*^~*~^* The Official 2006-2007 "What Are My Chances/Where to Apply" Thread *^~*~^* part 01

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Hey guys... I'm just starting the application process, mostly by reading these forums and freaking out about my chances, and thus constantly changing the list of schools I want to apply to. Therefore, I'd be most appreciative of your advice.

*I'm a rising senior at Rice, majoring in Biochemistry
*3.96 GPA (both overall and science)
*34 MCAT (was kinda disappointed b/c I'd been doing better on the diagnostics in my Princeton Review class but whatevs)
*Various work experiences/leadership/volunteering listed in my MDapplicants profile

The list of schools I'm applying to according to MDapplicants is very likely to change pretty much everyday, except for the 5 Texas schools. I am pretty indecisive and not sure if I should apply to too many reach schools (like UPenn, which I'm pretty intent on applying to, and UC-SF, which seems to have been quite picky in the past) and am looking for some schools that I'd have a pretty decent chance of getting into that are out of state. Also, I'd prefer to stay in the South since I've been here my whole life, and will most likely stay in Texas if they will have me!
 
Hey Everybody,

I have my heart set on going to medical school in Manhattan (Columbia, Cornell, Mount Sinai, NYU) Can you please let me know my chances and if there is anything else I can do to get into one of these schools. Thanks!!!

http://www.mdapplicants.com/viewprofile.php?myid=5601
 
mdavey said:
Hey Everybody,

I have my heart set on going to medical school in Manhattan (Columbia, Cornell, Mount Sinai, NYU) Can you please let me know my chances and if there is anything else I can do to get into one of these schools. Thanks!!!

http://www.mdapplicants.com/viewprofile.php?myid=5601
Click to expand...

Please tell me your kidding with this post. Have you even looked at ur profile? you have a 35 MCAT and a 3.8! Im not even going to talk about ur ECs they are so ridiculous (captain of soccer team? NCAA all american? how many other people can say that? Very few)

Next, have you looked at the average scores for these schools? because i am pretty sure you are above all of them.

Basically, I don't know why you would even question your chances of getting into these schools. From the looks of it, you can get into all of them. Yes they are good schools, but with your stats, you have absolutely NO reason to doubt that you can't get into 1 of these.

PS I don't mean to sound rude, but come on, your stats are great, and I don't think you can possibly do anything to improve them.
 
mdavey said:
Hey Everybody,

I have my heart set on going to medical school in Manhattan (Columbia, Cornell, Mount Sinai, NYU) Can you please let me know my chances and if there is anything else I can do to get into one of these schools. Thanks!!!

http://www.mdapplicants.com/viewprofile.php?myid=5601
Click to expand...

As the previous poster mentioned, you have a killer app, I would just add maybe one or two "safety" schools, albeit your safety school might be NYU :laugh:
 
littlelaura said:
Hey guys... I'm just starting the application process, mostly by reading these forums and freaking out about my chances, and thus constantly changing the list of schools I want to apply to. Therefore, I'd be most appreciative of your advice.

*I'm a rising senior at Rice, majoring in Biochemistry
*3.96 GPA (both overall and science)
*34 MCAT (was kinda disappointed b/c I'd been doing better on the diagnostics in my Princeton Review class but whatevs)
*Various work experiences/leadership/volunteering listed in my MDapplicants profile

The list of schools I'm applying to according to MDapplicants is very likely to change pretty much everyday, except for the 5 Texas schools. I am pretty indecisive and not sure if I should apply to too many reach schools (like UPenn, which I'm pretty intent on applying to, and UC-SF, which seems to have been quite picky in the past) and am looking for some schools that I'd have a pretty decent chance of getting into that are out of state. Also, I'd prefer to stay in the South since I've been here my whole life, and will most likely stay in Texas if they will have me!
Click to expand...

With these scores you could potentially get into any top medical school in the US (a 34 will not limit you, except for may be WashU), so apply broadly to schools you are interesed in attending. Keep in mind that there is an element of randomness to the process, but most of it is now in your hands: how good your essays are and how well you interview. My advice is w/those numbers don't bother applying to too many private schools that are not top tier, as they'll probably throw away your application assuming you'd never go. Then I'd replace those w/more top tier schools in places you'd be interesed in living or places you'd love to attend.

