WAMC/School List (3.88, 517, FL ORM) (2024)

Feeling a little lost on how to approach this cycle - I feel like I have good research and also good service hours so I'm not sure where to split my time! Currently finishing up a gap year. Application focuses a lot on both empathetic care and community support with some of my research background mixed in.

My stats:

• FL ORM (Asian) Male with strong ties to NY, 3.87/517 (508 previous attempt)
• T50 State School undergrad
• 2000 paid clinical hours as an ED Scribe & Scribe Trainer
• 80 unpaid clinical hours as an ICU volunteer
• 1500 hours in research with a wet lab in undergrad
• Currently in a gap year and will have 3000 hours in clinical research
• 2 posters in small conferences
• 250 hours volunteering with underserved elementary schools + 80 hours as a volunteer gymnastics coach for children with disabilities
• 800 hours volunteering for my university in various service projects and giving tours
• 600 combined leadership hours as cultural organization vice president and cultural fraternity vice president, focused a lot on community outreach and cultural competency within these roles
• 38 hours shadowing urology and neurology
• Leadership award from my university (considered prestigious)

School List currently:

There are a lot of reach NYC schools on here because I really would like to live in NYC if possible to help take care of my grandfather part time (and currently staying in nyc temporarily in my gap year! So thats why I think I'm gonna shoot my shot at them if I can.

• Florida Schools: UF, FSU, USF, UCF, UMiami, FAU, FIU
• NY Schools: Einstein, Mt. Sinai, NYU-G, Columbia, Cornell, NYMC, SUNY Downstate, Stony Brook
• Other Schools: Boston, Case Western, Colorado, Dartmouth, Duke, Georgetown, GWU, Hofstra, Jefferson, Loyola, Mayo, Michigan, Oakland, Ohio State, Penn State, Pitt, Stanford, Rutgers-RWJ, Temple, Tulane, Tufts, UCLA, UCSF, UChicago, UNC-Chapel Hill, VCU, Wake Forest, Western Michigan, Yale
• Current Count: 45 - Trying to get it down to 30 if possible

Thank you for any help or advice! It feels top heavy LOL but unsure where to go from here.

Welcome to the forums.

I need more details on your activities. Hours are important, but details indicate your competencies and mission fit better. Specifically, 800 hours volunteering for your university can be categorized as campus leadership and community involvement, especially if you are giving tours as an admissions ambassador. I don't see non-clinical service orientation activities, and 150 hours is the minimum to avoid getting screened out at most schools. Note that I generally disregard involvement in a single activity with fewer than 50 hours, except shadowing.

Also, schools will often average MCAT attempts for screening purposes, but your MCAT +9 jump will help you.

Mr.Smile12 said:

Welcome to the forums.

I need more details on your activities. Hours are important, but details indicate your competencies and mission fit better. Specifically, 800 hours volunteering for your university can be categorized as campus leadership and community involvement, especially if you are giving tours as an admissions ambassador. I don't see non-clinical service orientation activities, and 150 hours is the minimum to avoid getting screened out at most schools. Note that I generally disregard involvement in a single activity with fewer than 50 hours, except shadowing.

Also, schools will often average MCAT attempts for screening purposes, but your MCAT +9 jump will help you.

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Thank you for the welcome! Yeah, I would say then my only nonclinical volunteer would be working with underfunded elementary schools. We would spend hours refurbishing, painting, and landscaping (planting community gardens etc.) their elementary schools to improve the kids' learning environment and then be able to volunteer with the kids afterwards! I would consider it volunteering in that sense that we're giving back to the underserved and we would spend hours planning the projects. With only 250ish volunteer hours in mind, is there any schools I should take off?

Anthony121 said:

Thank you for the welcome! Yeah, I would say then my only nonclinical volunteer would be working with underfunded elementary schools. We would spend hours refurbishing, painting, and landscaping (planting community gardens etc.) their elementary schools to improve the kids' learning environment and then be able to volunteer with the kids afterwards! I would consider it volunteering in that sense that we're giving back to the underserved and we would spend hours planning the projects. With only 250ish volunteer hours in mind, is there any schools I should take off?

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Make this clear in your description with an estimate of % time to do that vs. tutoring/teaching. I can argue that school rehabilitation qualifies for non-clinical service orientation.

Faha said:

UNC and Rutgers admit few non residents with no connection to the state. Loyola expects far more non clinical volunteering hours than you have.
you should receive several interviews from the other schools on your list.

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Thank you for the insight! I was concerned that my list might be top heavy, any schools that you think I should cut out? Or I have a chance at most of them and I can just go with the list?

Mr.Smile12 said:

Make this clear in your description with an estimate of % time to do that vs. tutoring/teaching. I can argue that school rehabilitation qualifies for non-clinical service orientation.

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Gotcha, the school volunteering was purely planning and executing the school rehabilitation projects for two years! So all 250 hours for that. I'll make sure to make this clear in my secondaries and W/A. So with that in mind, how does the school list look? Any ones that you'd recommend I cut out or add?

Anthony121 said:

Thank you for the insight! I was concerned that my list might be top heavy, any schools that you think I should cut out? Or I have a chance at most of them and I can just go with the list?

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Your best chances are the Florida schools but you could receive interviews at the other schools on your list.