Thoughts on my plans for next year?

[Sheiko]

I applied to 21 schools last cycle and received two interviews, both of which resulted in waitlists which I am exceedingly unlikely to be accepted off of. I believe the big hole in my application is a lack of service-oriented volunteering. I was hoping I could get some input from everyone regarding my plans for the next year and how to best strengthen my application for the 2018-19 cycle. I have outlined my application circa last year below.

• Research:
  • Summer doing clinical research (no publications or posters)
  • One year in a chemistry lab (very low authorship on a manuscript)
  • Post-bac at the NIH since July 2015 (two posters, co-authored two IF ~15 manuscripts, first author manuscript under review). Will be getting at least a couple more papers out before the next application cycle starts.
• Clinical Volunteering:
  • ~200 hours volunteering at an ED during undergrad over the course of three semesters
    
  • Started volunteering at a hospice when I submitted my app last year (currently have ~100 hours). I plan to continue this when I relocate for AmeriCorps.
    
  • ~75 hours shadowing various specialties.
• Non-clinical volunteering:
  • I tutored middle schoolers for two semesters (~60 hours total) and served as a mentor of sorts for freshman interested in pursuing a degree in my major (very small commitment, maybe 30 hours over 2 years).
    
  • I started doing outreach and HIV testing with the LGBTQ community when I submitted my app last year, have ~75 hours completed.
• Academics:
  • 3.65 GPA (very strong upward trend, went from ~3.4 my first two years to ~3.9 my last two years. 4.0 in 12 credits of post-bac coursework),
    
  • Balanced 34 MCAT (retook a 29 from 2013). I will have to retake this as it is expiring

I'm starting an AmeriCorps position in September where I will be working with homeless folks to help connect them with social services, health care, housing, etc. What else can I do in the next year to strengthen my application?

Thanks!

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[Blanky]

All your numbers look decent. How many secondaries last cycle? The volunteering and or scribe work seems like the best EC builder. GL on the MCAT as a new score is going to improve the app IMO

 

[Sheiko]

All your numbers look decent. How many secondaries last cycle? The volunteering and or scribe work seems like the best EC builder. GL on the MCAT as a new score is going to improve the app IMO

I updated my original post to reflect that. I should say that my school list definitely could have been better.

 

[Faha]

Where is your state of residence? Which schools did you apply to and where are you on the wait list?

 

[Sheiko]

Where is your state of residence? Which schools did you apply to and where are you on the wait list?

CT resident, waitlisted at UConn ("low-alternate" list), and Tufts (who apparently offered too many acceptances this year). The point is, acceptance of wither of these is very unlikely.

 

[Faha]

Work on duplicating your MCAT score of 34 which would be 515 to 516 on the new MCAT. Consider applying to all these schools in your next cycle:
UConn
Quinnipiac
Vermont
Tufts
BU
Albany
NYMC
Hofstra
Einstein
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Penn State
GW
Georgetown
Eastern Virginia
Virginia Commonwealth
Oakland Beaumont
Western Michigan
Medical College Wisconsin
Loyola
Rosalind Franklin
St. Louis
Creighton
Tulane
any new schools that open for 2019 (NOVA MD, Seton Hall, Kaiser, Roseman, etc.)

 

[Sheiko]

Work on duplicating your MCAT score of 34 which would be 515 to 516 on the new MCAT. Consider applying to all these schools in your next cycle:
UConn
Quinnipiac
Vermont
Tufts
BU
Albany
NYMC
Hofstra
Einstein
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Penn State
GW
Georgetown
Eastern Virginia
Virginia Commonwealth
Oakland Beaumont
Western Michigan
Medical College Wisconsin
Loyola
Rosalind Franklin
St. Louis
Creighton
Tulane
any new schools that open for 2019 (NOVA MD, Seton Hall, Kaiser, Roseman, etc.)

Thank you for the suggestions, my advisor definitely gave me a rather top-heavy list last year, and I ran with it instead of checking the numbers in MSAR myself. However, I won't be applying for another year so I think it's a bit premature to think about this right now. I'm more interested in getting opinions regarding how I can best improve my application in the coming year. Do you think this AmeriCorps position + some more hospice volunteering would give me solid ECs?

 

[Faha]

Yes, hospice and AmeriCorp would help your application.

 

[Sheiko]

Yes, hospice and AmeriCorp would help your application.

Thanks, do you think there is anything else I should work on in the coming year? Obviously my GPA could use some work, but I can't do much about that. I'm thinking about doing some more tutoring as well if I have the time.

 

[Sheiko]

I would love to hear from @Goro @gyngyn @LizzyM regarding my plans for next year.

 

[gyngyn]

I would love to hear from @Goro @gyngyn @LizzyM regarding my plans for next year.

You should be golden.

 

[Sheiko]

You should be golden.

Thank you for your input, it's reassuring.