WAMC/School List Help :) (ORM, 520, 3.6)

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avocadocafe

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Hello! I am crafting my AMCAS list and I am looking for some advice on the way my list is looking/any schools to add or remove. I have included stats below and some tentative schools (not including all I'm looking at or all my state/region schools). It would also be great to get some help on what could be considered a target/reach/etc. and if I should think about DO. Thanks in advance!

General:

T30 undergrad double major in neuro and econ (with a healthcare focus)

cGPA = 3.6/sGPA = 3.55 (both with significant upward trend from 1st year)

MCAT: taken 3 times first 2 were 510 (CARS and P/S carried in both), third was 520 with an even spread within each section

2 gap years taken - spent working in health care policy/health insurance and at T10 public health masters program (not yet completed)

Activities:

Clinical: ~500 hrs completed // ~490 hrs anticipated (all volunteer work in a hospital/clinic setting interacting directly with patients)

Research: ~2100 hrs (mostly volunteer and one paid)
all neuro-related, 3 different experiences, no LORs/pubs from the most hours activity but some pubs from early college.

Shadowing: ~90 hrs completed // ~16 hrs anticipated

Volunteering (non-clinical): ~1250 hrs (leadership in a volunteer club, worked with underprivileged students as a tutor, food bank/homeless shelter, neurological disorder advocacy, and fundraising)

Leadership: ~1600 hrs (E board of 4 clubs and in greek life)

Teaching assistant: ~300 hrs (for both stem and non-stem classes, interacted closely with & taught students)

Full time job in health policy during gap year that is around 1800+ hours so far. Also, working with an advocacy non-profit and a clinic in free time.

Other:

ORM, midwest resident
Told by advisors that I have a strong primary essay and LORs (also have LOR from clinician)
Interested in health policy and medicine, so looking to combine the two in my education and career

List:

Reach: University of Iowa, BU, Albert Einstein, UMich, Vandy, Case Western, UCLA, USF, Sidney Kimmel, UChicago, Dartmouth, Emory

Target: Tufts, GW, Drexel, Wayne, Loyola, NYMC, USC, Downstate, Tufts, Stony Brook, Nova, Penn State, University of Illinois

Low Target: MCW, St. Louis University, Wright, Michigan State, Washington State, Albany, Oakland, Geisinger
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eagledoll said:
Volunteering (non-clinical): ~1250 hrs (leadership in a volunteer club, worked with underprivileged students as a tutor, food bank/homeless shelter, neurological disorder advocacy, and fundraising)
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Itemize this category: explicitly remove your "leadership", fundraising, advocacy, and tutoring/teaching/mentoring. Lumping them all together makes me think you are hiding your service orientation activities. Highlight any activities and hours in this category since you graduated (and had two gap years).
 
Mr.Smile12 said:
Itemize this category: explicitly remove your "leadership", fundraising, advocacy, and tutoring/teaching/mentoring. Lumping them all together makes me think you are hiding your service orientation activities. Highlight any activities and hours in this category since you graduated (and had two gap years).
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Hi! So on the actual AMCAS I did go into more detail and include separate activities, but for this post I was just trying to give examples of what I had done with my volunteer hours (based off of some other formats I have seen on SDN). All of those activities were counted in volunteering because I volunteered in a non-clinical setting within those activities. I am also trying to remain as anonymous as possible so I don't want to go into a lot of detail. Thanks for your help, though! Would appreciate any advice you could provide with the info I have.
 
wysdoc said:
The reason they ask what state you are in is to provide a better list, some states don’t take many OOS applicants
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Thanks! Do you see any schools on my current lists that might fit that criteria of not taking OOS applicants?
 
eagledoll said:
Thanks! Do you see any schools on my current lists that might fit that criteria of not taking OOS applicants?
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Well doll, that would depend on what state you are or are not from!
Washington State takes mostly from WA and Stony Brook mostly from New York.
 
eagledoll said:
Hi! So on the actual AMCAS I did go into more detail and include separate activities, but for this post I was just trying to give examples of what I had done with my volunteer hours (based off of some other formats I have seen on SDN). All of those activities were counted in volunteering because I volunteered in a non-clinical setting within those activities. I am also trying to remain as anonymous as possible so I don't want to go into a lot of detail. Thanks for your help, though! Would appreciate any advice you could provide with the info I have.
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I can't give you more help without more information. I get remaining anonymous, but if you want to know how to stand out, you have to stand up.

Since your advisors know you better, what comments have they given you about your school list? If they don't give you detailed feedback, why is that, especially since they know your academic record and EC's with the detail you refuse to give this forum? What feedback do you want from us?

Experts are not mind-readers, but many of us know applicants can embellish or misconstrue the impact of their activities upon adcom deliberations. For example, if you are interested in health policy, why not go for an MPP first?
 
Mr.Smile12 said:
I can't give you more help without more information. I get remaining anonymous, but if you want to know how to stand out, you have to stand up.

Since your advisors know you better, what comments have they given you about your school list? If they don't give you detailed feedback, why is that, especially since they know your academic record and EC's with the detail you refuse to give this forum? What feedback do you want from us?

Experts are not mind-readers, but many of us know applicants can embellish or misconstrue the impact of their activities upon adcom deliberations. For example, if you are interested in health policy, why not go for an MPP first?
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I am going for an MPH right now actually (as mentioned in my post). Although that is not exactly the same as a Master in Public Policy, I prefer it because it would allow me to take a more health-focused/research approach as opposed to an MPP that focuses on Economics-heavy topics like labor markets. My post does detail my academic record and ECs by category with examples next to each one of them. I was looking for advice on which schools my hours/academics would be a best fit for, but it doesn't seem like you can provide that help. Thanks for your input, though!
 
eagledoll said:
I am going for an MPH right now actually (as mentioned in my post). Although that is not exactly the same as a Master in Public Policy, I prefer it because it would allow me to take a more health-focused/research approach as opposed to an MPP that focuses on Economics-heavy topics like labor markets. My post does detail my academic record and ECs by category with examples next to each one of them. I was looking for advice on which schools my hours/academics would be a best fit for, but it doesn't seem like you can provide that help. Thanks for your input, though!
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You can punch in your metrics into WARS or other programs easily. But mission fit gets you the A. Don't underestimate this.

NB: Many schools will average your MCAT scores for the purposes of screening, though you did have a +10 jump in your third attempt which helps you. But be aware you need to consider both situations if you get screened in at a 513 vs. 520.

Also, you have a better idea which schools appeal to you based on your MPH work. Put more weight into those schools where you reasonably qualify with your metrics (see 513 vs 520 note) to leverage better your MPH project as evidence for your interest to gain the medical and clinical skills you need as a physician to do the work you want to do. Please note that most schools do not really think MPH adds much to your preparation for the clinical skills rigor of medical school. It's good to have that insight, but in the end, you gotta find the vein to do the IV properly no matter what their SES.
 
secondariesftw said:
Is this a new state? Not sure what in-state schools they have.


Seriously, if you can't answer this question, Secondaries will give you a lot of trouble.
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hahaha this is so funny - can't tell if this is serious advice but thanks either way
 
avocadocafe said:
hahaha this is so funny - can't tell if this is serious advice but thanks either way
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It's both. You came here for advice and were asked a direct question that you dodged. No one will know who you are just by listing your state. It can however have profound impacts on your school list and the advice you get. My joke is that if you think dodging a direct question when asking for advice is good, then I would wonder what liberties you will take with dodging the questions in your secondaries.
 
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