WAMC: school list help (cGPA 3.71, sGPA 3.68, MCAT 515, URM)

[jonginsbbygirl]

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***PLEASE DO NOT QUOTE THREAD*** Thanks so much 🙂


Hi, all. I’m very nervous about applying this cycle (2021-2022), but finally feeling brave enough to ask for some advice.

Year in school: About to finish Gap Year 1 of 2

Background: URM female

MCAT: 515 (131/127/127/130)

cGPA/sGPA: 3.71/3.68 (first semester 3.09, the rest are 3.7+)


ECs:

Physician shadowing: Primary Care Physician: 86 hrs, Other specialties: 48 hrs

Non-clinical volunteering: Co-president of high school mentorship org (130 hrs), tutoring underserved children (30 hrs), taught an elementary school science class (10 hrs),

Research: Neuroscience Research for 1 year (300 hrs), Summer Neuro Research (360 hrs + Powerpoint presentation), No pubs

Extracurricular activities: Multiple leadership positions (500+ hrs), and in my free time I love playing the piano and reading

Employment history: Lots of odd jobs all throughout college (1000+ hrs)

Gap year: I am currently an ESL teacher abroad.

Specialty of interest: Doesn't matter too much, but gastroenterology.

Honors/Awards: 2 monetary awards

Interest in rural health (y/n): No



This is my school list so far:
State schools
University of Cincinnati
Drexel University
Albert Einstein
George Washington
Vanderbilt University
University of Pittsburgh
Icahn – Mt. Sinai
Columbia
Rush
USC Keck
UCLA
University of Miami
Dartmouth
Rochester
Jefferson
Cornell
NYU-Grossman
NYU-Long

My rec letters are all good (2 from science profs, 1 from humanities prof, and 3 research PIs that I have worked with). I’m open to any and all suggestions and I’m budgeting to apply to about 20-23 schools!

 

[jonginsbbygirl]

Thanks so much in advance to anyone who offers me some advice/help 🙂

 

[Faha]

Where is your state of residence ? Which URM community are you from ? If Hispanic are you fluent in Spanish ? Do you have any clinical volunteering or employment with patient contact ?

 

[Faha]

You should receive multiple interviews from your list. You could add any of these schools:
Brown
Harvard
Georgetown
Duke
Washington University
Tulane
UCSF
Northwestern
U Chicago

 

[jonginsbbygirl]

Thank you! I’ll definitely do my research on those schools. Do you think that I have any weaknesses I need to address before I apply?

 

[Banco]

I agree with Faha but make sure to try and get some clinical experience prior to application or at least during the cycle so you can write about it/talk about it in interviews. That’s the weakest link in your otherwise strong application. It’s good that you have lots of varied shadowing.

 

[Faha]

Thank you! I’ll definitely do my research on those schools. Do you think that I have any weaknesses I need to address before I apply?

More clinical volunteering hours with patient contact would definitely improve your chances for interviews.