*^~*~^* The Official 2006-2007 "What Are My Chances/Where to Apply" Thread *^~*~^* part 01

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theothernguyen said:
But just remember to follow up, even during the secondary and interview process to show that you still have interest and are still considering your options with that school.
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What does the "follow up" you're talking about consist of? ie. who do you call/write? what do you ask?
Thanks
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I want to go to medical school, what are my chancesss?
 
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Alrighty, I'll give this a shot. Here's my stats. I'm applying in Canada, mostly to U of A, U of C, and some ontario schools.

GPA - 3.6
Pre-req's - 3.5
MCAT - Waiting for mark. Should be 30+ish
Done research on T cells in a transplant lab, got grant for research. Will soon have 1st name publication (if all goes right).
Went to Tanzania last year for 4 months to do healthcare ed.
Volunteer in ER in hospital here, and also have various leadership positions in school groups, including the chair of my student group. Also do sports (national). Pretty decent LOR's from profs, researchers, and volunteer supervisors. Grew up in Zimbabwe. Lots of international experience.

I think I've got the extra-curricular/everything but grades part worked out.... the MCAT may hurt though if i don't do well on it I think. Thoughts? :)
 
premeddick said:
What are my chances?
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Looks good. Although the GPA is a little low if you're looking at MSTP and you should do some more service oriented things if you're looking for regular MD
 
YO YO!

I need some comments on my mdapps. page- advice/comments, etc

gracias
dave
 
hopefully matriculating 2009 :)

international studies major
gpa: 3.52 (will bring this up to ~3.8 by app time)
bcpm: ~3.7
mcat: planned for sometime between spring 2007 to spring 2008; haven't really decided quite yet. hopefully something like 13V 11B 11P (fingers crossed tightly)

religious organizations ~4 years
training + camp counselor ~8 months
volunteering at hospital ~2 years
undergraduate research in neuroscience ~1 year
v.pres of religious group ~2 years
going to africa for studying+volunteering (int'l studies requirement) ~3.5 months
one of those "weird life story" types...

tx resident going to a reputable state school.

GRANTED, these are crazy reaches and i will most certainly be applying to many many other schools, the schools i would be the most speechlessly thrilled to go to are:
upenn
northwestern
baylor
hopkins
duke


what are my chances, realistically speaking? :oops:
 
I've got a 3.61 GPA, but I am waiting on my MCAT score to get back. On 5 AAMC practice tests, I got (in order) 30, 30, 31, 32, and 26. Yikes.

What schools should I be shooting for? My top picks are Wake, NYMC, and UMiami.
 
I'm applying to UMiami too!! Wow good scores on those AAMC practice tests!!
 
I'm not really up to date with all the terminology that you guys are using, but I do have a quick question... what are the "dream schools?" and are there any in California? And do med schools prefer a person who volunteers a lot or works in a medical setting/laboratory?
 
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so i still have another year till i plan on starting to apply, and here are the things that i have done and will have done by the time i apply. i'm really aiming towards top-tier schools (like UCSF, columbia, UCLA, etc...) but am not sure of my chances. what are my chances with these stats and any suggestions on other things i should do in the next year?

Age: 22
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: East Asian-American
Home State: CA

Undergraduate Institution: Ohio State University
Area of Study: Computer Science Engineering

Application Year: 2008
MCAT Score: VR 13, PS 14, BS 10, Q
BCPM GPA: 3.50
Overall GPA: 3.70

Brief Profile:
- 2 summers volunteering as 'music therapist' in palliative car department at Cleveland Clinic
- 1 year of experience working as research assistant in CALGB Leukemia Tissue Bank
- 2 years working on leadership team for christian organization on campus
- 2 years involvement in ECE Applied Software Engineering - a group that designs and implements software for critical uses(like monitoring patient data)
- 1 month in summer volunteering at hospice in Taiwan
- 1 Summer spent volunteering for mobile medical unit that travels the coast of California serving underpriveleged communities
- 6 months spent doing research on spinal injuries caused by crash accidents
 
