General Reapp Help

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Arturiase

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Hi guys, this is my second round of application as the first time I applied to 20 schools, but only received 1 interview to my state school, which I was rejected.

My stats are medium 3.64 cummulative gpa, and around 3.62 M/S, It was higher last year when I applied around 3.67 and 3.68 respectively, I kinda let my grades slip a little senior year. My MCAT score is 517 with a break down of 130/130/130/127. I am ORM.

I think my problem last cycle was I sent in the primary pretty early, and got a lot of secondaries early on in July as well, but I didn't finish most of them until later August, September and they were not the greatest. I'm pretty bad at writing, and I think my personal statement, secondary responses weren't the greatest; maybe why I didn't get very many interviews. My only interview, I don't know what to think about it because my first interviewer was tough, but second one was much more relaxed. I was definitely surprised when I only got 1 interview.

I think what I'm lacking the most is leadership experience, I didn't really want to do very many club activities in college, so I never went out of my way to apply for a leadership position. I played pick up basketball instead lol.

I had round 90 hours of clincial volunteering at hospital last cycle, which should be now up to over 150~200ish after finishing senior year. I volunteered at the hospital twice a week throughout my junior senior year. I also had around 80 hours of shadowing, which hasn't changed in the last year. For other volunteering I dont have much except random events that I did freshman, sophmore year.

For research I did it over the summers freshman-junior year and I had around 160 hours or so. I never got published, but was acknowledge in another paper, and the person I worked with said I will be co-authored once another paper is done.

Anyways, I'm just looking for advice on what to do this coming year. I applied for physassist, but they haven't got back to me yet. Also I am going to apply this cycle, and I'm not sure about DO yet, I really want to try for an MD school as they are much less expensive. Should I do a post bacc problem and take some anatomy classes with phys assist/med students? I'm planning to volunteer more in the following year and this summer, but idk if it will be available on my application by then. I'm looking for any advice, what should I work on, do in the follow year, change to my app?

Thanks for taking time to read the post.

TLDR: decent stats, medicore ecs, only 1 interview

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Hi guys, this is my second round of application as the first time I applied to 20 schools, but only received 1 interview to my state school, which I was rejected.

My stats are medium 3.64 cummulative gpa, and around 3.62 M/S, It was higher last year when I applied around 3.67 and 3.68 respectively, I kinda let my grades slip a little senior year. My MCAT score is 517 with a break down of 130/130/130/127. I am ORM.

I think my problem last cycle was I sent in the primary pretty early, and got a lot of secondaries early on in July as well, but I didn't finish most of them until later August, September and they were not the greatest. I'm pretty bad at writing, and I think my personal statement, secondary responses weren't the greatest; maybe why I didn't get very many interviews. My only interview, I don't know what to think about it because my first interviewer was tough, but second one was much more relaxed. I was definitely surprised when I only got 1 interview.

I think what I'm lacking the most is leadership experience, I didn't really want to do very many club activities in college, so I never went out of my way to apply for a leadership position. I played pick up basketball instead lol.

I had round 90 hours of clincial volunteering at hospital last cycle, which should be now up to over 150~200ish after finishing senior year. I volunteered at the hospital twice a week throughout my junior senior year. I also had around 80 hours of shadowing, which hasn't changed in the last year. For other volunteering I dont have much except random events that I did freshman, sophmore year.

For research I did it over the summers freshman-junior year and I had around 160 hours or so. I never got published, but was acknowledge in another paper, and the person I worked with said I will be co-authored once another paper is done.

Anyways, I'm just looking for advice on what to do this coming year. I applied for physassist, but they haven't got back to me yet. Also I am going to apply this cycle, and I'm not sure about DO yet, I really want to try for an MD school as they are much less expensive. Should I do a post bacc problem and take some anatomy classes with phys assist/med students? I'm planning to volunteer more in the following year and this summer, but idk if it will be available on my application by then. I'm looking for any advice, what should I work on, do in the follow year, change to my app?

Thanks for taking time to read the post.

TLDR: decent stats, medicore ecs, only 1 interview

School list could have played a role here. Post your list and that will help others give advice.
 
School list could have played a role here. Post your list and that will help others give advice.
Albany Medical College Regular M.D
Albert Einstein College of Medicine Regular M.D.
No Boston University School of Medicine Regular M.D.
No Creighton University School of Medicine Regular M.D. - did not complete secondary
No Emory University School of Medicine Regular M.D.
No Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth Regular M.D.
No Georgetown University School of Medicine Regular M.D. - did not complete secondary
No Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine at Hofstra University Regular M.D.
No Indiana University School of Medicine Regular M.D.
No Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medici Regular M.D.
No Medical College of Wisconsin Regular M.D.
No New York Medical College Regular M.D.
No Saint Louis University School of Medicine Regular M.D.
No Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University Regular M.D.
No The University of Miami School of Medicine Regular M.D.
No Tufts University School of Medicine Regular M.D.
No Tulane University School of Medicine Regular M.D.
No USF Health Morsani College of Medicine Regular M.D.
No University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine Regular M.D.
No University of Rochester School of Medicine and Den Regular M.D.
No University of Wisconsin Regular M.D.
No Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicin Regular M.D.
No Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University Regular M.D.
No Washington University School of Medicine
 
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WashU was a non-starter for you, but overall your ECs are weak. That said, the lateness of your app did you no favors. I think that if you can snag the scribing job and significantly boost your volunteering/research hours you'll be a lot better off by next cycle. Also, apply early.
 
