WAMC with strong research

[Vojvoda]

Hey guys... Here are my stats

GPA: 3.7 Science GPA: ~3.68 MCAT: 510 My grades had a really good positive trend.
Major: Biochemistry and Psychology... Is this a plus that I double majored in two fairly rigorous majors? Will schools recognize the workload or does it matter?

research since fall of 2013 with multiple fellowships at the home university and 2 summer fellowships at UConn and Utah. 2 publications.

I also just recently joined another lab (At a med school) for which I sent an update to my schools.
Volunteered as hospital (100 hours). Too little hours? I updated the schools saying that I was continuing my services.

Drawbacks:
No real extracurricular... except for practicing martial arts but that has been mostly in the summer since my school is away from the place I go.

I was also caught drinking in a dorm in the fall of 2014. Will they look past this?

I have also submitted all secondary applications as of today... some were submitted 4 or 5 weeks ago

UMiami
U Illinois at Chicago
RFranklin
U of Vermont
NYMC
Temple
Tulane
Wake Forest
Meharry
Howard
WMichigan
Rush
Loyola
George Washington

Do you think I will at least get an interview?

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[Vojvoda]

I am also in the Honors program which is very tough... it accounted for a pretty good GPA drop my freshman year. Apparently our school vouches for us and comments on the program.

 

[gyngyn]

Are you a resident of IL?
African American?

 

[Vojvoda]

I am a white male from Illinois...

 

[Vojvoda]

Although I am a refugee who came to the US when he was 5... first to go to college... does this help?

 

[gyngyn]

There are 6 schools on your list where you have a fair to good chance at an interview if that is your only MCAT.
Howard and Meharry are mission-based schools and I don't see evidence that you fit the mission in your post.
Do you have the service hours for Rush?

 

[Vojvoda]

I only have the 100... but I will most likely have like 150 in the next 2 months. Maybe I should email them telling them this?

 

[gyngyn]

I only have the 100... but I will most likely have like 150 in the next 2 months. Maybe I should email them telling them this?

I believe the are looking for both medical and non-medical hours to the tune of many hundreds...

 

[Goro]

You have the ECs of someone who has done what is convenient, rather than what is necessary to get into med school.

Here's the deal: You need to show AdComs that you know what you're getting into, and show off your altruistic, humanistic side. We need to know that you're going to like being around sick or injured people for the next 40 years.

Here's another way of looking at it: would you buy a new car without test driving it? Buy a new suit or dress without trying it on??

We're also not looking for merely for good medical students, we're looking for people who will make good doctors, and 4.0 GPA robots are a dime-a-dozen.

I've seen plenty of posts here from high GPA/high MCAT candidates who were rejected because they had little patient contact experience.

Not all volunteering needs to be in a hospital. Think hospice, Planned Parenthood, nursing homes, rehab facilities, crisis hotlines, camps for sick children, or clinics.

Some types of volunteer activities are more appealing than others. Volunteering in a nice suburban hospital is all very well and good and all, but doesn't show that you're willing to dig in and get your hands dirty in the same way that working with the developmentally disabled (or homeless, the dying, or Alzheimers or mentally ill or elderly or ESL or domestic, rural impoverished) does. The uncomfortable situations are the ones that really demonstrate your altruism and get you 'brownie points'. Plus, they frankly teach you more -- they develop your compassion and humanity in ways comfortable situations can't.


Service need not be "unique". If you can alleviate suffering in your community through service to the poor, homeless, illiterate, fatherless, etc, you are meeting an otherwise unmet need and learning more about the lives of the people (or types of people) who will someday be your patients. Check out your local houses of worship for volunteer opportunities. The key thing is service to others less fortunate than you. And get off campus and out of your comfort zone!

Examples include: Habitat for Humanity, Ronald McDonald House, Humane Society, crisis hotlines, soup kitchen, food pantry, homeless or women’s shelter, after-school tutoring for students or coaching a sport in a poor school district, teaching ESL to adults at a community center, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, or Meals on Wheels.


What are you going to say when asked how you know you are suited for a life of caring for the sick and suffering? “That you just know”? Imagine how that will go over!

Hey guys... Here are my stats

GPA: 3.7 Science GPA: ~3.68 MCAT: 510 My grades had a really good positive trend.
Major: Biochemistry and Psychology... Is this a plus that I double majored in two fairly rigorous majors? Will schools recognize the workload or does it matter?

research since fall of 2013 with multiple fellowships at the home university and 2 summer fellowships at UConn and Utah. 2 publications.

I also just recently joined another lab (At a med school) for which I sent an update to my schools.
Volunteered as hospital (100 hours). Too little hours? I updated the schools saying that I was continuing my services.

Drawbacks:
No real extracurricular... except for practicing martial arts but that has been mostly in the summer since my school is away from the place I go.

I was also caught drinking in a dorm in the fall of 2014. Will they look past this?

I have also submitted all secondary applications as of today... some were submitted 4 or 5 weeks ago

UMiami
U Illinois at Chicago
RFranklin
U of Vermont
NYMC
Temple
Tulane
Wake Forest
Meharry
Howard
WMichigan
Rush
Loyola
George Washington

Do you think I will at least get an interview?

 

[Faha]

You should consider adding more schools such as:
Medical College Wisconsin
Oakland Beaumont
Quinnipiac
Drexel
Jefferson

 

[Vojvoda]

There are 6 schools on your list where you have a fair to good chance at an interview if that is your only MCAT.
Howard and Meharry are mission-based schools and I don't see evidence that you fit the mission in your post.
Do you have the service hours for Rush?

What are the six schools you had in mind?

 

[gyngyn]

What are the six schools you had in mind?

I'm pretty sure you can pick them out!