SoFUnKyITsFrEsH said:
I'm not really up to date with all the terminology that you guys are using, but I do have a quick question... what are the "dream schools?" and are there any in California? And do med schools prefer a person who volunteers a lot or works in a medical setting/laboratory?
Click to expand...

granted i'm not in medical school but i think i have a fair understanding of what med schools are looking for - first and foremost is passion. if you're much more interested in volunteering than labwork than stick with volunteering, and vice versa. or if neither of these floats your boat find something else - you don't have to fit the pre-medical student mold.

also as for your question of dream schools in california - there are some great medical schools in california. the best (at least by USNews, though by word-of-mouth sometimes things are different) in california are probably stanford, UCSD, UCSF, and UCLA - all of which typically rank in the top 20. if you check the current US News rankings i'm pretty sure UCSF is ranked something like number 3 in the country? (so yeah. pretty dreamy for many of us)
 
christof said:
so i still have another year till i plan on starting to apply, and here are the things that i have done and will have done by the time i apply. i'm really aiming towards top-tier schools (like UCSF, columbia, UCLA, etc...) but am not sure of my chances. what are my chances with these stats and any suggestions on other things i should do in the next year?

Age: 22
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: East Asian-American
Home State: CA

Undergraduate Institution: Ohio State University
Area of Study: Computer Science Engineering

Application Year: 2008
MCAT Score: VR 13, PS 14, BS 10, Q
BCPM GPA: 3.50
Overall GPA: 3.70

Brief Profile:
- 2 summers volunteering as 'music therapist' in palliative car department at Cleveland Clinic
- 1 year of experience working as research assistant in CALGB Leukemia Tissue Bank
- 2 years working on leadership team for christian organization on campus
- 2 years involvement in ECE Applied Software Engineering - a group that designs and implements software for critical uses(like monitoring patient data)
- 1 month in summer volunteering at hospice in Taiwan
- 1 Summer spent volunteering for mobile medical unit that travels the coast of California serving underpriveleged communities
- 6 months spent doing research on spinal injuries caused by crash accidents
Click to expand...


Your gpa will probably give you a rough time at most of the UCs despite the amazing MCAT score, and maybe at a couple of the top-tier schools as well(which seem to heavily favor applicants from other top-tier schools). I think to make your application stand out you should try to involve yourself in a long-term activity that gives you a lot of interpersonal contact. Right now it seems that most of your activities are in a lab setting, and I think spending more time doing patient or resident centered activities would give your app some more meaning.:luck: !
 
This maybe appropriate for another thread but here goes anyways

Do top-tier (or any i guess) medical schools consider a student's major when looking at GPA? I posted above and it was noted that my GPA is not quite up to par with top-tier schools' expectations, but I can also guarantee that if I was a bio major rather than a computer science engineering major, that my GPA would be at least a 3.8, if not a 3.9.... do schools care?
 
christof said:
This maybe appropriate for another thread but here goes anyways

Do top-tier (or any i guess) medical schools consider a student's major when looking at GPA? I posted above and it was noted that my GPA is not quite up to par with top-tier schools' expectations, but I can also guarantee that if I was a bio major rather than a computer science engineering major, that my GPA would be at least a 3.8, if not a 3.9.... do schools care?
Click to expand...

Yeah that is definitely considered and your major seems to be very difficult, but BCPM gpa is what I was looking at, and what med schools are going to place most of their weight on.
 
I'm not really up to date with all the terminology that you guys are using, but I do have a quick question... what are the "dream schools?" and are there any in California? And do med schools prefer a person who volunteers a lot or works in a medical setting/laboratory?
Click to expand...

Dream schools are schools that you know you probably can't get into, but apply to anyway in hopes that they'll take you.

