WAMC (I really want to get into Harvard)

[bombor10]

I want to know if you all think my school list is too ambitious or if you guys think I have a shot. Also, if you believe I should add any more schools (I'm mostly looking for global health). I was expecting a higher MCAT, but my score dropped on the real thing But, I am feeling a bit more confident because I just got an NYU interview and a UCSF secondary.

MA resident, Trad, ORM (but grew up low-income in rural Appalachia) / Biology Major/ Spanish Minor / Small private school in TN

Stats:

• 3.99 cGPA / 4.00 sGPA / MCAT: 518
• LM 76
• WARS 97

Research Experience:

• ~3000 hrs neuroscience
  • Research technician at Harvard (now)
  • REU at Albert Einstein College of Medicine
  • Summer research at Vanderbilt
  • Independent projects at home institution
• 200 hrs Global Health research (Harvard)

Publications/Abstracts/Posters:

• 1 Publication in Nature
• 1 presentation at a conference for neurobiology research at Harvard
• 5 presentations at home institution and Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Clinical Experience:

• 400 hours paid Patient Care Technician float pool at hospital
• 300 hours as the student leader to a free clinic (also translated Spanish)

Physician Shadowing:

• 110 hours (Primary Care, Neurosurgery, CT surgery, Nephrology, Endocrinology, Pedi surg, Ortho surg, Otolaryngology)

Non-Clinical Volunteering

• 300 hours Founded and started the "Dumpster drive" at my uni to save good items from being trashed during moveout and took them instead to Goodwill
• 100+ hours food pantry
• Taught English to Spanish kiddos in Spain

Other Extracurricular Activities/Leadership/Honors:

• Service coordinator for Harvard Partners in Health Club
• President for college Improv Club
• President of college Film Society
• Study abroad in Spain (learning medical spanish)
• Study abroad in Costa Rica (ecology trip)
• National Model United Nations
• Service Coordinator for Alpha Epsilon Delta pre-health national honor society.
• Member of Beta Beta Beta national Biology honors society
• Member of Alpha Chi national honor society
• Member of Sigma Delta Pi Spanish national honor society
• Dean’s List
• Winner of top award my uni gives
• Won research presentation awards
• freshman writing award
• Honors scholarship

Other Employment

• Chemistry TA/Tutor
• Biology TA
• 1000+ hours as a photographer (freelance and for school)

LORs (some combination of)

• Dean from Harvard Medical School whom I did global health research
• PI from Harvard (very well known at HMS)
• PI from Albert Einstein College of Medicine
• PI from Vandy
• My faculty advisor who knows me very well
• Some other faculty who know me personally

Medical School List: (a bit ambitious)

• Harvard
• Stanford
• Yale
• NYU
• Columbia
• Brown
• Cornell
• Mt Sinai
• JH
• Vanderbilt
• Duke
• BU
• Tufts
• Uconn
• Umass
• U Vermont
• UCSD
• UCSF
• Dartmouth
• Emory
• Albert Einstein
• GWU
• Georgetown
• Penn
• UNC Chapel Hill

I think I have a pretty good shot at Harvard compared to, say JH, columbia, stanford, NYU which are stat ****** especially bc I have connections.

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[LizzyM]

Not so sure about UCONN and G'town but otherwise, it looks fine.

Did you graduate from HS in Massachusetts? If not, you may not be a MA resident for admission purposes, even if you live there now.

 

[bombor10]

Not so sure about UCONN and G'town but otherwise, it looks fine.

Did you graduate from HS in Massachusetts? If not, you may not be a MA resident for admission purposes, even if you live there now.

Thanks for the help. I graduated HS in Tennessee. Would that count me as a TN resident technically? Also, out of curiosity... why not Georgetown?

 

[bombor10]

Not so sure about UCONN and G'town but otherwise, it looks fine.

Did you graduate from HS in Massachusetts? If not, you may not be a MA resident for admission purposes, even if you live there now.

Also, just found out that UCONN's out of state acceptance is 0.7%.... I can't even believe I applied I don't even want to go there.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Why go to Harvard when you can go to Einstein, Hopkins, or NYU for free?

 

[bombor10]

Why go to Harvard when you can go to Einstein, Hopkins, or NYU for free?

