MD What are my chances at these med schools?

[az345]

I started off at a california community college and transferred to Berkeley. I took phys, chem, ochem, bio, and math at community college and graduated with a 3.61 (3.56 bcpm gpa). My gpa was low b/c I was working almost full time, but yes I know that there are "no excuses." I got my degree from Cal last year in Molecular and Cell Biology (emphasis in cell and developmental biology). Here are my stats:

community college
- 3.61 overall gpa
- 3.56 bcpm
uc berkeley
- 3.73 overall gpa
- 3.8 bcpm

- 34 mcat score

- Overall bcpm (community college + berkeley) 3.63

Right now I'm doing research at berkeley and plan to do shadowing in a few months. I plan on applying next year to around 15-20 schools. Right now I have these schools in mind:


loma linda
UCLA
UC Davis
UC Irvine
USCD
USC
U Nevada
Rosalind Franklin
New York medical college
NYU
Boston U

Ohio State
Drexel
Howard


Which schools do I have a decent shot of getting accepted into?

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[justAstudent]

Although your GPA is not amazing, I don't think it's necessarily "bad" by any means. On top of that, you have a very competitive MCAT score. So I think academically you are fine. However, your GPA and MCAT is only half of the story. It's hard to say whether you are competitive as an applicant without knowing your other activities. If we assume that you have the "cookie cutter" activities with no red flags or anything, I think you're pretty competitive (granted you apply early).

 

[mtbski]

Make sure the schools you are applying to accept community college credits

 

[aspirantmed]

I applied this year with numbers in a comparable range and have had interviews at a few of the schools you mentioned, plus a few in the top-10/20 range. I'd apply broadly, maybe even add a couple of 'higher-end' schools if application fees aren't a huge issue, and you should be in good shape. As for what schools you should consider - it'd be more helpful to answer that question if you gave any indication of what you're looking for in a medical school.

 

[darkjedi]

Your GPA is more than fine, you should have a decent shot at most of the schools you applied to, provided you have the ECs/experiences to back it up.

Reconsider Loma Linda, Drexel and Howard. Loma Linda has a very stringent lifestyle commitment as they are a seventh day adventist school, howard is an HBCU, and Drexel receives a ton of applications from people expecting it to be a 'safety'.

 

[Goro]

Your numbers are below avg for Ohio State, so I'd pick some other school in place of that. U NV takes only a fraction of the class from OOS, so again, I'd pick some other school. I'd swap Einstein or Mt Sinai for NYU. If you're not a URM, forget Howard. You're in striking distance for the other UC schools, but keep in mind that UCI likes people from SoCal (think mission). Have you read Loma Linda's abstinence policies? You're fine for the other schools. Suggest you choose some more low-mid tier schools; I think you're aiming a tad too high.

loma linda
UCLA
UC Davis
UC Irvine
USCD
USC
U Nevada
Rosalind Franklin
New York medical college
NYU
Boston U

Ohio State
Drexel
Howard


Which schools do I have a decent shot of getting accepted into?[/quote]

 

[sinombre]

You're in striking for the other UC schools, but keep in mind that UCI likes people from SoCal (think mission).

Is this still the case? When I interviewed there last year the dean said they had no preference for in-state applicants over out-of-state applicants...

Make sure the schools you are applying to accept community college credits

Almost every school accepts community college credits.

 

[masaraksh]

BU might be a stretch. They get 10k apps for like 100 spots. Oh and they pre-interview rejected me (4.0,37Q)

 

[Goro]

About UCI being mission specific? I'll defer to my learned colleague gyngyn for the details; but this is what I have gathered from his posts on the subject of UCR/UCI. ~10-12% of the acceptees were from OOS.

Suggest OP invests in MSAR to aim for schools whose median numbers match his/her own.

Is this still the case? When I interviewed there last year the dean said they had no preference for in-state applicants over out-of-state applicants...

 

[gyngyn]

Is this still the case? When I interviewed there last year the dean said they had no preference for in-state applicants over out-of-state applicants...

.

Sorry, double post!

 

[gyngyn]

UCI would love a little more OOS tuition and in the last few years has interviewed them in greater numbers. UCD, on the other hand is mission based and specifically focusses on the underserved central valley of CA (in addition to its research mission).

