What MD schools to focus on upcoming cycle if I don't get in this cycle?

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basophilic

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Applied late last cycle; got 3 interviews, 2 waitlists and 1 reject

GPA: 3.75/3.75 from top 30
MCAT: 132/123/131/132 (518); the low score is CARS
Volunteering: several hundred hours across 5 departments; some shadowing in there too
EMT for couple years; several hundred hours
Tutor: through an undergrad program and now privately in-person and online; a couple hundred hours
Research - 2 different labs:
P chem lab: several hundred hours; group (non-coauthor) pub in a high impact journal; 60-page honors thesis; 1 local conference
Bioengineering lab: 1000+ hrs; 1 first-author pub; recently submitted another first-author manuscript for review; by summer time, I'll most likely have a chance at co-authoring another manuscript with a collaboration group (I'm expecting these to be in-review or accepted for publication by the time next cycle interviews start).
2 first-author abstracts/posters for conferences (one was an international conference; in the other one, my poster was 2nd place of 255); 2 coauthored abstracts/posters for international conference. Also, working on a first-author abstract for another international symposium held this mid-October.
And (if it matters) somewhat interesting hobbies

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Suggest first working on interview skills.
Always go for your state schools.
Apply 6/1/17 this cycle.

It's really hard to give you better feedback than that without seeing your list.


Applied late last cycle; got 3 interviews, 2 waitlists and 1 reject

GPA: 3.75/3.75 from top 30
MCAT: 132/123/131/132 (518); the low score is CARS
Volunteering: several hundred hours across 5 departments; some shadowing in there too
EMT for couple years; several hundred hours
Tutor: through an undergrad program and now privately in-person and online; a couple hundred hours
Research - 2 different labs:
P chem lab: several hundred hours; group (non-coauthor) pub in a high impact journal; 60-page honors thesis; 1 local conference
Bioengineering lab: 1000+ hrs; 1 first-author pub; recently submitted another first-author manuscript for review; by summer time, I'll most likely have a chance at co-authoring another manuscript with a collaboration group (I'm expecting these to be in-review or accepted for publication by the time next cycle interviews start).
2 first-author abstracts/posters for conferences (one was an international conference; in the other one, my poster was 2nd place of 255); 2 coauthored abstracts/posters for international conference. Also, working on a first-author abstract for another international symposium held this mid-October.
And (if it matters) somewhat interesting hobbies
 
Nov-Dec; low- and low-mid-tier (based on USNWR) private schools in northeast (PA resident)
Yeah that is late. I'd submit in June/July this time around, obviously, and I'd actually try including some of the higher ranked programs. A 3.8/36 with very strong research (multiple pubs incl. a first authorship is strong) is right up their alley. Just have to get some luck with overlooking the CARS score - make sure all your writing in essays and activity descriptions is extremely coherent and have other readers triple check everything.
 
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Suggest first working on interview skills.
Always go for your state schools.
Apply 6/1/17 this cycle.

It's really hard to give you better feedback than that without seeing your list.
PA doesn't really have any state schools. They are all private for the most part.
 
Just popping in to say you should strongly emphasize your interesting hobbies in your app, from your OP it seems like you're an academic powerhouse (solid GPA, great MCAT aside from CARS, great research) but might be cookie cutter otherwise. Definitely work on your interview skills too and apply early, you got this :thumbup:
 
Nov-Dec; low- and low-mid-tier (based on USNWR) private schools in northeast (PA resident)

It could be possible you got yield protected because of strong stats (besides 123 CARS) and strong research. Low and low mid tiers probably care a lot more on clinical and nonclinical experiences/service to the community.
 
