Med School Search

Pre-Med & Medical School Pre-Med Topics
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<p>Hey guys, I've been spending so much time prepping for the MCAT and getting my application ready...that I haven't given enough thought to where I'm sending my application to. If you can think of a good fit that I haven't thought of, please add to my list.</p>

<p>I'm a Junior at Cornell. My AMCAS GPA is estimated at ~3.58. I take the MCAT in July, but my last two practice tests were 32 and 33. Hoping to get above a 35 next month.</p>

<p>I'm a Bioengineer, and averaged 19-20 credit hours a semester. Engineering math took a hit to my science GPA (I received a C in differential equations, and a B- in multivariable calc)...but all other science classes are very strong, and my BCPM GPA should still be a 3.50. I am a resident of upstate NY.</p>

<p>Significant activities include:
- Planned and Implimented HIV education prrogram in Calcutta, India
- 2 semesters research - CD4 biosensor for patients in third world countries
- Received research grant for research this summer
- Staff Writer for on-campus international health journal
- ER Volunteer for one summer + Shadowed an orthopedic surgeon in Fall 2007
- Treasurer of an A Cappella group - rehearse and practice ~8 hours/week
- Tennis instructor at well known resort
- Semi-professional saxophonist during summer months
- Lots of community service through church</p>

<p>Here's my list of schools:
-Albany Med
-Drexel
-George Washington University
-NYU
-University of Rochester
-Rush U?
-SUNY Upstate
-SUNY Stony Brook
-SUNY Downstate
-Temple University
-Thomas Jefferson
-Tufts
-University of Vermont
-Yeshiva University - Einstein Medical College</p>

2

<p>Where's in-state for you? New York?</p>

3

<p>Yes, I am in NY.</p>

4

<p>-Albany Med
-Boston University
-Drexel
-George Washington University
-NYU
-University of Rochester
-Rush U?
-SUNY Upstate
-SUNY Stony Brook
-SUNY Downstate
-SUNY Buffalo
-Temple University
-Thomas Jefferson
-Tufts
-University of Vermont
-Yeshiva University - Einstein Medical College</p>

5

<p>If you're going to apply to NYU, you might as well try Mount Sinai, too. Maybe Cornell.</p>

6

<p>Definitely should apply to all the schools in NY State.</p>

<p>Are you extremely tied to the Northeast or would you consider heading elsewhere? It's fine if you want to stay in that region, but there are a lot of options other than just Rush which lie east of Buffalo. Likewise, there are a number of schools that lie south of DC...</p>

7

<p>Good list - definitely agree with shades_children and Bigredmed. Don't sell yourself short; add a few more dream schools if you can afford it (Cornell, Harvard, Northwestern ... why not?).</p>

8

<p>I can't imagine having to do this without an MCAT score. A 32 vs. a 34 vs. a 35 should result in very, very different lists.</p>

9

<p>
[quote]
add a few more dream schools if you can afford it

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I'm not talking about "dream schools". I'm talking about maximizing the OP's opportunities to get in some place. While limiting oneself geographically to the northeast is less problematic (because there are a lot of schools) than say applying only to schools in CA, it still presents problems and I believe it is a less than optimal strategy all things considered. Throwing in one or two state schools where the OP's stats are well above their index (GPAx10 + MCAT=index) is a smart decision - but only if the poster would actually attend if accepted. If that's not the case, or the OP has some significant thing (sick parent, fiancee/spouse's job, etc) that's keeping them in the northeast, then it's not worth the time or expense to apply outside the region. That's what I'm trying to tease out.</p>

10

<p>Thanks for the advice so far!</p>

<p>bluedevil - I'm not too worried about not having my MCAT Score before applying, by July I think I am going to have enough practice to have a pretty good feeling about how I did. My practice score keeps going up....highest so far is a 34, so I must be doing something right. </p>

