WAMC/School List

[jpop1332]

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[Faha]

SUNY Upstate admits few non residents with no connection to the state. Loyola is looking for applicants with far more clinical and non clinical hours than you have. Some schools may average your MCAT scores so your list may be top heavy. You could add these schools:
Virginia Commonwealth
Eastern Virginia
Wake Forest
USF Morsani
Rosalind Franklin
Medical College Wisconsin
UMass

 

[Faha]

really? you think its too top heavy?

Your average MCAT score is 512. Some schools average scores.

 

[Faha]

which schools? from what ive heard thats bs, Sidney Kimmel does explicitly say they average but where have you seen other schools do that?

I am not aware which specific schools average MCAT scores but if you have 2 applicants with identical GPAs and ECs and one has a MCAT score of 518 and the other has 2 MCAT scores of 505 and 518, the former has an advantage in receiving an interview.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I'm definitely feeling your pediatrics vibe, but you aren't working with children for all four years of medical school. You could have chosen education, social work, communication disorders (speech-language pathology, audiology), or any other health professions career to address pediatric health issues. I've read my share of dental school application essays that are similarly centered around pediatric dentistry, but once they actually started gaining hands-on experience, they began to shy away and choose a different specialty.

I say this because you need more in your toolkit than just "I love kids" and "I love helping underserved kids." That doesn't tell me anything more about why you want to do this with the rigorous clinical training you will get as a physician. I've done research relevant to pediatrics with a Ph.D. (as did my mentor), so the point that you must have an MD doesn't fly with me. While you can get interviews, you need to be sure not to disenfranchise the majority of adcom faculty who don't deal with children.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

ok sound good, I really appreciate the advice. so in my PS I do have this pediatrics theme but also talk about my interests in education as tutor/sub teacher and how I really like the intersection of education, compassion, and communication in medicine. perhaps in my secondaries I should expand more on this and stray away from the pediatrics narrative?

I would also hit why you want to be a physician. Pushing too hard on the teacher side makes me wonder why not be a teacher or a public health influencer/journalist. We need people there.

It also makes the impression you don't have much direct service orientation activities. Lecturing, teaching and tutoring are academic competencies, and many academics are not known for their service orientation because they think their "teaching" checks the box.

 

[Faha]

how is my new list? thanks for advice.

Brown

Vanderbilt

Northwestern

Yale

Icahn

UChicago

Einstein

Case Western

Weill Cornell

USF Morsani

Dartmouth

University of Michigan

UPitt

Boston University

Rochester

Hofstra

NYMC

Tufts

Miami

Stony Brook

Cincinnati

Emory

Colorado

Geisenger Commonwealth

Penn State

UConn

Hackensack

Oakland

Wake Forest

Rosalind Franklin

Medical College of Wisconsin

Virginia Commonwealth

Quinnipiac

UVM

Drexel

Temple

Wayne State

Looks good.

 

[Faha]

thanks man. I think I should remove Stony Brook, they are the one school I found that does indeed explicitly state the average on MSAR. prob remove?

Stony Brook admits few non residents with no connection to the state.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Mr. Smile,
For the diversity you bring to our class essay, what are thoughts about me talking about how I’ve worked with children in so many different capacities and how it’ll bring a unique perspective to the class?

Are you an expert? I don't know what else you wrote, but I would focus on your expertise rather than just a hodgepodge of experience with children. Your experience doesn't necessarily make you unique (without more information).

 

[Mr.Smile12]

when you say expertise, expertise as in with regards to children? I wouldn’t say I’m an expert but I’ve grown to become really good at communication with children and understanding them after working as a sub teacher and tutor

I'm avoiding judgments since I don't have your entire application (including your letters in case they also support your theme re: children). I just want you to be sure you don't typecast yourself as "that applicant who works a lot with children" as the only theme permeating your application. Some schools may want to interview you to see how deep your knowledge is, while others could avoid you because you haven't stretched yourself out to other age demographics. Most applicants have some experience tutoring, including marginalized children in STEM or coaching. However, if you feel this is truly your strength, you should go ahead and push it forward as such. We just want to know you have a side of your life that is your refuge away from "doctor."

I call the prompt the "potluck question": if you bring a dish to the class potluck, what would you make that reveals something about you that everyone will enjoy? Just don't put raisins in your potato salad. (Also reference: Chadwick Boseman "Celebrity Jeopardy!" SNL sketch.)

 

[Mr.Smile12]

First, answer authentically as if you were answering the question in an interview. Which would you choose? You do have many choices, so it's a question of what facet you want them to know about you that other peers can benefit from (IMO).