<p>Hey here are some basic stats:</p>
<p>1520 SAT 1
I'm taking sat 2s in may (chem, bio, and math). Writing will be on my new sat score. As for the sat 2 scores, I will not rest until i score 750+ in all of them.
3.98 UW GPA
Average ECs (varsity sport, violinist in orchestra, 2 leadership positions, plus a couple other clubs)
Research experience from Governor's school this summer</p>
<p>I'm a junior and planning to apply to: BU 7/8 year, Northwestern 8 year, Rocehester 8 year, Monmouth/Drexel 8 year, Rice/Baylor, GW 8 year, Brown PLME, TCNJ/UMDNJ 7/8 year, Rutgers/UMDNJ 7/8 year (and a couple other NJ direct med state schools). Can anyone comment on whether I have a shot at any of these? I'm not looking for any fancy program but I just want to get into at least one direct med program.</p>
<p>I would recommend UMKC. It's an excellent program that is 6 years long. In comparison to all the other programs, I believe it is superior because it is an acutal "program", meaning that you don't switch schools. You are taking UMKC School of Medcine courses from day 1. You also are getting clincical experience from day 1. </p>
<p>I think your stats give an excellent chance. You just need to be sure that you are definitely passionate and motivated to be a phycisian.</p>
<p>Stats are pretty good, except I don't see any volunteering experience.</p>
<p>Shadowing would help as well.</p>
<p>How do you know that you want to become a doctor? What experiences stimulated or encouraged this desire?</p>
<p>higher SATs always help if you have the chance
On another note, if you're applying to UMDNJ in new jersey from 4 or 5 undergrad campuses (like TCNJ, Rutgers, whatever else) you're pretty much wasting your time. Just stick to TCNJ and Rutgers because UMDNJ will only take one interview.
And same question as above.. What exposure have you had to medicine?</p>
<p>...actually there comes a point where higher SAT scores will not help and when the test is not worth the extra money to retake. For all intents and purposes, the time that you spend on improving a 1520 could be better used to making your overall application more competitive, ie. exposure to medicine (like mentioned many times above) and other intangible qualities that scores can not test</p>
<p>i forgot to write that I volunteered in hematology and radiology at the hospital over the past two summers. I have the option of shadowing a doctor over the summer if I chose to not go to governor's school of sciences. So right now I'm trying to decide between the two. Any advice? And is the sat good enough because I thought anything above a 1500 is good enuf.</p>
<p>The Governor's School is only 4-weeks, right? I would spend the rest of my summer doing some intense shadowing. Really figure out if you want to be a doctor for sure. Learn, first hand, what they really do.
Then you could even set up some shadowing on a weekly basis when schools begins in the fall...The main thing is to get exposure to medicine and figure out if it really is for you.</p>
<p>SAT score is good. Anything higher won't make a difference. Now, out of all your schools, Monmouth/Drexel is by far the easiest to get into (it's practically a safety compared with other programs). Are you from South Jersey? If so, I'd consider Stockton/UMDNJ as well. Also, applying through Stevens or Drew (for reasons unknown) for UMDNJ might get you an earlier interview at UMDNJ (assuming they select you for one) than with TCNJ. If I were you, I'd also consider applying to 7-year Drexel/Drexel Med.</p>
<p>GW is 7 year.. not 8</p>
<p>and i would highlyyyyy consider psu's 6/7 year program, case's 8 year as well</p>
<p>penn state is a parrttyyyy.. nd jefferson is a very good med skool...
case is a good program even tho its 8 years</p>
<p>Case is can also be completed in 7 years so it is actually 7/8 years in length.</p>
<p>definitely apply to Penn State/ Jefferson 6/7 Year Program. Penn State is a huge school with lots of parties and sports among other things, and jefferson is a really good medical school also, probably because its so old. also, the requirements aren't strict at all. its definitely one of those programs that can't go overlooked.</p>
<p>also consider UMiami and USC, those programs aren't bad either. btw, northwestern is a 7- year program.</p>
<p>Thanks alot for all of your input. If anyone has more advice, please post it.</p>
<p>and to patelakshar, governor's school's dates are oddly placed. It runs between July 17 and August 13, which gives me about 3 weeks before and 2 weeks after for shadowing. The doctor I pland to shadow is very flexible because he is actually a good friend of my parents. Do you think it will work if I split up my shadowing? And to anyone who shadowed, what exactly did you do? Did you just look at the doctor the whole time or did you actually get in on their research.</p>
<p>I think it could work...but I would ask myself: Is governor's school really neccessary/desired in comparison to shadowing. If you are really passionate about medicine then I think shadowing a doc would be more enticing as it gets your exposure. </p>
<p>During shadowing it really depends on the doctor. You may just watch, you may be asked questions, you may be asking questions, he might tell you a lot....on the question of research: it depends on the specialite of the doc and his profession (academic, private practice, etc...). You could apply for simply reserach internships through like the NIH, etc...</p>