What are my chances and school selection?

[Prohok]

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Hello nice to meet you all. I am a new member here on SDN. I wish I discovered SDN back when I was starting out on my journey. I'll be graduating June of 2012 so I am planning to apply next cycle.

Here's my Stat:

School: State University (Mass Resident)
Major: Biology
CGPA: 3.80
SGPA: 3.90
MCAT: BS 11 PS 11 VS 11 O
Ethnicity: S. Asian (Cambodian)

Experience:Jobs / Extracurricular

4 Years as an LPN working in Long term care, Sub-acute and Rehab.

1 Year working as a mental health assistant, assisting in physical therapy, social skills and fine motor skills.

50 hrs of hospital volunteering in ER.

40 hrs of physicians/surgeons in various specialties including primary care.

4 years as a volunteer youth leader/ mentor to a non profit organization helping youth empowerment and leadership skills.

4 years involving in creating projects for a greener environment.

4 Years Bio tutor

Certifications/License:

Licensed Practical Nurse
Direct Support Professional 1 & 2,
First Aid Certification,
CPR Certification

Research:

3 Months lab research over the summer ( poster presentation)


School Selection:

Match/Fit:
UMASS
BU
Tufts
UCONN
PENN State
U of Vermont
Georgetown
U of Maryland
SUNY- Buffalo
Temple
Drexel
Jefferson

Reach:
Harvard
Columbia
Mayo
UPENN
Yale
Brown
Vanderbilt
Emory
JHU


I would really appreciate it if you could please advise me on what to do to improve my application for up coming cycle. I understand that I am lacking research, but it's been very hard to find a research position. I feel like because of my lack of research this might hinder my chances at the reach schools. I would like to stay in the northeast area because of family reasons.

Thank you so much!

 

[Catalystik]

I would really appreciate it if you could please advise me on what to do to improve my application for up coming cycle.

Any sports, hobbies, or artistic endeavors to list?

How much of a leadership role did you take in the Green Projects? Do you have an advisor who can attest to your involvement? How much of a difference did the organization make?

I feel like because of my lack of research this might hinder my chances at the reach schools.

Probably. And your lower Lizzy M score compared to a school's matriculant average won't help either. But it's fine to include dream schools anyway, if you can afford them. And if your leadership is strong enough, you might get some attention anyway, against the odds.

Are you willing to wait a year to apply so as to get some substantive research activity on your application, to have a better shot?

 

[Prohok]

Any sports, hobbies, or artistic endeavors to list?

How much of a leadership role did you take in the Green Projects? Do you have an advisor who can attest to your involvement? How much of a difference did the organization make?


Probably. And your lower Lizzy M score compared to a school's matriculant average won't help either. But it's fine to include dream schools anyway, if you can afford them. And if your leadership is strong enough, you might get some attention anyway, against the odds.

Are you willing to wait a year to apply so as to get some substantive research activity on your application, to have a better shot?

There are different phases & teams in the project. I'm part of the planning and intervention team which we work together to create inventions that are eco friendly and cheap. For example, one of our project is making University's trash bins from recyclable materials. I have an Adviser that can attest to all these things. Unfortunately I didn't ask him for a LOR. We have a committee letter from the Pre-Med advisers.

Artistic endeavors? Well, I don't consider myself to be a renowned artist or anything but I do draw using oil pastels. I have a portfolio with my drawings. It's just a hobby that I've been doing since I was 5. It relaxes me. I never thought to put that into my application.

What's your estimate on my chances would be if I do spend the next year in research? I can't apply now because I am really late and my original plan is to apply next year.

As you have stated, those schools are dream schools. My ultimate goal is to get accepted to at least one of the school, reach/safety or match, I'll take it. It would be a dream to get accepted to those top schools and receive great financial aid package, but I'll be happy at any of those places.

I would love to go to Brown because it's only 20 minutes away from my house. But I'm shooting for UMASS because it is my state's university and I'm hoping they'll be nice and accept me 🙂

P.S Do you think if I leave my app the way it is right now, would I have a chance at some interview or possible acceptance to any of the schools?
I bet being Cambodian won't help me much either, because of the large Asian population in medicine.

