WAMC or apply next year?

[JustWannabe]

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Hi SDN,

I plan on applying MD this coming cycle but I realize that my EC's could be bringing me down. I was wondering if you guys could chance me in my schools, especially the California ones and just how realistic are my chances this coming cycle.

Demographics: Asian male, CA resident, 4th year undergrad
GPA: 3.86
sGPA: 3.90
MCAT: 518
Research: 600+ hours. One grant and one poster presentation.
Volunteering (clinical): 70 hours in Emergency Department.
Volunteering (non-clinical): 50 hours as a tutor for Sophomores. 20 hours in Habitat for Humanity.
Physician shadowing: 40 hours split between 5 specialties, including family med.
Other: Finishing my EMT license and working to find an EMT job or scribe job over gap year.

Schools:
Reach (4): Stanford, UCSF, Yale, Columbia
In-range? (8): UCLA, UCSD, UCI, Cornell, Keck, Geisel, Hofstra, Einstein
“Safety” (7): UCD, UCR, Wake Forest, Georgetown, BU, Drexel, Jefferson

Thanks. Any advise is appreciated.

 

[gyngyn]

You are a good candidate for the schools on your list as long as this is your only MCAT.
Odds of getting an interview at Jefferson Drexel, GT and probably Einstein and Dartmouth, are low. UCR should only be on there if you are from the IE or attended UCR.
You would be well-served by deleting the low yield schools and adding schools like NW, Emory, Vandy and the like.

Volunteering could use some work...

 

[Goro]

You're a rock star; aim high IF you can triple you patient contact AND non-clinical volunteer hrs. You need to show off your altruism and humanism if you want to aim high.

Be aware that many Adcom members treat EMT as a glorified taxi driver.

I suggest:

Harvard
Wash U
Yale
Stanford
U Chicago
U Penn
U VA
U MI
U AZ
U Colorado
U VM
U WI
Ohio State
Jefferson
U IA
UCSF
UCLA, UCSD, UCI, UCR (IF you’re from the Inland Empire)
U Cincy
Miami
Albert Einstein
Tulane
Loyola
Emory
BU
USC/Keck
JHU
Mayo
Pitt
Northwestern
NYU
Vanderbilt
Columbia
Sinai
Cornell
Duke
Case
Hofstra

Hi SDN,

I plan on applying MD this coming cycle but I realize that my EC's could be bringing me down. I was wondering if you guys could chance me in my schools, especially the California ones and just how realistic are my chances this coming cycle.

Demographics: Asian male, CA resident, 4th year undergrad
GPA: 3.86
sGPA: 3.90
MCAT: 518 (131/128/129/130)
Research: 600+ hours (2.5 years) in Drosophila and mosquito sensory reception and behavior lab. Currently working on a project finding molecular determinants of mating behavior. One grant and one poster presentation.
Volunteering (clinical): 70 hours in Emergency Department.
Volunteering (non-clinical): 50 hours as a tutor for Sophomores in intro-bio. 20 hours in Habitat for Humanity working in home construction.
Physician shadowing: 40 hours split between Ophthalmology, GI, Family Practice, ENT, and Urgent Care. About 8 hours each.
Other: Finishing my EMT license and working to find an EMT job or scribe job over gap year.

Schools:
Reach (4): Stanford, UCSF, Yale, Columbia
In-range? (8): UCLA, UCSD, UCI, Cornell, Keck, Geisel, Hofstra, Einstein
“Safety” (7): UCD, UCR, Wake Forest, Georgetown, BU, Drexel, Jefferson

Thanks. Any advise is appreciated.

 

[JustWannabe]

@gyngyn @Goro

Both of your words really flatter me. I would love to apply to Goro's list if I could but, unfortunately, I don't have any more time to add more volunteer hours for this upcoming application cycle. Hence, I wanted to take a second gap year to aim higher. I am still debating if it is worth it or not.

What do you think about applying to only several (3-4) schools that I want to get into and think I have a shot at for this application cycle? Then next year, if I don't end up being accepted by those schools, I will have the additional experience to apply broader and aim higher. I apologize in advance if this is an ignorant idea because I am missing a key detail.

Your inputs are very much appreciated!

 

[gyngyn]

@gyngyn @Goro

Both of your words really flatter me. I would love to apply to Goro's list if I could but, unfortunately, I don't have any more time to add more volunteer hours for this upcoming application cycle. Hence, I wanted to take a second gap year to aim higher. I am still debating if it is worth it or not.

What do you think about applying to only several (3-4) schools that I want to get into and think I have a shot at for this application cycle? Then next year, if I don't end up being accepted by those schools, I will have the additional experience to apply broader and aim higher. I apologize in advance if this is an ignorant idea because I am missing a key detail.

Your inputs are very much appreciated!

Don't do this.

 

[Goro]

Apply when you have the best possible app, even if it means sitting out an app cycle. Med schools aren't going anywhere.

@gyngyn @Goro

Both of your words really flatter me. I would love to apply to Goro's list if I could but, unfortunately, I don't have any more time to add more volunteer hours for this upcoming application cycle. Hence, I wanted to take a second gap year to aim higher. I am still debating if it is worth it or not.

What do you think about applying to only several (3-4) schools that I want to get into and think I have a shot at for this application cycle? Then next year, if I don't end up being accepted by those schools, I will have the additional experience to apply broader and aim higher. I apologize in advance if this is an ignorant idea because I am missing a key detail.

Your inputs are very much appreciated!