WAMC - CA ORM 3.7/520 MD Schools

[Jguywheewhoo]

Hello, below I've listed what I believe to be the relevant information as well as my current school list. I appreciate all comments and guidance towards revising this school list. I've talked to some other sources as well including peers and others that may be more familiar with admissions, but I decided that gathering more input wouldn't hurt. If more information is needed, please let me know and I'll provide it. I understand there are a lot of schools listed, but I am apprehensive given that I am a CA ORM applicant with subpar GPA.

a note: I made the decision to not to apply to DO out of laziness in a sense? (Would need to find and shadow a DO during this pandemic and get a letter from the DO. As well as write applications for DO schools). I was also following advice from WARS and lurking on the forums, and don't think I need to apply to DO schools. However, if you believe that it would be best for me to apply to DO schools as well, please correct me on that and let me know. Thank you. I apologize for poor formatting, I am not used to forums.

1. cGPA and sGPA as calculated by AMCAS or AACOMAS
   3.7x cGPA / 3.7x sGPA
   
   
2. MCAT score(s) and breakdown
   520 - 132/129/129/130
   
   
3. State of residence or country of citizenship (if non-US)
   CA
   
   
4. Ethnicity and/or race
   Southeastern Asian ORM
   
   
5. Undergraduate institution or category
   Decent University in California, UC system
   
   
6. Clinical experience (volunteer and non-volunteer)
   170 hrs over 1yr at hospital volunteer in geriatrics
   Employment: 800 hrs over 1 yr at doctor's office (surgery) - MA
   
   
7. Research experience and productivity
   650 hrs over 2 years at basic science lab, 2 poster presentations at school, leader position in lab during second year
   400 hrs over 1 year at clinical research lab, 1 abstract published in international conference brochure
   120 hrs over 1 year at clinical research lab,
   80 hrs over 6 mons at clinical research, possible publication/presentation during application cycle
8. Shadowing experience and specialties represented
   300 hrs / 2 yrs- Primary Care
   20 hrs - Geriatrician
   10 hrs - Radiology
   
   
9. Non-clinical volunteering
   150 hrs over 3 yrs playing music at nursing homes
   80 hrs over 8 months at food banks and distribution sites
   
   
10. Other extracurricular activities (including athletics, military service, gap year activities, leadership, teaching, etc)
    Employment: 250 hrs / 9 mons instructor at prep company for small class, 100 hrs tutor 1on1 for same company
    
    Hobbies: tennis, learning some other languages, but no involvement in clubs or any other stuff on campus.
    
    
11. Relevant honors or awards
    Just typical school awards, nothing special
    
    
12. Anything else not listed you think might be important
    Employment: 150 hrs at dentist office - Recruitment, Advertisement, etc. Not sure where to put this or to even add it to my application.

School List:

California North State University

California University of Science and Medicine (CUSM)

University of California, San Francisco UCSF

Stanford University

University of California, Davis UCD

Loma Linda

University of Califrnia, Irvine UCI

University of California, Los Angeles UCLA

University of California, Riverside UCR

University of California, San Diego UCSD

Kaiser Permanente SOM

Keck SOM USC

Northwestern University The Feinberg School of Medicine

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine

Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Sciences

Medical College of Wisconsin MCW Milwaukee

University of Michigan Medical School

Western Michigan University Homer Stryker MD School of Medicine

Wayne State School of Medicine

Wake Forest School of Medicine

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine

Duke University School of Medicine

University of Maryland School of Medicine

George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences

Georgetown University School of Medicine

University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

Ohio State University College of Medicine

Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine

University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry

University of Miami Leonard M Miller School of Medicine

University of Flordia College of Medicine

USF Health Morsani College of Medicine

University of Central Florida College of Medicine

Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine

Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University.

University of Colorado

Eastern Virginia Medical School

Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine

Boston University

Emory University School of Medicine

Iowa

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Missing insight about other activities that have nothing to do with medical school, such as other employment, hobbies, activities involving your university peers. Breakdown MCAT subscores.

What's the status of networking with admissions officers and current students at the schools that you highly desire to attend? Have you registered for tomorrow's AAMC Virtual Fair?

Maybe it's me, but that's a ton of schools. Also a fair number of public schools where you're coming in OOS. Being from California, I think you have the numbers to draw attention in those OOS schools, but I don't feel that there's a particular focus in the non-CA part of the list. I don't know how long you've lived in California, but do you have an idea what it's like to live outside of CA … say in Iowa or K-zoo (Western Michigan)?

