What are my chances? / School list

[DNM]

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[Catalystik]

I am trying to finalize my list of schools to apply to and make sure I am applying to reasonable schools. Hopefully you guys can critique my list or suggest some schools to apply to.

cGPA: 3.85, sGPA: 3.8, MCAT 30 Residency: Minnesota

Research
Lots of research, two labs for a year, a year and a half in a third. Should be culminating in a few presentations this spring.

Volunteering
Around 150~ hours of clinical volunteering over the course of two years. Going to continue volunteering more this year as well.

Shadowing
65~ hours in three different specialties (family med, pathology, cardiology).

Work
Tutoring for 3-4 years, around 6-10 hours a week.

Other
A few other clubs that I participated in out of interest but not necessarily related to medicine

As far as where I would like to attend, I would like to stick around the Midwest if possible, but I want to give myself the best chance of acceptance first and foremost. I would love to avoid retaking the MCAT but would consider retaking it if is strongly recommended.

List of schools

U of Minnesota
Mayo Clinic (not expecting anything )
Medical College of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin
University of Iowa
Rush
Loyola
Rosalind Franklin
Creighton
Univ. of Nebraska
Wayne State
University of North Dakota

Is there anything I should add? Remove? Will I have a shot at these schools with my current stats?

What are your MCAT subscores?
Do you have anything to list for leadership or nonmedical community service (which the two Jesuit schools on your list would probably like to see)? Do you have any experiences with your state's Native American populations so as to appeal to Duluth?

Do you know that N Dakota is not an AMCAS school and has very different criteria for whether you'd be offered an interview?

Otherwise, your list is fine. You might add UIllinois, which takes > 25% OOS matriculants, though the OOS tuition is high. Also, check out Louisville, ETennessee, Oakland, and Wright.

 

[DNM]

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[Catalystik]

1) My subscores are 10 PS 11 VR 9 BS

2) For leadership I have been a general chemistry TA as well as a TA for contemporary fiction.

3) I haven't done any long-term community service but was hoping to get involved with something this year, possibly working at a local food shelf.

4) I haven't done anything involving rural medicine that Duluth would be looking for, but mostly because I have found it hard to find opportunities. Is it even worth applying without having been involved in rural medicine or native populations?

5) For North Dakota, I saw they are not part of AMCAS and I read on their website that they primarily accept North Dakota residents, but also extend limited acceptances to Minnesota residents... should I not bother with North Dakota?

6) Louisville looks really interesting and promising. Is it reasonable to apply here without any connections to the state?

7) am I casting a wide enough net to hopefully get an acceptance if I apply early?

1) Nicely balanced.

2) This should be listed under Teaching or Employment. If there were leadership-y components to the job (like you trained or organized other TAs), try to make that clear in your description.

3) Time's wasting. Get it going.

4) That's my impression, from what I've read on SDN, but you might look through last year's School Specific thread and see what you can find out there. Or, even PM some of the posters from that time and ask the question.

5) I would call the school and ask their criteria for Minnesota residents. Let us know what you find out. Maybe you have to live near the border and have an interest in relocating to ND. Or maybe not.

6) I recall reading of OOS acceptances for folks from far away states, but don't know if they may have had OOS ties. You might check last year's School Specific thread for info.

7) Chances of success in the past three years for All Applicants applying with 3.85/30 were 76%.

 

[DNM]

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[Catalystik]

IMO your GPAs are high enough that your balanced MCAT score is fine for most of the schools you're applying to. But since you have the time, if practice tests suggest you could score at least three points higher, then go for it. Past All Applicant stats give the suggestion that your odds would go from 76% to 83% with an MCAT score of 33. Is it worth it?

I think you'll get a boost from the planned EC improvements. Nice job getting all that going so quickly, BTW.