Best of luck but I'm sure you'll have great success!
 
sen said:
With these scores you could potentially get into any top medical school in the US (a 34 will not limit you, except for may be WashU), so apply broadly to schools you are interesed in attending. Keep in mind that there is an element of randomness to the process, but most of it is now in your hands: how good your essays are and how well you interview. My advice is w/those numbers don't bother applying to too many private schools that are not top tier, as they'll probably throw away your application assuming you'd never go. Then I'd replace those w/more top tier schools in places you'd be interesed in living or places you'd love to attend.

Best of luck but I'm sure you'll have great success!
Click to expand...

Oh wow! That is totally opposite from what I was planning to do, which was try to get more middle-of-the-line schools in my lineup (not sure what those would have been).. So far, my out-of-state options look like this: UPenn, Tulane, Michigan, Vandy, UC-SF or USC (I was thinking one Cali school would be enough since they take so few out-of-staters), and maybe St. Louis. I'm hoping that will suffice in addition to 4 Texas public schools + Baylor.

Anyway, thanks so much for your advice 🙂
 
What should I be aiming for as a California resident, UCSD transfer student with around 3.7 GPA (w/ science) and a 32 MCAT (9 verbal, scored 11-12 on diag :<).

Should I not even try for UCSF?

What should I look for out of state?
 
ubermu said:
What should I be aiming for as a California resident, UCSD transfer student with around 3.7 GPA (w/ science) and a 32 MCAT (9 verbal, scored 11-12 on diag :<).

Should I not even try for UCSF?

What should I look for out of state?
Click to expand...
How are you ECs? You GPA is good but the MCAT is average so your EC list can really help. I would look at some mid tieres and a few low-tiers. take a look at NYU, BU, UIC, UoC. For lower tiers maybe Temple, Drexel, Rosalind Franklina, AECOM
 
kevster2001 said:
How are you ECs? You GPA is good but the MCAT is average so your EC list can really help. I would look at some mid tieres and a few low-tiers. take a look at NYU, BU, UIC, UoC. For lower tiers maybe Temple, Drexel, Rosalind Franklina, AECOM
Click to expand...

Yeah I got hosed on the MCAT, I only got to study for 3 weeks. Probably should have waited til this April rather than cram for last year, but it's history now.

A lot of martial arts (bjj, kickboxing, boxing, capoeira)
Undergraduate research
Hospital volunteer
Intern for congressman
Intern at goldman sachs
Piano
 
Hey everyone, my updated MDApplicants profile is in my sig. Take a look and leave comments if you've got time. Although I wouldn't mind going to the mid-west or east coast, my preference would be to go to school somewhere on the west coast (only 3 schools so far). If you think there are any other schools I should look into, west coast or not, please let me know.
 
ypark911 said:
Hey everyone, my updated MDApplicants profile is in my sig. Take a look and leave comments if you've got time. Although I wouldn't mind going to the mid-west or east coast, my preference would be to go to school somewhere on the west coast (only 3 schools so far). If you think there are any other schools I should look into, west coast or not, please let me know.
Click to expand...
Theres really only 3 choices for WA people to stay on the west coast unless you want to do MSTP.
 
mdavey said:
Hey Everybody,

I have my heart set on going to medical school in Manhattan (Columbia, Cornell, Mount Sinai, NYU) Can you please let me know my chances and if there is anything else I can do to get into one of these schools. Thanks!!!

http://www.mdapplicants.com/viewprofile.php?myid=5601
Click to expand...


Hey I checked out your profile and congrats on your scholarship. I checked out the scholarship article and it said your cumulative GPA was a 3.6 though, not a 3.8?
 
bioboy2007 said:
Hey,

I've added my new MDApplicants profile, would love some advice on other schools to apply to, whether my choices are realistic, and of course, some encouragement 😀 !

Cheers.

MD Applicants
http://www.mdapplicants.com/viewprofile.php?myid=5605
Click to expand...
You should add a few reach schools if youre interested. A lot of schools look past the numbers and your ECs are good.
 
kevster2001 said:
You should add a few reach schools if youre interested. A lot of schools look past the numbers and your ECs are good.
Click to expand...

Thanks Kevster!