No your numbers suggest that you don't need to apply DO (shadowing a DO as a requirement is only good for a small number of DO programs), but there are nuances to the schools you have on the list that you will easily be striking them off as instructed by others who will join in this analysis. It's not clear that you appreciate those nuances from your list.

 

[m1redsox]

I agree. I don't think you have any need to apply to 43 schools when, in the end, you will most likely end up at a UC school. You probably have a decent shot at these schools since your MCAT is high, but I would remove:

Iowa
Colorado
Florida
UCF
UNC
UCR (unless you are from Riverside county)

because they all have strong regional bias. And while you're at it, I would also remove the low-yield schools like Loyola Stritch and Rosalind Franklin.

 

[Jguywheewhoo]

Missing insight about other activities that have nothing to do with medical school, such as other employment, hobbies, activities involving your university peers. Breakdown MCAT subscores.

What's the status of networking with admissions officers and current students at the schools that you highly desire to attend? Have you registered for tomorrow's AAMC Virtual Fair?

Maybe it's me, but that's a ton of schools. Also a fair number of public schools where you're coming in OOS. Being from California, I think you have the numbers to draw attention in those OOS schools, but I don't feel that there's a particular focus in the non-CA part of the list. I don't know how long you've lived in California, but do you have an idea what it's like to live outside of CA … say in Iowa or K-zoo (Western Michigan)?

No your numbers suggest that you don't need to apply DO (shadowing a DO as a requirement is only good for a small number of DO programs), but there are nuances to the schools you have on the list that you will easily be striking them off as instructed by others who will join in this analysis. It's not clear that you appreciate those nuances from your list.

Thanks for the reply.
1. I've added the breakdown of the MCAT subscores to the original post. 132-129-129-130. I think that's even. There's a lack of employment history and other activities involving my university because I was frankly a shut-in in a sense. I joined a club or two, went to an activity or so, but never really continued any of those clubs. No upward trend or anything in GPA.

2. For networking with admissions officers and current students at schools I highly desire to attend, there is none on my part. What do you recommend I should do or where I can look into that further? I'll register right now for that fair. Is there any recommendations on what I should be trying to figure out from that fair?

3. I know that's a lot of schools. One of the pieces of advices that I've commonly been receiving is to apply broadly... So I tried to apply broadly. I have visited other cities, but don't know too much of how it would be to live there for a long duration and I haven't seen their medical school campuses either. It would be difficult to travel right now, but maybe I'll look into virtual tours or something of that sense. This may come across as naive, but I'm not too worried about living in new places since I don't feel like I can afford to be picky.

 

[Jguywheewhoo]

I agree. I don't think you have any need to apply to 43 schools when, in the end, you will most likely end up at a UC school. You probably have a decent shot at these schools since your MCAT is high, but I would remove:

Iowa
Colorado
Florida
UCF
UNC
UCR (unless you are from Riverside county)

because they all have strong regional bias. And while you're at it, I would also remove the low-yield schools like Loyola Stritch and Rosalind Franklin.

Hello! Thanks for your reply.

How many schools do you think would be a good number. I have a high number since I realize I will need to cull down this list. Do you have any recommendations for figuring out which schools I would have good "fit" for? Maybe look at the school specific threads?

Also for those schools that have strong regional bias: Can these biases be seen on MSAR? I did try to look into the regional biases, for example I don't believe that University of Colorado doesn't have regional bias : (86 IS / 94 OS) matriculants according to MSAR. If there's a different way I should be looking at MSAR data or elsewhere, please let me know! I agree about UCR though, but just based on what I've heard and not any statistics that there is a strong bias for the Inland Empire.

EDIT: Also I'm not confident in even getting into one of the UC schools, I've heard that they're really competitive since there's so many of us. Of course I would love to stay in California, but the chances seem to be slim.

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

Why CNU?

 

[Jguywheewhoo]

Why CNU?

Hello, by CNU do you mean University of North Carolina?
To be frank, I was just trying to build a good list and it seemed like a good school. However, others are pointing out that it may be a poor choice so I may remove it. Would I need strong ties or other factors to apply to this school?

EDIT: Whoops I responded about the wrong school. For CNU, I was thinking of applying there because, well, it's a California school. I've heard mixed things about it both on here, other forums, and from peers.

 

[m1redsox]

Hello! Thanks for your reply.

