WAMC 3.73 cGPA, 512 MCAT

[zako05]

Stats + ECs:
1. 3.73 cGPA, 3.78 sGPA (1 failed lab in chem, took again w A+, 1 W in last semester due to having lost interests in the course, it was a history course); heavy upwards trend
2. First MCAT: 509 (127,127,129,126)
Second MCAt: 512 (130,124,128,130)
3. FL resident, got a BS in biomedical sciences
4. White, emigrated 4 yrs ago from eastern europe, 23 yo
5. 210+ hours of clinical volunteering
6. 1500+ hrs of research, publication coming soon, won awards for a poster
7. 40 hrs shadowing a neurologist in private practice
8. 30 hrs of red cross volunteering..
9. Peer leading experience in organic chem
10. Had a scholarship in college for a 1400 SAT
11. I checked the disadvantage box, as my brothers and i had to work almost full time for the first two years to contribute to the family income when we emigrated here, and i also wrote about dealing w recurring symptoms of juvenile RA (not sure if thats appropriate); no doctors in the family; parents make less than 25k a year
12. Taking CASPer on 6/25, worried about it bc im a slow typer

Thats pretty much it. As a reapplicant I will have a gap year, the opportunities I have considered for it are: SMP at Georgetown if they give me a scholarship so I can afford it; train to become an EMT and work full time from ~ December; or work as a medical scribe and focus on volunteering.

What do you guys think my chances are for getting into these schools?
1. Univ of South Florida (reapp)
2. Univ of Florida
3.Florida International Uni (reapp)
4. U of Miami
5. Florida State U
6. U of Central Florida
7. Florida Atlantic U
8. Nova
9. Drexel (reapp)
10. Temple (reapp)
11. Tufts (reapp)
12. Harvard (i got a letter from them stating that based on my mcat and economically disadvantaged status i should apply so why the heck not lol)
13. Rush (reapp)
14. Rosalind Franklin (reapp)
15. U of Vermont
16. Virginia Commonwealth
17. Tulane (reapp)
18. Wayne state
19. Wake forest

Also thinking about west virginia and eastern virginia med school, but i dont want the app to get too expensive, FAP pays 16

I will also be applying to a few DOs, prob around 5:
Lake erie, nova, pcom, and not sure about the rest

I really would appreciate a few comments on my chances for the listed schools, a few suggestions for MD and DO programs to consider, and also on how to spend my gap year, thank you guys lots!

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[Dr. Meliodas]

The best thing would probably be just work as an EMT for the year. SMPs are expensive and its a big risk because if you do poorly (<3.6) you would hurt your chances for MD. Also the wise thing to do would be to apply after completing an SMP not during.

Not sure why you did not apply to all your state schools the first time around. This is like the number one rule when applying to medical school. Your have a good app.

When was the last time you applied? Did you receive any interviews? If so where? Were you placed on any waitlist?

 

[zako05]

The best thing would probably be just work as an EMT for the year. SMPs are expensive and its a big risk because if you do poorly (<3.6) you would hurt your chances for MD. Also the wise thing to do would be to apply after completing an SMP not during.

Not sure why you did not apply to all your state schools the first time around. This is like the number one rule when applying to medical school. Your have a good app.

When was the last time you applied? Did you receive any interviews? If so where? Were you placed on any waitlist?

Thank you for your reply!

My last year application was very unusual, I was having doubts whether I wanted to go into medicine immediately after college, so I did not take the cycle as seriously as I should have. I completed my app for most schools mid-September, and I also did not have my vast amount of research hours, so in short, my previous application seemed weak to me. I was not convinced I could get in anywhere.

I applied last year and I did not get any interview invites. I only completed the applications for only half of the schools that I sent primaries to, so I cant say I was surprised.

This time around, I feel confident and determined, but I do worry about my low CARS section, and my lack of community service.

 

[Faha]

You can remove Harvard. I suggest adding these schools:
Seton Hall
New York Medical College
Quinnipiac
George Washington
Georgetown
Loyola
St. Louis
Creighton
Eastern Virginia
West Virginia
You are competitive for all DO schools so apply to at least 6 that appeal to you.

 

[Dr. Meliodas]

Thank you for your reply!

My last year application was very unusual, I was having doubts whether I wanted to go into medicine immediately after college, so I did not take the cycle as seriously as I should have. I completed my app for most schools mid-September, and I also did not have my vast amount of research hours, so in short, my previous application seemed weak to me. I was not convinced I could get in anywhere.

I applied last year and I did not get any interview invites. I only completed the applications for only half of the schools that I sent primaries to, so I cant say I was surprised.

This time around, I feel confident and determined, but I do worry about my low CARS section, and my lack of community service.

Glad you feel more confident and determined, make sure that shows in your personal statement and activity descriptions.

The low CARS score is but one aspect looked at the rest of your app is good and you did score a 127 on CARS the first time. Not sure how each individual medical school would look at this. From what is said around SDN schools average OVERALL MCAT scores not sure how they look at individual sections across multiple test.

Lacking non-clinical volunteering (community service) is a big negative. Being a physician is a service based profession, you need to demonstrate this in your app. It is never to late to start volunteering. On the AMCAS you can report as future hours as long as you are sure you will continue it. You can then send updates throughout the cycle sharing the hours you've done and what you've learned from them. I put down future hours in my app this past cycle and it turned out really well. I was asked about the activity during my interviews and was able to speak passionately about it.

