Reapplicant, cGPA 3.87, MCAT 34S, CA Need Critique/Help on School Selection

[JBruin]

Thank you for taking the time to read this and help me out. I am a California reapplicant !

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[Temperature101]

Thank you for taking the time to read this and help me out. I am a California reapplicant (previously applied in the 2010-2011 cycle to MD schools only) currently applying to MD, DO and Caribbean schools.

At the time of my first application, I applied to 30 MD schools with a very top heavy list, and only completed the secondaries at 16 schools. I was late applying, late submitting the secondaries I did submit, and was overall the model of what you should not do when applying. I only had eight work/experience entries, those entries were poorly written, and my PS was abstract and hard to relate to. My GPA at the time of application was cGPA 3.98 and sGPA 4.0, with the same 34S MCAT.

I received late interviews at two very good schools (Vanderbilt and UCLA), and made it to the small pool waitlist for both institutions. I unfortunately never made it off either waitlist, and chose to not apply during the 2011-2012 cycle so that I would have chance to bolster the flaws in my application and come back with a more complete app for the 2012-2013 cycle.

This time around I believe I have significantly improved my application, and I am applying more broadly to both DO and MD schools. This will be my last time reapplying, so I am applying to a total of 50 schools (30 MD, 18 DO, 2 Carib) in order to ensure finding a spot somewhere.

My application as it stands today:
-Both MD and DO submitted mid July (Still late I know, but I plan on prewriting and staying on top of secondaries better this time, goal is complete with everything by the end of September).
-3.87 cGPA (Top CA University)
-34S MCAT
-Extensive Clinical experience (volunteering and shadowing; Surgery, clinic, ER and Primary care)
-Extensive non-clinical volunteer work
-Long term leadership experience
-Minimal research (one summer program, up from none last time)
-Fourteen Strong Experience entries, well written and edited
-PS is more relateable and straight forward
-Extensive experience with underserved populations, desire to work in primary care, with underserved expressed in applications.

So far I have drafted a preliminary US MD list based upon matching LizzyM Score/propensity to accept out of state applicants. I feel like it's a fairly balanced list, and it accounts for my early 2010 MCAT which is beginning to expire at some schools.

Vanderbilt
Stanford
UCLA
Case Western Reserve
Baylor
UCSD
Emory
Ohio State
Albert Einstein
University of Iowa Carver
Georgetown
UCI
Loyola Chicago Stritch
University of Wisconsin
Tufts
USC
Temple
Albany
Indiana University SOM
Creighton
University of Vermont
UC Davis
Wayne State
Tulane
Penn State
Michigan State
University of North Dakota
Virgina Commonwealth
University at Buffalo
Rosalind Franklin

Any thoughts on this set would be appreciated, and I would very much welcome any comments or suggestions.

I still need to put together the list of 18 DO's, but have already chosen SGU and Ross as the two Caribs.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration!

Seriously...

 

[LizzyM]

If you apply early, there is no need to apply to 50 schols spread across MD and DO and offshore. You applied too late last time and too top heavy. Cut this list to 20, apply to 5 DO schools if you must, and forget the rest.

 

[1289]

you dont neeD DO schools... if you would choose a DO over an MD school then apply to them. and caribbean? they would probably think you were joking applying to them. dude i know the first round stung not getting in, but you will probably get interviews at more than half the MD schools you apply to!

 

[JBruin]

As much as I would love to fill out fewer secondaries, my first cycle was enough to scare me into applying to 50 schools this time. It may be overkill, but honestly, i'd rather do it and have a place than not and find myself in the same position this time next year.

I think i've pretty much settled on my M.D. list as the above, with the exception of North Dakota being switched out in favor of University of Arizona, due to a closer look at ND's admissions policies for out of state students.

The place where I get really lost is compiling a list for D.O. schools. I've applied to Western (Pomona) as my one school so far, and I know that my MCAT is ineligible at:
KCUMB
RVUCOM
UNECOM

But beyond that, i'm a little lost. Searching has told me that there are three tiers comprised of the original 5 schools + states, mid tier schools, and then low tier schools, but I have no idea what comprised a mid tier school vs a low tier. Any help comprising a D.O list would again be very helpful! I'm not hung up on location or arbitrary ranking, all I really want at this point is the best education I can obtain and the ability to develop the best skills than I can.