How many schools do you think would be a good number. I have a high number since I realize I will need to cull down this list. Do you have any recommendations for figuring out which schools I would have good "fit" for? Maybe look at the school specific threads?

Also for those schools that have strong regional bias: Can these biases be seen on MSAR? I did try to look into the regional biases, for example I don't believe that University of Colorado doesn't have regional bias : (86 IS / 94 OS) matriculants according to MSAR. If there's a different way I should be looking at MSAR data or elsewhere, please let me know! I agree about UCR though, but just based on what I've heard and not any statistics that there is a strong bias for the Inland Empire.

EDIT: Also I'm not confident in even getting into one of the UC schools, I've heard that they're really competitive since there's so many of us. Of course I would love to stay in California, but the chances seem to be slim.

Good point, Colorado and Iowa aren’t as bad as the others. But yes, generally you can get a feel for a school’s bias on MSAR. Honestly, I would start by just looking at schools in locations you’d be interested in. For example, Western MI, MCW, VCU, and EVMS didn’t really interest me. The UCs are competitive, but they love taking students from within the UC system, and your MCAT is very competitive. I bet you will get IIs at multiple UCs.
The user above is referring to California Northstate University (CNU). It has a terrible reputation on SDN because they’re the first for-profit MD school. When I interviewed there, I thought it was just fine. It’s a newer school so its match lists are on the level of a DO program, but there’s nothing wrong with having a few safeties.

 

[Jguywheewhoo]

Good point, Colorado and Iowa aren’t as bad as the others. But yes, generally you can get a feel for a school’s bias on MSAR. Honestly, I would start by just looking at schools in locations you’d be interested in. For example, Western MI, MCW, VCU, and EVMS didn’t really interest me. The UCs are competitive, but they love taking students from within the UC system, and your MCAT is very competitive. I bet you will get IIs at multiple UCs.
The user above is referring to California Northstate University (CNU). It has a terrible reputation on SDN because they’re the first for-profit MD school. When I interviewed there, I thought it was just fine. It’s a newer school so its match lists are on the level of a DO program, but there’s nothing wrong with having a few safeties.

I hope I do get those II's .

@Goro, @LizzyM, @Faha , I'd appreciate if any of you could find the time to give me some feedback on what schools aren't needed or other schools that may be good to look at. Also what applications on my list may just be donations to that school?

 

[m1redsox]

I hope I do get those II's .

@Goro, @LizzyM, @Faha , I'd appreciate if any of you could find the time to give me some feedback on what schools aren't needed or other schools that may be good to look at. Also what applications on my list may just be donations to that school?

You should use the WARS score to assemble a list

 

[Goro]

I hope I do get those II's .

@Goro, @LizzyM, @Faha , I'd appreciate if any of you could find the time to give me some feedback on what schools aren't needed or other schools that may be good to look at. Also what applications on my list may just be donations to that school?

Here is what I recommend (and CNU is NOT recommended!)

NYU
Vanderbilt
WashU
Yale
JHU
U Chicago
U Penn
Northwestern
Columbia
Harvard
Stanford
Mayo
Cornell
Sinai
BU
U VA
Duke
Case
ALL UCs , UCR (IF you’re from the Inland Empire)
Albert Einstein
Hofstra
Ohio State
Pitt
U Cincy
USF Morsani
Baylor
Dartmouth
Rochester
USC/Keck
Western MI
Emory
Jefferson
Miami
SLU
Tufts
U IA
U VM
Kaiser
CalU MD

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Thanks for the reply.
1. I've added the breakdown of the MCAT subscores to the original post. 132-129-129-130. I think that's even. There's a lack of employment history and other activities involving my university because I was frankly a shut-in in a sense. I joined a club or two, went to an activity or so, but never really continued any of those clubs. No upward trend or anything in GPA.

Honestly, that's going to be an issue. Nothing wrong with being a bookworm, but medical school is (annoyingly) full of team-based learning and activities. You have to actually enjoy being around your peers, especially during the trying times. Maybe you can address this with your interview. Maybe it will show up as a problem. People have to like having you around. Your clerkship directors grading you during your 3rd and 4th years and contribute to your dean's letter for residency will want to enjoy having you around.

 

[LeaveNoTrace]

Your ECs are up to snuff. You're nothing special with respect to volunteering, but you've got enough and you've had some clinical experience. And your stats are excellent. Goro's busted out the rockstar list; it's an excellent place to start.