It's mainly about their Global Health and Social Medicine department for me. The faculty in the department (including the late Paul Farmer) are my biggest role models and reasons I want to go into medicine. The whole field of social medicine in the US kind of came out of there and after taking classes with those professors over the past year, I am super certain I want to go there and do a master's of global health delivery. Mainly my personal preference, but the free schools are definitely up there for me too! I've also heard bad things about the culture at Hopkins, and I did research at Einstein and wasn't the biggest fan of the school. I'm super excited about interviewing at NYU though!

 

[Mr. Macrophage]

Thanks for the help. I graduated HS in Tennessee. Would that count me as a TN resident technically? Also, out of curiosity... why not Georgetown?

Georgetown expects a lot more service to the underserved

 

[Mr.Smile12]

It's mainly about their Global Health and Social Medicine department for me. The faculty in the department (including the late Paul Farmer) are my biggest role models and reasons I want to go into medicine. The whole field of social medicine in the US kind of came out of there and after taking classes with those professors over the past year, I am super certain I want to go there and do a master's of global health delivery. Mainly my personal preference, but the free schools are definitely up there for me too! I've also heard bad things about the culture at Hopkins, and I did research at Einstein and wasn't the biggest fan of the school. I'm super excited about interviewing at NYU though!

Read

Benefits of Global Health Education for Future Doctors - SDN

The Student Doctor Network provides free tools, resources, and advising services to help students become health professionals.

www.studentdoctor.net

Application Tips: Showing a Global Health Focus - SDN

The Student Doctor Network provides free tools, resources, and advising services to help students become health professionals.

www.studentdoctor.net

 

[LizzyM]

You answered your own question about UCONN. @Mr. Macrophage shared the scoop on G'town. It is also a school that gets so many applications (reach for some, safety for others) that it really wants to interview only a very small proportion who are "just right" with their social mission.

You may be one of those folks who are not a resident of any state for admission purposes which are different than residency for voting or paying state taxes.

 

[Hollow Knight]

Thanks for the help. I graduated HS in Tennessee. Would that count me as a TN resident technically? Also, out of curiosity... why not Georgetown?

Why do you think you're a MA resident? (I'm not being rude, I'm legitimately curious. If you went off somewhere for college that doesn't count for med school application purposes)

Also, if you graduated HS in TN, why aren't you applying to UT and ETSU?

 

[LunaOri]

For MA residency, you have to reside in MA for 7 consecutive years before applying, or your immediate family has to reside in MA for 7 consecutive years immediately prior to your application.

 

[bombor10]

Why do you think you're a MA resident? (I'm not being rude, I'm legitimately curious. If you went off somewhere for college that doesn't count for med school application purposes)

Also, if you graduated HS in TN, why aren't you applying to UT and ETSU?

I’ll have had a MA address (not for school) for 2 years by matriculation. But tbh Im realizing I didnt know how they decide these things.

 

[bombor10]

And also living in TN my whole life I’m just wanting a new place unless it’s Vandy.

 

[Hollow Knight]

And also living in TN my whole life I’m just wanting a new place unless it’s Vandy.

I’m not an expert on this. But you need to figure in-state residency out- it’s a big deal. In-state students have a huge advantage as you probably know. Nothing wrong with calling the admissions offices of the potential schools even (whether MA or TN) and asking what they consider in-state or not.

If you’re out of state, probably not worth it. But if you wind up as a TN resident, at least apply to your in-state MD schools. You have a great app, but sometimes stuff happens and you don’t get into any fancy places.

I had a 100th % MCAT, research, and great extracurriculars and I’m at my in-state MD. Now I didn’t apply to many T20s anyway (I want to do primary care) but I’m just saying, be careful. It’s worth the extra $50 or whatever it is to add on your “low tier” in-state MDs.

I even applied to VCOM. Just in case.

 

[lacrossegirl420]

Your MCAT is still in range for Harvard (though as you pointed out a little bit low) but I think your overall application is competitive and you have a shot! Getting an interview at NYU is a good start. Good luck!

 

[LeaveNoTrace]

Pack fodder, unless the Nature publication is first-author, in which case you're a strong applicant.