WAMC, NJ Resident, 3.99/523

[Tangerine08]

Hi everyone I was just looking for some advice on my school list. I just wanted to make sure I was applying to a good mix of high tiers and low tiers, I wasn't applying to too many low yield schools, and I wasn't applying to any OOS unfriendly schools. Additionally, the focus of my application is on service (strongest part of my app) so any additional service schools that aren't too low yield you guys recommend would be helpful. Ideally I would like to apply to 32 schools. Also if you guys see any additional weakness in my application (I know research productivity is one of them) please let me know

cGPA: 3.99 sGPA: 4.00

MCAT: 523 (132/127/132/132)

NJ resident with very strong ties to NY

Ethnicity: Asian/ORM

Undergrad: T40

Clinical Experience: Currently 400 hours as a Emergency Room volunteer over the course of 1.5 years (I have also trained 20 new volunteers so not sure if this counts for leadership)
Starting a medical assistant position at an ophthalmology clinic next week where I project 200 hours by the time I submit my application

Research Experience: 400 hours at a clinical lab where I researched risk factors affecting the incidence of diabetic neuropathy
430 hours at a neural science lab studying perception (possible poster presentation by the time I submit my application for this)

Shadowing: 36 hours at a PCP 36 hours at a plastic surgeon

Non Clinical Volunteering: 300 hours at crisis text line (projected 400 by app) over the course of 2 years
50 hours as a team leader for a packing food for pantries and serving it to the food insecure (project 75 by app) over the course of 9 months
85 hours as an English teacher to a class of 8-10 immigrants (projected 130 by app) over the course of 9 months

Other: worked at mcdonalds for 1 summer for 300 hours, for hobbies I put cooking as it has been a big part of my journey to lose weight and participating in super smash bros tournaments, tutor for 1 semester freshman year helping a high student with their SAT (17 hours)

Honors: Deans list for all the years I have been in college and I have an outside scholarship for all 4 years in college (not sure if I should include a scholarship here), I have also been nominated for an award at my graduation so I may get that

School list: Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson, Hackensack, Cooper Medical School, Rutgers New Jersey, NYU, Albany, Albert Einstein, Columbia, City University of New York, Northwell, Ichan School of Medicine, University of Buffalo, New York Medical College, Stony brook, State University of NY Upstate, State University of NY Downstate, Rochester, Cornell, Drexel, Temple, University of Pittsburgh, Thomas Jefferson University, UPenn, Quinnipiac Netter, Tulane, Boston University, University of Vermont, Creighton, Ohio State, University of Virginia

Thank you all in advance for the help!

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[Mr.Smile12]

Additionally, the focus of my application is on service (strongest part of my app) so any additional service schools that aren't too low yield you guys recommend would be helpful.

... says the poster with a 4.0/523...

Welcome to the forums.

Contrary to your statement, 300-400 hours is with crisis text line, and 50-75 with food pantry work. If these hours were reversed, I would say your application is strong on service orientation community service. As it stands you need more hours with your food pantry. You would avoid getting screened out of you get up to 150 hours before applying. Service oriented schools want to see 250 to 300 in such activities.

Being so close to NYC, you should have more face to face experiences with underserved communities in need. Tutoring ESL is nice but doesn't count for much (lots of premeds tutor so it's overvalued).

 

[Tangerine08]

Thank you so much for the advice! I will try to focus my time more around my food pantry rather than crisis text line. Do you have any advice regarding my school list?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Thank you so much for the advice! I will try to focus my time more around my food pantry rather than crisis text line. Do you have any advice regarding my school list?

I think you should focus on these hours first. If you get screened out for not having enough hours, the school list would be a moot exercise.

 

[chilly_md]

What are your ties to NY?

 

[Tangerine08]

I am going to school and working in NY

 

[chilly_md]

It would be good to try to get 100 additional hours at the food pantry (so total of 150 hours by submission). Cutting back on crisis text line may help free up the time to do that. I would not list tutoring if it was only 17 hours back when you were a freshman

You have schools that would assume you won't go to there school like Drexel. If you are around the NYC area, Buffalo and Upstate may not be worth it since you likely will receive an offer at a NJ school. I suggest:

All NJ schools
NYU
Albert Einstein
Columbia
Hofstra
Rochester
Sinai
Stony brook
Downstate
Cornell
Pitt
Jefferson
Penn
Dartmouth
Boston
Vermont
Saint Louis
WUSTL
Ohio State
Cincinnati
Case
Northwestern
Iowa
Mayo
University of Virginia
Vanderbilt
Emory
Miami

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I will assume at graduation you will get summa Latin honors, PBK, and other awards.

If you are truly interested in community service, apply to NHSC and HPSP. You don't have to prioritize brand schools which will also push an academic career and more research, but if you get the scholarship, your options can open up. You should prioritize the community hospitals where you want to work. All schools should have contacts with community health sites so you need to show you have experience in similar locations.

Being an MA in an ophthalmology clinic will muddle your "service" message without more in-person community service like your food pantry work.

I do not consider anything under 50 hours as significant (shadowing excepted).

 

[future.docc]

first off,

amazing stats! congrats on your hard work.

now for the rough part- this isnt very service oriented in my eyes. sorry! Dont get me wrong, I think you have a good shot but I dont see a consistent theme here at all.

I dont like the opthalmic tech positon. it is not very relevant to prior exp. however, it is still great clinical experience. maybe apply to a couple of medical assistant positions in vulnerable communities. ED tech? Urgent care even?

maybe some more varied shadowing? the plastic surgeon + pcp combo is a little unusual. very opposite fields.

 

[future.docc]

what are your motivations for medicine? why are you pursuing this? what confirmed your desire to be a doctor? do you enjoy clinical vs research experience? id like to know more about you

 

[LunaOri]

Add UMass and Dartmouth to your list.