urm 3.4/3.3 wamc

[swizzl58]

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[Faha]

You have very good EC's and that will be a strong aspect of your application. Work on increasing your GPA in the coming year. If your MCAT is at least 508 you will competitive for many MD schools.

 

[Catalystik]

I have began my rough drafts of my AMCAS activites section in my free time this summer...I have a significant leadership role in my research lab since being one of the most experiences and active research assistants. I am responsible for recruiting patients from local hospitals, training new research assistants on biochemical tests, data cleaning, data analysis, etc. Is this significant enough to make a separate "leadership" section? I am designating my research position as one of my most meaningful experiences, but I am not sure if I will have enough room to mention these roles.

Considering your leadership roles, and the need to have adequate space to describe them, I'd say separating out those separate hours and dates from the overall Research entry is a fine idea.

 

[swizzl58]

@LizzyM Any additional input? Thank you

 

[LizzyM]

Come back when you have an MCAT score. Until then, I've nothing to add that hasn't been said above.

 

[swizzl58]

Come back when you have an MCAT score. Until then, I've nothing to add that hasn't been said above.

Decided to take a gap year and not apply 19-20 cycle. Updated the ECs above for what they will be by the time i apply (mainly more hours on activities ill
be continuing). Scored 513 on the mcat.

What schools should I aim for? @LizzyM

 

[LizzyM]

Put everything into WARS and see what comes up. Err on the side of humility when it comes to describing your acheivements with the WARS instrument. Let us know what the Magic 8 ball WARS says.

 

[swizzl58]

Put everything into WARS and see what comes up. Err on the side of humility when it comes to describing your acheivements with the WARS instrument. Let us know what the Magic 8 ball WARS says.

WARS is either 74 or 79 depending on what my final GPA is

I’d love to apply to as many CA schools that I’d have a chance at and Duke as a reach. Also will include state schools and some HBCUs. School list suggestions? Thanks @LizzyM @Goro

 

[LizzyM]

WARS is either 74 or 79 depending on what my final GPA is

I’d love to apply to as many CA schools that I’d have a chance at and Duke as a reach. Also will include state schools and some HBCUs. School list suggestions? Thanks @LizzyM @Goro

Read this thread. Go back to WARS and determine whether you should focus on schools in categories 4-6 (I think that you should).

How did WARS work for you?

if you applied in 2018, did you use WedgeDawg's Applicant Rating System (Updated Jan 2017) ? If yes, how did that work for you? Asking for a friend.

forums.studentdoctor.net

Come back with a first draft of your list. You should be fine for the HBCU med schools. CA schools wil be a stretch because they have so many strong applicants to choose from. Are you from the Central Valley by any chance? There may be programs specifically recruiting AA men and it might help to attend a pre-med fair in your area and talk to representatives of the schools there.

 

[swizzl58]

Read this thread. Go back to WARS and determine whether you should focus on schools in categories 4-6 (I think that you should).

How did WARS work for you?

if you applied in 2018, did you use WedgeDawg's Applicant Rating System (Updated Jan 2017) ? If yes, how did that work for you? Asking for a friend.

forums.studentdoctor.net

Come back with a first draft of your list. You should be fine for the HBCU med schools. CA schools wil be a stretch because they have so many strong applicants to choose from. Are you from the Central Valley by any chance? There may be programs specifically recruiting AA men and it might help to attend a pre-med fair in your area and talk to representatives of the schools there.

State/Low: SUNY Downstate, SUNY Upstate, Stony Brook, Buffalo, NYMC, Rosalind Franklin, UCLA Drew, Morehouse

Mid: USC-Keck, Rochester, Einstein, Hofstra, UNC, Mt Sinai

Reach: UCSF, Columbia, Duke, UCLA Geffen, NYU, Cornell, Emory

No, I'm not from central valley. This is what I have so far, slightly deviated from WARS by adding a couple extra category 1 and 2s after seeing the success of AAs with similar scores at those schools in the thread you listed. I am a FAP recipient so I can afford to add some more low tier schools if necessary. What do you think?

 

[LizzyM]

That's a reasonable list and not so many that you will get secondary application fatigue.

 

[swizzl58]

Thanks! @Goro do you have any suggestions for my school list?

 

[Goro]

State/Low: SUNY Downstate, SUNY Upstate, Stony Brook, Buffalo, NYMC, Rosalind Franklin, UCLA Drew, Morehouse

Mid: USC-Keck, Rochester, Einstein, Hofstra, UNC, Mt Sinai

Reach: UCSF, Columbia, Duke, UCLA Geffen, NYU, Cornell, Emory

No, I'm not from central valley. This is what I have so far, slightly deviated from WARS by adding a couple extra category 1 and 2s after seeing the success of AAs with similar scores at those schools in the thread you listed. I am a FAP recipient so I can afford to add some more low tier schools if necessary. What do you think?

Add Howard, Meharry

 

[swizzl58]

Add Howard, Meharry

Will do, thanks. I have seen you give the “rockstar” list to applicants similar to myself, but it seems like most of them have done very well in a post bacc. Do you think I need to complete one to be more competitive at the mid/upper tiered schools? Or is there anything else I can do to strengthen my app in the upcoming year (besides good grades, which Im ofcourse working on)? @Goro

 

[Goro]

Will do, thanks. I have seen you give the “rockstar” list to applicants similar to myself, but it seems like most of them have done very well in a post bacc. Do you think I need to complete one to be more competitive at the mid/upper tiered schools? Or is there anything else I can do to strengthen my app in the upcoming year (besides good grades, which Im ofcourse working on)? @Goro

We need African-American doctors. Trust me

 

[swizzl58]

We need African-American doctors. Trust me

Not 100% sure how to interpret this in regards to my question but ill take it as good feedback thanks @Goro

 

[swizzl58]

my only other question is if its okay for me to bypass my prehealth comittee and submit individual LORs. Last year I was basically denied of a letter based on my GPAs (as per my prehealth advisor) and she said even if I improve they would only write one for me to apply strictly to DO schools. This played a large role in me taking a gap year and postponing my MCAT, but even with the 513 and slightly improved GPA they will likely say the same thing this year. I go to a public university, not a super well known school. @gonnif @Goro

 

[Goro]

my only other question is if its okay for me to bypass my prehealth comittee and submit individual LORs. Last year I was basically denied of a letter based on my GPAs (as per my prehealth advisor) and she said even if I improve they would only write one for me to apply strictly to DO schools. This played a large role in me taking a gap year and postponing my MCAT, but even with the 513 and slightly improved GPA they will likely say the same thing this year. I go to a public university, not a super well known school. @gonnif @Goro

Yeah, that's fine.

 

[Ogichi]

Hey, I just wanted to reach out and say best of luck with your future cycle. On paper, we are the same as far as GPA/MCAT/ethnic background is concerned and I had a few similar questions. It may be a bit premature of me to say this since I have no acceptances (I just started interviewing this month), but my cycle is going well so far.

Feel free to PM me questions including a school list of where I have been extended interview offers. Your list and mine has a ton of overlap. Not to be arrogant, but it might surprise you lol. It's really so random it almost does not make sense. Keep your head up and I can't stress enough... apply early! I was complete July 25 - Aug 8th for all 37 MD programs. Try to be earlier than that, if possible. Competition is crazy out here fam.