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MD Applicants

  • fpo-profile-avatar
  • ambiguosity

  • Application cycles: 05/31/2015
  • Demographics: Female, 32, Caucasian
  • Home state: California
  • Last Active: 06/05/2016
  • Brief Profile: Submitted 9:37:26 AM on June 2, 2015.
    Transcripts received prior to submission.
    Ready to go, y'all!

    Underrepresented due to low-income status, obviously not because of race.
    First-generation college student from rural area with shortage of health-care providers.
    PS will focus on being first-gen and low-income, overcoming obstacles to achievement.

    Obviously I didn't take the MCAT that included a writing sample.
    MCAT: >30, <34

    EDUCATION:
    Graduated cum laude
    Founder's scholar award from alma mater
    Award for excellence in major

    RESEARCH:
    3.5 years in neuro bench research, including thesis receiving high honors
    1 year (ongoing) clinical research at major hospital
    Independent project: youth healthcare access, poster presentation

    CLINICAL:
    1 (ongoing) year of clinical research coordination, heavy on patient contact
    Hospice volunteering (ongoing, 3+ hrs a week for at least 1 year)

    VOLUNTEERING:
    Hospice
    Youth shadowing program
    College-prep and career development mentor for two first-generation college students

    LEADERSHIP
    Peer Health Education (1.5 years)
    Planning committee for national health summit
    Youth Board for LGBTQ research
    Board Member for hospital employee group

    WORK EXPERIENCE
    Worked 2-3 jobs throughout college while balancing course load (and athletics for first 2 years of college)
    AMCAS submitted: 6/2/2014
  • // Applications //

    Application Cycle One: 05/31/2015

    • Undergraduate college: Top Liberal Arts College
    • Undergraduate Area of study: Biological/Life Sciences
    • Total MCAT SCORE: 511
    • MCAT Section Scores: B/B 129, C/P 126, CARS 129  
    • Overall GPA: 3.60
    • Science GPA: 3.60

    Summary of Application Experience

    Update 5/4/16:
    I have updated my stats because my cycle is over, and because I have never seen anyone on here with stats like mine, but I know that they had to exist! I hope that this brings someone hope! There is a role for character, personal growth, and overcoming obstacles in the application process. I was not convinced that it would be true, but it was for me and I hope that it will be for you too!

    UPDATE 3/2/16:

    Okay, so now I've officially been accepted to three schools, and waitlisted to two others.
    My waitlist schools are easily my top 2! Going to keep waiting and working and hoping but also making plans to move to DC!

    Well, this is nervewracking and it's barely a month in...
    7/17/15: Well, now I've gotten 20/21 secondaries! I am so pumped, especially for the ones that actually screen. Figures my #1 would be the last to let me know but I'm not letting myself worry this early in the game.
    7/27: now I officially have 21/21 secondaries! Just three more to complete before I sit back and bite my nails for II's!

    9/16: I have been offered three interviews, and I'll attend all three! I haven't received any rejections, but I'm on hold for further review at Case. Really hoping for more interviews!

    9/18: HOLY MACKEREL. Interview #4, and at my top choice! Pardon me while I take a minute to remind my lungs how to work. =D I jumped for joy and then possible cried over this...

    9/22: Interview #5, at Harvard! This is so unreal. I never in a million years imagined that this would happen. I actually cried in the office over this invite, and my hands are shaking and this is just so unreal. Is this real life??

    9/23: My first rejection, from CWRU. I am mostly interested in the CCLCM University Track anyway, so I am not too upset. Also, it is hard to be upset after interview invites from Vanderbilt and Harvard.

    9/29/15: Also rejected from OUWB. Rough. I really loved that school...

    Some date in between these... Rejected from UCSF. Super rough as this was my favorite after Vandy. Have loved UCSF forever. But, I am very lucky and cannot be too upset as my II's have given me cause shift the focus of imagining my new life towards the East coast and East-ish (Nashville) again.

    12/16/15: So, here I am, incredibly fortunate to have 3 acceptances to choose from... This is a luxury I never expected, and I am so grateful and thrilled and in a fluctuating state of disbelief.

    I seem to still be in limbo at a lot of places. On SDN, I see people dropping likes flies from schools I applied to, but I haven't heard anything. No more II's, no more rejections so far. It's a funny place to be, because I can't be all that worried (and I'm not), but the silence is weird! I expected more rejections by now! In any case, I don't tend to worry and panic and stress out like a lot of folks on SDN, which is why I don't bother to post... The best use of SDN is to track the progress of various schools in the application process, but beyond that it can make you crazy.

    I'm crossing all my fingers and toes for the other 2 schools I'm waiting to hear from... Will be interesting to see how this all pans out!

    ---------------------------------------------------

    APPLICATION COSTS:

    My best advice is to get an airline rewards credit card and put your application costs on that. The value will come back to you!
    I used the Southwest credit card, which gives you (if you apply at the right time) 50k points for spending $2,000 dollars. I got three roundtrip flights and a (personal) one-way flight out of those rewards points. I don't get anything for saying that; it just worked well for me since money is always tight. And Southwest points go a long way since their flights are often cheaper than most and don't show up in searches from sites like Orbitz, etc.

    UPDATE 3/24: If you want to get the 50k points bonus, you can sign up (they sent me a link to share; I get a points bonus if you sign up and use the card) here: https://applynow.chase.com/FlexAppWeb/renderApp.do?PID=CFFD2&SPID=FHV5&CELL=601C&MSC=1523711231

    Also, you should obviously stay with students or friends if you have the chance. You'll save money, learn more about the program, etc.

    Clothing:
    Flats: gifted to me by a kind friend
    Suit: $70 from H&M
    Socks: $5
    Tops: $90 for 3, different colors so I have options for multi-day interviews
    Skirt: hand-me-down from same kind friend
    Shapewear: $30
    Lint roller: $1
    Appropriate jewelry: $12
    TOTAL: $307

    Primaries: $900
    Secondaries: $1960.50
    Flight to Davis: $0 (points)
    Davis food, airbnb, car rental: ~$215
    Flight to DC: $180.00
    Flight to New Orleans: $0 (points)
    Flight to Nashville: $0 (points)
    TOTAL: $3255.50

    CYCLE TOTAL: $3562.50

    Just want to say this is more than 10% of my income. That is.... a lot.

    Applied, Withdrew

    Saint Louis University

    Application Complete

    University of Massachusetts
    Emory University
    University of California, Los Angeles
    Wake Forest University

    Application Complete, Rejected

    Cleveland Clinic Medical School
    Oakland University
    Baylor College
    Tufts University
    Albert Einstein of Yeshiva University
    Mayo Medical School
    University of Virginia
    Case Western Reserve University
    Duke University
    University of Louisville
    Northwestern University
    University of California, San Diego
    University of California, San Francisco

    Accepted off Waitlist

    Harvard University
    Vanderbilt University

    Accepted

    George Washington University
    Tulane University
    University of California, Davis

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