TMDSAS applicant with no IIs. What to do for reapp next cycle?

[whatsthepoint]

I haven't heard anything from any TMDSAS schools thus far and definitely need to begin prepping for a reapp. What's wrong with my app- GPA? MCAT? ECs? Essays? I've seen dozens of people with my stats/close stats to mine that have received 4+ IIs, even in Texas, while the only school I've interviewed at is TCU (an AMCAS school). I've convinced myself that there's some huge red flag in my app, but I'm torn as to what it may be. What is my best course of action to increase IIs for next cycle?

• cGPA: 3.67 sGPA: 3.68 (note: these are my TMDSAS calculated GPAs, so slightly different than my AMCAS GPAs)
• MCAT: 507 128/127/126/126
• Texas resident my entire life
• 23 y/o White male
• Graduated from University of Texas at Austin; May 2019; Chemistry BSA
• Clinical exp: Ophthalmic Technician and Scribe (currently 500+ hours) Neurology Scribe (1000 hours) Neurology Medical Assistant (500 hours) Orthopedics Medical Assistant (600 hours)
• Research: Undergraduate Research Assistant for 1 semester, no papers or anything
• Shadowing: No pure shadowing - but 1000+ hours scribing in Ophthalmology, Neurology, and Orthopedics
• Volunteering: Lots of random non-clinical volunteering: Meals on Wheels, mentoring elementary school students, a charity organization my friend founded, chemistry exam proctor, food panty, performing at charity concerts. ~250 hours
• ECs: Student-athlete- played college baseball for 2 years and club university baseball for 1 year, musician, started a rock band and played across Texas (hundreds of hours), chemistry teaching assistant, started a university organization, middle school student teacher for a semester
• Gap year activity: Ophthalmic Technician and Scribe for an Ophthalmology clinic
• Honors: Dean's List, Presidents Honor Roll, etc.
• Submitted TMDSAS primary in late June and was verified 7/10. Completed all TX secondaries throughout the month of July except for UTRGV and UTSW in August. Completed AMCAS schools' secondaries through late August and early September.

****I Had to report a minor in consumption of alcohol on my TMDSAS app (but not AMCAS). This occurred 4.5 years ago when I was 19 due to a silly mistake. I took full accountability for my actions and showed maturity when discussing this on my app. I received deferred adjudication for this and it has since been dismissed/dropped. Is this what is holding back my application?? Everything I've heard/read about this is that an MIC/MIP of alcohol will not affect a medical school application much if at all.

I applied to every school on TMDSAS and the following AMCAS schools:

Loyola Chicago, TCU-UNTHSC, Oakland, Rosalind Franklin

Thanks so much in advance!

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[Goro]

I haven't heard anything from any TMDSAS schools thus far and definitely need to begin prepping for a reapp. What's wrong with my app- GPA? MCAT? ECs? Essays? I've seen dozens of people with my stats/close stats to mine that have received 4+ IIs, even in Texas, while the only school I've interviewed at is TCU (an AMCAS school). I've convinced myself that there's some huge red flag in my app, but I'm torn as to what it may be. What is my best course of action to increase IIs for next cycle?

• cGPA: 3.67 sGPA: 3.68 (note: these are my TMDSAS calculated GPAs, so slightly different than my AMCAS GPAs)
• MCAT: 507 128/127/126/126
• Texas resident my entire life
• 23 y/o White male
• Graduated from University of Texas at Austin; May 2019; Chemistry BSA
• Clinical exp: Ophthalmic Technician and Scribe (currently 500+ hours) Neurology Scribe (1000 hours) Neurology Medical Assistant (500 hours) Orthopedics Medical Assistant (600 hours)
• Research: Undergraduate Research Assistant for 1 semester, no papers or anything
• Shadowing: No pure shadowing - but 1000+ hours scribing in Ophthalmology, Neurology, and Orthopedics
• Volunteering: Lots of random non-clinical volunteering: Meals on Wheels, mentoring elementary school students, a charity organization my friend founded, chemistry exam proctor, food panty, performing at charity concerts. ~250 hours
• ECs: Student-athlete- played college baseball for 2 years and club university baseball for 1 year, musician, started a rock band and played across Texas (hundreds of hours), chemistry teaching assistant, started a university organization, middle school student teacher for a semester
• Gap year activity: Ophthalmic Technician and Scribe for an Ophthalmology clinic
• Honors: Dean's List, Presidents Honor Roll, etc.
• Submitted TMDSAS primary in late June and was verified 7/10. Completed all TX secondaries throughout the month of July except for UTRGV and UTSW in August. Completed AMCAS schools' secondaries through late August and early September.

****I Had to report a minor in consumption of alcohol on my TMDSAS app (but not AMCAS). This occurred 4.5 years ago when I was 19 due to a silly mistake. I took full accountability for my actions and showed maturity when discussing this on my app. I received deferred adjudication for this and it has since been dismissed/dropped. Is this what is holding back my application?? Everything I've heard/read about this is that an MIC/MIP of alcohol will not affect a medical school application much if at all.

I applied to every school on TMDSAS and the following AMCAS schools:

Loyola Chicago, TCU-UNTHSC, Oakland, Rosalind Franklin

Thanks so much in advance!

Apply to DO schools next cycle. Your MCAT is not competitive for Baylor, UTSW, UTH and Dell.

Get in lots of service to Hispanic communities and UTxRG will show you some love.

rewrite all essays and have multiple eyeballs vet them.

The apps to OOS MD schools were donations.