I kinda let my grades slip a little senior year

Why?

I think my problem last cycle was I sent in the primary pretty early, and got a lot of secondaries early on in July as well, but I didn't finish most of them until later August, September and they were not the greatest. I'm pretty bad at writing, and I think my personal statement, secondary responses weren't the greatest; maybe why I didn't get very many interviews. My only interview, I don't know what to think about it because my first interviewer was tough, but second one was much more relaxed. I was definitely surprised when I only got 1 interview.

I think what I'm lacking the most is leadership experience, I didn't really want to do very many club activities in college, so I never went out of my way to apply for a leadership position. I played pick up basketball instead lol.

Again... why? I'm getting the vibe that you didn't really care about getting in based on what you've provided here.

I'm not sure about DO yet, I really want to try for an MD school as they are much less expensive.

You applied for some private MD programs and I'm assuming you're OOS for a great deal of these. The tuition is the same. Is there another reason why you're not interested in applying DO? Based on your stats I don't think you need to because they're in range for an MD acceptance, but not sure if you're being honest with us or with yourself if you're saying that cost of attendance is the primary reason you're not applying to DO programs.
 
Why?




Again... why? I'm getting the vibe that you didn't really care about getting in based on what you've provided here.



You applied for some private MD programs and I'm assuming you're OOS for a great deal of these. The tuition is the same. Is there another reason why you're not interested in applying DO? Based on your stats I don't think you need to because they're in range for an MD acceptance, but not sure if you're being honest with us or with yourself if you're saying that cost of attendance is the primary reason you're not applying to DO programs.

1. general senioritis and I'll admit I got cocky and lazy, I didn't think it would affect my overall gpa that much either way. Just wanted to enjoy the last year and figured there wasnt much a difference betwen 3.66 and 3.64.

2. yea I didn't think leadership was an important part of the application freshman year, and since I didn't join any clubs fresh/soph year when I didn't think I could really apply for a spot in my junior/senior years. Also I'm just wasn't interested in joining a random club.

3.Yea overall, I just didn't want to apply DO b/c I thought my stats were in the MD range, I will try to apply to some in-state ones for DO, but yeah the cost of attendance is a lot higher. For OOS state schools i figured I could get residency after a couple years.
 
I agree with @Thienyl15 in that your ECs are weak and the app was late. You said that you aren't the best writer. Have you redone your PS for this cycle? I think it would be important to rewrite a compelling narrative and have it critiqued by as many people as you can before you submit. You should probably also start pre-writing secondaries right after you submit the primary so you have time to produce quality responses and still submit early enough in the cycle/within 2-3 weeks of receiving the secondary.

@Faha @Goro any advice here on school list for OP the second time around?
 
The club issue isn't a big deal. I built up most of my leadership ability through work experience after graduating, as I felt that being VP of XYZ student interest group was largely useless when I could be devoting that time to research (harder to get research experience after graduating in my neck of the woods).
 
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I agree with @Thienyl15 in that your ECs are weak and the app was late. You said that you aren't the best writer. Have you redone your PS for this cycle? I think it would be important to rewrite a compelling narrative and have it critiqued by as many people as you can before you submit. You should probably also start pre-writing secondaries right after you submit the primary so you have time to produce quality responses and still submit early enough in the cycle/within 2-3 weeks of receiving the secondary.

@Faha @Goro any advice here on school list for OP the second time around?
I think tha witgh a 517, the Op's school list was aiming a tad too low, and there were too many OOS state schools, especially with a 3.6 GPA.

The weak ECs really stand out. I suggest a gap year, and definitely double the clinical exposure hours, plus add as much time volunteering with people in greater need than yourself.

Advice in the rest of the thread is spot on.

Next cycle, start list with:
Emory
Keck
Hofstra
Rochester
U VM
BU
Tufts
Duke
Case
Pitt
Mayo
U Miami
Tulane
Your stats school(s)
 
Thanks for the advice everyone. I graduated already so this year is technically going to be my gap year, and I don't want to wait one more year before applying. I will rewrite my essays for sure, and then I work on volunteering all through the summer and through the cycle and send update letters and hopefully I will get more interviews this round.
 
Thanks for the advice everyone. I graduated already so this year is technically going to be my gap year, and I don't want to wait one more year before applying. I will rewrite my essays for sure, and then I work on volunteering all through the summer and through the cycle and send update letters and hopefully I will get more interviews this round.
Make sure you apply DAY 1. Also I would say shoot for mid/low tier schools over places like Duke or Mayo or Uwash.
 
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