Hello everyone. This is my first post on this forum and I'd like to start off with a typical "what are my chances" thread. Reason being, I'm getting pretty anxious about applying next summer. I'd really like to attend a top tier med school (I know, I know, doesn't everyone). The problem is my gpa. By the end of next year, realistically, I'll be sitting around a 3.65. Optimistically, I could pull it all the way up to a 3.75 but that's with 1 A- and the remaining A's each quarter. That's doable for me but I'm also involved in a lot of extracurricular activities which makes it difficult in the biochem major.
Also, I've been taking MCAT practice tests and have been doing relatively well so I'm thinking I can score 35+ (please don't tell me that this is too ambitious). Besides all the numbers, my ECs include:
-Worked 1+ years at Kumon as a tutor.
-Taught piano lessons several summers.
-Worked 1+ years at a geophysics research company as a lab assistant (did a lot of work with NMR and electronics).
-Was promoted to a research assistant at the geophysics company and did research for 3 months during the summer.
-Started undergraduate research during spring of my freshman year (still involved). Currently have 2 conference presentations. Most likely will have 4 presentations and a published paper by the time I apply.
-Teaching assistant for an undergrad class at my school for several quarters.
-Lab TA for organic chemistry.
-Working as a lab tech at a research institute in a hospital (1+ years). Doing a lot of genotyping and immunology work.
-5 week trip to Kenya to work in a hospital over the summer.
-10 week clinical research internship at The Hope Heart Institute. (Assisted in a lot of cardiology type research)
-Volunteered for 4+ years at a large hospital in the ED.
-Volunteered for 2 years at a homeless youth clinic.
-Volunteered for about a year at a big brother big sister organization.
-A lot of shadowing hours of various specialties.
-Involved in pre-med club and orgo chem club at school.
This is pretty much what my application will look like when applying next year. Considering a 3.65-3.70 GPA and a 35+ MCAT, what do you guys think are my chances are of getting into a top 30 med school? Any kind of response would be appreciated. Is there any part of my app that I should really work on?
Also, I've been taking MCAT practice tests and have been doing relatively well so I'm thinking I can score 35+ (please don't tell me that this is too ambitious). Besides all the numbers, my ECs include:
-Worked 1+ years at Kumon as a tutor.
-Taught piano lessons several summers.
-Worked 1+ years at a geophysics research company as a lab assistant (did a lot of work with NMR and electronics).
-Was promoted to a research assistant at the geophysics company and did research for 3 months during the summer.
-Started undergraduate research during spring of my freshman year (still involved). Currently have 2 conference presentations. Most likely will have 4 presentations and a published paper by the time I apply.
-Teaching assistant for an undergrad class at my school for several quarters.
-Lab TA for organic chemistry.
-Working as a lab tech at a research institute in a hospital (1+ years). Doing a lot of genotyping and immunology work.
-5 week trip to Kenya to work in a hospital over the summer.
-10 week clinical research internship at The Hope Heart Institute. (Assisted in a lot of cardiology type research)
-Volunteered for 4+ years at a large hospital in the ED.
-Volunteered for 2 years at a homeless youth clinic.
-Volunteered for about a year at a big brother big sister organization.
-A lot of shadowing hours of various specialties.
-Involved in pre-med club and orgo chem club at school.
This is pretty much what my application will look like when applying next year. Considering a 3.65-3.70 GPA and a 35+ MCAT, what do you guys think are my chances are of getting into a top 30 med school? Any kind of response would be appreciated. Is there any part of my app that I should really work on?
Last edited:
