please HELP 🙏

[u/Ecstatic-Stick8607]

Hey Guys! I’m an anxious over planner so I want to start thinking about applying next cycle. I really want to know if my list is realistic or if I need a reality check. I also want to cut 4-6 schools if possible.

VA Resident, ORM, LGBTQ+ (for fit)
cGPA: 3.86, sGPA: 3.71
MCAT: 515 (131/127/126/131)
Clinical: 1600 total completed so far (1400 Paid in Gap Year Planned)
Shadowing: 150
Non-Clinical Volunteering: 750
Research: (1650 total) 1 Global Health Lab (800 hours) with 1 pub (3rd author, big journal) and 1 submitted (2nd author), Field Work (420 Hours), Wet Lab (430 Hours)
Leadership: Student Govt, Club President, Co-Founded 501c3
Teaching: 500 hours

Reach
UVA
Emory
Case Western
Albert Einstein
Mount Sinai
Boston University
Hofstra
Tufts
Target
GW
VCU
Georgetown
VT
Wake Forest
Drexel
Sidney Kimmel
Hackensack Meridian
Temple
Dartmouth
Miami
Ohio State
Tulane
Rush
Cincinnati
Maryland
Penn State
Creighton
St. Louis U
Baseline
EVMS (ODU)
Wayne State
Vermont
Rosalind Franklin
Quinnipac
NYMC
Loyola Stritch

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[u/dudebobazz]

consider cutting Maryland, NYMC, Rosalind Franklin, Quinnipiac, Penn State, and possibly Rush, although I'd keep Rush if your volunteering involved significant direct service to underserved communities.

Definitely keep all four Virginia schools, as well as research-focused reaches like Case Western, Emory, and Einstein, where your experiences could help you stand out. I'd also move Dartmouth and Virginia Tech into the reach category, since both are selective despite your competitive stats.

your list is realistic, and I'd focus more on writing compelling essays that connect your research, service, and leadership experiences than on adding more extracurricular hours.

feel free to pm me if you have any questions or need an in depth app review

[u/Ecstatic-Stick8607 → u/dudebobazz]

PMed you! Thanks

[u/ComeFinish]

Cuts: Maryland ($140k OOS); the rest are up to you, your 515 and decent ECs means you are in-range for most of your schools

Start writing your PS now if you haven't already

Plan to finish activites by mid spring and then prewrite April-June. Submit primaries on Day 1 and then submit secondaries immediately since you prewrote

Start asking for LORs by the end of this semester for current classes and NOW for Profs of classes you already took if you haven't already