 

[zako05]

You can remove Harvard. I suggest adding these schools:
Seton Hall
New York Medical College
Quinnipiac
George Washington
Georgetown
Loyola
St. Louis
Creighton
Eastern Virginia
West Virginia
You are competitive for all DO schools so apply to at least 6 that appeal to you.

Thank you, I will definitely apply to a few DOs, but I have a financial limit that cannot really be stretched.

As for Georgetown, I read on their website that if you have an MCAT section score lower than 125, than you are not competetive. It hit me hard because Georgetown is extremely appealing to me, but I dont want to waste money on schools where I have no shot. So yeah, probably should take Harvard out.

GW is another school that would be in my top 5 choices, however I read somewhere that they are focused on community service. I am not sure if you can comment on that, but if you think that I should still apply there, despite the comm service, I will seriously consider it. Again, the main issue is that I dont really have the means to spend on unlikely schools :/

 

[Goro]

Harvard cynically sends that message out to tons of people.

You do NOT need a SMP...your essays probably need work. Rewrite all of them and have as many eyeballs vet them (native English speakers only).

I suggest:
Rochester (maybe)
Hofstra (maybe)
Albert Einstein (maybe)
U Toledo
Dartmouth
U VM
Miami
Tufts
George Washington
Georgetown
SLU
Albany
Rush
Rosy Franklin
NYMC
MCW
VCU
EVMS
Wake Forest
Netter
Jefferson
Temple
Drexel
Creighton
Tulane
Loyola
Unifored Services University/Hebert (just be aware of the military service commitment)
Oakland-B
Seton Hall
Nova MD
Your state schools
Any DO program. I can't recommend Touro-NY, Nova, Wm Carey, LUCOM, for different reasons. MSUCOM? Read up on Larry Nasser and you decide.

 

[Faha]

Your background as an immigrant could help you at Georgetown and George Washington.

 

[zako05]

Harvard cynically sends that message out to tons of people.

You do NOT need a SMP...your essays probably need work. Rewrite all of them and have as many eyeballs vet them (native English speakers only).

I suggest:
Rochester (maybe)
Hofstra (maybe)
Albert Einstein (maybe)
U Toledo
Dartmouth
U VM
Miami
Tufts
George Washington
Georgetown
SLU
Albany
Rush
Rosy Franklin
NYMC
MCW
VCU
EVMS
Wake Forest
Netter
Jefferson
Temple
Drexel
Creighton
Tulane
Loyola
Unifored Services University/Hebert (just be aware of the military service commitment)
Oakland-B
Seton Hall
Nova MD
Your state schools
Any DO program. I can't recommend Touro-NY, Nova, Wm Carey, LUCOM, for different reasons. MSUCOM? Read up on Larry Nasser and you decide.

Thank you for your time, I suspected that the letter from Harvard did not mean much, but I guess I wanted to believe.

SLU seems a little out of my reach, but I took a look at Dartmouth and it looks really exciting, I might actually have a chance at an Ivy league school, never wouldve thought. I probably will not bother with the SMP, just put $1500 towards an EMT training and make that money back and more over the year.

Grateful for your suggestions, they were immense help, though I couldve done without the information about that Larry Nasser guy.

 

[zako05]

Your background as an immigrant could help you at Georgetown and George Washington.

I will try my luck! Thank you for your input.

 

[Goro]

Thank you for your time, I suspected that the letter from Harvard did not mean much, but I guess I wanted to believe.

SLU seems a little out of my reach, but I took a look at Dartmouth and it looks really exciting, I might actually have a chance at an Ivy league school, never wouldve thought. I probably will not bother with the SMP, just put $1500 towards an EMT training and make that money back and more over the year.

Grateful for your suggestions, they were immense help, though I couldve done without the information about that Larry Nasser guy.

Why do you think SLU is out of your reach???? Are you confusing them with WashU?

 

[zako05]

Why do you think SLU is out of your reach???? Are you confusing them with WashU?

Ohh yeah i was confusing them, whoops. I do have another question that applies here. I took Bio I and English Comp II online, should I still consider the schools that MSAR says do not accept online completion of these required courses? SLU, for example, does not accept them.

 

[Goro]

Ohh yeah i was confusing them, whoops. I do have another question that applies here. I took Bio I and English Comp II online, should I still consider the schools that MSAR says do not accept online completion of these required courses? SLU, for example, does not accept them.

*sigh* I can't sugar coat this:

What part of "do not accept online completion of these required courses" is too difficult to understand?

 

[zako05]

*sigh* I can't sugar coat this:

What part of "do not accept online completion of these required courses" is too difficult to understand?

I was thinking that there might be a way around it. I completed a number of higher level Bio courses, and I completed my Honors Thesis with flying colors, so do you think I could substitute the basic bio and english courses for these higher level ones?

 

[Goro]

I was thinking that there might be a way around it. I completed a number of higher level Bio courses, and I completed my Honors Thesis with flying colors, so do you think I could substitute the basic bio and english courses for these higher level ones?

I see your point; You'll have to ask them!

 

[zako05]

I see your point; You'll have to ask them!

I will. Thank you for your help, it is very generous of you to help random pre-meds!