UCR is the most mission based UC (other than Drew) with a mandate to improve medical care in the inland empire.

 

[az345]

Your GPA is more than fine, you should have a decent shot at most of the schools you applied to, provided you have the ECs/experiences to back it up.

Reconsider Loma Linda, Drexel and Howard. Loma Linda has a very stringent lifestyle commitment as they are a seventh day adventist school, howard is an HBCU, and Drexel receives a ton of applications from people expecting it to be a 'safety'.

Hmm, I'm a practicing muslim, so loma lindas abstinence policy is no problem for me since I already abstain from alcohol etc. I'm an URM (iranian and mexican), so would I still be alright for howard? I also listed drexel because I saw that there numbers arent that bad, but I might repelace it for Albert Einstein.

 

[darkjedi]

Hmm, I'm a practicing muslim, so loma lindas abstinence policy is no problem for me since I already abstain from alcohol etc. I'm an URM (iranian and mexican), so would I still be alright for howard? I also listed drexel because I saw that there numbers arent that bad, but I might repelace it for Albert Einstein.

I'm actually not entirely sure how your islamic faith will play into Loma Linda's mission, as they are a very strictly christian organization. I would be hesitant to apply there anyway as a muslim or any non-christian for that matter.

 

[Ismet]

moving to WAMC.

 

[nemo123]

I started off at a california community college and transferred to Berkeley. I took phys, chem, ochem, bio, and math at community college and graduated with a 3.61 (3.56 bcpm gpa). My gpa was low b/c I was working almost full time, but yes I know that there are "no excuses." I got my degree from Cal last year in Molecular and Cell Biology (emphasis in cell and developmental biology). Here are my stats:

I thought some schools don't accept pre-reqs taken at community college?

Beyond that, if you're a devout Muslim, I would suggest adding Mayo to the list.

And if you're half Mexican, can you speak Spanish? Also what are your ECs?

 

[karayaa]

I thought some schools don't accept pre-reqs taken at community college?

Beyond that, if you're a devout Muslim, I would suggest adding Mayo to the list.

And if you're half Mexican, can you speak Spanish? Also what are your ECs?

What's the connection between Mayo and Muslims? Just the surrounding community?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_the_United_States#Population_concentration

 

[nemo123]

What's the connection between Mayo and Muslims? Just the surrounding community?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_the_United_States#Population_concentration

I don't think that area is that ethnically or religiously(?) diverse... I suggested Mayo because they like to build a very diverse class that represent their patient population, and they might love someone who's Muslim to join the class. I have not met one Muslim person at an interview yet (though I know of a few who are applying this year).

They do have a Muslim girl in the first year class (they have a board with everyone's pictures on it, so I could tell from the hijab).

 

[sat0ri]

I thought some schools don't accept pre-reqs taken at community college?
?

Can someone clarify this, and more to my concern, is it looked down upon it they are? I've been told by my upper division institution (huge school, huger pre-med ;p) that they were viewed exactly (or difference was negligible, maybe they were suggesting). I've seen it a few of "Is this red-flag ok" post, and people would respond "do you have other red flags? [...], Community College, [...]?

For me I took all the pre-reqs (chem, phys, bio, and math) just out of sheer interest when still in figuring out my life in CC, and these course are in a central way why I decide I wanted to pursue medicine. Also, pre-health advising was close to non-existent so no one seemed to deter me from taking classes like that while still at CC

 

[nemo123]

Can someone clarify this, and more to my concern, is it looked down upon it they are? I've been told by my upper division institution (huge school, huger pre-med ;p) that they were viewed exactly (or difference was negligible, maybe they were suggesting). I've seen it a few of "Is this red-flag ok" post, and people would respond "do you have other red flags? [...], Community College, [...]?

For me I took all the pre-reqs (chem, phys, bio, and math) just out of sheer interest when still in figuring out my life in CC, and these course are in a central way why I decide I wanted to pursue medicine. Also, pre-health advising was close to non-existent so no one seemed to deter me from taking classes like that while still at CC

I don't really know the answer. I think @LizzyM has touched on the subject before.

