What will be my chances ( studying for MCAT need to set a goal)

[Timeless:)]

Hi, I am currently studying for MCAT. I know the higher the score the better, but I want to set a realistic goal.

By the time I apply to medical school I will have:

cGPA: 3.82 sGPA: 3.84 (upward trend) From 2nd Tier undergraduate school.
Master's degree in Biology.

200~300+ Clinical hours
30+ Shadowing (If I do not include virtual shadowing hours)
200+ Non-clinical hours.
300+ Research (Will have written a thesis, maybe 2 publications if It gets approved).
Other activities such as
Intramural sport
Tutor
Teaching assistant

Red flag (?):
Have Freshman alcohol violation. (it was an unofficial warning, but our school documents it).

What MCAT should I be aiming for if I want to get into T-30 school?

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[Mre1123]

For MCAT, look up the median scores of the school(s) that you want to go to, and aim for at least that. In addition, you also want to make sure that your application "stands out," meaning that there is something that makes you a unique/qualified applicant for those schools. Top 10/30/50 schools get thousands of applications with students who have a 3.8x/516-520 MCAT, but the ones that get in are the ones that have "more" than that.

 

[Timeless:)]

For MCAT, look up the median scores of the school(s) that you want to go to, and aim for at least that. In addition, you also want to make sure that your application "stands out," meaning that there is something that makes you a unique/qualified applicant for those schools. Top 10/30/50 schools get thousands of applications with students who have a 3.8x/516-520 MCAT, but the ones that get in are the ones that have "more" than that.

Could elaborate on the "more" part?

 

[Mre1123]

Sure no worries. I think that this comes down to the way that you write your application, and the way that you talk about the experiences that you've had in the past. You can have 2 applicants with nearly the same stats on paper, but the one who will get in is the one who uses their application to create a narrative around them.
If it just looks like you check all of the pre-med boxes (good GPA/MCAT, X hours of clinical, Y hours of non-clinical, Z hours of research) then you are no different than any other applicant.
But, if you use your application as a way to explain why you did all of these activities, what inspires you to do them, what you learned from them, how they were meaningful to you, etc. then you can stand out a little bit more.
This doesn't mean you need to be an olympic athlete or a Nobel Prize winner. It just means that you have to show you are dedicated to medicine and are worth the investment the school is making in you. It's all about creating a narrative around yourself, and letting it be seen through your application and (hopefully!) your interview.

 

[Timeless:)]

Sure no worries. I think that this comes down to the way that you write your application, and the way that you talk about the experiences that you've had in the past. You can have 2 applicants with nearly the same stats on paper, but the one who will get in is the one who uses their application to create a narrative around them.
If it just looks like you check all of the pre-med boxes (good GPA/MCAT, X hours of clinical, Y hours of non-clinical, Z hours of research) then you are no different than any other applicant.
But, if you use your application as a way to explain why you did all of these activities, what inspires you to do them, what you learned from them, how they were meaningful to you, etc. then you can stand out a little bit more.
This doesn't mean you need to be an olympic athlete or a Nobel Prize winner. It just means that you have to show you are dedicated to medicine and are worth the investment the school is making in you. It's all about creating a narrative around yourself, and letting it be seen through your application and (hopefully!) your interview.

Hey, thanks for the thoughtful reply. I really appreciate it.
At first when I first saw "more," I thought you were referring to a specific type of activities or experiences that must stand out compared to others. Thanks for clarifying it for me.
I do agree that it depends on how one person tries to write about the activities they have done. Although it could be the same activities on paper, it could be a whole lot different when one starts to share what they have felt and learned from those activities.
I have the narrative in my mind, as I decided to pursue medicine later than others (Junior year of my undergraduate), but not really sure if that is what the admissions are looking for, to be honest, haha.
Anyways, thanks.