I've been thinking about adding a few reach schools to my list. As everyone says 'numbers aren't everything' and the application process does seem sort of random...will give it a try for sure
 
littlelaura said:
Oh wow! That is totally opposite from what I was planning to do, which was try to get more middle-of-the-line schools in my lineup (not sure what those would have been).. So far, my out-of-state options look like this: UPenn, Tulane, Michigan, Vandy, UC-SF or USC (I was thinking one Cali school would be enough since they take so few out-of-staters), and maybe St. Louis. I'm hoping that will suffice in addition to 4 Texas public schools + Baylor.

Anyway, thanks so much for your advice 🙂
Click to expand...

Right this process can be a little counter-intuitive at times. I know its hard to directly compare experiences, but I had similar numbers as you and most of non-top 20 schools that I applied to did not interview me (GW, Temple, Jefferson, USC, NYU etc never interviewed me, Georgetown offered me an interview very late (probably a waitlist spot), but two midlle schools did interview/accept me). IN the end I wasted a lot of time and energy applying to these schools which (rightly) assumed that I would not attend. On the other hand, I got interview offers at 11/12 of the top 20 schools I applied to (everyone except for UCSF out of state).

I'm almost 100% sure you'll be able to get into an instate med school, so I'd only apply to private out of state schools taht you're certain you'd attend over an instate option, if I were you. From your list I would keep Penn, Vandy, UMich and I'd say UCSF is worth a try. But think about what you'er looking for in a school (you've got big citie sand college towns, west coast, south, mid-west and northeast on that list, and very different schools with different grading scales and focuses). So think more about what you want (do I want a P/F school, lots of research, lots of international, big city, east coast, small town etc) and add otoher schools like Harvard, Cornell, ,HOpkins, Duke UChicago, Stanford, Pitt etc if you think you might be interested in them.

Good luck and feel free to PM me if you want any more advice.
 
Hey guys,

I was wondering if someone would be able to tell me my chances of getting into New york schools. I am a chem Major, GPA 3.74, just finished my 2nd year in college and am planning to take the mcat this august which is a year in advance for me because I finished all the courses needed. If I got like a 28 would I get in. If not what should I be aiming for. Please let me know.
 
Try the "What are my chances" Thread. There is a link to it in the above "Sticky Goodness". 👍
 
what are my chances of getting in to a school in NY,NJ, Boston if I am a chem major 3.75 gpa and 28 on mcats and volunteer at a hospital and community mosque, in a frat, in a few honors socities.
 
Aatif Tirmizi said:
what are my chances of getting in to a school in NY,NJ, Boston if I am a chem major 3.75 gpa and 28 on mcats and volunteer at a hospital and community mosque, in a frat, in a few honors socities.
Click to expand...
Submit early you will have better chance. Good Luck!
 
Harvard will be a real reach w/ that MCAT but most things will be kosher since your GPA is pretty good
 
Aatif Tirmizi said:
what are my chances of getting in to a school in NY,NJ, Boston if I am a chem major 3.75 gpa and 28 on mcats and volunteer at a hospital and community mosque, in a frat, in a few honors socities.
Click to expand...

I"m going to merge you into the official WAMC thread. Have fun there!
 
MCAT score and the range of schools you should apply to...Say we are only considering MCAT scores with all other factors average.....should the range be +2?

For example....A student scores a 30--should he apply to schools with upto an average of 32 or 33----higher? Any thoughts?

I am thinking +2, but not so sure....thanks everyone!
 
DrVanNostran said:
MCAT score and the range of schools you should apply to...Say we are only considering MCAT scores with all other factors average.....should the range be +2?

For example....A student scores a 30--should he apply to schools with upto an average of 32 or 33----higher? Any thoughts?

I am thinking +2, but not so sure....thanks everyone!
Click to expand...
I think most schools have MCAT averages below 32 so I think your +2 pretty much encompasses everybody. 30 puts you at about average so you would focus more on the mid tiers and lower tiers. but i would'nt count yourself out of teh better programs. ECs go a long ways in some schools
 
kevster2001 said:
I think most schools have MCAT averages below 32 so I think your +2 pretty much encompasses everybody. 30 puts you at about average so you would focus more on the mid tiers and lower tiers. but i would'nt count yourself out of teh better programs. ECs go a long ways in some schools
Click to expand...