Med schools want clinical experience first and foremost. How you get it (either through volunteering or through working) is up to you. Don't work in a lab and expect that to translate into clinical work. You need to do something that has patient interaction. Either volunteer at the hospital or become an EMT or a CNA. They also want volunteering because they want to know that you want to give back to your community. You can kill two birds with one stone by volunteering at the hospital. After that, they want some extra-curriculars, so find a hobby you enjoy and do it.

Do top-tier (or any i guess) medical schools consider a student's major when looking at GPA? I posted above and it was noted that my GPA is not quite up to par with top-tier schools' expectations, but I can also guarantee that if I was a bio major rather than a computer science engineering major, that my GPA would be at least a 3.8, if not a 3.9.... do schools care?
Click to expand...

You can't guarantee anything and claiming you can will get you nowhere. Do schools consider major? Sure. But I can guarantee you no one is going to sit there and say "Oh, gee, if he were just a bio major, his GPA would be a 3.9, so let's overlook it and give it to him anyway."

The major is your decision. If you choose a tough major, you're presumably committed to giving it your all. If they sat there and made allowances for all majors based on difficulty, then what? Do we expect deans at Harvard med to give diplomas to people who failed Gross Anatomy twice and never managed to make it past first year because if they went to some unknown state school, they could guarantee they would have passed?
 
What exactly do you have to do in order to get a job in a laboratory if you have no previous experience?
 
SoFUnKyITsFrEsH said:
What exactly do you have to do in order to get a job in a laboratory if you have no previous experience?
Click to expand...
Willingness to do a lot of PCRs. Just send out your resumes and see what comes of it. Most people that start are usually pretty clueless about what to do, being a freshman/sophmore helps though. You're basically screwed if you're a senior with no lab experienec since most labs dont like taking on seniors
 
Interested in schools with research-oriented curricula. Grades/MCAT (retaking in Jan.) are decent, good research experiences, acceptable EC's. (See http://www.mdapplicants.com/viewprofile.php?id=6637 for the details.) I'd like to go to a top tier school. Am I competitive for such programs and does anyone have suggestions as to where I should apply?
 
CaramelDlite said:
Your gpa will probably give you a rough time at most of the UCs despite the amazing MCAT score, and maybe at a couple of the top-tier schools as well(which seem to heavily favor applicants from other top-tier schools). I think to make your application stand out you should try to involve yourself in a long-term activity that gives you a lot of interpersonal contact. Right now it seems that most of your activities are in a lab setting, and I think spending more time doing patient or resident centered activities would give your app some more meaning.:luck: !
Click to expand...

how did you manage to get all that experience?
 
is it best to apply right after your undergrad or should you wait and get a little more clinical/lab experience?
 
SoFUnKyITsFrEsH said:
is it best to apply right after your undergrad or should you wait and get a little more clinical/lab experience?
Click to expand...

waiting and getting more experience always ups your chances with medical school, not only because you have more medical-related experiences but also because they know just how serious your commitment to medicine is if you are willing to forgo going into medical school immediately after undergrad, also, you are more certain of your aspirations towards medicine. (note, a high percentage of those who decide to do medicine late in their life, like 30+, get in to medical schools - my thoughts are that this is because clearly someone at an older age must have a very thought-out reason to want to pursue medicine. it is not likely that someone of this age will be willing to go through 8+ years of education/training just for a "career change")
 
check out my mdapps (in my signature) and tell me what u think... what schools should i add, or take away?
 
(Oops, I just realized this is for people applying for the 2006 cycle, not for 07-08. Will put up my in the future!)
 
Hey guys,

I just received my MCAT scores (10/10/10s). I graduated from Miami University (Ohio) with a 3.62 / 3.53 BCPM. Problem is it took me 5 years because of chicken pox in college and mono the next year. I have written these problems into my personal statement to explain the long time. I also made sure to pick up an extra major (did psychology and biology w/ minor in neuroscience) to make best use of the extra time I had to take. I have really good LORS, and leadership/experience ECs.

I know my stats are pretty average and I really need help deciding where to apply as so far I've only applied to all schools in Ohio and NYMC. I am just not sure where else to add and I really don't want to take another year off (I graduated in May and am currently on my year off school). Any help on where else I can apply would be greatly appreciated!