<p>bigredmed - I wouldn't mind going out of the northeast, but there are a lot of med schools here, plus most med schools seem to favor students from their home state or close by. Do you have any suggestions? (btw, I've removed Rush from my list...a overwhelming percentage of their class is in state). I do have some health problems going on in my family, but everything is moderately under control...I'm not sure if that's going to ground me to the northeast though.</p>

<p>A couple more questions:</p>

<p>Is eveyone invited to fill out a secondary app?<br>
My budget is kind of tight...if I apply to more reach schools, will they let me know before I file my secondaries if they're not interested? I can afford the $30 for the primary, but I can't afford to send a lot of secondaries out to "dream schools." </p>

<p>Do you think Brown is a good reach school to add to my list? They're average GPA isn't too much higher than mine, and most of their matriculating class is out of state.</p>

<p>I am very hesitant to apply to Cornell....I know so many Cornell Undergrads applying, and obviously they can only take so many from their home school that they have the privilage of hand picking the very best. If my GPA was a little higher, I'd consider, but I think it's probably a long shot.</p>

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<p>--Most private schools invite everybody to fill out a secondary, regardless of whether they are actually interested.
--Brown's class is disproportionately Rhode Island or through their undergrad program, so it's a tough school to get into via the traditional pathway.</p>

12

<p>
[quote]
Don't sell yourself short; add a few more dream schools if you can afford it (Cornell, Harvard, Northwestern ... why not?).

[/quote]
</p>

<p>That's all very well for a student in your position - superb MCAT score, superb GPA, and money to spare on applications. It sounds like StPlayrXtreme is not in a situation like yours, so I think the idea of adding more top 20 schools is unrealistic. Unless StPlayrXtreme is an URM or has some other "catch" that would make a GPA of 3.6 stand out, I doubt they'll have a serious chance at an interview.</p>

<p>However, like BDM said, without an MCAT score it's difficult to make appropriate judgments. An MCAT score of 32-34 is much different than an MCAT score of 36+.</p>

13

<p>I was going to suggest scratching Vermont, but it turns out they don't have a particular in-state bias. I am befuddled, though, that their student body is 2:1 women.</p>

<p>I think the OP needs to apply to 30 programs or so if he's going to do this blind, and then drop about 10 of them as soon as he gets his MCAT score. Even the difference between a 33 and a 35 is huge. At this point I think it's appropriate to include a couple schools in the 35 range -- Cornell and Columbia -- and a bunch in the 31 range, and everything in between.</p>

<p>My real concern, though, is what if the OP demonstrates the usual test-day drop? What if he ends up at a 29 (five points is well within the range of what my friends report) and isn't going to apply at all? But I don't suppose there's any way around that.</p>

14

<p>I think the list is decent. Even if he ends up with a 3.6/29, he'll still be competitive at many of the schools on his list. However, I'd add a few more schools (maybe SLU or NYMC, etc.).</p>

15

<p>
[quote]
I am befuddled, though, that their student body is 2:1 women.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I should have applied to Vermont...</p>

<p>I don't think I've ever used "University of Vermont School of Medicine" in a sentence before in my life, but the next time I do...definitely going to call it "Find me a Sugar-mama School of Medicine".</p>

16

<p>I haven't thought of SLU. That might be a little too far out west, but I don't know, I'll add it tentatively.</p>

<p>I disagree with applying to 30 schools. I think that's excessive.</p>

<p>Honestly, I'd be perfectly happy at any of the schools. Even if I manage to pull off a stelar MCAT score, I don't think it would have much impact on my list. </p>

<p>Here's my list categorized mostly based mostly on GPA, usually listed in increasing order by GPA.</p>

