Thoughts on my Current School List

[Hypnotoad]

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Hey Guys,
Longtime Non-trad lurker here!
I've been putting my Primary app together and I have been wanting some thoughts on whether I have applied broadly enough to the right types/ range/ tiers of schools.

My Info:

Cgpa: 3.51, BCPM: 3.54 (strong upward trend, 3.0,3.3, 3.83, 3.665), dip in my Senior year, was because my brother died in an accident just prior to my first semester finals)
MCAT: 37Q (12V, 13B, 12P)
Home State: IL
Applying Disadvantaged Student (Family lived on 25,000 for four people from 0-21)

ECs:
Clinical Paid/ Unpaid

280 hours over 2.5 years as a hospital volunteer

1600+ hours as a Student Athletic Trainer (paid, worked directly in rehabilitating injured athletes, alongside sports med Docs)

6 week Volunteering abroad trip- Lived and worked with a mentally disabled community in spanish, taught healthy hygiene, built a sustainable business for them. IMPORTANT: I raised most of the money for this trip by "dumpster diving" for aluminum cans to recycle over the weekends during school

Just Started (this May) working as an outpatient surgery volunteer at local hospital (4 hours a week)

Research
Biochemistry Research as an undergrad- 21 months, grant for summer research, admission in Sigma Xi scientific Honor Society

Currently Working on Human Genetics Research- 40 hours a week, paid, for last 1.5 years, one publication submitted for review in Nature

Random Leadership
President South Asian Society- raised $1300 for a south asian charity, first time that has happened in history of club
Secretary- College Red Cross CLub

Currently working and still shadowing: 100 Hours Shadowing Surgical Oncologist, 15 hours shadowing Internal Medicine Doctor

Random Work:
Cool Experience working as a walmart cashier for 3 months while searching for my current research job. (got to interact with a diverse group of people, talk to them about nutrition, healthy lifestyle choices, etc and see what was one the average person's mind)

Can Only Afford to Apply to 20 schools:

Rosalind Franklin
UIC
Drexel
Jefferson
NYMC
Temple
USC
Jefferson
Tufts
Rush
Loyola
Boston
Einstein
Emory
St. Louis
Mt. Sinai
UCLA
Northwestern
Michigan
Cornell OR Columbia
Pritzker (U Chicago)

Do you guys think this list is broad enough? Top Heavy? Bottom Heavy? Etc. Any advice would be appreciated!!!

 

[octupus]

Hey Guys,
Longtime Non-trad lurker here!
I've been putting my Primary app together and I have been wanting some thoughts on whether I have applied broadly enough to the right types/ range/ tiers of schools.

My Info:

Cgpa: 3.51, BCPM: 3.54 (strong upward trend, 3.0,3.3, 3.83, 3.665), dip in my Senior year, was because my brother died in an accident just prior to my first semester finals)
MCAT: 37Q (12V, 13B, 12P)
Home State: IL
Applying Disadvantaged Student (Family lived on 25,000 for four people from 0-21)

ECs:
Clinical Paid/ Unpaid

280 hours over 2.5 years as a hospital volunteer

1600+ hours as a Student Athletic Trainer (paid, worked directly in rehabilitating injured athletes, alongside sports med Docs)

6 week Volunteering abroad trip- Lived and worked with a mentally disabled community in spanish, taught healthy hygiene, built a sustainable business for them. IMPORTANT: I raised most of the money for this trip by "dumpster diving" for aluminum cans to recycle over the weekends during school

Just Started (this May) working as an outpatient surgery volunteer at local hospital (4 hours a week)

Research
Biochemistry Research as an undergrad- 21 months, grant for summer research, admission in Sigma Xi scientific Honor Society

Currently Working on Human Genetics Research- 40 hours a week, paid, for last 1.5 years, one publication submitted for review in Nature

Random Leadership
President South Asian Society- raised $1300 for a south asian charity, first time that has happened in history of club
Secretary- College Red Cross CLub

Currently working and still shadowing: 100 Hours Shadowing Surgical Oncologist, 15 hours shadowing Internal Medicine Doctor

Random Work:
Cool Experience working as a walmart cashier for 3 months while searching for my current research job. (got to interact with a diverse group of people, talk to them about nutrition, healthy lifestyle choices, etc and see what was one the average person's mind)

Can Only Afford to Apply to 20 schools:

Rosalind Franklin
UIC
Drexel
Jefferson
NYMC
Temple
USC
Jefferson
Tufts
Rush
Loyola
Boston
Einstein
Emory
St. Louis
Mt. Sinai
UCLA
Northwestern
Michigan
Cornell OR Columbia
Pritzker (U Chicago)

Do you guys think this list is broad enough? Top Heavy? Bottom Heavy? Etc. Any advice would be appreciated!!!