Last thing - I haven't taken calculus, but I have taken a year of college math (statistical).

Thanks!
 
Guys I think I blew it. I have a 4.0 in the honors college in the school where I want to attend medical school. I can't believe i made a 26O on the mcat....I am completely dejected. The avg. gpa is around 3.65 and the avg. mcat is 29. I have around 130 hours of clinical experience also. Will my gpa be able to make up for my horrible mcat score???:( :( :( :( :( :(
 
GPA 3.55 BCPM 3.6
April 24O (P9/V6/B9)
August 26O (P11/V6/B9)
- I got a letter back about how they screwd up the timing for Verbal (messed up 10 minutes near the end) for the august exam and I'm ESL speaker...4th year back in the US (u.s. citizen tho'), any consolation? I was shocked to see such a low score. I expected better for Bio,but I guess my nervousness from VR section carried over a bit too. I already submitted my AMCAS.. but what chances do I have really? I really hope to get in this year!...:(

ECs.... many:
Outreach director at health organization - 2 years
Shadowing - multiple doctors- two summers
Medical internships (also scrubbed in) - few summer
Music - since a child with awards and performance history
Tutoring - at my college's tutoring center
Research -multiple clinical/lab projects, including summer programs or term programs, longest one 9 months
Language - speaks 2 (or 3 if you count dialects)
Scholarships/Dean list
Other medical / non-medical volunteering - since high school
 
Hi all,

I've recieved a lot of negative feedback about applying to some of the schools id like to, and i thought id get an HONEST very straightforward blunt answer from you all:

I want to apply to:

Columbia, NYU, Vanderbilt, Univ of Michigan

I was an engineer from univ of mich, my gpa was 3.58

my mcat was 10 V 12 B 12 P - 34O (taken only once in august)

Am i dreaming, and are these schools way out of my reach, or is it worth a shot?

Thanks,
 
Holla,

If you have a chance, please comment: http://www.mdapplicants.com/viewprofile.php?myid=06636

My concerns:
1) Low undergrad GPA (horrible freshman year after going through a personal tragedy, but managed to turn things around for my last three years - vast improvement is obvious looking at my transcript, but I'm not sure this is sufficient)
2) MCAT scores that don't necessarily stand out

I'm being realistic, applying to mostly lower-tier schools - but am I kidding myself in even being that optimistic?
 
I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice on which (if any) other schools I would have a chance at, given that it is October 13. I applied to schools that I thought I had a chance at with my April score. Now I am considering adding an upper tier reach school or two given my new stats. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

STATS: Michigan resident, several research experiences, volunteer work, study abroad, other ECs

BCPM GPA: 3.7
other GPA: 3.98
April 2006 MCAT: 30R (6VR, 11PS, 13BS)
Aug. 2006 MCAT: 36R (11VR, 12PS, 13BS) <---big surprise!!

Submitted Secondary:
Wayne State
MSU COM
MSU CHM
Ohio State
Cincinnati
Loyola
Rush
Albany
GW
Temple
Drexel
Univ. of Vermont
Boston U
Med College of Ohio
St. Louis
Med College of Wisconsin

*just added University of Michigan
 
36 on your mcat? why not put some real good schools in that list, at least 3 or 4, after all, who cares if it costs extra money, wahts an extra 100 bucks when your going to be spending a ton of money on med school anyways? If i were in your shoes, with a 36, id go forward for sure and add some top schools in your list
 
Hi, I'm new.

I am considering applying to medical school and realise that I am very late for 2007 cycle, but my MCAT score was high, so instead of an MSA program, I was hoping that I could hit upon any schools with later application deadlines. Are there any in November?

My MCAT was 39o. My GPA is 3.8ish. It took me over ten years to complete my degree because I was so unsure of what I wanted. I did two years of a biochem track and then finished with a genetics track with a huge gap inbetween while I worked crappy jobs and played video games. When I met my wife, I began to take career choices more seriously which has led me to completing my bachelors and applying to MSA programs. I now have a child, am 31 and very interested in finding a challenging and rewarding way to make a living.