@starrystarrynight1 you already know your weaknesses: late app and poor interviewing. An improved school list won't help you if you don't apply early and get better at interviewing
 
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Well yeah I'll of course send it in as early as possible. But which schools within, specifically, the top 20-50 can I focus on as "reach" schools? I'd apply to a handful within this category but don't want to waste too much money here if it's a lost cause.
Also, as a Pennsylvania resident, I applied to all PA schools except Penn and Pitt; having said that, I don't think I get any in-state advantage here since Penn state is a private school I believe.
Also, do you guys have any specific recommendations on the interview skills part? I went through a comprehensive list of potential med school interview questions and listed some answers for each and practiced a bit in front of the mirror, and I'm introverted in group settings but I'm very good at one-on-one convos with all the eye contact, body language, etc. For the MMI, I went through most of the U Washington bioethics website and practiced their case scenarios and the example ones provided by the school I was interviewing at; came up with a very general strategy (read scenario, list arguments on both sides, recall personal relatable anecdotes for one or more side, and come up with sensible solution) to attack potential scenarios I'd be given - I know it's common sense, but at least prevented brain-fade. This is not the best interview prep, but was maybe better than that of many of the other (impromptu) interviewees.
 
Well yeah I'll of course send it in as early as possible. But which schools within, specifically, the top 20-50 can I focus on as "reach" schools? I'd apply to a handful within this category but don't want to waste too much money here if it's a lost cause.
Also, as a Pennsylvania resident, I applied to all PA schools except Penn and Pitt; having said that, I don't think I get any in-state advantage here since Penn state is a private school I believe.
Also, do you guys have any specific recommendations on the interview skills part? I went through a comprehensive list of potential med school interview questions and listed some answers for each and practiced a bit in front of the mirror, and I'm introverted in group settings but I'm very good at one-on-one convos with all the eye contact, body language, etc. For the MMI, I went through most of the U Washington bioethics website and practiced their case scenarios and the example ones provided by the school I was interviewing at; came up with a very general strategy (read scenario, list arguments on both sides, recall personal relatable anecdotes for one or more side, and come up with sensible solution) to attack potential scenarios I'd be given - I know it's common sense, but at least prevented brain-fade. This is not the best interview prep, but was maybe better than that of many of the other (impromptu) interviewees.
I'd say a bunch of places in the 10-25 range would be a good idea, like at least half a dozen or more. Even a couple in the top 10 might make sense. These are the places that will love your research record.

Do you have the ability to go to a campus career center and do a mock interview? It's really hard to self-assess from practicing in the mirror
 
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I'd say a bunch of places in the 10-25 range would be a good idea, like at least half a dozen or more. Even a couple in the top 10 might make sense. These are the places that will love your research record.

Do you have the ability to go to a campus career center and do a mock interview? It's really hard to self-assess from practicing in the mirror
Wouldn't I get screened out from all of those top 25 schools for the low CARS?
 
Yeah man you *possibly did not get in this cycle because of that late app. That's crazy late.. The CARS score stands out, but I also had a 123 and had plenty of interviews with a much lower MCAT overall. Just come up with an good school list and you will have plenty of IIs next year
 
Pretty impressed by your stats!! Sorry to hear that you didn't get in this cycle.
 
Late app is an absolute killer.

1) submit your app in June so it gets verified really fast. I suggest submitting first day but if you are so careless as to shoot hourself in the foot a second time then so be it.
2) Start a thread end of May with your exact school list for good pointers and a review of inclusions/exclusions.
3) ...
4) Profit!
 
Well, I get that I should apply first day, but there's not a whole lot of feedback on here about my original question of which specific schools I can aim for or which I can avoid (specifically in the rank 10-40 range).
Thanks everyone for all the replies though.
 
Well, I get that I should apply first day, but there's not a whole lot of feedback on here about my original question of which specific schools I can aim for or which I can avoid (specifically in the rank 10-40 range).
Thanks everyone for all the replies though.
My suggestions:
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Commonwealth
Penn State
Pitt
Case Western
Rochester
Einstein
Mount Sinai
Cincinnati
Boston University
Tufts
Hofstra
 
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