at, no matter where you live!

Both if you're a CA resident.