Should I bother applying to medical schools or has my lack of direction earlier in my life negated my chances?
 
niki, i think your list is wayy too humble. it's almost similar to mine and we are on opposite ends of the spectrum! add the schools I can only dream about adding and good luck! :)
 
I spent the past 24 or so hours finishing this and just submitted a few hours ago so check it out and feed me back:
http://mdapplicants.com/viewprofile.php?id=6681

I don't actually know what my GPA is on a 4.0 scale. Somewhere between 3.4 and 3.7. Whatever a 90.5 is.

Since I'll be so many days on edge, is there a way to find out what secondary questions are like for my Med Schools so I can prepare something now while I have the time and nervous energy??:scared:
 
So.....

BCPM: 3.16
GPA: 3.32
MCAT: 35 S (VR11 PS12 BS12)

Multilingual, Good Clinical, Independant (but not published) research on HIV while living in Africa, good humanitarian ethic. Not a whole tone of extracuriculars, just Crew and working to pay for school

Applying to:

Bos U
Columbia
George W
Georgetown
Harvard
Johns Hop
Loyola
NYU
Ponce <~~fun safety
SUNY Upstate
SUNY Downstate
UC San Diego
UC San Fran
U Colorod
U Minn Twin Cities
U Penn (Legacy)
U Rochester
U Virginia
U Vermont
U Washington (Seattle)
Weill / Cornell
Yale (Legacy)

Do I have a prayer at any of the top ones, and do I even have a fighting chance at the middle ones? Just got my MCATs back last night and I don't know how much they'll help to balance out the mediocre GPA...What are y'alls thought.
 
Whats the GPSx 10 + MCAT mean, and would it be good or bad for me?
 
MCAT: 35S (12 BS 11 V 12 PS)
GPA: 3.81 Science GPA: 3.72

bilingual in French and English, research abroad and study abroad - did research (for a summer) in a paris lab and studied at oxford for my junior year: i studied the nervous system at their medical school and also psychology through their psychology department, french interpreter, shadowed doctor in pediatric endocrinology clinic one afternoon a week for a school year, have recommendations from a writing teacher, my Francophone literature teacher, one science professor, and the doctor i shadowed, worked at a volunteer community resource/help desk at harlem hospital my freshman year, currently working as an English teacher in high school in suburbs of Paris, also created and led an organic student-run food co-op on my university's campus

schools I'm complete at (or at least should be although I haven't necessarily been notified):

George Washington
Georgetown
University of Maryland
Weill Cornell
Mount Sinai
NYU
Harvard

schools I have secondary applications for but have yet to send them in

Columbia
Tufts
McGill

schools I'm thinking about adding

UPenn

hmmm that might be it, but I wonder if I should add more schools and how it would look to these schools to send them my AMCAS application so late. A big part of me really wants to be in New York City, but I don't know if I should be more open-minded. I'd also like to go somewhere that wouldn't leave me in huge debt but if I also want to be in NYC that's going to be difficult...

I'm definitely applying to McGill, I just haven't gotten around to doing the essay:(

I don't really see myself anywhere besides the schools I have on my list but I'm not sure it's a big enough list.
 
Is the latest date to add this Sunday?

p.s. comments on my previous post would be appreciated.
 
Januine said:
Is the latest date to add this Sunday?

p.s. comments on my previous post would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

add what ? more schools to your AMCAS ? There are 4 or 5 batches of timelines... most of the top tier private schools are this weekend though...

26 is doable, especially if you got that letter. You can point to that on your application
 
DanZeccola said:
So.....

