School List - 3.82 cGPA / 3.66 sGPA / 517 MCAT / non-trad

[compound_policy]

Hello everyone,

Just looking for some feedback on my school list here, namely things to add / remove.

I'm a non-trad / career changer who worked for many years in customer service (totally non-medical). Worked during high school and after - never went to college the first time around.

cGPA = 3.82 (non-science major)
sGPA = 3.66 (U shaped trend here, solid grades in upper levels)
MCAT = 517 (very balanced, +/- 1 point)

ECs: (I definitely see these as kind of mediocre numerically, but I could happily talk about any of them, all very fulfilling for what it's worth)

• 300 hours hospital volunteering
• 325 hours clinical research (patient contact)
• 200 hours community service / non-clinical
• 100 or so hours shadowing, 3 different docs
• Career change, so LOTS of paid work / professional interpersonal experience

Schools so far: (definite preference for urban schools)

• Columbia
• U of Pitt
• Weill Cornell
• Mt. Sinai
• NYU
• Dartmouth
• Albert Einstein
• Hofstra*
• UNC Chapel Hill
• U of Vermont
• VA Commonwealth*
• University of Maryland*
• Stony Brook*
• SUNY Downstate
• George Washington
• Drexel*
• NYMC*
• Temple*
• Georgetown
• Tufts*
• Thomas Jefferson*
• Brown
• Boston University*

Open to suggestions in other cities, Chicago, Philly, etc. Also, how foolish is it to leave off upstate NY schools? I know beggars can't be choosers but I'm just really not a fan of living in upstate NY. Some family there and some depressing memories haha.....

Thanks for the help! Good luck to everyone else applying.

* = added after original post

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[Faha]

UNC and Rutgers accept few non residents. Add Stony Brook and SUNY Upstate and Buffalo. Other schools you could add:
Hofstra
Albany
Quinnipiac
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Boston University
Tufts

 

[compound_policy]

Thank you for the suggestions. Drexel, Temple and Jefferson will be great additions!

Always open to more feedback with regard to additions or cuts.

 

[7331poas]

Thank you for the suggestions. Drexel, Temple and Jefferson will be great additions!

Always open to more feedback with regard to additions or cuts.

Replace Rutgers with Seton Hall/hackensack, particularly if you are trying to stay somewhat near NYC

 

[compound_policy]

Replace Rutgers with Seton Hall/hackensack, particularly if you are trying to stay somewhat near NYC

Thanks, that one also went under my radar, probably owing to the newness of it (no MSAR data, really).

 

[compound_policy]

Sorry to bump but just wondering if @Goro or @gyngyn have any thoughts, if time permits? Thanks

 

[Walter Raleigh]

Another bump: I'd award him the Golden Seal of Rockstardom. Would you agree or disagree, @Goro?

 

[7331poas]

Another bump: I'd award him the Golden Seal of Rockstardom. Would you agree or disagree, @Goro

What in this post screams "rockstar" to you?

 

[compound_policy]

What in this post screams "rockstar" to you?

Haha yes I don’t think that badge is entirely appropriate here....

 

[Walter Raleigh]

Doesn't quite scream it but OP's a nontrad with decent ECs and some solid life experience. Wonder what the big cat - Goro - has to say. He seems to like the badge.

 

[compound_policy]

I added a number of schools to make it less top heavy, I felt nervous having so many reaches on a list of only 17 schools.

Also @Goro is a big cat not a big dog.

 

[Goro]

Hello everyone,

Just looking for some feedback on my school list here, namely things to add / remove.

I'm a non-trad / career changer who worked for many years in a high-end service environment. Imagine something like a luxury hotel concierge or jewelry sales.... that sort of environment. Worked during high school and after - never went to college the first time around.

cGPA = 3.82 (non-science major)
sGPA = 3.66 (U shaped trend here, solid grades in upper levels)
MCAT = 517 (very balanced, +/- 1 point)

ECs: (I definitely see these as kind of mediocre numerically, but I could happily talk about any of them, all very fulfilling for what it's worth)

• 300 hours hospital volunteering
• 325 hours clinical research (patient contact)
• 200 hours community service / non-clinical
• 100 or so hours shadowing, 3 different docs
• Career change, so LOTS of paid work / professional interpersonal experience

Schools so far: (live in NYC and have a definite preference for urban schools)

• Columbia
• U of Pitt
• Weill Cornell
• Mt. Sinai
• NYU
• Dartmouth
• Albert Einstein
• Hofstra*
• UNC Chapel Hill
• U of Vermont
• VA Commonwealth*
• University of Maryland*
• Stony Brook*
• SUNY Downstate
• George Washington
• Drexel*
• NYMC*
• Temple*
• Georgetown
• Tufts*
• Thomas Jefferson*
• Brown
• Boston University*

Open to suggestions in other cities, Chicago, Philly, etc. Also, how foolish is it to leave off upstate NY schools? I know beggars can't be choosers but I'm just really not a fan of living in upstate NY. Some family there and some depressing memories haha.....

Thanks for the help! Good luck to everyone else applying.

* = added after original post

I suggest the following (and yes, beggars can't be choosers)
Yale
JHU
Harvard OR Cornell OR NYU
WashU OR U Chicago OR Northwestern
Columbia
Duke
Sinai
BU
Case
Mayo
Pitt
Hofstra
Ohio State
U Cincy
USC/Keck
USF Morsani
Albert Einstein
Dartmouth
Emory
Rochester
Jefferson
Miami
U IA
U VM
Western MI
ALL SUNYs
Netter
Tufts

The lack of bench research makes me a bit more conservative

 

[compound_policy]

Thanks for the suggestions, @Goro.

Would you suggest that I remove New York Medical College? It is (as far as MSAR tells me) the only school where I'm above the 90th percentile MCAT, and without actual secondary essays there, it seems I'll have little opportunity to convince them I actually would want to go there.

 

[Walter Raleigh]

OK. So maybe half a step below golden rockstar level. A musician who's an amalgam of gold and silver - but still very good!

 

[compound_policy]

Now that the cycle is winding down, I just wanted to provide an update for transparency's sake and future applicants. Overall I'm happy with how things turned out, but there really is no way to predict or even make a safe bet on outcomes at any one particular school

• Columbia - Rejected
• U of Pitt - Interviewed, waitlisted
• Weill Cornell - Rejected
• Mt. Sinai - Interviewed, waitlisted
• NYU - Rejected (obviously)
• Dartmouth - Rejected
• Albert Einstein - Accepted
• Hofstra - Accepted
• UNC Chapel Hill - Did not wind up applying, too OOS unfriendly
• U of Vermont - Rejected
• VA Commonwealth - Too lazy to write their secondary essay, did not apply
• University of Maryland - Rejected
• Stony Brook - Rejected
• SUNY Downstate - Accepted
• George Washington - Rejected
• Drexel - App put "on hold," no response, assuming rejected (haha)
• NYMC - Rejected after loooooong hold period
• Temple - Accepted
• Georgetown - Rejected
• Tufts - Rejected
• Thomas Jefferson - Rejected
• Brown - Rejected
• Boston University - Interviewed, waitlisted, withdrew

So all in all, 7 interviews for 4 acceptances. Things went about as well or slightly better than how I hoped / expected. I only applied to schools I would be actively excited to attend, but still, I'm really excited that I was able to have some options.