Please help me build a strong school list (2024)

PLEASE DO NOT QUOTE THIS MESSAGE

Hello,

I'm looking for advice about my chances and especially on crafting a good school list.

GPA: 3.99 sgpa, 3.97 cgpa
MCAT: 512 (130/124/130/128)
State of Residence: Pennsylvania
Race: Asian
Undergrad: State University
Background: Grew up very poor by US standards w/ family income ~$25,000, FAP recipient. However, SES disadvantaged is unknown according to AMCAS (due to mom's education?)

Clinical experience:

• 300 hours as a volunteer in various departments (ER, peds, transplant unit) at a local hospital
• 1000 hours as a PCT at the same hospital (cardiac unit)
• 700 hours as a nursing assistant at a different hospital (med/surg unit); anticipate ~1000 hours
• 180 hours at a free clinic; anticipate ~200 hours

Research:

• 500 hours summer research (1 poster)
• ~2300 hours during gap year (thesis, 1 poster)
• ~100 hours in a different lab for my second gap year; anticipate ~1000 hours and hopefully more pubs during the cycle

Shadowing:

• 100 hours in ED and heme/onc

Non-clinical:

• 50 hours as a tutor with the local literacy council (this depends on if/when they have a student who is matched with me so not sure how to anticipate hours; should I keep this activity?)
• 100 hours as a member of cultural enrichment program hosting global festivals etc. (does this count as leadership? If not, I have trained my peers in my clinical and food service jobs, so can I make one of those my leadership experience?)

Other/Hobbies:

• 200 hours as a tutor in undergrad
• 600 hours as a cashier
• 2500 hours as a food-service worker
• running/working out

LORs:

• physics prof
• bio prof
• english prof
• hospital volunteer supervisor
• thesis advisor/PI
• should I get one from the free clinic coordinator?
• should I get one from my new lab's PI?

School list (so far):

• Jefferson
• Temple
• Pitt
• Einstein
• Vermont
• George Washington
• VCU
• Tufts
• Wake Forest
• Dartmouth
• Miami Miller
• Ohio State
• Cincinnati
• Rochester

Do you have any service orientation activities: food distribution, shelter volunteer, job/tax preparation, transportation services, or housing rehabilitation? What did you do as a "food service worker"?

spillingthetea said:

• 50 hours as a tutor with the local literacy council (this depends on if/when they have a student who is matched with me so not sure how to anticipate hours; should I keep this activity?)

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I don't know if you are ANTICIPATING 50 hours from your question. Provide a description of your responsibilities. I concede disregarding activities with fewer than 50 hours (except shadowing), so you can list it if you have the hours by submission. I cannot tell you if it would make an impact.

spillingthetea said:

• 100 hours as a member of cultural enrichment program hosting global festivals etc. (does this count as leadership? If not, I have trained my peers in my clinical and food service jobs, so can I make one of those my leadership experience?)

Click to expand...

Describe what you did.

Mr.Smile12 said:

Do you have any service orientation activities: food distribution, shelter volunteer, job/tax preparation, transportation services, or housing rehabilitation? What did you do as a "food service worker"?

I don't know if you are ANTICIPATING 50 hours from your question. Provide a description of your responsibilities. I concede disregarding activities with fewer than 50 hours (except shadowing), so you can list it if you have the hours by submission. I cannot tell you if it would make an impact.

Describe what you did.

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By food service worker I meant working as a barista. I am making this one of my MME as I worked through college to pay for my tuition and learned a lot.

I have 50 hours so far as a volunteer tutor. I helped students from disadvantaged backgrounds with math and English. I don't know how to anticipate more hours as I am not matched with a student currently. It's 1:1 tutoring.

With the cultural enrichment program, I helped hosting and planning festivals for international students at my school. I am not sure if I should put any of the other experiences such as the food service one where I trained my coworkers as leadership.

Faha said:

Your list is top heavy with a MCAT of 512. Einstein is a far reach. I suggest adding these schools with your stats:
Geisinger
Drexel
Hackensack
New York Medical College
Albany
Vermont
Quinnipiac
George Washington
Georgetown
Virginia Commonwealth
Eastern Virginia
Wake Forest
NOVA MD
Belmont
TCU
Creighton
St. Louis
Rosalind Franklin
Medical College Wisconsin
Western Michigan
Oakland Beaumont
Wayne State

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Thank you! For schools like Georgetown and Creighton, do you think I have enough service hours? Also, I read somewhere on MSAR that Georgetown screens for 125 subsection and my CARS is 124. I am not sure if this is a hard cut-off.

spillingthetea said:

By food service worker I meant working as a barista. I am making this one of my MME as I worked through college to pay for my tuition and learned a lot.

I have 50 hours so far as a volunteer tutor. I helped students from disadvantaged backgrounds with math and English. I don't know how to anticipate more hours as I am not matched with a student currently. It's 1:1 tutoring.

With the cultural enrichment program, I helped hosting and planning festivals for international students at my school. I am not sure if I should put any of the other experiences such as the food service one where I trained my coworkers as leadership.

Click to expand...

Considering the hours you claim, you can include your management/training responsibilities as part of your employment description.

This still leaves the issue of zero apparent hours of service orientation activities that aren't otherwise clinical or health-related, which makes your application vulnerable to getting screened out, especially at the Jesuit medical schools. Cura personalis.

Mr.Smile12 said:

Considering the hours you claim, you can include your management/training responsibilities as part of your employment description.

This still leaves the issue of zero apparent hours of service orientation activities that aren't otherwise clinical or health-related, which makes your application vulnerable to getting screened out, especially at the Jesuit medical schools. Cura personalis.

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Should I list the food service activity as a paid employment or leadership?

Is the volunteer tutor not considered service?

spillingthetea said:

Should I list the food service activity as a paid employment or leadership?

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Based on your description, paid employment. Your description will show your leadership through your management responsibilities.

spillingthetea said:

Is the volunteer tutor not considered service?

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Tutoring is an extension of an academic responsibility to teach what you know. Thus, it's an academic competency.

Also just out!

spillingthetea said:

Thank you! For schools like Georgetown and Creighton, do you think I have enough service hours? Also, I read somewhere on MSAR that Georgetown screens for 125 subsection and my CARS is 124. I am not sure if this is a hard cut-off.

Click to expand...

You have over 2,000 hours of clinical exposure which more than compensates for your lack of non clinical volunteering.