Which schools should I apply to?

[tbyrdie]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

My GPAs are 3.63/3.53 for overall and science respectively (not taking MCAT until the end of the summer). I plan to apply to MSUCOM (first choice, in state), PCOM, OUCOM, CCOM, and MUCOM. I heard that there are no "rankings" so I based my initial list on location. I have done some research and prefer the mission certain schools over the other, but I want to know are any of these schools considered "reaches" or "safe schools" for me? Also do you have any suggestions about schools that I have a good chance of getting in that are not on my list?

 

[mke520]

VCOM (I picked the South Carolina campus)...I was accepted to multiple DO schools including to one you mentioned above and VCOM was my favorite DO school by far. of course this is just my personal opinion and all the schools you mentioned above are phenomenal but i'd highly consider you check out VCOM. that is if you would like to go South, looks like you're applying to all the Northern (Midwest area) schools. btw CCOM tuition is 60K a year!!! that's absolutely outrageous so i'd consider crossing that off your list

 

[medickdb]

Take the MCAT and get your score back first.

 

[mke520]

Take the MCAT and get your score back first.

Good advice!! I didn't realize OP didn't take the MCAT because that will determine a lot!

 

[bionerd89]

Honestly, without an MCAT score its impossible to tell. With your gpa, if you score a least 27+ you should have a good chance at MSUCOM

 

[tbyrdie]

@mke520 I've checked out VCOM a little. Looks good so far! It seems that they really favor in state/surrounding state students so that's a little scary. Thanks for the advice.

 

[mke520]

@mke520 I've checked out VCOM a little. Looks good so far! It seems that they really favor in state/surrounding state students so that's a little scary. Thanks for the advice.

They say that but to be completely honest it doesn't matter...I'm an Indiana resident (can you guess the other DO school you listed above I was accepted to now?) and never did they once ask was I planning on remaining in the area. Of course they want their students to remain in the area, just like every other DO school in the nation, but it doesn't matter that much. So I wouldn't worry about that.

 

[hallowmann]

As people have said, we can't really tell anything without an MCAT.

Your list also seems top heavy. MSU-COM, PCOM, and CCOM are some of the more competitive schools in the region, and they also get a TON of applicants. I imagine you'd need a 28 or higher to be looked at.

MU-COM is obviously your safety, and OU-HCOM will be nice to you if you are from Ohio.

That said, you know about MU-COMs MMIs and OU-HCOM's 5 yr post-training contract for OOS students, right? I didn't have an issue with the MMIs, but it seems like a lot of people do, so its a riskier safety. And as for OU-HCOM, if you're from Ohio, its not an issue, but if not, you will have to stay and practice in the state after training (i.e. after residency/fellowship) for 5 yrs or pay something like $200k (on top of the already high tuition).

Now, I don't know what you want, but I would add more safeties on that list. If you get near a 27, you should be fine for LECOM, which is generally in the area, and I believe WVSOM isn't too far from that general region. If you are willing to go a little south, you may want to consider LMU-DCOM as another potential safety if you get <27.

 

[Goro]

AT Still, Touro-NY and PCOM-GA

My GPAs are 3.63/3.53 for overall and science respectively (not taking MCAT until the end of the summer). I plan to apply to MSUCOM (first choice, in state), PCOM, OUCOM, CCOM, and MUCOM. I heard that there are no "rankings" so I based my initial list on location. I have done some research and prefer the mission certain schools over the other, but I want to know are any of these schools considered "reaches" or "safe schools" for me? Also do you have any suggestions about schools that I have a good chance of getting in that are not on my list?

 

[tbyrdie]

Thanks to everyone for the advice. Now I guess is all comes down to the mcat score.

 

[WesternRedCedar]

"MU-COM is obviously your safety"

Disagree, their stats have been pretty high and OP doesn't even have an MCAT score.

 

[Awesome Sauceome]

wait MUCOM has a contract like OUCOM? How si this the first time that I have heard about this?

 

[medickdb]

wait MUCOM has a contract like OUCOM? How si this the first time that I have heard about this?

I think you misread.

 

[SpartanWolverine]

As people have said, we can't really tell anything without an MCAT.

Your list also seems top heavy. MSU-COM, PCOM, and CCOM are some of the more competitive schools in the region, and they also get a TON of applicants. I imagine you'd need a 28 or higher to be looked at.

MU-COM is obviously your safety, and OU-HCOM will be nice to you if you are from Ohio.

That said, you know about MU-COMs MMIs and OU-HCOM's 5 yr post-training contract for OOS students, right? I didn't have an issue with the MMIs, but it seems like a lot of people do, so its a riskier safety. And as for OU-HCOM, if you're from Ohio, its not an issue, but if not, you will have to stay and practice in the state after training (i.e. after residency/fellowship) for 5 yrs or pay something like $200k (on top of the already high tuition).

Now, I don't know what you want, but I would add more safeties on that list. If you get near a 27, you should be fine for LECOM, which is generally in the area, and I believe WVSOM isn't too far from that general region. If you are willing to go a little south, you may want to consider LMU-DCOM as another potential safety if you get <27.

Do people really have a problem with the MMI interview format? All of my interviews were MMIs... they're fun. 😛 Though I guess that doesn't say much, since I'm attending a school that doesn't even really do interviews.

 

[Awesome Sauceome]

I think you misread.

totally did, super tired today. Thank God!

 

[hallowmann]

Do people really have a problem with the MMI interview format? All of my interviews were MMIs... they're fun. 😛 Though I guess that doesn't say much, since I'm attending a school that doesn't even really do interviews.

I didn't really have an issue with it, but some people were thrown off and others really hated it.

 

[hallowmann]

"MU-COM is obviously your safety"

Disagree, their stats have been pretty high and OP doesn't even have an MCAT score.

I meant, its obviously "his safety" because all the others were competitive/well established programs. Not that it is a safety, just that out of all of the others its the only one that might be called that.

That said, to be clear, MUCOM's matriculant stats are average, if not slightly below average for all DO matriculants. I wouldn't call them pretty high, I'd call them pretty high for a brand new school.