Reapplication advice and a school list?

[doco2439]

Hi everyone, just wanted some advice for reapplying this upcoming cycle. Im a current 22yo reapplicant and GA resident soon-to-be IL resident. This cycle I applied to RFU, Loyola, RUSH, and UIC but haven't heard anything yet. I realize my MCAT is a major weak point but Im scheduled to retake in early May. Looking to see what other schools fit with these stats.

• GPA: 3.96 cGPA, 3.88 sGPA
• Major: Graduated Biology Major
• MCAT: 506 (129/121/126/130) retaking with 515+ goal
• ORM/URM: ORM, Middle Eastern (low-income, first-gen, FAP recipient)
• PCE: 2100 hrs 911 EMT + 1850hrs Phlebotomist= 3950 hrs
• Non-clinical volunteering: 550 hrs (Projected +300 by submission)
  • Senior Citizens- 145 hrs (underserved)
  • Salvation Army- 150 hrs (underserved)
  • Crisis text line 130 hrs (underserved?)
  • Ronald Mcdonald- 125 hrs
• Shadowing: 61 hrs across gen surg. and allergy medicine
• Teaching/Tutoring: ~80 hrs as A&P, Chem, Bio Tutor
• Research: over 200 hrs
  • 150 hrs as a RUSH volunteer working on lung cancer screening methods
  • 60 hrs as an epigenetics researcher at university (1 pub)
• LORS: 1 Physician, 3 Science, 1 Volunteer Coordinator

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[Mr.Smile12]

Non-clinical volunteering service orientation hours are okay, but place more effort on in-person activities, and get them up to 1000 hours before submission (for Loyola and Rush). When did you move to Illinois? Would appreciate more details on your activities. You should add Midwestern Chicago COM and other DO programs.

 

[chilly_md]

It would be best that you retake first and let us know the score before we provide a school list. You will probably need to include DO schools, and the retake will determine how many more MD schools you can add.

 

[doco2439]

I moved to Chicago probably around June. My activities consist mostly of providing emotional/mental support to the elderly and those suffering from crises. In the Salvation Army, I worked with inmates to manage warehouses and donate furniture/clothing to the underserved and Ronald McDonald, I cooked food, did chores, and provided other support for NICU parents. I plan to do some volunteering at RUSH and get a few hundred hrs in before submission.

 

[doco2439]

It would be best that you retake first and let us know the score before we provide a school list. You will probably need to include DO schools, and the retake will determine how many more MD schools you can add.

I plan to take may 4th since that was the only slot open. Would this be too late?

 

[chilly_md]

I plan to take may 4th since that was the only slot open. Would this be too late?

No. Just work on your editing your personal statement and activity descriptions in advance so those are ready to go.

 

[doco2439]

Hey everyone. Reapplying this cycle and I have a good idea of went wrong (eh MCAT and rlly short school list) Was wondering if anyone can offer me a school lists with my stats and ECs. For context, im 22 yo ORM low-income first-generation IL resident and the reason why I applied to only 4 schools is because of family/personal reasons. I realized this was a mistake and Im now applying broadly. I was also thinking about DO but didnt think it was worth it considering the DO school here was almost 2x the cost of MD schools.

I applied last cycle with these schools:
RUSH (II offer-->R)
Rosalind Franklin (pre-II R)
UIC (pre-II R)
Loyola (pre-II R)

Applied with these stats/ ECs:
GPA 3.88 sGPA 3.96 cGPA
MCAT 506 (129/121/126/130) ***retook this like a week ago and confident of 510+.

911 EMT: 2k hours. Phlebotomy: 2k hours
Non-clinical volunteering: 650 hours across salvation army, crisis text line, elderly assistance etc.
Research: 250 hours Lung cancer and epigenetics research (1 first author pub)
Tutoring: 200 hours

I know its really difficult to come up with a school list without an updated MCAT but I would really appreciate seeing what schools generally fits with my expected MCAT and stats.

 

[chilly_md]

I have merged your threads together. We cannot make suggestions until the new score comes back, but it seems you should avoid applying to the more research focused schools that have much higher median MCAT scores (ie Northwestern and University of Chicago).

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Hey everyone. Reapplying this cycle and I have a good idea of went wrong (eh MCAT and rlly short school list) Was wondering if anyone can offer me a school lists with my stats and ECs. For context, im 22 yo ORM low-income first-generation IL resident and the reason why I applied to only 4 schools is because of family/personal reasons. I realized this was a mistake and Im now applying broadly. I was also thinking about DO but didnt think it was worth it considering the DO school here was almost 2x the cost of MD schools.

I applied last cycle with these schools:
RUSH (II offer-->R)
Rosalind Franklin (pre-II R)
UIC (pre-II R)
Loyola (pre-II R)

Applied with these stats/ ECs:
GPA 3.88 sGPA 3.96 cGPA
MCAT 506 (129/121/126/130) ***retook this like a week ago and confident of 510+.

911 EMT: 2k hours. Phlebotomy: 2k hours
Non-clinical volunteering: 650 hours across salvation army, crisis text line, elderly assistance etc.
Research: 250 hours Lung cancer and epigenetics research (1 first author pub)
Tutoring: 200 hours

I know its really difficult to come up with a school list without an updated MCAT but I would really appreciate seeing what schools generally fits with my expected MCAT and stats.

I said.

Non-clinical volunteering service orientation hours are okay, but place more effort on in-person activities, and get them up to 1000 hours before submission (for Loyola and Rush). Would appreciate more details on your activities. You should add Midwestern Chicago COM and other DO programs.

So you punted on the DO schools, because of family/personal reasons too? Sure, the cost is 2x the MD schools, but that could have cost you 1 year of medical school. Could you have applied to other DO schools that might be less expensive (check about Marian IN)?

I don't understand RUSH (II offer --> R). Does this mean you were interviewed at Rush but got rejected after interview or got an interview invitation rescinded? At any rate, your community service didn't resonate with any of the Chicago schools which value it, especially with high stats. Would getting a higher MCAT help you, I think so (get their feedback if you can). But I need more evidence of service orientation.

 

[doco2439]

I said.

So you punted on the DO schools, because of family/personal reasons too? Sure, the cost is 2x the MD schools, but that could have cost you 1 year of medical school. Could you have applied to other DO schools that might be less expensive (check about Marian IN)?

I don't understand RUSH (II offer --> R). Does this mean you were interviewed at Rush but got rejected after interview or got an interview invitation rescinded? At any rate, your community service didn't resonate with any of the Chicago schools which value it, especially with high stats. Would getting a higher MCAT help you, I think so (get their feedback if you can). But I need more evidence of service orientation.

I got a post interview rejection from RUSH. I currently have 700hrs of impactful service hours which was apparently enough for RUSH, so I dont really think thats my issue. I also dont really know what happened with the interview. My interview went amazing and I got along really well with the intervewiers, so that was definitely shocking. They also ghosted all my emails about requesting feedback so :/

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I got a post interview rejection from RUSH. I currently have 700hrs of impactful service hours which was apparently enough for RUSH, so I dont really think thats my issue. I also dont really know what happened with the interview. My interview went amazing and I got along really well with the intervewiers, so that was definitely shocking. They also ghosted all my emails about requesting feedback so :/

Interesting. How did they examine your involvement with these service hours during your interview?