Which schools are reasonable?

[Laufcra]

Hello everyone,

The reason I'm posting here is because I wanted to get some input on what schools are reasonable for me to apply to.

White male, 23 years old, 5th year senior, Wisconsin resident
My EC activities:
In-vitro Alzheimer's research: 65 hours
Clinical (free clinic/orthopedic hospital) volunteer hours: 206 hours
Organic chem/General chem/physics tutoring (employed by university): 209 hours
Non-clinical volunteering: 17 hours
Hobby (6 years martial arts, earned a green belt in Doce Pares Eskrima): 1200+ hours
Other work experience (restaurant employee): 2200 hours
Shadowing (orthopedic surgeons) - 44 hours

I know my EC's are kind of weak (not nearly as much shadowing as some of you other rockstars!) but my GPA is a 3.963, double majoring in Kinesiology and Biochemistry (I graduate with KIN next semester, then one more semester to finish biochem). I've pretty much gotten close to 100% in any science class I've ever taken (biochem, physics, all gen chem/ochem, anatomy, etc.) and I made sure to get letters from these professors (I've got like 10ish, my adviser is cool enough to keep them on file and pick the good ones for me), as well as letters from the docs I've shadowed/the manager of the free clinic I volunteer at. I have not yet taken my MCAT, I'll be studying 10-12 hours per day til July 26th, I've been studying for a while yet. Lets say hypothetically I get a 34 on my MCAT (I have yet to do an AAMC practice so I couldn't really tell you how I would actually do...).

Here is the current list, I know some of these are a real big stretch but my parents are lending me the money for the application, and it makes them happy to see that I put some big name schools on there (despite their future dismay lol):
Dartmouth
Hopkins
Yale
Loyola
Mayo
Northwestern
Stanford
Cornell
Pritzker
Wayne State University
University of Illinois
University of Minnesota
Medical College of Wisconsin
University of Madison Wisconsin
University of Michigan
Rush Medical College
Rosalind Franklin School of Medicine
Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine

I may want to add a few more reasonable schools to this list, does anyone have any suggestions? Also, is applying to schools like Yale/Hopkins a straight up waste of my parent's money?

Thanks!

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[October88]

Everything totally depends on your mcat.

And how late your app will be...

 

[Laufcra]

Yes but say hypothetically that I get a 34, and my app is ready to go I'm sending it the moment I'm able. Any other school suggestions (reasonable)?

 

[sdresident]

While I am no expert, my app is similar to yours . The advice I have gotten from past adcom members is that <100 hrs research and mcat = 34 will make the top 10 schools on your list a reach. Perhaps consider Ohio State since you don't seem to mind OOS schools, they take a good percentage OOS.

 

[October88]

Yes but say hypothetically that I get a 34, and my app is ready to go I'm sending it the moment I'm able. Any other school suggestions (reasonable)?

It would argue it would be very hard to predict your mcat wo a practice test and a 34 is a very good mcat. Not a score you can just assume you'd get cuz you aced your college classes.

But if that I'd indeed your score hypothetically your lust looks good and you should get at least one acceptance and applying to top schools is a bit a donation but not totallyalthough your ecs are a bit weak for top sxhools.

 

[Laufcra]

While I am no expert, my app is similar to yours . The advice I have gotten from past adcom members is that <100 hrs research and mcat = 34 will make the top 10 schools on your list a reach. Perhaps consider Ohio State since you don't seem to mind OOS schools, they take a good percentage OOS.

Yeah since there are only two schools in my state I may be forced to go elsewhere If I can't get into MCW or Madison. I'm looking at Ohio right now on the MSAR, it looks to be like a good fit in terms of selection factors, although it seems a bit pricey for out-of-state (really hoping I get into Madison, in-state is like 30 grand). Did I mention that I will be doing research for 20 hours/week starting in July? (I included this in the work/activities description).

 

[Goro]

The higher the MCAT, the wider the net and high you should aim. Keep in mind that a 34 on the MCAT, while stellar, is below avg for many of these schools!

Also keep in mind that state schools favor the home team, and often don't admit many OOS applicants unless they're really rocking.

Definitely apply to your state schools, and those of neighboring states, if any. Throw in all the schools in Philly, and NYC, plus SLU, Duke and the new schools in MI. If you get a 36+ on the MCAT, then the sky's the limit.


Here is the current list, I know some of these are a real big stretch but my parents are lending me the money for the application, and it makes them happy to see that I put some big name schools on there (despite their future dismay lol):

Dartmouth
Hopkins
Yale
Loyola
Mayo
Northwestern
Stanford
Cornell
Pritzker
Wayne State University
University of Illinois
University of Minnesota
Medical College of Wisconsin
University of Madison Wisconsin
University of Michigan
Rush Medical College
Rosalind Franklin School of Medicine
Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine

I may want to add a few more reasonable schools to this list, does anyone have any suggestions? Also, is applying to schools like Yale/Hopkins a straight up waste of my parent's money?

Thanks![/QUOTE]

 

[Laufcra]

The higher the MCAT, the wider the net and high you should aim. Keep in mind that a 34 on the MCAT, while stellar, is below avg for many of these schools!

Also keep in mind that state schools favor the home team, and often don't admit many OOS applicants unless they're really rocking.

Definitely apply to your state schools, and those of neighboring states, if any. Throw in all the schools in Philly, and NYC, plus SLU, Duke and the new schools in MI. If you get a 36+ on the MCAT, then the sky's the limit.


Here is the current list, I know some of these are a real big stretch but my parents are lending me the money for the application, and it makes them happy to see that I put some big name schools on there (despite their future dismay lol):

Dartmouth
Hopkins
Yale
Loyola
Mayo
Northwestern
Stanford
Cornell
Pritzker
Wayne State University
University of Illinois
University of Minnesota
Medical College of Wisconsin
University of Madison Wisconsin
University of Michigan
Rush Medical College
Rosalind Franklin School of Medicine
Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine

I may want to add a few more reasonable schools to this list, does anyone have any suggestions? Also, is applying to schools like Yale/Hopkins a straight up waste of my parent's money?

Thanks!

[/QUOTE]

I don't feel that a 36 is unreasonable, I do tend to get 13/14 on physical (BR tests anyway) , and I have these 2 months to review bio. It's just that I am so bad at VR (today I got a 9 on a BR verbal test, though I tend to do better on kaplan/EK). I don't really know how representative the practice verbal stuff I've been doing is in terms of the real thing, but I've never sucked so bad at anything in my life lol. Thanks very much for the reply and suggestions!