 

[m1515]

I have average stats similar to yours (just a higher GPA) and am a TMDSAS applicant. I think your biggest problem was not submitting early. Us average stats people have to push that submit button like the day it opens. I also think if there are any "red flags" they would be
1) no pure shadowing. I get that you scribe, but it's different and I think it could help your app to get some pure shadowing hours
2) The other thing I notice but idk if it would be a red flag is that you have random volunteering hours. I think they are looking for you to be committed to a couple of things that you're passionate about rather than a bunch of random things for a couple of hours here and there.
I hope that was helpful...I really feel for you that this application cycle is not going how you wanted. Hang in there you got this!

 

[whatsthepoint]

Apply to DO schools next cycle. Your MCAT is not competitive for Baylor, UTSW, UTH and Dell.

Get in lots of service to Hispanic communities and UTxRG will show you some love.

rewrite all essays and have multiple eyeballs vet them.

The apps to OOS MD schools were donations.

thanks for the advice. Is it too late to submit an AACOMAS primary this cycle?

 

[whatsthepoint]

I have average stats similar to yours (just a higher GPA) and am a TMDSAS applicant. I think your biggest problem was not submitting early. Us average stats people have to push that submit button like the day it opens. I also think if there are any "red flags" they would be
1) no pure shadowing. I get that you scribe, but it's different and I think it could help your app to get some pure shadowing hours
2) The other thing I notice but idk if it would be a red flag is that you have random volunteering hours. I think they are looking for you to be committed to a couple of things that you're passionate about rather than a bunch of random things for a couple of hours here and there.
I hope that was helpful...I really feel for you that this application cycle is not going how you wanted. Hang in there you got this!

I appreciate the response. Yep this process sucks. Did you get TMDSAS IIs/acceptances this cycle?

 

[TwoHighways]

I have what I feel are bigger holes in my app, submitted much later, and have thankfully had some success this cycle. I'm surprised that TCOM didn't invite you. Did you apply to Sam? I tend to think generic stat applicants really need a compelling personal statement to get noticed.

 

[D0uc124]

thanks for the advice. Is it too late to submit an AACOMAS primary this cycle?

You have till Thanksgiving to be considered on time for AACOMAS. I would recommend doing it ASAP. Did you apply to TCOM?

Otherwise, if you are looking to reapply for next year, I would recommend shadowing and more clinical volunteering. If your practice MCAT scores were higher than your actual, you may look into retaking it. But who knows? You might get into TCU

 

[m1515]

I appreciate the response. Yep this process sucks. Did you get TMDSAS IIs/acceptances this cycle?

Yes, I was very lucky to have 4 IIs and 3 acceptances.

 

[whatsthepoint]

You have till Thanksgiving to be considered on time for AACOMAS. I would recommend doing it ASAP. Did you apply to TCOM?

Otherwise, if you are looking to reapply for next year, I would recommend shadowing and more clinical volunteering. If your practice MCAT scores were higher than your actual, you may look into retaking it. But who knows? You might get into TCU

Yeah I applied to TCOM. I'm really shocked I didn't hear from them :/ My practice MCATs were all lower than my actual, but I never got to finish P/S prep and I think that hurt my score. I really don't want to retake the MCAT if I don't have to tho. Hoping for TCU!

 

[whatsthepoint]

I have what I feel are bigger holes in my app, submitted much later, and have thankfully had some success this cycle. I'm surprised that TCOM didn't invite you. Did you apply to Sam? I tend to think generic stat applicants really need a compelling personal statement to get noticed.

Ugh. I don't understand what's wrong with my app, it's impossible to know and that's what's so frustrating. Shocked I didn't hear from TCOM too. As far as my personal statement goes, I had multiple physicians and medical students review it and they were blown away and had nothing but awesome things to say about it. I incorporated all their advice until I was content with it. Not boasting or saying my PS was exceptional, just providing their input. Yeah I applied to Sam and submitted their secondary 10/20, hoping to hear back soon

 

[whatsthepoint]

Yes, I was very lucky to have 4 IIs and 3 acceptances.

congrats!! That must be an amazing feeling wow. So (if I were to have to reapply) do you think if I were to submit literally May 1st next year and have all secondaries in by the end of May, I'd have a much better chance at landing some IIs? That's assuming I don't retake my MCAT and my GPA is around 3.70, and I incorporate some pure shadowing, likely primary care.

 

[Futuredocplz531]

Retake that mcat. Schools like uth, Tamu, uthsca, and tech Lubbock all want 510+ scores from orms, and of course Baylor and utsw want 515+. Also with your gpa utmb is kind of out of it. With all that in mind you’re out of contention at 6 tmdsas schools +Baylor, and the two md schools you’re competitive for (tech Lubbock and utrgv) have small classes. With your mcat really only 2-3 tmdsas (2 with tiny class sizes) schools are in play for you which limits your chances. Retake and get a ~511-512 and you’ll be set next cycle with your ecs and gpa, and you’ll probably get IIs from the 4 schools I listed at the beginning

 

[m1515]

congrats!! That must be an amazing feeling wow. So (if I were to have to reapply) do you think if I were to submit literally May 1st next year and have all secondaries in by the end of May, I'd have a much better chance at landing some IIs? That's assuming I don't retake my MCAT and my GPA is around 3.70, and I incorporate some pure shadowing, likely primary care.

I'd say so! I would really focus on shadowing hours as well as starting right now being a consistent volunteer in some specific area that you are passionate about. That's what I would change if I was you. You could also think about taking the mcat again if you think you could do better, but don't take it again if not. I took it three times, and my last time I landed a 507. Studying again for it two more times sucked like crazy, but it is worth it if you can do better. Do what you think is best. The process is never predictable, and I would definitely throw in some OOS DO schools as well. I got a lot of love from DO schools, and I feel you would as well.