Waiting for MCAT scores, but...

[IDLess]

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3.89 GPA @ UC Riverside transfer to UC Berkeley
MCAT: 34Q (12 BS/10VR/12PS)

Sports med internship with Cal Football - patient care/doctor shadowing 5-40 hours/week 1 year
Athletic trainer for summer sports camps - patient care, paid, 40 hours/week 1 summer
Founding secretary of UCR rugby club - leadership
Lots of rugby playing - 6 hours/week for years with many dfferent clubs
1 year research in biomed cancer lab @ UCR
1 summer research internship - paid, 40 hours/week, culminating in 1 oral/poster presentation at UCR conference
6 months lab assistant in nutrition/metabolism lab @ Cal, with strong LOR - strong interest in nutrition, metabolism, fitness
No publications
Habitat for Humanity - volunteer work, 2.5 years @ UCR and Cal
Conversation partners - speak with international students to improve their English - volunteer work, 1 year @ UCR
UC Regents scholar @ UCR 2 years
Dean's List - 2.5 years
ER volunteer work - 70 hours
EMT certified before college - finally putting it to use to work but only after I apply so I won't be putting it on my application

LORs - 2 are definitely strong, from my major adviser at Cal, and the post-doc at my research lab at Cal. I have two more coming in for a total of 6. They are not definitely strong, with two from my sports med internship boss and upper division bio professor being decent at worst. The others are pre-requisite professor LORs that I got as last resorts. They are nice professors but my lack of a relationship with them may show.

I plan to apply to Californian schools, minus Loma Linda. After that, I am clueless as to where to apply. I like the idea of living in New York, Oregon, Florida, and Colorado so I might apply there solely based on location.
Honest opinions, please. Where should I apply outside of CA?

 

[JJMrK]

3.89 GPA @ UC Riverside transfer to UC Berkeley

Sports med internship with Cal Football - patient care/doctor shadowing 5-40 hours/week 1 year
Athletic trainer for summer sports camps - patient care, paid, 40 hours/week 1 summer
Founding secretary of UCR rugby club - leadership
Lots of rugby playing - 6 hours/week for years with many dfferent clubs
1 year research in biomed cancer lab @ UCR
1 summer research internship - paid, 40 hours/week, culminating in 1 oral/poster presentation at UCR conference
6 months lab assistant in nutrition/metabolism lab @ Cal, with strong LOR - strong interest in nutrition, metabolism, fitness
No publications
Habitat for Humanity - volunteer work, 2.5 years @ UCR and Cal
Conversation partners - speak with international students to improve their English - volunteer work, 1 year @ UCR
UC Regents scholar @ UCR 2 years
Dean's List - 2.5 years
ER volunteer work - 70 hours
EMT certified before college - finally putting it to use to work but only after I apply so I won't be putting it on my application

LORs - 2 are definitely strong, from my major adviser at Cal, and the post-doc at my research lab at Cal. I have four more coming in for a total of 6. They are not definitely strong, with two from my sports med internship boss and upper division bio professor being decent at worst. The others are pre-requisite professor LORs that I got as last resorts. They are nice professors but my lack of a relationship with them may show.
Consider not sending letters that you know won't be great.

I feel like my ECs are average, with my success highly contingent on my MCAT score. I get my MCAT score at the end of the month. I also realize the seeming lack of comittment and continuity in my ECs. Looking back, it was mainly because transferring between schools was such a disruptive process that required adjustments and time.
Sounds about right to me. Pull a high MCAT score and you're sittin' pretty.

I plan to apply to Californian schools, minus Loma Linda. After that, I am clueless as to where to apply. I like the idea of living in New York, Oregon, Florida, and Colorado so I might apply there solely based on location.
Honest opinions, please. Where should I apply outside of CA?
I'd drop Florida, as they don't take many people OOS. NY schools are a good bet, but which ones depends on your MCAT. Oregon only has one school and they take a few OOS, but you'll need a decent MCAT to get in there. Forget about Colorado. Ridiculous OOS tuition and a low % accepted. Focus on private schools in NY, Chicago, Boston, and midwest.

Once you get your score you can really start putting together a list.

 

[chessknt]

Apply to SUNYs, creighton, Virginia schools, SLU, and a few other safeties. If your MCAT is high, go ahead an apply to reach schools too.

 

[sarahl86]

You're gonna have to look into private schools (Rosalind Franklin, SLU, Loyola, etc. etc) and some of the midwest state schools that tend to be OOS-friendly. Like you said, a lot depends on your MCAT score but you have some good experiences. I think you have demonstrated long-term commitment to several of them, so don't worry about that.

 

[IDLess]

OK great, all sounds good to me except for the bad news about Florida and Denver. Was not dying to go to either, but they sounded like good states to be in for four years.

JimmerJammerMrK, I would not send possibly weak letters if I had options but unfortunately I don't. Good looking out though.

So I will do a bit of research regarding private schools that are OOS friendly. Thanks all. I have one question. What are some of the more affordable private schools that are OOS friendly?

 

[talbo]

UMiami takes a decent number of californians, there are quite a bit from ucla n cal from what I heard on my interview date and from my friend who goes there, so I would apply there. good luck.

private schools that are OOS friendly include temple, drexel, nymc, jefferson, pitt, and there are more.

 

[IDLess]

So Florida is not completely out of reach. Nice to know. Good place to rock the Cal Emerald Bowl gear I got too!

 

[IDLess]

Just got MCAT score: a balanced 34 Q. Original post updated.