<p>Updated List (20 Schools):</p>

<p>Solid Fits:
-Albany Med (GPA: 3.50, MCAT: 29.4)
-University of Vermont (GPA: 3.50, MCAT: 29.2)
-NYMC (GPA: 3.50, MCAT: 29.8)
-Drexel (GPA: 3.51, MCAT: 31)
-Boston University (GPA: 3.56, MCAT: 31)
-George Washington University (GPA: 3.55, MCAT: 29)
-SUNY Stony Brook (GPA: 3.57, MCAT: 29)
-SUNY Buffalo (GPA: 3.57, MCAT: 29.1)
-Tufts (GPA: 3.57, MCAT: 30.7)
-Einstein Medical College (GPA: 3.60, MCAT: 30.5)
-SUNY Upstate (GPA: 3.63, MCAT: 30.4)
-Temple University (GPA: 3.64, MCAT: 31)
-Thomas Jefferson (GPA: 3.62 MCAT: 30.8)
-University of Rochester (GPA: 3.67, MCAT: 31.6)
-SUNY Downstate (GPA: ?, MCAT: ?)</p>

<p>A little tougher:
-Mount Sinai (GPA: 3.64, MCAT: 33.8)
-SLU (GPA: 3.72, MCAT: 31.2)
-NYU (GPA: 3.73, 3MCAT: 32.8)</p>

<p>Reaches, but maybe with a high MCAT:
-Brown (GPA: 3.66, 34.4)
-Cornell (GPA: 3.72, 34.4)</p>

17

<p>As was mentioned before, you're essnetially waisting your time with Brown unless you have some tie-in to Rhode Island or the school, so I would strongly advise scratching them off the list (their secondary is a pain anyway). I see no reason why you shouldn't add Columbia and Cornell and a couple other more reach schools since you could end up landing an interview or two with a solid MCAT score (Pitt might be a good one to consider, as they place less emphasis on GPA and a lot on the interview). I think Sinai is a reach for you actually unless you land in the 35 range; they place a lot of emphasis on the MCAT score and their admissions people are really trying to bolster the stats of the incoming class - I also don't see how Brown is a reach but Sinai isn't, considering they don't give a huge bias to NY residents. NYU s probably a reach as well, as they seem extremely concerned with GPA. Other than that, I think your list looks pretty good, but I do agree with BDM that it's a little on the short side for not having an official MCAT score.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
Solid Fits:
-Albany Med (GPA: 3.50, MCAT: 29.4)
-University of Vermont (GPA: 3.50, MCAT: 29.2)
-NYMC (GPA: 3.50, MCAT: 29.8)
-Drexel (GPA: 3.51, MCAT: 31)
-Boston University (GPA: 3.56, MCAT: 31)
-George Washington University (GPA: 3.55, MCAT: 29)
-SUNY Stony Brook (GPA: 3.57, MCAT: 29)
-SUNY Buffalo (GPA: 3.57, MCAT: 29.1)
-Tufts (GPA: 3.57, MCAT: 30.7)
-Einstein Medical College (GPA: 3.60, MCAT: 30.5)
-SUNY Upstate (GPA: 3.63, MCAT: 30.4)
-Temple University (GPA: 3.64, MCAT: 31)
-Thomas Jefferson (GPA: 3.62 MCAT: 30.8)
-University of Rochester (GPA: 3.67, MCAT: 31.6)
-SUNY Downstate (GPA: ?, MCAT: ?)</p>

<p>A little tougher:
-Mount Sinai (GPA: 3.64, MCAT: 33.8)
-SLU (GPA: 3.72, MCAT: 31.2)
-NYU (GPA: 3.73, 3MCAT: 32.8)</p>

<p>Reaches, but maybe with a high MCAT:
-Brown (GPA: 3.66, 34.4)
-Cornell (GPA: 3.72, 34.4)

[/quote]
</p>

<p>where the hell are you getting these GPA/MCAT numbers ...they are WAY lower than what is in the MSAR</p>

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<p>MSAR gives numbers for admitted students. I assume that person is using USNWR, which gives numbers for students who actually attend.</p>

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<p>really? the numbers for matriculated students are THAT much lower?? StPlayrXtreme, can you please confirm where you got those stats from?</p>