- Joined
- Jun 13, 2017
- Messages
- 35
- Reaction score
- 21
Hey all,
Thank you upfront for any constructive advice. Here is my situation:
Graduated from OSU in Biomedical Engineering from the Honors College a couple weeks ago. Was offered two interviews and was wait listed at U of Pittsburgh and U of Cincinnati. Since my last application I have 2 articles submitted for publication (one 1st author one co-author) and have won a couple awards and athletic competitions. I have also tacked on 200 non clinical volunteering hours and about 50 clinical hours and will continue volunteering. Also worked in my lab year round, will continue doing that. Getting three new LORs for the cycle. Currently:
MCAT 519 GPA 3.93
350 Non-clinical volunteering
100 Clinical volunteering
80 Shadowing
400 clinical research
700 traditional lab research
I also was team captain of a pretty successful club sport team. I also founded a club at OSU and served on an honors committee.
The lab I am in offered me a full time position and I will be doing that for my gap year. I will be starting my own project on the effect of non-coding RNAs on leukemia, pretty excited about it honestly, though I would rather go to medical school (duh).
Questions:
I have no plans to retake MCAT/improve GPA, am I correct in doing this?
Is this a good way to spend my gap year?
Do I apply to any DO schools next year?
Is there obvious blanks in my application / how do I fill these holes?
Essays - last time around I felt that I emptied my life onto paper (esp. that Duke secondary) and don't know how much more meaningful content there is. I plan on writing my essays fresh again, but will no doubt use similar content (not all the same). Is this okay? I have heard schools compare apps side by side, and hate to see the same essays, but is this just if they are repeated verbatim?
Another essay question: Most schools had an optional essay on their secondary's to fill in what students did in their gap year. Does this mean I shouldn't waste time in my personal statement letting schools know what I will be doing?
Any general advice beyond this is welcome. Sorry for the long post!
@gyngyn , @Goro , @LizzyM , @gonnif
Thank you upfront for any constructive advice. Here is my situation:
Graduated from OSU in Biomedical Engineering from the Honors College a couple weeks ago. Was offered two interviews and was wait listed at U of Pittsburgh and U of Cincinnati. Since my last application I have 2 articles submitted for publication (one 1st author one co-author) and have won a couple awards and athletic competitions. I have also tacked on 200 non clinical volunteering hours and about 50 clinical hours and will continue volunteering. Also worked in my lab year round, will continue doing that. Getting three new LORs for the cycle. Currently:
MCAT 519 GPA 3.93
350 Non-clinical volunteering
100 Clinical volunteering
80 Shadowing
400 clinical research
700 traditional lab research
I also was team captain of a pretty successful club sport team. I also founded a club at OSU and served on an honors committee.
The lab I am in offered me a full time position and I will be doing that for my gap year. I will be starting my own project on the effect of non-coding RNAs on leukemia, pretty excited about it honestly, though I would rather go to medical school (duh).
Questions:
I have no plans to retake MCAT/improve GPA, am I correct in doing this?
Is this a good way to spend my gap year?
Do I apply to any DO schools next year?
Is there obvious blanks in my application / how do I fill these holes?
Essays - last time around I felt that I emptied my life onto paper (esp. that Duke secondary) and don't know how much more meaningful content there is. I plan on writing my essays fresh again, but will no doubt use similar content (not all the same). Is this okay? I have heard schools compare apps side by side, and hate to see the same essays, but is this just if they are repeated verbatim?
Another essay question: Most schools had an optional essay on their secondary's to fill in what students did in their gap year. Does this mean I shouldn't waste time in my personal statement letting schools know what I will be doing?
Any general advice beyond this is welcome. Sorry for the long post!
@gyngyn , @Goro , @LizzyM , @gonnif