Medical What schools should I apply to - URM, big increase in MCAT score?

[tantacles]

I am trying to compile a list of schools to apply to, but am having difficulty knowing how to apply broadly//strategically. I am also wondering whether to apply to all schools now, or apply in waves, to avoid being bombarded with secondaries. My biggest goal is to get accepted this cycle, so please let me know if I need to adjust my school list.

URM
MCATs: 495,496,519
GPA:3.5cGPA/3,4sGPA
Physician Observation: 130 hours
Clinical Volunteering: 100 hours
Leadership/Community Service: Founder/pres of student org, cofounder of undergrad mentoring program (my assigned mentees weren't receptive so I didn't do any mentoring) - started semester before graduating
Research: 3 years in undergrad, some posters, no publications
Miscellaneous: Played an instrument throughout undergrad
Tentative List:

Stanford University School of Medicine - just throwaway school to submit primary

Frank H. Netter M.D. School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University

University of Connecticut School of Medicine

Howard - not sure

Nova - not sure, small class size

Umiami

USF Morsani

Emory

Morehouse - not sure

Loyola

Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Chicago Medical School of Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

Rush Medical College - read about an extensive clinical volunteer requirement ?

University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine

Tulane

Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine

Wayne State University School of Medicine

Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine

University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine

University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Medicine

Creighton

Albany

University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry

Weill Cornell Medical College

Wright state

The Ohio State University College of Medicine

Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine

Drexel University College of Medicine - read that Drexel is low-yield due to a lot of applications

University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Meharry - not sure

UVM

VCU

Medical College of Wisconsin

Wow! Great improvement in your MCAT. That's one of the most amazing success stories I've ever seen. I hope you can share that with others on SDN to help them reach your level of success. I think you have a great chance of success with your school list. Since you are URM, definitely put in applications to Howard and Meharry. Even if they are not on the top of your list, given their mission, it's possible that with your MCAT score, you'd be in the running for a scholarship.

As far as secondaries go, just apply to all of your schools now, and complete the secondaries as soon as you can. It doesn't matter if it takes you a bit of time after you get the secondary to complete it. Just work on one secondary at a time, submit, and then get the next one in.

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[TheBoneDoctah]

Dat MCAT improvement tho....

Congrats!

I think you will do well this cycle! Apply to all the schools at once and complete secondaries as you can without sacrificing quality. One of the worst things you can do at this point is rush getting your secondaries in and turn in crap.

 

[lord999]

If you haven't already made Stanford your primary, considering putting Mayo as one of the schools as a URM if a throwaway.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I'd still urge you to connect with SNMA chapters at the schools on your wishlist. Though you haven't disclosed more details on your experiences, you want to be in a position where schools want you rather than the other way around. The clinical hours may be the only thing I may have a concern about, but it depends on what you did.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

Thank you! Oh okay. Yeah, I heard that some students turn in secondaries the same day to show interest in the school. I was afraid of not being able to turn in secondaries within a day, for all schools.

I mean ya some do and you want to be quick but don’t sacrifice a good essay just because you’re trying to get it submitted quickly.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Oh okay. And when I do connect with them, would I just express that I'm applying this cycle and want to hear more about their student experiences? Well, when I said 'clinical volunteering' I meant the time I spent volunteering in a nursing home and then in the adult ER. I did also volunteer in a free clinic as an interpreter, but I listed that under 'community service' on AMCAS.

I would reach out to student officers in general. Look up the national website and read up on what mentoring support they provide.