School list advice needed (3.7 cgpa, 32P)

[kevinlee1020]

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[dextor2003]

I know this will be financially taxing, but you can always add more schools on the AMCAS and resubmit to the new ones. This way you can stick with this cycle and have a great shot at schools within your reach. But if you plan to do this, do it asap while it's still relatively early

 

[kevinlee1020]

Thanks for the reply. Should I even bother submitting secondaries to the reaches on that list? What are some other possible good target schools for me? To be honest I'm so frustrated at my mcat score that I feel like giving up this cycle altogether...

 

[Catalystik]

I am quite a bit stressed right now. I originally took MCAT in May with the score 32P, but since it was significantly lower than my AAMC scores( ~38), I decided to take it again on 07/28. The problem is, I got into an accident and could not take the test, and now I am stuck with the score for this cycle. Naturally, I really need some advice on the school list.

My stats:
AB Economics
ScB Neuroscience w/ Honors
3.7 cgpa
3.6 BCPM
32P MCAT (12PS, 10BS, 10V)

ECs:
3 yrs of volunteering at urban homeless shelter (should be around 250 to 300 hours)
~50 hours shadowing
~150 hours volunteering at ER
2 yrs research at frog behavioral neurosci lab. Research Grant Award, wrote honors thesis/ presentation on results --> 1LOR from here
1 yr research at neurosurgery lab -> helped develop new surgical devices for spinal cord stimulation for Parkinsons/Epilepsy. Going to be included as second author for related patent/paper --> 1 LOR from here
1 summer research at applied anatomy lab abroad
1 summer clinical volunteer abroad

3rd LOR from a neuropharmacology prof
I will also be getting a committee letter

I already submitted in July, but now, due to my not having taken the MCAT last week, the school list is very top heavy.

Current list:
Albert Einstein
UCLA
Columbia
Harvard
NYU
Northwestern
Mt. Sinai
Drexel
USC
GW
Georgetown
BU
Howard
Rosalind Franklin
Rush
Temple
Tufts
UMass (Idk what counts as resident, but my address is registered to MA)
UMich
Brown (I know there's a slim chance for non-PLME, but it's still my alma mater)

Now so many of them are just not within my reach, and I don't know if I should continue with this cycle or just reapply next cycle with a retake of the MCAT. What are some possible additions to this school list that will give me a realistic chance? If I don't get into a pretty good school, I'm not even sure if my parents are going to finance me (asian parents). Now, I really don't know what to do... Please help me out! Thanks!

You would be considered in-state wherever your parents reside. Doesn't it take 5 years to establish Mass residency?

These are schools with a decent OOS matriculation rate whose Lizzy M scores suggest you are more likely to be offered an interview with your stated application stats, if your ECs fit the mission of the school:

Emory, UCentral Florida, Ohio State, Iowa, BU, UMinn,
Rochester, MCW, Miami, Einstein, SUNY Downstate, UMaryland, Georgetown, UConn, Loyola, Stony Brook,
UWisc, Rush, Tufts, Cincinnati, Jefferson, Keck, Virginia Tech (newer, research focus), Temple, GWU,
Toledo, Wake, Creighton (unfriendly to CC credit?), Nebraska, LSU-NO, NYMC, Vermont, Hofstra (newer)
Wright, Drexel, Tulane, MSU (high OOS tuition), Oakland (newer in MI), Penn State (requires a research thesis), Arizona X 2,
VCU, Louisville, UIllinois (high OOS tuition), Buffalo,
EVMS, RFU, Cooper (new)
Morehouse,
Howard

You already have a number of these on your list. Maybe add 3-5 more.

 

[darkjedi]

UMass (Idk what counts as resident, but my address is registered to MA)
!

You will need to have lived in MA for a significant part of your childhood and/or attended HS there. If you don't qualify as a resident under those terms, I wouldn't bother applying.

 

[gyngyn]

Dear OP, I count 8 schools where you have a decent chance of an interview. That's a bit scanty for my risk tolerance. I would add at least a couple from Catalystik's list (or one you devise from the MSAR). You have the raw materials for a successful ap, just fine tune your strategy.

 

[kevinlee1020]

Yup double checked with UMass and I can't apply as instate. My parents moved out of US a couple of years ago, so honestly, I don't think I can apply as an instate anywhere. (sad... Considering the fact that my little bro is at Berkeley as an instate)

I actually added UMaryland, UWisc, Jefferson, NYMC, and Drexel to the list a couple days after the original posting.

Should I even bother submitting the secondaries to the top tiers?

What I am stressed about now is that if I get into only a low tier school that my parents do not approve of, such outcome will lead me into a whole fiasco of troubles with them. Is attending a medical school one year earlier a better choice than preparing a stronger app for better chance at stronger research-oriented schools?

I realize that my question is pretty dumb, but I just feel so bad about how things turned out when all my friends are reaching for the tops... Meh.

Thanks for the replies btw!

 

[dextor2003]

What I am stressed about now is that if I get into only a low tier school that my parents do not approve of, such outcome will lead me into a whole fiasco of troubles with them. Is attending a medical school one year earlier a better choice than preparing a stronger app for better chance at stronger research-oriented schools?

Ultimately, you have to be the one to decide where you go, not your parents. You will be the student, the physician, not them. I understand it's going to create an argument with them. I had a huge fight with mine about the opposite situation about taking a year off, which they considered "a waste of time." I cannot be more glad that I did. Unless your parents have extensive experience about the medical school application process (mine didn't), honestly, I wouldn't put much weight into their sentiments...as harsh as that sounds. But ultimately, you know what's best for what you want as a medical student, not them..

Given that, I'd still submit secondaries to a couple top tiers of your choice--never know, right? But I'd personally continue on with this cycle.

 

[gyngyn]

Op: Now you have 12 schools that might interview you. They are good schools. Whatever this "tier" issue may be with you or your kin, you can become a fine physician at any of them if you have it within you.

 

[darkjedi]

What I am stressed about now is that if I get into only a low tier school that my parents do not approve of, such outcome will lead me into a whole fiasco of troubles with them. Is attending a medical school one year earlier a better choice than preparing a stronger app for better chance at stronger research-oriented schools?

Thanks for the replies btw!

I am a non-trad so I am biased, but take the year off. You can do some amazing research, find some amazing hobbies and interests and pursue them. Do some stuff abroad, travel, because you won't have the time to do so in medical school really. It will make your application much better rounded and set you up as a stronger applicant which much more interesting things to talk about. Even for people who have super strong applications, I would still advise people coming straight out of ugrad to take at least a year off. It's easy to become disillusioned or burnt out if you go straight from college to med school.