Need advice, add more schools, apply DO, wait it out, WWYD?

[mostlymedical]

Hey guys! My stats- 3.78 GPA, ~3.67ish sGPA, 515 MCAT. Countless clinical hours, lots of crisis counseling, research and an honors thesis under my belt.

Just like many of us this cycle has been rough on me. I applied to 15 schools, and I’m from FL so a large chunk of that was my state schools and a few reaches. I had 3 interviews to state schools and heard back from 2 of them- waitlisted from both. I thought both interviews went SO well, and was incredibly shocked. Moreover, I am an alum from one of the schools, and it’s far from the most competitive school in FL, so I feel way less confident in my app now. The good thing is I feel I have a very good chance of getting off a waitlist because I was added quite early.

I know so many applicants with the same stats as me have fewer or no II, but I am getting so stressed and feel conflicted. I know it’s VERY late, but would it benefit me to add a few low-tier schools with Nov deadlines, or would that just be more of a donation to schools than any chance of acceptance?

I have considered applying DO since I understand their deadlines are different than ours, but I still have some faith in that I will be able to get off these waitlists so I’m just not sure. I have one pre-II deferral, and have yet to hear back from some 8 schools for II.

WWYD? I appreciate all advice, and more than everything probably just need some reassuring words lol. Thanks!

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[Goro]

Patience is a virtue!

I can't recommend applying DO, unless you truly want to be a doctor now, and not have to go through another app cycle.

Just understand what you're getting into. I don't want to see a post from you next year with a title like "got accepted to do but should I turn it down, hoping I get off the wait list at my MD school?"

The last thing my DO colleagues want are self-hating DO students.

 

[wysdoc]

Hey guys! My stats- 3.78 GPA, ~3.67ish sGPA, 515 MCAT. Countless clinical hours, lots of crisis counseling, research and an honors thesis under my belt.

Just like many of us this cycle has been rough on me. I applied to 15 schools, and I’m from FL so a large chunk of that was my state schools and a few reaches. I had 3 interviews to state schools and heard back from 2 of them- waitlisted from both. I thought both interviews went SO well, and was incredibly shocked. Moreover, I am an alum from one of the schools, and it’s far from the most competitive school in FL, so I feel way less confident in my app now. The good thing is I feel I have a very good chance of getting off a waitlist because I was added quite early.

I know so many applicants with the same stats as me have fewer or no II, but I am getting so stressed and feel conflicted. I know it’s VERY late, but would it benefit me to add a few low-tier schools with Nov deadlines, or would that just be more of a donation to schools than any chance of acceptance?

I have considered applying DO since I understand their deadlines are different than ours, but I still have some faith in that I will be able to get off these waitlists so I’m just not sure. I have one pre-II deferral, and have yet to hear back from some 8 schools for II.

WWYD? I appreciate all advice, and more than everything probably just need some reassuring words lol. Thanks!

15 is a pretty small number of schools to apply to, so I hope you get luckier with one of them. Were you only applying to schools in your region?

 

[mostlymedical]

15 is a pretty small number of schools to apply to, so I hope you get luckier with one of them. Were you only applying to schools in your region?

Yeah, I mainly applied to FL schools along with some reach schools in CA and one in GA. Honestly, I did not have much guidance with making my schools list and hadn’t realized at the time I was shooting myself in the foot by not applying more broadly. That’s partially why I’m considering adding more schools, but I know it’s mega late for that.

 

[mostlymedical]

Patience is a virtue!

I can't recommend applying DO, unless you truly want to be a doctor now, and not have to go through another app cycle.

Just understand what you're getting into. I don't want to see a post from you next year with a title like "got accepted to do but should I turn it down, hoping I get off the wait list at my MD school?"

The last thing my DO colleagues want are self-hating DO students.

Thanks for the reply, and this makes sense. I don’t have any problems with going DO, but chose MD because I was told my stats were fine. I have done 2 gap years, first to work because I needed $$$ and then to retake the mcat. Having to reapply would be devastating for me, but I just may have to. :/

 

[candbgirl]

Thanks for the reply, and this makes sense. I don’t have any problems with going DO, but chose MD because I was told my stats were fine. I have done 2 gap years, first to work because I needed $$$ and then to retake the mcat. Having to reapply would be devastating for me, but I just may have to. :/

What was your first MCAT score?

 

[mostlymedical]

What was your first MCAT score?

I went from a 504 to a 515!

 

[Goro]

Thanks for the reply, and this makes sense. I don’t have any problems with going DO, but chose MD because I was told my stats were fine. I have done 2 gap years, first to work because I needed $$$ and then to retake the mcat. Having to reapply would be devastating for me, but I just may have to. :/

If you reapply, then you lose a year of attending's salary. FYI

 

[GoSpursGo]

Moving to WAMC, because that's essentially the question.

It's still early and you've got 3 IIs. Do everything you can to improve your application in case you do wind up reapplying next year, but chances are that you will get in somewhere by the end of this cycle. With 7 months until AMCAS opens next year, you have more than enough time to improve you app in whichever way is necessary to go from WL to A if you wind up being a reapplicant.

 

[mostlymedical]

Moving to WAMC, because that's essentially the question.

It's still early and you've got 3 IIs. Do everything you can to improve your application in case you do wind up reapplying next year, but chances are that you will get in somewhere by the end of this cycle. With 7 months until AMCAS opens next year, you have more than enough time to improve you app in whichever way is necessary to go from WL to A if you wind up being a reapplicant.

Sorry if this is a silly question (and thanks for your helpful response), but I’m wondering how I can best figure out my weak points? I know that probably my GPA isn’t as good as others, but I am pretty confident in my writing and was even told it was good by a few interviewers. I think I could have a more direct and straightforward mission and story, as well as shadowing. but im a bit confused on figuring out what to try and improve before I hear feedback from those schools I haven’t gotten into, if that makes sense.

 

[mostlymedical]

If you reapply, then you lose a year of attending's salary. FYI

Another question for you, Would adding more schools just be a shot in the dark at this point? I have seen many with deadlines in nov but I’m unsure about the reality of those deadlines

 

[GoSpursGo]

Sorry if this is a silly question (and thanks for your helpful response), but I’m wondering how I can best figure out my weak points? I know that probably my GPA isn’t as good as others, but I am pretty confident in my writing and was even told it was good by a few interviewers. I think I could have a more direct and straightforward mission and story, as well as shadowing. but im a bit confused on figuring out what to try and improve before I hear feedback from those schools I haven’t gotten into, if that makes sense.

Hard to say without knowing the full content of your application. Since you got interviews it may not be something on paper at all, it may be something that didn't come across well at the interview stage.

Another question for you, Would adding more schools just be a shot in the dark at this point? I have seen many with deadlines in nov but I’m unsure about the reality of those deadlines

At this point I think there is no value in submitting additional MD applications.

 

[mostlymedical]

Hard to say without knowing the full content of your application. Since you got interviews it may not be something on paper at all, it may be something that didn't come across well at the interview stage.

At this point I think there is no value in submitting additional MD applications.

I really appreciate the insight, thanks!

 

[Goro]

Another question for you, Would adding more schools just be a shot in the dark at this point? I

Yes