Where do I stand?

[BrianMD]

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I feel I should lead things off by thanking all the active members of SDN. You guys are amazing, you always give great advice and I could not have made it this far without this place (long time lurker, first time poster).

Just got my 4/4/09 MCAT scores back:
PS: 10 VR: 8 WS: O BS: 13 Total: 31O

Undergraduate GPA will be about 3.8-3.85 depending on how this semester finishes out.

I worked at large hospital as a patient transporter for the second half of my freshman year and the following summer (Probably around 400 hours of patient contact right there). Roughly 20 hours of shadowing (Emergency Medicine, Diagnostic Radiology, Family Medicine). ~ 50 hours of Emergency room volunteering.

I have a strong research background with no pubs yet but it's a large project so I haven't expected one yet either. Currently 1 year on this large project with the previous year on smaller ones. This summer I have an internship thats geared more toward MSTP kids with research and clinical experience however, I just want to get an MD.

I'm currently an Iowa resident and would love to stay in state but that 8 in VR worries me a little. I won't be picky while choosing schools but i would just like to get in this upcoming cycle.

What do you guys think. How bad is that 8 going to hurt? What schools should I consider?

 

[JJMrK]

I feel I should lead things off by thanking all the active members of SDN. You guys are amazing, you always give great advice and I could not have made it this far without this place (long time lurker, first time poster).

Just got my 4/4/09 MCAT scores back:
PS: 10 VR: 8 WS: O BS: 13 Total: 31O

Undergraduate GPA will be about 3.8-3.85 depending on how this semester finishes out.

I worked at large hospital as a patient transporter for the second half of my freshman year and the following summer (Probably around 400 hours of patient contact right there). Roughly 20 hours of shadowing (Emergency Medicine, Diagnostic Radiology, Family Medicine). ~ 50 hours of Emergency room volunteering.

I have a strong research background with no pubs yet but it's a large project so I haven't expected one yet either. Currently 1 year on this large project with the previous year on smaller ones. This summer I have an internship thats geared more toward MSTP kids with research and clinical experience however, I just want to get an MD.

I'm currently an Iowa resident and would love to stay in state but that 8 in VR worries me a little. I won't be picky while choosing schools but i would just like to get in this upcoming cycle.

What do you guys think. How bad is that 8 going to hurt? What schools should I consider?

Good GPA, decent MCAT, and good ECs. Apply in state and to OOS privates and I think you'll be fine.

 

[dangit]

Hey Brian,

Your GPA is very good. MCAT is good. 8 won't kill you, it's a little below average. Those who matriculated in 2008 had an average of 9.9 on the verbal.

Like the above poster said, apply broadly, but apply early. Also, if you're really intent on staying in Iowa, look into osteopathic schools. I'm not sure how badly you want to get a MD, but it looks like you're dead set on MD based on your name 😛

The osteopathic school is DMU. From what I heard, it's an awesome school. Good luck!

 

[BrianMD]

Okay, so I put together a preliminary list of schools where I think I should be competitive. There are some Reach, some middle of the road, and some lower tier but I think I should be "competitive" at all the schools on the list. If you have any suggestions or comments let me know. Remember that I am an Iowa resident.

Einstein
Vanderbilt (very interested in this school, would love an interview but probably out of reach)
Case Western
New York University
University of Pennsylvania
Ohio State
Boston U.
University of Iowa
St. Louis University
Wake Forest
Penn State
Georgetown
Rosalind Franklin
Creighton
Albany
Jefferson
MC Wisconsin
U of Illinois
Tulane
NYMC
Drexel

This seems to me like a lot of schools and I think it does need some pruning, but that 8 in VR will put me in the 10th percentile (or lower) at most of the schools on the list. Any advise would be much appreciated.

 

[J ROD]

I think you are a good shot at in-state. Then, apply to the lower tier private MDs. Consider DO in Iowa as a backup.

I would be surprised if you did not get in at Iowa. The 8 in verbal is fine since you overall score is good. A 7 in verbal would have made me worry more.

I think you will be a MD student next year. Congrats!

 

[BrianMD]

Thanks for the encouragement!!! Everyone could use some throughout this process....

I know I should have a good chance at Iowa and to be honest, if I got accepted there it would probably be 95% sure that, no matter where else I got in, I would go there. The only thing I am worried about is the what if... Do the rest of my schools I listed look good? I know I should have a fighting chance at most of them but is there any changes that should be made? Any you guys would suggest? This site has been amazing since I have been lurking... It was such a huge help throughout the MCAT study prep... I should post in the 30+ section to give back... Anyway, thanks for your help in advance.

Ohhh, and about the DO schools... I'm not going to apply to any... I have nothing against DO schools or the physicians they produce, but when I worked at a hospital there was some extreme prejudiced against them in the department I worked in. Now, I do NOT think that this is right or even justified and I will never be that way but, on the other hand, I know that it does happen and, although it is rare, I don't want it to happen to me if I can help it.

Thanks again.

 

[BrianMD]

I'm going to give this one more bump for advice on the list of schools. Let me know what you think.

This should be an interesting application cycle I think. It seems to me that I should be an extremely competitive applicant in all areas of my application with the exception of that 8. I think a nine would have looked exponentially better... and it's scary that the difference could have been 1 question. Well thanks for your help in advance!!!

 

[JJMrK]

I think your list looks good. Good luck this cycle.

 

[honker]

Okay, so I put together a preliminary list of schools where I think I should be competitive. There are some Reach, some middle of the road, and some lower tier but I think I should be "competitive" at all the schools on the list. If you have any suggestions or comments let me know. Remember that I am an Iowa resident.

Einstein
Vanderbilt (very interested in this school, would love an interview but probably out of reach)
Case Western
New York University
University of Pennsylvania
Ohio State
Boston U.
University of Iowa
St. Louis University
Wake Forest
Penn State
Georgetown
Rosalind Franklin
Creighton
Albany
Jefferson
MC Wisconsin
U of Illinois
Tulane
NYMC
Drexel

This seems to me like a lot of schools and I think it does need some pruning, but that 8 in VR will put me in the 10th percentile (or lower) at most of the schools on the list. Any advise would be much appreciated.

I would suggest that you drop Penn, Dartmouth, NYU, Vandy, Case, and Einstein. Add Med College of Virginia, SUNY Downstate, Toledo, Temple, and Loyola-Stritch.

 

[JJMrK]

I would suggest that you drop Penn, Dartmouth, NYU, Vandy, Case, and Einstein. Add Med College of Virginia, SUNY Downstate, Toledo, Temple, and Loyola-Stritch.

Don't get rid of all your reach schools OP. You never know. If you want, add some of these schools, but do yourself a favor and don't remove your reaches completely.