Brief Profile:
Actually, I did 3 majors over 2 degrees. SMP in progress post-'12-'13 app. Majorly non-traditional student.
Overall GPA's rounded up to nearest tenth. Post-Bacc: 3.4+ overall, 3.4+ BCPM (app 1)/3.5+ BCPM (app 2)
I was told by one advisor that med schools really only care about post-bacc grades...my experience in interviews was that the undergrad grades (in open-file interviews) were definitely questioned. Also, my post-bacc performance, though overall pretty decent, includes some grades below B, and I think that was pretty problematic (as one might expect).
Activities listed under each application's summary.
For '12-'13, I had 5 letters that I think were likely pretty strong (3 profs, 1 PI, 1 advisor). For '14-'15, I should have 3 of the 5 old letters and 3 - 5 new letters (1-2 work supervisors, prof/PI, prof, maybe another PI). Though my undergraduate school offers committee letters, I do not qualify for one, so I will just submit 3-8 individual letters to the vast majority of the schools and possibly a school-prepared letter packet to the 4 or so schools that seem to really want it.
// Applications //
Application Cycle One: 10/09/2012
Undergraduate college: Top 15 and Local Public School
Undergraduate Area of study: Mathematics
Institution: Local Public School
Area of Study: Biological/Life Sciences
Degree Obtained: BA
Total MCAT SCORE: 517
MCAT Section Scores:
B/B 130,
C/P 129,
CARS 129
Overall GPA: 2.90
Science GPA: 2.60
Summary of Application Experience
I put off the MCAT until August, hoping I could hit 40+. It took me a while to come to grips with my score. A few weeks after getting my score, I was finally ready to submit my application, and then the advisor mentioned above read my PS and said NO WAY. It took me another 10 days to revise the essay and submit. Secondaries were a nightmare, as all I could think was, this is *a lot* of money. That, coupled with an early rejection that suggested I needed to do some kind of formal post-bac or SMP, took me all the way out of my game. I second-guessed everything up to the deadlines, and pretty much all of my withdrawals were due to having to dump some apps to get others in by the deadlines.
Looking back, I can see that I GROSSLY over-applied. I did it as a way to compensate for my late submission. However, I just came across a list of 33 schools that I had settled on for application. 8 of my 9 interviews were at schools on that list. So, there was just no need to stress myself out with even the thought of 45 applications. But, hindsight is 20/20 and all that...
Among my post-interview results, I think the only one that truly shocked and disappointed me was Wisconsin. For one thing, it was the first post-interview rejection (until that point, I actually thought the worst I would see was a waitlist), plus I thought my interviews went pretty well. The places where I was waitlisted all had at least one interview that was quite good -- more conversational, or if it was a series of questions, I thought I answered pretty well. The last couple of places I interviewed, there was only one faculty member that interviewed me, and they made it pretty clear that they saw major deficiencies in my application. Thankfully, I did not have to waste good money traveling to those places.
I couldn't dive right back in for the 2013-2014 cycle, but I am keeping myself well occupied as I gear up for 2014-2015. June submission, good updates...the next time around should be much, much better.
ACTIVITIES: Yearbook photographer, 2 years Miscellaneous part-time employment while in school, 5 years Tutoring and Teaching employment, 4 years Top 10 school's summer internship President of school club, 1 year Full time work, 4 years About 200 hours non-clinical volunteering, 9 years (majority in 3 yrs before app; leadership in year of app) 1 semester research in neuroscience lab 3-week workshop in biological modeling, with publication Top 10 school's summer research internship ER volunteering started three months before application Dean's List Medical school preparatory program International travel, spanning a 6 year time period Community HealthCorps started a few weeks before app submitted
Summary of Experience:
I was put on hold for fall grades in November. I wound up with a couple A's, a B, a withdrawal and an incomplete. I guess they were not impressed, LOL.
Summary of Experience:
This first rejection really messed with me. They stated "your record does not make it possible for us to include your application in the group selected for further consideration", and they suggested that I apply for "consideration for admission" to their MSMS program, which is designed to "enhance the preparation and confidence of its students to be successful in a medical curriculum". Seems they were pretty certain I would be facing a big wall of rejection from everyone. Total confidence killer, and from there on out, I had to force myself to not think of completing secondaries as throwing money down the toilet.
Summary of Experience:
Another school I really wanted to apply to...I again found myself scrambling to get other apps in on the same day, and the 7/1 start date turned me off a bit.
Summary of Experience:
Ugh, this one hurt. One of my top choices going in, but I was spending a lot of time deliberating over the public health essay (really wanted to do MD/MPH). Sadly, I simply couldn't finish by the deadline with 5 other apps due the same day.
Summary of Experience:
This rejection letter at least did not make me feel like I fail at life (looking at YOU, IU!). However, it was a bit of a buzzkill after the high of the Pitt invite.
Summary of Experience:
Misspelled post-baccalaureate in the worst way on the secondary. Also, applied to Bassett, though I think it was pretty clear I was not planning to practice rural medicine. I think the program is supposed to be open to non-RMed people too, though.
Summary of Experience:
I got a chance to see and learn more about the school at an Open House in October. I really should have pre-written my secondary essays the day after and submitted the secondary as soon as I got it. Instead, I submitted on the deadline, and my essays could have been stronger. And of course, there's the little matter of having a sublimely low GPA (which is, however, surprisingly right around the lowest GPA accepted the previous year...though who knows what else that applicant might have had going for him or her).