BCPM: 3.16
GPA: 3.32
MCAT: 35 S (VR11 PS12 BS12)

Multilingual, Good Clinical, Independant (but not published) research on HIV while living in Africa, good humanitarian ethic. Not a whole tone of extracuriculars, just Crew and working to pay for school

Applying to:

Bos U
Columbia
George W
Georgetown
Harvard
Johns Hop
Loyola
NYU
Ponce <~~fun safety
SUNY Upstate
SUNY Downstate
UC San Diego
UC San Fran
U Colorod
U Minn Twin Cities
U Penn (Legacy)
U Rochester
U Virginia
U Vermont
U Washington (Seattle)
Weill / Cornell
Yale (Legacy)

Do I have a prayer at any of the top ones, and do I even have a fighting chance at the middle ones? Just got my MCATs back last night and I don't know how much they'll help to balance out the mediocre GPA...What are y'alls thought.
Click to expand...

I'd drop UWash... they only accept people with insane stats from out of state... I'd add a couple safeties on there too... private safeties. Your 3.3 will hold you back a bit (unless you're hispanic, then you're in wherever you want)
 
Hey guys....another me, me, me post, but I feel the need to do it and would greatly appreciate some comments. I posted this in the merger thread as well. I am a Biochemistry/Molecular Biology major, which I completed in 3 years, and a Classics minor from a pretty good Midwestern liberal arts school with a 4.0 GPA and a 31R on the MCAT (August 2006, 11, 9 (VR), 11). I also feel like my ECs are strong as well as my LORs, but I was wondering how you feel my chances are at some of the following:

Baylor, Boston U, Pritzker, Vandy, Northwestern, SLU, Case Western, Dartmouth, Emory, Georgetown, Wake

All secondaries are in (excluding Wake and Vandy) and I feel confident in my state medical school (already done). Do you think I will score interviews at any of these? Is my MCAT too low and reflect poorly upon my GPA? Would my lackluster VR be somewhat negated with a pretty good writing score (R)? Thanks y'all.
 
Forcasting said:
Hey guys....another me, me, me post, but I feel the need to do it and would greatly appreciate some comments. I posted this in the merger thread as well. I am a Biochemistry/Molecular Biology major, which I completed in 3 years, and a Classics minor from a pretty good Midwestern liberal arts school with a 4.0 GPA and a 31R on the MCAT (August 2006, 11, 9 (VR), 11). I also feel like my ECs are strong as well as my LORs, but I was wondering how you feel my chances are at some of the following:

Baylor, Boston U, Pritzker, Vandy, Northwestern, SLU, Case Western, Dartmouth, Emory, Georgetown, Wake

All secondaries are in (excluding Wake and Vandy) and I feel confident in my state medical school (already done). Do you think I will score interviews at any of these? Is my MCAT too low and reflect poorly upon my GPA? Would my lackluster VR be somewhat negated with a pretty good writing score (R)? Thanks y'all.
Click to expand...

Your mcat is pretty low for having a 4.0. Other than that youll be fine!
 
Forcasting said:
Hey guys....another me, me, me post, but I feel the need to do it and would greatly appreciate some comments. I posted this in the merger thread as well. I am a Biochemistry/Molecular Biology major, which I completed in 3 years, and a Classics minor from a pretty good Midwestern liberal arts school with a 4.0 GPA and a 31R on the MCAT (August 2006, 11, 9 (VR), 11). I also feel like my ECs are strong as well as my LORs, but I was wondering how you feel my chances are at some of the following:

Baylor, Boston U, Pritzker, Vandy, Northwestern, SLU, Case Western, Dartmouth, Emory, Georgetown, Wake

All secondaries are in (excluding Wake and Vandy) and I feel confident in my state medical school (already done). Do you think I will score interviews at any of these? Is my MCAT too low and reflect poorly upon my GPA? Would my lackluster VR be somewhat negated with a pretty good writing score (R)? Thanks y'all.
Click to expand...

Your writing score is slightly more valuable than the color of underwear that you are wearing.

Are you a white male or model minority? If so, you've got a shot at SLU. Your state school will probably give you a tasty scholarship if your state is small. Go there unless you are an URM.
 
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