WAMC (3.81, 516 FL ORM)

[sicklepickle1]

Hi everyone! I am applying for the upcoming 2025-2026 cycle, and would like advice on a school list or to correct anything for my application. This is what my application will likely look like when I send it out in June 2025 (so some hours are estimated based on the hours I am currently putting in)

Stats:

cGPA: 3.81, sGPA: 3.74
MCAT: 516 (128/128/129/131)
PREview: 8 (planned to apply last cycle, but changed my mind; this score is from a few months ago, but I was told it is still valid for the June 2025 cycle)
State of residence: FL
Ethnicity and/or race: ORM
Undergraduate: T30, B.A. in Psychology (Minors in Chemistry and Child Mental Health)
Gap Years: 2 years upon matriculation (graduated in May 2024)

Clinical Experience: 1400 hrs

• During undergrad:
  • Pediatrics MA (250 hrs)
  • Emergency Department Volunteer (220 hrs)
• During gap year:
  • Ophthalmologist technician (700 hrs, projecting 2400 hrs)
    • has not started yet, but I was already hired and will replace the current technician when they leave
  • Hospice Volunteer (120 hrs, projecting 300 hrs)
  • Free Clinic Volunteer (110 hrs, projecting 180 hrs)

Research Experience: 520 hrs (during undergraduate, and a little into post-graduate, but has ended now)

• Affective Neuroscience Lab (520 hrs)
  • Volunteer research assistant
  • 1 poster presentation at undergraduate conference

Shadowing Experience: 110 hrs

• During undergrad:
  • Ophthalmologist (40 hrs)
  • Neurologist (40 hrs)
• During gap year:
  • Internal Medicine (15 hrs)
  • Family medicine (15 hrs)

Non-Clinical Volunteering: 800 hrs

• During undergrad:
  • Crisis Text Line (250 hrs)
  • Food pantry (50 hrs)
    • Have some leadership, as I led some of my own projects with this organization
  • Social awareness project (40 hrs)
    • Spread awareness about voter suppression during the 2020 presidential election
• During gap year:
  • Volunteer tutor at a nonprofit for low income special needs children (410 hours, 250 hrs projected)
    • remote position, so it started during undergrad, but is continuing into post-grad
    • received 2 volunteer awards from this nonprofit (not major awards)
    • leadership: serve on the board committee as a tutor relationships coordinator
  • Sports with special needs children (50 hrs, 50 projected)

Misc/Leadership:

• Position in my undergraduate student council for a semester (60 hrs)
• Hobbies: cooking/baking/running

Awards:

• Dean's List
• Cum Laude
• Honors scholar
• Psi Chi International Psychology Honors Society
• 2x volunteer awards from one of the nonprofits as mentioned before

LORs:

• Biology Lab prof (Mid); Neuroscience prof (Strong); Developmental psychology prof (Strong)
• MD I worked with (Strong)
• Volunteer Coordinator at hospital I volunteered at (Strong)
• Committee Letter

Current School List:
UMiami, FAU, UCF, UF, USF, Nova Southeastern, FIU, FSU, Albert Einstein, Hofstra, NYMC, Icahn, Stony Brook, UCLA, UCI, UCSD, UCSF, Rosalind Franklin, UChicago, Rush, Boston University, Emory, Hackensack, UPitt, Georgetown, Loyola, Creighton, Wayne State, VCU, Eastern Virginia

I'm looking for more suggestions to build up my school list and find schools that my application may particularly appeal to. I am open to applying to a bunch of schools just to ensure this is a one and done for me. Any school list suggestions or advice on my application would be appreciated!

Notes About Me:
Lots of my interests and passions lie in mental health and working with disadvantaged children due to my own personal life experiences. Hopefully this is reflected in my activities, as I will talk about it in my apps as well!

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[sicklepickle1]

@Goro @LizzyM @Faha would love to hear from any of you if you have spare time, any of your wisdom and advice would be appreciated 🙂

 

[Mr.Smile12]

• Ophthalmologist technician (700 hrs, projecting 2400 hrs)
  • has not started yet, but I was already hired and will replace the current technician when they leave

I'm confused... how do you have 700 hours if you haven't started yet?

Also, this is anticipated for a 2025 submission? You aren't currently applying?

I'm ambivalent about how you are building your service orientation profile. It's still heavily centered around tutoring, even if it is for special needs students. You only have 50 hours of food pantry work, but why not continue it during your gap years? As it stands, this profile is weak and subjects you for getting screened out at most schools. You definitely have too few hours for Rush, the Jesuit schools, and some of the competitive brands on your list IMO.

 

[sicklepickle1]

I'm confused... how do you have 700 hours if you haven't started yet?

Also, this is anticipated for a 2025 submission? You aren't currently applying?

Oh my bad, I had a note at the top but it got deleted. I am applying for the 2025-2026 cycle, and this is what my application will look like when I send it out. I estimated the 700 hours because I was already hired for the position and know what my weekly hours will be when I start

 

[sicklepickle1]

I'm confused... how do you have 700 hours if you haven't started yet?

Also, this is anticipated for a 2025 submission? You aren't currently applying?

I'm ambivalent about how you are building your service orientation profile. It's still heavily centered around tutoring, even if it is for special needs students. You only have 50 hours of food pantry work, but why not continue it during your gap years? As it stands, this profile is weak and subjects you for getting screened out at most schools. You definitely have too few hours for Rush, the Jesuit schools, and some of the competitive brands on your list IMO.

I moved after I graduated, so I couldn't continue the food pantry volunteering at the place I was originally at. I considered reintroducing the food pantry volunteering after I moved, but then I got the coordinator position at the special needs tutoring nonprofit, and decided it was worth the increased time investment for me personally. I could figure out a way to make more room for the food pantry volunteering though if that's where my app is a little weak!

For now, do you have any school suggestions if my app isn't particularly strong for service oriented schools?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I moved after I graduated, so I couldn't continue the food pantry volunteering at the place I was originally at. I considered reintroducing the food pantry volunteering after I moved, but then I got the coordinator position at the special needs tutoring nonprofit, and decided it was worth the increased time investment for me personally. I could figure out a way to make more room for the food pantry volunteering though if that's where my app is a little weak!

For now, do you have any school suggestions if my app isn't particularly strong for service oriented schools?

I'll let others give you school lists. What I can say is that being interested in children (including special needs) and mental health doesn't help you narrow your school list. You need to show you can keep up with other applicants in the pool who are likely to become students and your future peers. The service orientation hours are the most significant challenge you have IMO.

 

[Faha]

I suggest these schools with your stats:
Miami
USF Morsani
Florida State
U Florida
Central Florida
Florida Atlantic
Florida International
NOVA MD
Emory
Wake Forest
Virginia Commonwealth
Eastern Virginia
George Washington
Georgetown
Jefferson
Drexel
Temple
Pittsburgh
Hofstra
Einstein
Boston University
Tufts
Western Michigan
Rosalind Franklin
St. Louis
Creighton
Tulane

 

[LizzyM]

Agree with above.

 

[Goro]

Agree with above.

Ditto