WAMC: 3.46 cGPA; 2.9-->3.3 sGPA; 508 MCAT; URM

[cherrycola2001]

Hi All! I'm applying for the upcoming cycle and wanted some opinions on which schools to add to my list

cGPA and sGPA: 3.46 and 2.9 --> 3.3 (large upward trend); finishing Post-Bacc at same undergrad school
MCAT score(s): 501 --> 508
State of residence: Pennsylvania
Ethnicity and/or race: URM; Black; Adopted; 1st Gen College Student
Undergraduate institution: Ivy League known to be rigorous for pre-med students
Clinical experience: 1140 hours as a clinical research assistant, 500 hours as a lab assistant
Working experience: worked a part-time job as a server throughout college
Shadowing experience: very minimal; 7 hours pediatrics, 8 hours gynecology
Non-clinical volunteering/leadership: 300 hours as co-leader of an art club; 700 hours at a soup kitchen; 200 hours at a local community center that provides help to PA residents with applying for housing/medical/food resources
Hobbies: painting, hiking
Extenuating circumstances: Grades dropped significantly during my sophomore year due to my biological mom passing, I got a D in Molecular Bio and later retook it during my post-bacc with an A; also received C's in Bio 1 and Chem 1, but A's in Orgo and B+ in biochemistry

Current School List (most are low yield for me according to MSAR):

Howard
Drew
Rush
Wright
Morehouse
Meharry
Michigan State

Low Yield:

Stryker
Loyola Stritch
UIllinois
Robert Larner UVermont
Quinnipac
Wisconsin
WVU
Albany

Reach af but some are my state schools so idk??:

Temple
Geisinger
Drexel
Penn
Thomas Jefferson
GW (ties to DC)
Rutgers
Oakland
Rosalind
Tulane

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[Mr.Smile12]

Are there linkage agreements with the postbac program? Were you ever involved in prehealth clubs supporting minority aspiring applicants? Did you ever participate in programs like SHPEP or attended SNMA recruitment events including their national meeting? Any membership with mentoring organizations for Black aspiring physicians? (We have posted some announcements on our URM forum.)

My first impression is great on the non-clinical volunteering, but you must have more patient-facing experiences. Shadowing should be a bit higher, and your clinical experience should include other patient-serving experiences (not clinical trials as they are subjects). Know what it is like to work in academic hospital settings since that's where you will be "living" for most of your early education.

 

[Faha]

You need another 30 hours of physician shadowing before you submit your application. You also need 150+ hours of clinical volunteering with patient contact that does not involve research. I suggest these schools if you obtain those hours:
Howard
Meharry
Morehouse
Charles Drew
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Penn State
Commonwealth Geisinger
Pittsburgh
West Virginia
Vermont
Quinnipiac
Albany
New York Medical College
Hackensack
George Washington
Georgetown
Eastern Virginia
Wake Forest
Emory
Miami
Tulane
St. Louis
Rosalind Franklin
Oakland Beaumont
Wayne State
Indiana