Agreed. Depending on my mcat score, I was going to make a list of schools with a +2 range then narrow the list down from their depending on residency, GPA, location, etc....Since I most likely will be applying to a crap load of schools, I want to make sure I get a good mix in--unless I decide to Apply EDP to my number one 🙄
 
DrVanNostran said:
Agreed. Depending on my mcat score, I was going to make a list of schools with a +2 range then narrow the list down from their depending on residency, GPA, location, etc....Since I most likely will be applying to a crap load of schools, I want to make sure I get a good mix in--unless I decide to Apply EDP to my number one 🙄
Click to expand...
Yeah. THere's way too many medical schools with similar numbers to not whittle your list using locations, residency and other factors.
 
kevster2001 said:
Yeah. THere's way too many medical schools with similar numbers to not whittle your list using locations, residency and other
factors.
Click to expand...

:laugh: My initial list was over 50--which I only realized after I looked at it. Ideally I can get a list to around 20ish--but I just might go all out since its my last year applying :scared:
 
Hi,
Just out of curiosity, what do you guys think the chances of getting into any medschool in US with GPA 3.0?

Should i forget and not even take the MCAT? or if there is a slim chance, how well do i need to do on the MCAT?

very hard to figure out what to do...
 
notquiteyet said:
Hi,
Just out of curiosity, what do you guys think the chances of getting into any medschool in US with GPA 3.0?

Should i forget and not even take the MCAT? or if there is a slim chance, how well do i need to do on the MCAT?

very hard to figure out what to do...
Click to expand...

Merging you into the official WAMC thread.

Come on in, the water's fine!
 
:laugh: MM, you crack me up.

notquiteyet, your GPA is pretty low for US med schools, but if you are really set on medical school, there are definitely other ways to boost your app. consider a post-bac pre-med program where you can boost your previous GPA by kicking butt in your classes. if i were you, i'd hold off on the MCAT until you can get your GPA up a bit. just my 2 cents.
 
notquiteyet said:
Hi,
Just out of curiosity, what do you guys think the chances of getting into any medschool in US with GPA 3.0?

Should i forget and not even take the MCAT? or if there is a slim chance, how well do i need to do on the MCAT?

very hard to figure out what to do...
Click to expand...
Go to Africa, "the continent of the low science GPA" as Panda Bear said. And I'm saying this in half-jest. You shoudl boost your ECs by doing something really impressive. Yo ucan also try post-bac to boost your points. Otherwise your chances lie in knocking the MCATs out of the park, 37+ i would say.
 
This is my first post but I've been reading them for quite a while. I'm graduating in 3 with a degree in human biology. I have a 3.9 overall GPA and a 4.0 science taking a TPR MCAT course right now should fall in the mid 30's for the august MCAT. I'm sending my AMCAS in late july but my app wont be complete till those MCAT scores come in. I have some clinical shadowing experience a publication and am involved in many EC's with over 120 hours of volunteering with the disabled. What do you guys think? Thanks for the help.
 
bhattnea said:
This is my first post but I’ve been reading them for quite a while. I'm graduating in 3 with a degree in human biology. I have a 3.9 overall GPA and a 4.0 science taking a TPR MCAT course right now should fall in the mid 30's for the august MCAT. I'm sending my AMCAS in late july but my app wont be complete till those MCAT scores come in. I have some clinical shadowing experience a publication and am involved in many EC's with over 120 hours of volunteering with the disabled. What do you guys think? Thanks for the help.
Click to expand...
just save flaming babies who have AIDS ina 4th world country and get canonized by the Pope, i think you'll be golden.
 
on a more serious note.... i'm thinking that this type of application has been previously talked about earlier in this thread. just search for it... if you have a 4.0, i find it hard to believe that you can't search for something so simple.
 
:laugh: :laugh:

If I had a 4.0 and mid 30s MCAT I'd be stressing when to go on vacation.
 
I suppose getting some peer feedback on my application and list of schools could be helpful. My MDapplicants.com profile is in my signature; I would appreciate whatever perspectives you can offer (either replying in this thread or on my profile).

Thanks in advance
 
Looque said:
I suppose getting some peer feedback on my application and list of schools could be helpful. My MDapplicants.com profile is in my signature; I would appreciate whatever perspectives you can offer (either replying in this thread or on my profile).

Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Add some mid-tier schools. Your app is strong, but not strong enough that you couldn't be rejected from every one of those.
 
TheProwler said:
Add some mid-tier schools. Your app is strong, but not strong enough that you couldn't be rejected from every one of those.
Click to expand...

Yeah, you've confirmed my own thoughts. I guess it's back to perusing med school websites for a while...
 
Looque said:
I suppose getting some peer feedback on my application and list of schools could be helpful. My MDapplicants.com profile is in my signature; I would appreciate whatever perspectives you can offer (either replying in this thread or on my profile).

Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
I'd add a couple of safeties. And I wouldn't bother doing UW and the UC's since you're not instate to either of those and the app itself isn't jaw-dropping-amazing.

Oh and are you aware of the numerous numerous secondary essays Duke asks for? Just make sure you really really want to be in durham, nc for 4 years before you spend all that time writing.
 
hey guys in regards to my last post i know my numbers are golden thanks. I just thought the graduating in 3 and taking the august MCAT of the year i apply might just be bad enough for me not to have good chances? any thoughts? thanks for responding to these so quickly.
 
kevster2001 said:
I'd add a couple of safeties. And I wouldn't bother doing UW and the UC's since you're not instate to either of those and the app itself isn't jaw-dropping-amazing.

Oh and are you aware of the numerous numerous secondary essays Duke asks for? Just make sure you really really want to be in durham, nc for 4 years before you spend all that time writing.
Click to expand...

I wasn't aware of the Duke secondary, so thanks for the heads-up. I'll check it out when it comes in, and hopefully I'll feel good enough about it to fill it out--if I were to go there, I could finish up a Master's along with my MD in 4 years instead of 5, so it could be worth the effort.

Good advice on the UCs, though--I'll drop UCSF and pick up another school somewhere else that's a little more safe. I really like UW, though, and as I'm from a town of about 500 people, I may be able to sell myself for underserved populations well enough for UW to be interested.
 
Looque said:
I wasn't aware of the Duke secondary, so thanks for the heads-up. I'll check it out when it comes in, and hopefully I'll feel good enough about it to fill it out--if I were to go there, I could finish up a Master's along with my MD in 4 years instead of 5, so it could be worth the effort.

Good advice on the UCs, though--I'll drop UCSF and pick up another school somewhere else that's a little more safe. I really like UW, though, and as I'm from a town of about 500 people, I may be able to sell myself for underserved populations well enough for UW to be interested.
Click to expand...

I agree with what everyone else has said. Good applicant but you certainly could be rejected from every school you listed. Get an MSAR and look for schools with numbers lower than yours that also seem interesting and meet several of your other criteria and add about 4-5 of them to your list.
 
ok... so I took my first full-length MCAT practice today got a 13,12,13 = 38, woohoo!! ok, if that stays up what do you guys think about applying with a 3.05 GPA and 3.25 sci GPA... nothing spectacular on the EC front. 33 credits of post-bacc work at a 4.0, horrid undergrad performance with an academic probation red flag for a semester... how broadly should I apply? should I stick to mostly schools outside of the top-50 ? You think anyone would gamble on me in the upper middle tier... cinci, pitt, case western, loyola and the like ? or will it be hard enough to get in anywhere? thoughts?
 
I'd like to throw my hat into the ring. I'm (very) worried about my lack of clinical, and when I recalculated my GPA it turned out I bit lower than I had expected. I'm hoping my hook (being editor of my school's newspaper) will help offset those two. Thoughts?
 
ubermu said:
Hey I checked out your profile and congrats on your scholarship. I checked out the scholarship article and it said your cumulative GPA was a 3.6 though, not a 3.8?
Click to expand...

haha, yea they messed up as far as i know! 🙄
 
mdavey said:
Hey Everybody,

I have my heart set on going to medical school in Manhattan (Columbia, Cornell, Mount Sinai, NYU) Can you please let me know my chances and if there is anything else I can do to get into one of these schools. Thanks!!!

http://www.mdapplicants.com/viewprofile.php?myid=5601
Click to expand...

Goodness! I go to same school as you do. I dont' know who you are, but your numbers are golden! I'm sure you can get in anywhere you want! Congrats on your hard work!!
 
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