 

[LizzyM]

Can someone clarify this, and more to my concern, is it looked down upon it they are? I've been told by my upper division institution (huge school, huger pre-med ;p) that they were viewed exactly (or difference was negligible, maybe they were suggesting). I've seen it a few of "Is this red-flag ok" post, and people would respond "do you have other red flags? [...], Community College, [...]?

For me I took all the pre-reqs (chem, phys, bio, and math) just out of sheer interest when still in figuring out my life in CC, and these course are in a central way why I decide I wanted to pursue medicine. Also, pre-health advising was close to non-existent so no one seemed to deter me from taking classes like that while still at CC

There are a handful of schools that will not accept pre-reqs taken at a community college (CC). Check the MSAR for further details. As for the rest: some will take a dim view of classes taken at a CC while you are concurrently enrolled in a university (e.g. summer classes at CC). It can look like a student is avoiding the weed-out courses at their usual school and so, compared with a classmate who took all their classes at the university, the applicant who took summer classes at a CC looks weaker despite an identical gpa.

Students who attend CC before attending a university, and those who do post-bac classes at a CC are not in as big a bind. If you do at least as well at the university (or LAC) as you did in CC and you do well on the MCAT ,you should be fine.

 

[shahcoco]

I'm actually not entirely sure how your islamic faith will play into Loma Linda's mission, as they are a very strictly christian organization. I would be hesitant to apply there anyway as a muslim or any non-christian for that matter.

I have to disagree. Having gone to a faith-based university and not being of the school's official faith, I was only welcomed. From what I've learned, Christians especially are known for their kindness toward "thy neighbor" ... I don't think being Muslim will have a negative impact on your Loma Linda app, OP.

 

[az345]

I thought some schools don't accept pre-reqs taken at community college?

Beyond that, if you're a devout Muslim, I would suggest adding Mayo to the list.

And if you're half Mexican, can you speak Spanish? Also what are your ECs?

I've been doing research on drosophila genes for almost a year now and have a good chance of getting co-authored/ I've volunteered 200+ hours at the er and will start shadowing a physician soon. Yes I speak spanish as well as farsi haha. Why add mayo though?

 

[nemo123]

I've been doing research on drosophila genes for almost a year now and have a good chance of getting co-authored/ I've volunteered 200+ hours at the er and will start shadowing a physician soon. Yes I speak spanish as well as farsi haha. Why add mayo though?

It's in one of my posts in this thread.

 

[az345]

It's in one of my posts in this thread.

Oh yea now I see what you mean. I'll think about it

 

[az345]

What would you guys say my chances are of getting into kecks? USC is my top choice, but idk if I have the stats for that school

 

[gyngyn]

What would you guys say my chances are of getting into kecks? USC is my top choice, but idk if I have the stats for that school

You stats are right at the median for last year.

 

[Catalystik]

What would you guys say my chances are of getting into kecks? USC is my top choice, but idk if I have the stats for that school

Keck seems to find dedicated, long-term assistance to those in need very appealing in an applicant. Do you have an EC that covers that?

 

[az345]

Keck seems to find dedicated, long-term assistance to those in need very appealing in an applicant. Do you have an EC that covers that?

I'm kind of weak in that area. I have 200+ hours of volunteering in the er and I'm about to begin shadowing. That's about it for clinical experience.

 

[az345]

Should I add a few top-tier schools like Stanford and ucsf? I know my mcat isn't superb, but should my GPA at Berkeley be enough to make up for that?

 

[az345]

bumppppppp

 

[Staffsy77]

BU might be a stretch. They get 10k apps for like 100 spots. Oh and they pre-interview rejected me (4.0,37Q)

That's rough. Condolences

 

[az345]

Hellooo. should i add in a few reach schools like jhu, umichigan, uchicago etc?

 

[amad01]

Hellooo. should i add in a few reach schools like jhu, umichigan, uchicago etc?

No... but if money isn't a factor you can apply anywhere you want.

 

[Theralist]

Solid MCAT score. You've got a really good shot somewhere. Don't know about the Cali schools because I'm not from that state but if you applied broadly enough you would get into one.