Good match or low reach schools for me (second-time transfer student)?

College Search & Lists
1

Could anyone recommend good match schools for me? Currently, I am applying to Brown, Cornell, Dartmouth, Penn, Michigan, NYU, Johns Hopkins, Brandeis, and Tufts, but I know these are all reach schools for my stats. Also, I am looking to transfer for the second time. While I feel I adequately justify my reasons in my transfer essay, I know it hurts my application. Anyway:

Year: Sophomore
Major: Mathematics
Professional emphasis: Pre-Medical
Special circumstances: I am two years younger than most students in my grade

High School: Online
GPA: 3.73 (school does not weight, school does not rank)
SAT (single-sitting): 2140 (590 CR, 770 M, 780 W)
SAT (best of two sittings): 2240 (690 CR, 770 M, 780 W)
SAT II: 800 Math II, 740 Chemistry
ACT (single-sitting): 33 (33 English, 35 Math, 29 Reading, 33 Science, 5 Essay)

College: Community College
GPA: 3.79
Credits earned: 24
Term: Senior year high school, summer before freshman year college

College: Unranked private pharmacy-oriented university (dual-accepted into contingency program with a mediocre medical school)
GPA: 3.57
Credits earned: 30
Term: Freshman

College: #100-120 ranked private university
GPA: 3.88 (not taking into account current semester)
Credits earned: 26 (taking 17 more credits this semester)
Term: Summer before sophomore year college, fall semester sophomore

Recommendations:

  • Two recommendations from mathematics professors at current university, strong to very strong
  • One recommendation from pharmacy professor that I am doing research with at current university, very strong

EC’s since Junior Year of High School:

  • Shadowed physicians in an indigent healthcare facility, Junior Year High School
  • Volunteered to tutor at-risk of dropping out of school students at a middle school, Junior Year High School
  • Volunteered to collect donations and organize fundraising efforts for local cancer-focused non-profit, Junior Year High School
  • High School Research Assistant in Genetics Lab at Southern Methodist University, Junior Year High School
  • Author of iPad tech tips mailing list with over 18, for now-defunct website, Junior and Senior Year High School
  • Volunteered at nursing home, working directly with the residents and also helping with administrative duties, Senior Year High School
  • Volunteered to contribute to a database of elementary schools for the educational non-profit website Edheads.com, Freshman Year College
  • Undergraduate Research Assistant in Bone Marrow Transplant Lab (led to four publications, one first author, two second author, one third author), Freshman and Sophomore Year College
  • Undergraduate Research Assistant in Pharmacy Lab, Sophomore Year College
  • Member of Pre-Med Club, Sophomore Year College
2

Two big questions - What can your family afford and what is your home state?

3

My home state is Pennsylvania. Finances are not a factor.

4

For suggestions, this online list isn’t bad: “The Experts’ Choice: Colleges with Great Pre-med Programs.” You might like the University of Rochester, though it is about as selective as a couple of the other schools on your list.

5

-American University
-Boston University
-Case Western Reserve University
-Franklin & Marshall College
-Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
-Syracuse University
-University of Pittsburgh

6

I know some posters would say there is no mediocre med school in the US. From your ECs it seems like you are well situated for med school where you are.