WAMC and how to strengthen my app? (3.85GPA, 518 MCAT)

[mojoboi]

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Hi, just got my mcat score back. I'm looking for advice on what to do now, how to strengthen my app, and what schools I have a chance of getting into?

Here are my stats:

1. cGPA and sGPA: around 3.85-3.90 (Biochem/Cell Bio Major)
2. MCAT: 518 (131/127/130/130)
3. Citizenship: American, born in LA
4. Ethnicity: Asian
5. Undergraduate: UCSD
6. Clinical experience: Volunteer at hospital and rotated through different departments. Lots of patient interaction such as feeding, bathing, taking vitals, helping patients with bedpans/catheters. Also watched surgeries, minimal procedures.
7. Research experience: Stem Cell Therapy/Cancer research for about 800 hours. Will probably have publication by next year, but not sure if I'll have it by when cycle starts
8. Shadowing experience: None
9. Non-clinical volunteering: None
10. Leadership experience: Going to be in my hospital volunteering's executive team.
11. Other extracurricular activities: Intramural Basketball
12. Relevant honors or awards: Provost Honors

I'm probably going to do basketball volunteering in underserved areas as my nonclinical volunteer. Would this be fine? I love playing pickup and would rather do this then volunteer at a food distribution bank or something.

Also, how important is shadowing experience? My hospital internship allows me to be in the OR, does that suffice? Or do I have to actually follow a doctor the whole day?

Do I have a chance at T20 schools? And can yall give me advice on what to do from here on out?

(Sorry for the poor organization, please let me know if you need clarifications)

 

[Med Ed]

Hi, just got my mcat score back. I'm looking for advice on what to do now, how to strengthen my app, and what schools I have a chance of getting into?

Here are my stats:

1. cGPA and sGPA: around 3.85-3.90 (Biochem/Cell Bio Major)
2. MCAT: 518 (131/127/130/130)
3. Citizenship: American, born in LA
4. Ethnicity: Asian
5. Undergraduate: UCSD
6. Clinical experience: Volunteer at hospital and rotated through different departments. Lots of patient interaction such as feeding, bathing, taking vitals, helping patients with bedpans/catheters. Also watched surgeries, minimal procedures.
7. Research experience: Stem Cell Therapy/Cancer research for about 800 hours. Will probably have publication by next year, but not sure if I'll have it by when cycle starts
8. Shadowing experience: None
9. Non-clinical volunteering: None
10. Leadership experience: Going to be in my hospital volunteering's executive team.
11. Other extracurricular activities: Intramural Basketball
12. Relevant honors or awards: Provost Honors

I'm probably going to do basketball volunteering in underserved areas as my nonclinical volunteer. Would this be fine? I love playing pickup and would rather do this then volunteer at a food distribution bank or something.

Also, how important is shadowing experience? My hospital internship allows me to be in the OR, does that suffice? Or do I have to actually follow a doctor the whole day?

Do I have a chance at T20 schools? And can yall give me advice on what to do from here on out?

(Sorry for the poor organization, please let me know if you need clarifications)

Almost any sore of nonclinical volunteerism is fine. What matters is that you do some and you get something out of it.

Given your clinical exposure I would not count shadowing as necessary for you, but if you want to prevent a discussion in committee about how much knowledge you have about the profession it would not hurt to rack up 20+ hours.

You have very good stats, but a couple of sizable holes to fill. I personally don't think you'll get much, if any, traction with T20's. Their application bins are full of people with your numbers and better ECs. Shore up your weak areas and apply early and broadly.

 

[mojoboi]

Almost any sore of nonclinical volunteerism is fine. What matters is that you do some and you get something out of it.

Given your clinical exposure I would not count shadowing as necessary for you, but if you want to prevent a discussion in committee about how much knowledge you have about the profession it would not hurt to rack up 20+ hours.

You have very good stats, but a couple of sizable holes to fill. I personally don't think you'll get much, if any, traction with T20's. Their application bins are full of people with your numbers and better ECs. Shore up your weak areas and apply early and broadly.

I see. Can you expand on what sizable holes I have? Is there anything specific I can do right now to up my chance for T20s? (for instance, what would be examples of better ECs other people have over me?)

 

[Med Ed]

I see. Can you expand on what sizable holes I have? Is there anything specific I can do right now to up my chance for T20s? (for instance, what would be examples of better ECs other people have over me?)

8. Shadowing experience: None
9. Non-clinical volunteering: None

Even when you address these areas your app still looks pretty generic. That's not an insult, most applications look fairly similar.

Your EC's should reflect a cultivation of your interests in the world. Choosing them based on how they look or compare to others is a surefire way to make yourself come off as shallow. Offhand I cannot say you will have zero luck at T20's, the only way to know for certain is to apply. But I can say that your competition at those schools will be a lot of people with your numbers and very compelling experiences and attributes. If you're hellbent on a so-called top school I suggest taking a couple of gap years and doing something unusual, like working overseas.

No matter what you do, it will help to balance your application. If the bulk of your app revolves around metrics and research then you may find yourself frozen out of schools all up and down the rankings, albeit for different reasons.

 

[ObjectiveBoba]

for instance, what would be examples of better ECs other people have over me?

Do you have any output from your research experience? Research is usually a common way people at the T20s separate themselves from other students.

In terms of research, an applicant at the T20s may have poster presentations at regional/national conferences, or even a publication (or more). A student not pursuing a research-heavy application may create a niche for him/herself in terms of teaching or volunteering (e.g. beginning an NPO or mentorship program). Many also have extensive leadership experiences, either as a mentor to other students or holding positions in a club or other organization for a few years. A subset of the T20s may also have received prestigious scholarships (e.g. Rhodes, Marshall), although those are fairly few.

I would have to agree your application as stated above looks fairly generic, although I am sure you are presenting a condensed view of your ECs and not the entire picture.

 

[Goro]

Hi, just got my mcat score back. I'm looking for advice on what to do now, how to strengthen my app, and what schools I have a chance of getting into?

Here are my stats:

1. cGPA and sGPA: around 3.85-3.90 (Biochem/Cell Bio Major)
2. MCAT: 518 (131/127/130/130)
3. Citizenship: American, born in LA
4. Ethnicity: Asian
5. Undergraduate: UCSD
6. Clinical experience: Volunteer at hospital and rotated through different departments. Lots of patient interaction such as feeding, bathing, taking vitals, helping patients with bedpans/catheters. Also watched surgeries, minimal procedures.
7. Research experience: Stem Cell Therapy/Cancer research for about 800 hours. Will probably have publication by next year, but not sure if I'll have it by when cycle starts
8. Shadowing experience: None
9. Non-clinical volunteering: None
10. Leadership experience: Going to be in my hospital volunteering's executive team.
11. Other extracurricular activities: Intramural Basketball
12. Relevant honors or awards: Provost Honors

I'm probably going to do basketball volunteering in underserved areas as my nonclinical volunteer. Would this be fine? I love playing pickup and would rather do this then volunteer at a food distribution bank or something.

Also, how important is shadowing experience? My hospital internship allows me to be in the OR, does that suffice? Or do I have to actually follow a doctor the whole day?

Do I have a chance at T20 schools? And can yall give me advice on what to do from here on out?

(Sorry for the poor organization, please let me know if you need clarifications)

As per the wise Med Ed's advice, get in service to others less fortunate than yourself. And yes, you should target the Really Top Schools. But you need the ECs to go along with the stats.