<p>I've been lurking for a while and now that I'm preparing to apply to medical school I'm hoping that you'll be able to help me figure out where to apply.</p>
<p>I'm a biochem+chemistry major at Penn with a 3.8 cumulative GPA and a 3.67 science GPA; I got a 39 on the MCAT. I am a white male from an affluent suburb in the northeast. </p>
<p>I am wondering if you might be able to tell me whether or not I have a shot at the top 10 medical schools. I've looked at their average GPA/MCAT stuff and I see that I more or less fit into their "average applicant" category. That said, I'm also a white/affluent male and so I'm not really sure about what my chances are here. </p>
<p>In your opinion, can I expect to get an interview from any of the top 10 medical schools? I know you can't definitively tell me one way or another, but I'm hoping that you can give me some idea of what to expect.</p>
<p>Please be super straightforward and honest--if you think the odds are low then just let me know. I am only hoping for a realistic idea of what to expect.</p>
<p>I am assuming you are a junior now. You didn’t say anything about your research and other ECs. If you have any deficiencies there, start working on addressing them right away. Also, take some easy upper level science courses to beef up that sGPA. This year, UMich (#8), gave an interview to pretty much everybody with a 3.8/39. My son is an applicant in this cycle and has a 3.83 cGPA, 3.75 sGPA from Johns Hopkins along with a 38 on MCAT. In spite of being late with his committee packet, he has 3 top 10 interviews scheduled and no rejections yet. Good luck! Get some anti-acid :)</p>
<p>I suppose this sounds crazy, but which are the “top 10 med schools”? kal123. did your son interview at JHU too? BTW, acidreflux, I think you’ll do fine in the whole med school app thing. Like everyone, you should apply broadly including your state schools, which your taxes pay for. One’s best medical school education isn’t necessarily at a top ten.</p>
<p>Thank you very much. I’ve both volunteered and done research for the past three years so I’m not super worried about that (although I don’t have any publications…), and I’ll definitely follow your advice about the easy upper level science courses. Thanks again for you input and best of luck to your son.</p>
<p>If you select your school by reading USNWR, you are doing yourself a disservice. I attended and graduated from one of those schools, and I see no evidence that it is any better than about 30 other schools. There are no top 10 med schools. Just many different schools with different environments.</p>