WAMC / School List Help! TX Res, Low GPA/High MCAT

[BlackBirb]

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[SevenofSonless]

Based on my experiences as a re-applicant who initially applied MD-only as a TX resident (~76 LizzyM, strong research, meh ECs, 4 total interviews - no OOS)...I do really think that there's an OOS bias against TX residents. Though I have no concrete information that 100% confirms this bias, it makes sense from an adcom perspective. Though it's hard to say what the threshold is for being a competitive OOS-TX applicant is exactly, I think your low GPA/research and avg ECs prevent your MCAT from helping you cross said threshold at most OOS/AMCAS schools. Given that, your best bet is one of the mid-tier, non-UTSW TMDSAS schools. However, if you are gonna submit your app to more AMCAS schools, I would apply to the following:

Reaches: Michigan, Pitt, Baylor
Targets (?): Case Western, Emory, Boston, Rochester, Georgetown, Einstein, Dartmouth, Tufts, Wake Forest, George Washington, Hofstra, SLU, GW

Overall, the TX-residency, low GPA, and avg research/ECs complicate making an OOS list with solid "targets" - the above mentioned probably best approximate such a list for yourself. Regarding the "reaches", I would apply to Michigan and Pitt because they are the T20s that are most forgiving of low GPAs (even though Pitt really loves research), as well as Baylor because of the strong MCAT and their very strong IS preference (even though the GPA is kind of on the really low side for them). Best of luck.

 

[MyOdyssey]

Based on my experiences as a re-applicant who initially applied MD-only as a TX resident (~76 LizzyM, strong research, meh ECs, 4 total interviews - no OOS)...I do really think that there's an OOS bias against TX residents. Though I have no concrete information that 100% confirms this bias, it makes sense from an adcom perspective. Though it's hard to say what the threshold is for being a competitive OOS-TX applicant is exactly, I think your low GPA/research and avg ECs prevent your MCAT from helping you cross said threshold at most OOS/AMCAS schools. Given that, your best bet is one of the mid-tier, non-UTSW TMDSAS schools. However, if you are gonna submit your app to more AMCAS schools, I would apply to the following:

Reaches: Michigan, Pitt, Baylor
Targets (?): Case Western, Emory, Boston, Rochester, Georgetown, Einstein, Dartmouth, Tufts, Wake Forest, George Washington, Hofstra, SLU, GW

Overall, the TX-residency, low GPA, and avg research/ECs complicate making an OOS list with solid "targets" - the above mentioned probably best approximate such a list for yourself. Regarding the "reaches", I would apply to Michigan and Pitt because they are the T20s that are most forgiving of low GPAs (even though Pitt really loves research), as well as Baylor because of the strong MCAT and their very strong IS preference (even though the MCAT is kind of on the really low side for them). Best of luck.

Doesn't Baylor have an average MCAT of 518? How is OP's 522 MCAT score low for Baylor? Is a 522 really "low" for any medical school even the most selective?

I'm also curious how no TX medical school gave you an offer despite your high stats, TX residency and 4 interviews. Did you get any feedback on that from the schools that interviewed you? Were you locked out of the lower tier TX schools because of your high stats?

 

[MyOdyssey]

I think they meant GPA for Baylor, not mcat.

@OP, you actually might get some luck with OOS schools bc you did undergrad OOS. You would have an easier time explaining in interviews why you’d leave TX. This is anecdotal evidence, but I went to undergrad OOS and all my TX classmates (n = 6) are now at oos med schools.

That’s interesting. Which state if you don’t mind saying? Were all of your friends high stats?

 

[SevenofSonless]

Doesn't Baylor have an average MCAT of 518? How is OP's 522 MCAT score low for Baylor? Is a 522 really "low" for any medical school even the most selective?

I'm also curious how no TX medical school gave you an offer despite your high stats, TX residency and 4 interviews. Did you get any feedback on that from the schools that interviewed you? Were you locked out of the lower tier TX schools because of your high stats?

Sorry, I meant to say low GPA for Baylor. And no, I didn't any feedback whatsoever on why I was noncompetitive. I really don't think it was my stats being too high last time, given that they were in line with UTSW and within reasonable range of UT San Antonio, McGovern, UTMB. Who knows. My second time around was as a MD-PhD applicant (Utah resident) with slightly improved stats/research and it was far more successful (22 IIs, several acceptances); makes me think the TX-residency played somewhat of a role given how wildly disparate the cycles were.

 

[MyOdyssey]

Sorry, I meant to say low GPA for Baylor. And no, I didn't any feedback whatsoever on why I was noncompetitive. I really don't think it was my stats being too high last time, given that they were in line with UTSW and within reasonable range of UT San Antonio, McGovern, UTMB. Who knows. My second time around was as a MD-PhD applicant (Utah resident) with slightly improved stats/research and it was far more successful (22 IIs, several acceptances); makes me think the TX-residency played somewhat of a role given how wildly disparate the cycles were.

Did you attend a TX undergrad? And how did you change your residency, which is more of a permanent thing, in a single year?

 

[SevenofSonless]

Did you attend a TX undergrad? And how did you change your residency, which is more of a permanent thing, in a single year?

Yes, I attended a TX undergrad. My lab moved to Utah and I went with it.. You only need to be domiciled 180 days in Utah to be a resident.

 

[MyOdyssey]

Yes, I attended a TX undergrad. My lab moved to Utah and I went with it.. You only need to be domiciled 180 days in Utah to be a resident.

The ad coms on here have also mentioned that MD/PhD programs don't care about applicants' residency because the funding for those slots is completely unconnected to any applicants' residency.

I'm still shocked you didn't get into any TX medical school as a TX undergrad who was also a TX resident, given your stats.