WAMC (2022/2023): 3.7 cGPA, 3.62 sGPA, 516 MCAT, CA Resident, UCLA, Nontraditional

[healthEngineer]

Hi. I am planning to apply to medical schools in 2022 and I’m interested what schools I should target
given the information below. Any input would be appreciated.

1) cGPA 3.7, sGPC: 3.62​

2) MCAT: 514 [130, 124, 130, 130] (8-26-2021) to 516 [131, 126, 130, 129] (9-3-2021)​

a) I knew I messed up on CARS so I decided to retake. Practice tests were around 518 so​

considering retaking again in early 2022 to increase chances at top-tiers.​

3) State: CA​

4) Disadvantaged status: First-generation college student. Background of familial hardships with​

parental drug abuse, low-income. Grew up in a small rural town with around 3k people and 1 town
medical doctor.​

5) B.S. in mechanical engineering from University of Kansas (KU). Currently 3rd year graduate​

student finishing M.S. in bioengineering at UCLA (expected August 2022).​

6) Clinical experience: paid scribe starting Nov 2021, about 180 hours by June 2022​

7) Clinical volunteering: 50 hours in psychiatric inpatient facility​

8) Shadowing: 24 hours in Family Medicine​

9) Non-clinical volunteering: 50 hours engineering a wheelchair-accessible kayak for an individual​

with paraplegia. 50 hours engineering an electric car for FSAE at KU.​

10) Research: Mostly bioengineering-focused, 2 poster presentations and 2 talks in undergrad, no​

publications.​

a) Proposed and led an independent undergraduate research project to develop intracortical​

brain implants with a novel anti-inflammatory coating. Implanted these devices in rats to​

determine effectiveness. Results were mixed and not significant enough for publication.​

b) In graduate school I took on a 1-month project to develop software for analyzing heart-rate​

variability, handed it off to another graduate student so I could focus on coursework. No​

graduate publications, talks, or poster presentations yet.​

i) Now more interested in becoming a doctor than performing engineering research.​

11) Other extracurricular activities: 50 hours in Toastmasters International (public speaking club),​

McNair Scholars Program​

12) Relevant honors or awards: National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, KU​

undergraduate research award ($1000 scholarship)​

I would really like to stay at UCLA, but I am also interested in the other California schools and OOS
schools with low or no tuition.
Medical School Chance Predictor | ProspectiveDoctor Gives the following
recommendations for my schools of interest:

*Far reach
Wash. U
Weill Cornell

*Reach
UCSF
OSU
Kaiser Permanente

*Target
UCLA
UCI
UCSD
KU
Penn State

*Undershoot
UCD

I will apply to more schools, but this is my list so far. Any recommendations? Are the school
recommendations by prospectivedoctor.com accurate for me? What area(s) should I improve on the
most to increase my chances at UCLA or a free medical school?

Thanks for reading!

--Adapted from post by fairtradechocolate--

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[Faha]

I suggest these schools with your stats:
Vermont
Quinnipiac
Tufts
Albany
New York Medical College
Hofstra
Einstein
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Penn State
George Washington
Eastern Virginia
Virginia Commonwealth
Wake Forest
NOVA MD
Miami
Tulane
TCU-UNT
Carle Illinois (you fit their profile)
Medical College Wisconsin
Western Michigan
Oakland Beaumont
Kansas
Kaiser
California University
USC Keck
The UCs (except Riverside unless you are from that region)

 

[healthEngineer]

I suggest these schools with your stats:
Vermont
Quinnipiac
Tufts
Albany
New York Medical College
Hofstra
Einstein
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Penn State
George Washington
Eastern Virginia
Virginia Commonwealth
Wake Forest
NOVA MD
Miami
Tulane
TCU-UNT
Carle Illinois (you fit their profile)
Medical College Wisconsin
Western Michigan
Oakland Beaumont
Kansas
Kaiser
California University
USC Keck
The UCs (except Riverside unless you are from that region)

Thank you for the recommended list. What should I focus on to increase my chances at UCLA, Kaiser, WashU, or the other tuition-free schools? Is it worth retaking the MCAT?

 

[healthEngineer]

I would greatly appreciate any input from @Goro @LizzyM @gyngyn as well. Do I have a chance at the tuition-free schools? If not, what areas are high-yield to increase my chances?

 

[LizzyM]

You aren't a likely candidate for the tuition-free schools but some schools might surprise you by offering a generous scholarship given that you are first gen and rural. I don't make lists... not my thing, but I think that the lists provided above are a good start.

 

[gyngyn]

Do I have a chance at the tuition-free schools? If not, what areas are high-yield to increase my chances?

A chance, yes (at Carle perhaps).
Otherwise, like everyone else, your best bet is to maximize your chances of success by applying to every OOS private school with a median MCAT of 515 and those public schools with a hx of matriculating a significant number of OOS applicants.

 

[MawbleIM]

You aren't a likely candidate for the tuition-free schools but some schools might surprise you by offering a generous scholarship given that you are first gen and rural. I don't make lists... not my thing, but I think that the lists provided above are a good start.

Is this first gen for college in general? I was a first gen for a 4 year but wasn’t rural. Is there a list somewhere of which schools are more generous with scholarships?

 

[Goro]

UCSF
Kaiser Permanente
UCLA
UCI
UCSD
KU
UCD

You need more nonclinical volunteering. Worth with people who are less fortunate than you.
I recommend the above, and also:
SLU
NovaMD
Hofstra
Netter
U VM
TCU.UNT
The Philly Triplets
U Rochester
Einstein
Gtown
GWU
creighton
Emory
U Miami
Tufts
Loyola
Tulane
Rosy Franklin
U Pitt
Mt Sinai
Albany
NYMC

 

[LizzyM]

Grew up in a small rural town with around 3k people and 1 town

medical doctor.​

​

This will show up on the AMCAS application if you complete the optional section on your childhood hometown. You could choose to check the disadvantaged box and note the lack of medical providers in your town. that you are first gen is obvious if you enter your parents names, etc and highest education attained.

I don't know of any lists of schools that are particularly friendly to applicants like yourself and generous with aid. One of the UCs is particularly open to applicants from the Imperial Valley.... someone will refresh my memory on that.... maybe friendly to other Californians with rural roots, too.

 

[healthEngineer]

This will show up on the AMCAS application if you complete the optional section on your childhood hometown. You could choose to check the disadvantaged box and note the lack of medical providers in your town. that you are first gen is obvious if you enter your parents names, etc and highest education attained.

I don't know of any lists of schools that are particularly friendly to applicants like yourself and generous with aid. One of the UCs is particularly open to applicants from the Imperial Valley.... someone will refresh my memory on that.... maybe friendly to other Californians with rural roots, too.

I think this is in response to MawbleIM's post (#7), but still good to know what to include in the disadvantaged section. Thank you.

Are you thinking of UCR? I'm from rural KS so I don't know if I should apply to UCR if they are selective for applicants from rural CA.

 

[LizzyM]

My error. I got mixed up between OP and @MawbleIM.

 

[Doctoscope]

I think this is in response to MawbleIM's post (#7), but still good to know what to include in the disadvantaged section. Thank you.

Are you thinking of UCR? I'm from rural KS so I don't know if I should apply to UCR if they are selective for applicants from rural CA.

There's no point applying to UCR unless you have real ties to the region (other than simply being from CA).