Too many good schools?

[FulfilledDeer]

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So I was rejected from Cornell earlier today. Which in and of itself is totally fine....but I started to worry that my list of schools is too ambitious. I was hoping someone might give me some perspective on this so I can stop thinking about this and focus on work?

I have a 3.84 AAMC GPA (if you don't look at high school it's 3.974) and a 38Q, theater major. Solid LOR. Decent-good EC's. 0 research. My list was severely restricted because of my wife going back to school for an MFA.

Columbia
Cornell
NYU
Sinai
Einstein
Brown
UPenn
WashU
CU (resident)

...and I think that's it. Some other ones which I now realized I was more confident with had to be removed for program (MFA) issues. Anyway, I would really appreciate it if someone could give me an outside perspective. Thanks!

 

[Whatyousay]

0 research. My list was severely restricted because of my wife going back to school for an MFA.

Columbia
Cornell
NYU
Sinai
Einstein
Brown
UPenn
WashU
CU (resident)

The problem is that you're applying to a bunch of research-oriented programs with no research (Columbia, UPenn, Sinai, and WashU immediately jump out).

Your stats are great, but unless your other ECs somehow pair up with the educational missions of these schools, you might have some issues. Do you have any major leadership / teaching type ECs?

 

[FulfilledDeer]

Yeah, I do. A lot of my EC's are teaching. TA for 2 years, tutoring for 5 years, hired to be an athletic tutor after I graduated, a year of volunteer teaching theater to a middle school that lost their arts teacher, substituting for statistics department teachers at the university level when they were sick, and for this year I'm teaching high school science (which is pretty fun).

But I see what you mean about the research schools thing....

 

[starsocks]

I agree with whatyousay about research. It sounds like you have great stats though, and I'm sure schools will take your nontrad path into account. I wouldn't be worried just yet 🙂 It's still not too late in the cycle to throw in some safety schools though, even if you are restricted by your wife's schooling.

 

[drizzt3117]

I think the issue isn't too many good schools as much as not enough good schools. Lack of research is also a potential issue.