School list and WAMC

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nerdyneuro

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Your gpa is very low for md/phd, mcat is middling, research experience is average or below, and volunteering isn't great.

Take off vanderbilt, northwestern, emory, baylor, and ut san an. You'll get screen out there quick anyways. Add some more bottom tier schools like wake forest.
 
research experience is average or below, and volunteering isn't great.

Just curious, how is 4+ years research experience plus publications below average? As for the schools 2smrt4harvard suggested that you remove from your list, I personally think that unless you're extremely pressed for money, it couldn't hurt to apply. You hear of unexpected success stories all the time.
 
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Also, Fencer loves to throw stats around when advising applicants on how to make their list. This link should help you figure out which schools are less competitive and this link should help you figure out where you stand.
 
Agree with @Future MD/PhD- your research is not on the weak side, especially with your publications! Clinical exposure is fine, volunteering is fine; the only thing that may hold you back at the tip-top schools are your stats. It looks like your MCAT is a projected score though, so if you can achieve a 518+, you will be in great shape.
Good luck!
 
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Your gpa is very low for md/phd, mcat is middling, research experience is average or below, and volunteering isn't great.

Take off vanderbilt, northwestern, emory, baylor, and ut san an. You'll get screen out there quick anyways. Add some more bottom tier schools like wake forest.

Don't listen to this guy.
 
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That guy is a straight up troll. Look at his screen name...

You are golden. Don't erase mid tier programs but feel free to aim higher. Good luck
 
What do you guys think of applying with a 3.4 sGPA with an upward trend and a 522 MCAT? Provided there is plenty (5 years) of research experience. ORM.
 
What do you guys think of applying with a 3.4 sGPA with an upward trend and a 522 MCAT? Provided there is plenty (5 years) of research experience. ORM.

It's always hard to give good advice to people with imbalances like these, but if we're to follow the guidelines in the MD/phD WAMC sticky, you have 2/3 excellent in the 3 categories that matter most. Even though your mcat is really high, i would make sure to apply broadly and include fully funded non-MSTPs or MSTPs with lower stats like Iowa. That doesn't mean you shouldn't apply to places like Tri-I or Stanford though.

Average GpA for matriculating MD/PhDs was 3.78 with a SD of 0.19 so you are about 2 SDs below that and 1 SD above the average MCAT. If I was a betting man, I would bet on you being able to obtain an acceptance if you apply early and broadly.
 
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Hey all! I'll be apply to programs next cycle, but I'm hoping avoid some pain by starting early with secondaries. Can you give advice on my school list, and thoughts on my competitiveness as an applicant? I know my gpa is on the low of for MD/PhD, so I'm really hoping to optimize my school list for maximum chance of acceptance somewhere!

Relevant personal info:
Non-URM, US citizen
Reserach interest: Neuroscience
cGPA/sGPA: ~3.7/~3.7 (each a bit below 3.7)
MCAT: 516-518
Research Experience: 5 years total at time of application (~4000 hrs)
  • 6 semesters and 3 summers undergrad
  • 2 years NIH postbac (1 year at time of application)
Current research tangibles: 2 pubs (not first-author), 1 undergrad journal pub, 1 review paper (first-author), 4 presentations at undergrad symposiums, 1 first-author abstract and national conference poster (didn't present), 2 undergrad research grants
Clinical volunteering: ~200 hours hospital
Non-clinical volunteering: ~200 hours tutoring (college and elementary school)
Hobbies: Marathon runner

I will hopefully have at least 1 more pub and 1 national conference poster/presentation before I apply (but I'm not counting my chickens before they hatch).

Current School list:
Virginia Commonwealth
Texas A&M
Rutgers New Jersey
Nebraska
Indiana
Penn State
Connecticut
Tufts
Iowa Carver
Einstein
Minnesota
Rochester
Ohio State
UC Irvine
Wisconsin
North Carolina
Pittsburgh
Case Western Reserve
UT Houston McGovern
UT San Antonio
Baylor
Emory
Northwestern Feinberg
Vanderbilt

Thanks for any critiques you have or recommended schools to add/remove, and let me know if there's any relevant personal info I left out!

If you're starting secondaries a year in advance and there are no major financial constraints, I don't see why you shouldn't include some higher tier programs on your list. Your research is likely to be viewed as above average and if you do a good job of communicating the science in essays and interviews, you could have a decent shot of acceptance at a top program.

Your GPA is not "very low" but there will surely be many candidates with higher GPAs. However, there will not be many candidates with greater research experience. I personally believe the latter factor carries more weight.
 
You could also consider University of Colorado and OHSU. Really solid schools but not hyper competitive. (Also both in great locations :thumbup:)
 
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