School List Help?

[pulltheleverkronk]

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Hey, everyone! So, I'm having trouble deciding which schools to put on my list... Here are my stats:

oGPA: 3.75 / sGPA: 3.69 / Major: Biology
Home State: PA

DAT: 23AA, 22 TS, 19 PAT (...!?); QR 19, BIO: 22, RC: 23, GC: 30, OC: 21

I'll spare you the finer details of extracurriculars. I've been active in leadership positions for all of undergrad and co-founded our college's pre-dental society this year, though. Don't have any research experience to my name, unfortunately.

Strong LORs. 150+ hours of volunteering (summer camp counseling, working with developmentally disabled adults, homeless shelter work). I have ~40 hours of shadowing so far, but I'm submitting my app at the end of June and will have 100+.

And here's my list so far. I'm trying to cut it down and streamline it somehow. It's currently sitting at 14.

UPenn, UNC, Tufts, Maryland, Michigan, Pitt, Temple, UIC, Marquette, Minnesota, Louisville, UConn, Colorado, Case Western

One of my main concerns is my 23AA juxtaposed with my 19PAT. A lot of people who score up in that range at least grab a 20. I'm not sure if this is some type of red flag. It's caused me to cross Columbia and UCSF off my list because my chances would be shakier at those places, which are obviously already competitive.

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If anyone can help me out with cutting my list down or switching out schools (or even adding some), please let me know! I'd ask my pre-health advisor but she doesn't know much about dental stuff. Go figure. If you're not a future MD at my school, you get somewhat neglected. Sorry if this turned into a "chance me"-esque post, but I don't have a lot of experience with this kind of thing. Thanks in advance!

 

[ICUrunning]

Hey, everyone! So, I'm having trouble deciding which schools to put on my list... Here are my stats:

oGPA: 3.75 / sGPA: 3.69 / Major: Biology
Home State: PA

DAT: 23AA, 22 TS, 19 PAT (...!?); QR 19, BIO: 22, RC: 23, GC: 30, OC: 21

I'll spare you the finer details of extracurriculars. I've been active in leadership positions for all of undergrad and co-founded our college's pre-dental society this year, though. Don't have any research experience to my name, unfortunately.

Strong LORs. 150+ hours of volunteering (summer camp counseling, working with developmentally disabled adults, homeless shelter work). I have ~40 hours of shadowing so far, but I'm submitting my app at the end of June and will have 100+.

And here's my list so far. I'm trying to cut it down and streamline it somehow. It's currently sitting at 14.

UPenn, UNC, Tufts, Maryland, Michigan, Pitt, Temple, UIC, Marquette, Minnesota, Louisville, UConn, Colorado, Case Western

One of my main concerns is my 23AA juxtaposed with my 19PAT. A lot of people who score up in that range at least grab a 20. I'm not sure if this is some type of red flag. It's caused me to cross Columbia and UCSF off my list because my chances would be shakier at those places, which are obviously already competitive.

-------

If anyone can help me out with cutting my list down or switching out schools (or even adding some), please let me know! I'd ask my pre-health advisor but she doesn't know much about dental stuff. Go figure. If you're not a future MD at my school, you get somewhat neglected. Sorry if this turned into a "chance me"-esque post, but I don't have a lot of experience with this kind of thing. Thanks in advance!

How many schools are you willing to apply to? Take off UIC and re-add Columbia and UCSF. You're letting your PAT score get to your head.

Although I will say I am not sure of whether Columbia and UCSF would want applicants to have research.

 

[pulltheleverkronk]

How many schools are you willing to apply to? Take off UIC and re-add Columbia and UCSF. You're letting your PAT score get to your head.

Although I will say I am not sure of whether Columbia and UCSF would want applicants to have research.

Yeah, I'm not sure about research either. From what I've seen, Harvard is the only school that is pretty insistent on having it. In addition to a full year of calc, that school loves to create even more hoops for people to jump through!

Also, I'm willing to apply to 12-15. Financially, I think I can manage it. My summer job will be paying all the app fees, I guess.

 

[Typical Average Student]

Your PAT is fine, just cut out schools that have a cut off for PAT.
By the way, what did you use to study GC?

 

[Mycoalwin]

How many schools are you willing to apply to? Take off UIC and re-add Columbia and UCSF. You're letting your PAT score get to your head.

Although I will say I am not sure of whether Columbia and UCSF would want applicants to have research.

Hey ICUrunning! Just to clarify... are you saying Columbia and UCSF prefer that applicants do not have research? Or am I just misinterpreting your words?

 

[strep mutans]

Hey ICUrunning! Just to clarify... are you saying Columbia and UCSF prefer that applicants do not have research? Or am I just misinterpreting your words?

Saying they may prefer applicants to have research.

 

[pulltheleverkronk]

Your PAT is fine, just cut out schools that have a cut off for PAT.
By the way, what did you use to study GC?

I think the technical "cutoffs" for the PAT are all 17. Which makes it harder to gauge.

For GC, I used Chad's Videos and Bootcamp. Tried to get through Destroyer but I wasn't having it 10 questions in. I took really detailed notes on Chad's stuff and did his quizzes. I did some of the quizzes twice on things that were harder for me (equilibrium/rate law stuff). Went over Bootcamp again a couple of days before the test and made sure I understand the set-up of every problem.

On test day, I happened to get problems that I thought were easy, and nothing that tested my problem areas. I got lucky, in that sense! 🙂 I marked a couple on GC so I think my educated guesses paid off.

 

[DATtestTho]

Your PAT is fine, I had a 19 PAT with a 22AA and got an interview offer to UCSF (though not Columbia). If youre a CA resident go for it!

 

[enghia]

I agree with the other posters. Do not take off Columbia and UCSF!

 

[pulltheleverkronk]

Your PAT is fine, I had a 19 PAT with a 22AA and got an interview offer to UCSF (though not Columbia). If youre a CA resident go for it!

Nope- Pennsylvania resident... lol

 

[DATtestTho]

I might skip UCSF then, not too OOS friendly. Id say instead add your state schools, Penn, Temple, and Pitt.