 

[Catalystik]

1) There are different phases & teams in the project. I'm part of the planning and intervention team which we work together to create inventions that are eco friendly and cheap. For example, one of our project is making University's trash bins from recyclable materials. I have an Adviser that can attest to all these things. Unfortunately I didn't ask him for a LOR. We have a committee letter from the Pre-Med advisers.

2) Artistic endeavors? Well, I don't consider myself to be a renowned artist or anything but I do draw using oil pastels. I have a portfolio with my drawings. It's just a hobby that I've been doing since I was 5. It relaxes me. I never thought to put that into my application.

3) What's your estimate on my chances would be if I do spend the next year in research?

4) I can't apply now because I am really late and my original plan is to apply next year.

5) Do you think if I leave my app the way it is right now, would I have a chance at some interview or possible acceptance to any of the schools?
I bet being Cambodian won't help me much either, because of the large Asian population in medicine.

1) You might be able to send in a separate LOR to schools that permit more than just a letter packet/committee letter.

2) Artistic endeavors can also be acting, dance, writing, photography, etc, but key is that you share the Art with others. Otherwise, it's considered a hobby.

3) You'd still have a lower than average MCAT score for some of the dream schools, but more substantive research would generally improve your chances.

4) I didn't think you meant to apply now. Thank goodness.

5) I think that besides the sparse research and lack of a personal element like hobbies (which I hope you will add) that your ECs are terrific, and for the first group of schools listed, IMO, your chances with a 3.8/33 exceed the All Applicants predicted acceptance rate for the past three years of 82% (assuming supportive LORs, well-written PS and essays, no IA or legal issues, and appropriate interview skills). You have so many strengths already that I wouldn't suggest you wait an extra year to apply against the hope that a "top ranked" school would express more interest due to more research. Maybe they will anyway.

And Brown is in your stats range, BTW, if you look at their matriculant averages. So are Mayo and Emory.

 

[Prohok]

1) You might be able to send in a separate LOR to schools that permit more than just a letter packet/committee letter.

2) Artistic endeavors can also be acting, dance, writing, photography, etc, but key is that you share the Art with others. Otherwise, it's considered a hobby.

3) You'd still have a lower than average MCAT score for some of the dream schools, but more substantive research would generally improve your chances.

4) I didn't think you meant to apply now. Thank goodness.

5) I think that besides the sparse research and lack of a personal element like hobbies (which I hope you will add) that your ECs are terrific, and for the first group of schools listed, IMO, your chances with a 3.8/33 exceed the All Applicants predicted acceptance rate for the past three years of 82% (assuming supportive LORs, well-written PS and essays, no IA or legal issues, and appropriate interview skills). You have so many strengths already that I wouldn't suggest you wait an extra year to apply against the hope that a "top ranked" school would express more interest due to more research. Maybe they will anyway.

And Brown is in your stats range, BTW, if you look at their matriculant averages. So are Mayo and Emory.

Thank you so much for your input!

Unfortunately I don't have any exciting/thrilling hobbies to sell out 🙁. I draw and I sing

I'm trying really hard to bank some research during my gap year but I can't seem to land one.

Yes I used the MSAR and noticed that I'm within the range for Brown, Mayo and Emory. Actually, I'm in the range for most of the them but the only thing is my MCAT is a couple of points lower than matriculant students.

I don't have high hopes for Mayo. Their acceptance rate is pretty brutal. With Brown, I don't know how heavy they look into research. All the other schools are research giants.

Again, either way I still have to take a gap year off. But I want it to be productive. I don't want to spend next year working and leaving my application stagnant.

Do you happen to know about ways I can obtain research positions? That summer research I did was an enrichment program and I just happened to be there at the right time and met the right people who was able to set me up as a lab assistant over the summer.

 

[Catalystik]

Do you happen to know about ways I can obtain research positions?

This is a topic better explored in the main PreMedAllo Forum.

 

[Prohok]

This is a topic better explored in the main PreMedAllo Forum.

Ok, got cha!

School selection wise, is it broadly enough than? I just wanna make sure. I'm reading around and I see these thread about people with high stats getting rejected from their safeties and match schools etc.

 

[Catalystik]

School selection wise, is it broadly enough than? I just wanna make sure. I'm reading around and I see these thread about people with high stats getting rejected from their safeties and match schools etc.

I think the list is fine. You have months to refine the list and research each school in detail to be sure you'd go there if it were your only acceptance. In the process you may discover another good candidate or two to add.