Too many schools. Please help!!

[bkprodigy]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I get my MCAT score back on 6/1, but I'd like to get the school list ready so that I can submit early.

-Maryland Resident
-projected MCAT: 35-40 R/S
-cGPA: 3.02, sGPA: 3.12 after 3 semesters of grade repair
-post-bac GPA: 4.0 (54 credits of upper level science)

EC
-Research: 3 years of full-time research at one lab
-pre-clinical swine surgery/neurosurgery
-immunological assays
-GLP certified

-Publication
-first author journal to be published in Journal of Neurotrauma (1 year worth of research)
-first author abstract/poster published and presented at National Brain Injury Congress
-2nd author journal published in Cytokine
-co-author journal published in Artificial Cells, Blood Substitute, and Biotechnology
-co-author journal published Injury
-co-author journal published in XXX journal..(forgot which one)
-couple more co-authored journals to be published
-15 poster presentations
-1 podium presentation

Shadowing (few months)
-internal medicine rotation
-infectious disease clinic

LOR (6 total)
-2 science professor letters
-4 research, clinical related MD and PhD letters

Volunteering
-Emergency room volunteer (~70 hours, plan to more in summer)
-International medical volunteer in HIV infirmary (~75 hours in Costa Rica)

Teaching/Leadership
-Teaching Assistant in Endocrinology (conducted review sessions etc)
-Biology/Chem Tutor for 3 semesters

Further GPA fix
-SMP in Gtown or Drexel this fall
-Will update schools with 1st semester grade

School List (ones I desire to attend are bolded,again I'm Maryland resident)
I plan to apply to ~20 schools early and broad. Please let me know if there's anything I have 0% chance on so I can weed out. Or if there's any school I should add to the list.

Thank you in advance

1.Baylor
2.Brown University
3.Case-western
4.Creighton
5.Drexel
6.Duke
7.Eastern Virginia
8.Georgetown
9.Johns Hopkins
10.Loyola
11.New York Medical College
12.Temple
13.University of Buffalo-Suny
14.University of Chicago
15.University of Cincinnati
16.University of Maryland
17.University of Miami
18.University of Virginia
19.Virginia Commonwealth
20.Wake Forest
21.Albert Einstein
22.Nova Southeastern
23.Penn State
24.Rosalind Franklin
25.University of Pittsburgh

 

[sector9]

20.University of Texas

Are you talking about Houston, San Antonio, or Southwestern (I'm guessing you mean Houston)?
You might want to rethink any of them, TBH. Texas only accepts <10% OOS.
Also, I'm assuming that you already know that you would need to fill out TMDSAS (unless you're applying to MD/PhD?) which is already open and accepting applications

 

[bkprodigy]

I wasn't aware of that. Thanks for the info!

 

[giraffe17]

might as well take off UMass. They basically don't accept OOS (have to have to have lived in MA for five years after college, etc).

otherwise maybe add SLU (pretty big on international health i think), consider U of Pittsburgh if your cum gpa (including postbacc) is decent - they love research which you obviously have a lot of.

also while I wouldn't say you should get rid of them necessarily, places like georgetown, BU, and tufts get a TON of applicants each year, and maybe aren't worth applying to if you don't fit their mission statements very well. so check out the number of applicants the schools you want to apply to receive - if it's over 10K seriously consider whether or not it's worth your $100.

my final piece of advice to you, which i think you already have covered pretty well, is to make sure you don't just stick to east coast/big city schools. i found i got a lot more interviews at schools in less desirable locations. just anecdotal though.

 

[bkprodigy]

might as well take off UMass. They basically don't accept OOS (have to have to have lived in MA for five years after college, etc).

otherwise maybe add SLU (pretty big on international health i think), consider U of Pittsburgh if your cum gpa (including postbacc) is decent - they love research which you obviously have a lot of.

also while I wouldn't say you should get rid of them necessarily, places like georgetown, BU, and tufts get a TON of applicants each year, and maybe aren't worth applying to if you don't fit their mission statements very well. so check out the number of applicants the schools you want to apply to receive - if it's over 10K seriously consider whether or not it's worth your $100.

my final piece of advice to you, which i think you already have covered pretty well, is to make sure you don't just stick to east coast/big city schools. i found i got a lot more interviews at schools in less desirable locations. just anecdotal though.

Thanks for the advice. I'll re-think about BU and tufts. I may be doing Gtown SMP so I'll keep that for the time being.

Is there any other research favoring school you would recommend?

Honestly, I'll be happy if I get into my state school (UMD).
They're cheap, rising, and have awesome shock trauma.
800 applicants, 200 accepted.
I know it's a long shot to any school with my gpa, but you think I have a decent shot at UMD?

 

[bkprodigy]

bump for the opinion of Catalystik👍

 

[Catalystik]

I know it's a long shot to any school with my gpa, but you think I have a decent shot at UMD?

Sorry, I have no special insight into Maryland's application review process. Chances in general should wait for the MCAT score release, but I think that having an SMP on tap is a good plan, and applying to other schools that are affiliated with SMPs is wise.

Also, keep beefing up the clinical experience, look for a leadership opportunity, and plan on some regular off-campus, nonmedical community service for a cause you care about. The teaching looks good, though, and the research is superb.

 

[bkprodigy]

Sorry, I have no special insight into Maryland's application review process. Chances in general should wait for the MCAT score release, but I think that having an SMP on tap is a good plan, and applying to other schools that are affiliated with SMPs is wise.

Also, keep beefing up the clinical experience, look for a leadership opportunity, and plan on some regular off-campus, nonmedical community service for a cause you care about. The teaching looks good, though, and the research is superb.

Thank you,

I'll come back for the last min. opinion on 6/1. I'll apply this cycle and see what happens.
Hopefully, If the MCAT comes back high, some of the research heavy schools will look at my app. favorably.
Do you think my list is more or less ok?

 

[Catalystik]

Yes. It never hurts to include dream schools as long as there are plenty of more realistic choices.