Anyway, I can accept the rejection (really don't have a choice there), but I'm just still a little mad at myself for not doing enough to give myself the best chance at a school I really liked. *Sigh* See ya later, Sinai...
Summary of Experience:
This was another secondary that was getting done down to the wire. Unfortunately, it wound up going in 6 minutes past the deadline. But the status update e-mail was addressed: "Dear ," (no name included), so maybe it's not a place I needed to be anyway (shallow reasoning, I know, but let me have my righteous indignation!).
Summary of Experience:
This was another school I started to fall in love with as I did the secondary...2.5 months after receiving it...and 1 day after the deadline (oops!). I liked it so much, I decided to take a chance on submitting late. But with 15,000 or so applicants, I'm sure they were like, b!tch please. Rejection came a little over 2 weeks post-submission.
Summary of Experience:
Another missed 1/1 deadline. I had convinced myself that there were no 1/1 deadlines. I definitely allowed my fatigue and general malaise with the process to guide me astray. I decided to take the $80 gamble and submit 1/2. 16 days later...
Summary of Experience:
Assumed. Like Tulane, this is one I really wanted, but that meant I was too nervous to set my secondary answers in stone, and I dawdled until the deadline. I tell you, self-handicapping is a b!tch...
Summary of Experience:
This might have been the biggest screw-up of the cycle. I was so drawn to this school, and I kept thinking how this school would suit me in so many ways -- yet I pushed the secondary aside time and again in favor of completing others with earlier deadlines. Would I have gotten an invite even if I had sent in my secondary ASAP? Would I have performed well on the hypothetical interview? Well, I'll never know now. :-( Sad times.
Summary of Experience:
Second-guessed this as soon as I hit submit on the AMCAS. Even more so when I discovered the secondary deadline was so close to my primary submission date. But having that deadline loom over me made me push my letter writers a little harder to get their letters in, so this app did play a role in advancing my overall application.
Summary of Experience:
This was one of those schools that I just threw into the mix because 'why not?'. Then, as I was going through the website to find something intelligent to say about 'why Feinberg?', I actually discovered a lot to like about it. Alas, the feeling was not reciprocated.
Summary of Experience:
I was excited to be screened in. But interviews ended 2/2, so this looks like a silent rejection... Oh no, wait, they deigned to send me a letter on 4/29. Really?!? Could have saved that paper and ink.
Summary of Experience:
I have to be honest in saying that I did not really apply to this school for the right reasons. Someone I knew had applied the year before, and she didn't have the greatest numbers, but she not only got accepted; she got a full scholarship! So I was thinking, hey, maybe that means I have a chance here too!
There are certain aspects of the school that I found I liked when I was researching it for the secondary essays. But ultimately, once I visited, there was something about the school -- and Iowa City even -- that left me cold. I also didn't get a good vibe from my interviewers. And then I had to send in my fall grades update, which wasn't so hot. The whole thing was just doomed from the beginning. But, I honestly don't think it would have been the best place for me to be. Should I have to reapply, I don't think this school is one to include in my pared-down list.
Summary of Experience:
Hands down, Madison was the city I loved the most through my interview trail. Really great group of people. And I loved the school, too -- the public health piece sounded so good to me.
I braved a snowstorm to get to the interview AND sacrificed my phone to the extremely hard floor of the Dane County Regional Airport - only to get a post-interview rejection...just gutted. I almost feel like I would have rather not had the interview so that I would not realize just how awesome of a school I will NOT be attending.
Summary of Experience:
Up to this point, I had consoled myself on the post-interview rejections by noting that they were all from public schools where I was OOS. Well, I can't get much more local than Downstate, so there goes that excuse. Looks like it's time to spread my wings and fly away from BK.
Summary of Experience:
I was pleasantly surprised by Wright State in some ways, but I really wasn't excited at the prospect of attending this school. However, the post-interview rejection felt like a bit of a slap in the face. It came right after Wisconsin, though, so when I saw another slim envelope in the mailbox, I was like, I know what's up.
Summary of Experience:
2 invites in one day! What an amazing feeling, particularly following a week in which day after day, I saw rejection after rejection. I liked my interviewers - the student was sort of briskly professional, asking me some of the most medically relevant questions I had on any of my interviews. My faculty interviewer was the very definition of "keeping it real" -- many SB interviewees will know who I mean.
I didn't really click with my fellow interviewees or the tour guides, so that left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth on the day. But overall, I would be more than happy to attend Stony Brook.
Summary of Experience:
2 very different interviews. One that was a lot of disjointed questions and another that was a straight-up conversation. Also, getting to Columbia was A TREK. Flew into St. Louis, then took a 2-hr Greyhound bus ride, but I built in some cushion/tourism time that wound up mostly being spent twiddling my thumbs in the St. Louis Greyhound station.
Bottom third of waitlist, so I don't predict having to make that trip ever again.
Summary of Experience:
Interview invite on a Sunday, less than 24 hours after submitting secondary. And to think, I almost missed the deadline! This was my first invite and my first interview.
I LOVED my experience at Pitt, though I was slightly freaked out by how prestigious the institution is. I was very much like, "Little ol' me at a top 20?!?". But my faculty and student interviewers were very cool, and I liked my fellow interviewees too.
2nd tier waitlist, so chances are slim that I will actually make it into the school. But I really feel honored by the consideration.
Summary of Experience:
Awesome group of students. Loved the IQ session I sat in on. Price tag the highest of all schools, unfortunately, but it just might be the best fit of all the schools where I'm still in the running.