I think you will be fine with applying to 20 schools. You've got a good mix in there. Apply early and you shouldn't have a problem.
If you like big city schools, consider adding George Washington or Georgetown to the list.

 

[Mazdave]

Even though your really good MCAT will absolutely help, you've got too many reaches for a cGPA of 3.51. If you're limited to the total number of schools you can apply to, pick just a couple dream schools out of Sinai, NW, Mich, Cornell, Columbia and Chicago and leave off the rest. In particular, if 3.51 is below that school's 10th percentile for GPAs in the MSAR, that's a good reason to take it off unless you have another strong reason to leave it on. Also, some of your safety schools really aren't because even though they're a good fit stats-wise, they get a very large number of applications each year and so are still very much a crapshoot.

I think overall your application looks fine, but I would do a serious overhaul of your school list. Take an hour and sit down with the MSAR and the SDN spreadsheet and start over.

 

[Osteoth]

Even though your really good MCAT will absolutely help, you've got too many reaches for a cGPA of 3.51. If you're limited to the total number of schools you can apply to, pick just a couple dream schools out of Sinai, NW, Mich, Cornell, Columbia and Chicago and leave off the rest. In particular, if 3.51 is below that school's 10th percentile for GPAs in the MSAR, that's a good reason to take it off unless you have another strong reason to leave it on. Also, some of your safety schools really aren't because even though they're a good fit stats-wise, they get a very large number of applications each year and so are still very much a crapshoot.

I think overall your application looks fine, but I would do a serious overhaul of your school list. Take an hour and sit down with the MSAR and the SDN spreadsheet and start over.

I agree with this, your list looks a bit top heavy. If you can stomach it, I would replace those top schools with some lower-tier schools to improve your chances.

 

[Hypnotoad]

I agree with this, your list looks a bit top heavy. If you can stomach it, I would replace those top schools with some lower-tier schools to improve your chances.

So what schools would you guys reccommend??? I Checked the MSAR and besides Cornell, UChicago, and Michigan, the bottom 10% for the reach schools I have listed is right around a 3.5-3.54. I can dump Mich, and Cornell. I have a somewhat unique situation that may make me more desirable to U Chicago, so I am leaving that on there.

But what schools would you reccomend adding to the list.
Bit of a side note: Without giving away too much personal information, lets just say I need to generally apply to schools that also have stellar graduate programs, or a stellar graduate (PHD program) in the same city/ vicinity.

Thanks again guys!

 

[LittleMonster]

I'd dump tufts if I were you - their average debt is super high likely due to the fact that their aid leaves much to be desired.

I'd also try to minimize the number of California state schools as much as you can - if you're not a resident, even with good stats, it's still ridiculously hard to get in out if state.

Personally, I'd suggest considering other mid range state schools (you have a good chunk of private schools in there). Ohio state is pretty good for out of state. Stay away from UNC unless you have some major connection to the state if north Carolina.

But overall, I'd dial back on the reach schools, otherwise you'll likely end up with an option instead of options (like me, lol).

 

[Mazdave]

So what schools would you guys reccommend??? I Checked the MSAR and besides Cornell, UChicago, and Michigan, the bottom 10% for the reach schools I have listed is right around a 3.5-3.54. I can dump Mich, and Cornell. I have a somewhat unique situation that may make me more desirable to U Chicago, so I am leaving that on there.

But what schools would you reccomend adding to the list.
Bit of a side note: Without giving away too much personal information, lets just say I need to generally apply to schools that also have stellar graduate programs, or a stellar graduate (PHD program) in the same city/ vicinity.

Thanks again guys!

Your side note is pretty meaningless -- any major university or metropolitan area is going to have graduate programs, and the quality is entirely field-dependent. Top schools will have certain programs that are pretty average, and schools without big names will have certain fields in which they are very highly regarded.

Schools you might want to look into: Case (anecdotally likes high MCAT scores with good research), Ohio State, Cincinnati, Wake Forest, MCW, Stony Brook, Albany, Vermont, Louisville, VCU, Penn State, Creighton, Toledo, Tulane, Hofstra, Virginia Tech, Arizona