Undergraduate College: Liberal Arts
Undergraduate Area of Study: Physical Sciences
Institution: Caltech
Area of Study: Physical Sciences
Degree Obtained: MS in Chemistry
MCAT: BS 14, PS 14, VR 12, R
Overall GPA: 4.00
Science GPA: 4.00
Brief Profile:
-I completed two years of a PhD program in science, then decided in May 2010 to take a masters degree and apply to medical school.
-I am teaching high school science during this application year (not on AMCAS).
-Double major from a solid but not spectacular midwestern liberal arts university (chemistry and philosophy)
-The initial schools I applied to were solely based on geography (SoCal, then places I wouldn't mind living). When I got my MCAT scores back in mid-September, I added several "reach" schools (Chicago/Penn/WashU/Vanderbilt), and withdrew from several schools I was not likely to attend (Vermont/UCI/Hopkins/Dartmouth).
-I have some okay volunteering experience involving youth/science/mentorship, but I have absolutely no medical experience. This is what happens when you decide to apply last minute.
AMCAS submitted: 2010
Application Complete, Rejected
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: No
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Summary of Experience:
Complete early October, rejected 1/19.
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: No
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Summary of Experience:
LOR request 10/6, received 11/4, rejected 11/17. :( top choice
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: No
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Summary of Experience:
Secondary submitted in late September, rejected 11/19
Application Complete, Withdrew
University of Michigan - "Complete late, under review for 3 months, and then deferred ("can't offer an interview at this point..."
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: No
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Summary of Experience:
Complete late, under review for 3 months, and then deferred ("can't offer an interview at this point"). I withdrew because even if they offered me an interview I've been accepted at a place (WashU) that I would take over Michigan.
Invited for Interview, Withdrew
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: Yes
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Summary of Experience:
Complete on 8/27, interview invite on 1/18. I'd rather go to USC if I stay in LA (more convenient), but I'll likely end up at WashU.
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: Yes
- Interview Attended: No
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: No
Summary of Experience:
My husband grew up in Minneapolis and went to school here and I went to undergrad in Minnesota, but after my USC acceptance I decided to withdraw as I would rather go to USC than Minnesota (they have really high tuition, even if you receive an in-state waiver, which a good chunk of their OOS applicants receive).
Attended Interview, Waitlisted, Withdrew
Vanderbilt University - "Interviewed 12/6, waitlist letter received 2/4. Withdrew a few weeks after waitlist."
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: Yes
- Interview Attended: Yes
- Waitlisted: Yes
- Accepted: No
Summary of Experience:
Interviewed 12/6, waitlist letter received 2/4. Withdrew a few weeks after waitlist.
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: Yes
- Interview Attended: 12/3/2010
- Waitlisted: Yes
- Accepted: No
Summary of Experience:
Interviewed 12/3/10
Waitlisted 3/14/11
Withdrew after waitlist
Accepted
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: Yes
- Interview Attended: Yes
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: Yes
Summary of Experience:
Attended interview 11/16, accepted 11/20 in the mail :) WOW that was speedy!
Combined PhD/MSTP: No
- Submitted: Yes
- Secondary Completed: Yes
- Interview Invite: Yes
- Interview Attended: 10/22/2010
- Waitlisted: No
- Accepted: 11/12/2010
Summary of Experience:
Interviewed on 10/22, acceptance in the mail on 11/12 :)
Summary of Application Experience
I decided on WashU over USC. I really liked a lot of aspects of USC (SoCal, County, general vibe of school, proximity to my husband's job). WashU is just a fantastic institution, I like living in the midwest, and Forest Park is great. Plus, their merit+need based scholarships were much, much more generous than USC.
I made this profile because reading SDN/MDapps was a big help in identifying schools to send my application to (WashU/Penn/Vandy/Pritzker).
High scores can definitely help you out, but make sure you get some experience in medicine. I decided late in the game (late May) that I wanted to apply to medical school, so I took a late MCAT (mid-August). I got married/honeymooned that summer as well, and then started a teaching job, so I didn't have much of a chance to gain any medical experience. I'm happy with my choices, but if I took care of my major weaknesses I think I would have had more choices.
There were a few other schools (Dartmouth/Hopkins/UC-Irvine/Northwestern/Vermont) that I applied to but never finished secondaries. Once I got my MCAT scores back I narrowed the list to schools I thought I would more likely attend.
