WAMC/School List Advice (518, 3.9, ORM)

[osmosisjones34783]

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Hi everyone. I just wanted to say thank you to everyone in advance. I just received my MCAT score, and I'm pretty ecstatic about it. I'm trying to aim as high as possible while still ensuring I get in somewhere this cycle. I definitely think that my application has more of a service theme than a research theme to it, so I'm not sure if I am competitive for research heavy schools. I plan on applying to 30 MD schools, 8 of which are the Florida MD schools, and I used MSAR to pick 22 more OOS private schools. Any advice on my current list would be appreciated. I am not sure if I am applying conservatively, which might get me yield protected, or if my school list is about right. Also please let me know if any of these schools have weird preference that I do not fall under or if I am uncompetitive for any of these schools. (also please do not quote for privacy reasons <3)

Background
3.90 cgpa, 3.75sgpa
518 MCAT (130,127,131,130)
Florida resident
Asian Male
Undergrad: Florida public school
Clinical Experience:
Free Clinic (400 hours over 2 years) (most meaningful)
Hospital Volunteer (75 hours over 1 year)
Research experience:
600 hours in a Cancer and Genetics Lab studying leukemia (1 presentation at undergrad symposium, 0 pubs over the past 2.5 years)
Shadowing:
52 hours total (Internal Medicine/OMFS)
Non-Clinical Volunteering:
Homeless Shelter (275 Hours over 2 years) (most meaningful)
Habitat for Humanity (80 Hours over 2 years )
Greek Life Service Director (360 Hours over 4 years) (most meaningful)
Extracurriculars: TA, Dance Team, Student Government, Fraternity Service Director
Honors: Nothing really, just some small scholarships/stipends I've received over the years and the dean's list.

Current List
Pitt (University of Pittsburgh)
Emory
Dartmouth (Geisel)
BU (Boston University)
Albert Einstein
UMiami (University of Miami)
Tufts
Georgetown
UF (University of Florida)
Rochester
Wake Forest
Jefferson (Sidney Kimmel)
VCU (Virginia Commonwealth University)
Tulane
GW (George Washington University)
SLU (Saint Louis University)
Temple (Lewis Katz)
UIC (University of Illinois at Chicago)
USF (University of South Florida)
UCF (University of Central Florida)
FAU (Florida Atlantic University)
FIU (Florida International University)
FSU (Florida State University)
Nova (Nova Southeastern University)
Loyola
Wayne State
Rosalind Franklin
EVMS (Eastern Virginia Medical School)
Quinnipiac
Hackensack Meridian

Potential Alternates
Drexel
Hofstra
Albany
MCW
Penn state
VCU
Brown
UMich

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Welcome to the forums.

I don't know how you used MSAR to pick OOS privates... you have kept a few odd public OOS that I don't think work for you (UIC, EVMS).

 

[osmosisjones34783]

Hi! You're right, I do believe I included some public schools that seemed OOS-friendly, but I will probably switch those 2 out. Do you have any other recommendations for schools I could add or remove?

 

[Faha]

Remove UIC and EVMS. Add any of the alternates that appeal to you.

 

[YodaPineapple]

You should get good attention from USF, UCF, FAU, and perhaps UMiami. The OOS schools will be a crapshoot. Very solid application though. If you went to UF undergrad, that will help you there too.

 

[LunaOri]

UMass and UVM are both OOS-friendly, if you don’t mind the cold winters.

 

[osmosisjones34783]

Hey, so I updated my school list and removed UIC, EVMS, Upitt (don't want to take preview), St. Louis (don't like location), and Albert Einstein. I also added Drexel, Hofstra, NYMC, Western Michigan, and UMich. I have ties to Michigan and Tennessee since I lived there for 2 years each growing up when I was 10-12 and 12-14 but I'm not sure if this is long enough to consider it significant ties. @Faha @LunaOri @Mr.Smile12

 

[LunaOri]

That wouldn’t be a significant tie for me. Significant ties might be graduating from HS or college in a state, or growing up in a state where your parents still live.

 

[MD_Maker]

Your activities seem a little sparse, I'm assuming you didn't have gap years? I'm not sure the top 5 schools on your list are the best fit for you. You also don't need the longest list since you're in Florida. I would cut RFU, and then add some public OOS that are OOS friendly or who otherwise have historically had difficulty attracting enough Asian applicants, like West Virginia or Oklahoma. You can see my last post to see how to use MSAR to evaluate out of state friendliness

 

[osmosisjones34783]

Hi, thanks for the feedback. I agree that my activities are a little sprase since I really only understood the importance of activities at the end of my sophmore year, and I just graduated last month. I really want to stay on the East Coast so I'm trying to apply to OOS in that area but I feel like I have added every single viable option at this point. I updated my school list a bit as well. Are there any other schools here that seem like a bad fit for me? Also, is it my lack of productive research that makes me a weaker applicant for my top 5. @MD_Maker

University of Michigan Medical School
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Emory University School of Medicine
Boston University School of Medicine
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
University of Florida College of Medicine
Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine
University of Rochester School of Medicine
Creighton University School of Medicine
Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell
Tufts University School of Medicine
Georgetown University School of Medicine
Wake Forest School of Medicine
Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Jefferson
Florida Atlantic University Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine
University of Central Florida College of Medicine
Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
Wayne State University School of Medicine
New York Medical College
Tulane University School of Medicine
Florida State University College of Medicine
Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine
Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine
Quinnipiac University Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine
Drexel University College of Medicine
Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine
George Washington University School of Medicine

Summary
+ UMich
+ Hofstra
+ Creighton
+ Western Michigan
+ NYMC
+ Drexel
- Albert Einstein
- Saint Louis
- Loyola
- Rosalind Franklin
- EVMS
- UIC