Thoughts on my list of schools (First Post)

[Doctorby2020]

Hello everyone,

I have been on SDN a lot but haven`t seen a post that specifically addresses my application. I was hoping I could get some brief advice on my school list based on my scores + ECs. From what I see, my biggest weaknesses are the 9 in Verbal and mediocre ECs. Trying to make up for this with a brilliant PS. Thanks!

Personal Info: Mixed Race (Not URM), Male, California Resident
Major: BS Cell & Molecular Biology, BS Anthropology
School: Middling Private School
cGPA: 3.7
sGPA: 3.75
MCAT: 514 (13,9,11,13)

Letters of Rec: 2 science, 1 nonscience, 1 employer, 1 committee (to the best of my knowledge these are good letters)

ECs: Research - 300hrs; Clinical Volunteer - 500hrs; Work (NonClinical) - 1250hrs; Volunteer (NonClinical) - 120hrs; Shadowing - 40hrs
Other ECs: Public Def. Office - 550hrs; Radio Host - 400hrs; Leadership (Club President + IM Sports Official) - 350hrs; Public Speeches/Conferences Attended - 20hrs

My list (22 schools):

Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Baylor College of Medicine
Boston University School of Medicine
Columbia University College of P & S
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Emory University School of Medicine (top choice)
Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth

George Washington University Sch of Med & Hlth Sci
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Keck Sch. of Med.University of Southern California
New York University
Oregon Health and Science University
The University of Miami School of Medicine
Tufts University School of Medicine
UCLA/Drew Medical Education Program
University of California San Diego
University of California San Francisco

University of California, Davis School of Medicine
University of California, Irvine- College/Medicine

University of California-Riverside School of Medicine

Vanderbilt University School of Medicine

Weill Cornell Medicine

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[piii]

Way way way too top heavy, setting yourself up for failure. Add some more mid tier schools and add some "low" tiers as well, like 5. Take out a few of the reaches: Cornell, Vandy, definitely oregon, NYU, Columbia, Baylor.

 

[Doctorby2020]

Thanks, taking off Columbia, Vandy, and UCLA/Drew and adding Temple, Wake Forest, John A Burns, Rush. I heard Oregon is a little easier on out-of-staters than most medical schools

 

[womanofscience]

Thanks, taking off Columbia, Vandy, and UCLA/Drew and adding Temple, Wake Forest, John A Burns, Rush. I heard Oregon is a little easier on out-of-staters than most medical schools

Unless you are HI resident or have strong ties to the region, do not apply to Burns School Of Medicine. They have a strong predilection to in-state and strong in-state ties students.

 

[piii]

Thanks, taking off Columbia, Vandy, and UCLA/Drew and adding Temple, Wake Forest, John A Burns, Rush. I heard Oregon is a little easier on out-of-staters than most medical schools

Honestly wouldn't bother with Burns or Oregon.

I suggest adding some schools like Jefferson, Miami, MCW, SLU, Tulane, UVM. Some lower tiers like Quinnipiac, OUWB, Albany, CMS.

 

[WedgeDawg]

Moving to WAMC

 

[gyngyn]

I count 4 schools on your original list where you have a fair to good chance at an interview (5 if you are from the IE).
That is not nearly enough for a CA applicant.
Your list needs to target schools that accept at least 20% OOS and preferably get <10K applications and where the median MCAT is 33 or less.
You can easily eliminate 10 from your original list without reducing your chance of acceptance. There are some good suggestions for replacements above.

 

[Ioannes Paulus]

That 9 is going to hurt you, especially because it is the Biological Sciences score.
You might also be screened off from a few schools irregardless of the total.
Sorry 🙁