Application Cycle One: 2006

• Undergraduate college: Illinois State University
• Undergraduate Area of study: Biological/Life Sciences

• Total MCAT SCORE: 507
• MCAT Section Scores: B/B 127, C/P 126, CARS 127   Detailed Breakdown
• Overall GPA: 3.71
• Science GPA: 3.65

Summary of Application Experience

If you think you can rest after the MCAT and the verified AMCAS, you shouldn't. Work on sending at least one activities update a month after submitting your verified AMCAS to the schools. I sent three in total, each with about four new things (pubs, volunteering, research, anything substantial). Write atleast 1 letter of intent every month. I wrote two, each with four succinct paragraphs detailing why I just had to go to that school and no other. In each letter I outlined one feature of the school that really did it for me. Trust me, it will be hard for you to write a good letter when you really don't absolutely want to go to that school when accepted. Call the school and confirm that they got your mail and filed it, even though you have the USPS delivery confirmation! Yes, be that anal. Have someone from your school's English dept. proofread these letters for you. Many schools have volunteers that do this. It will help keep your letters fresh.

Remember, there is no greater sense of relief than the day you get your first acceptance. And in the end that's all it comes down to...one acceptance.

With my average GPA and below average MCAT, I guess I had to do this. But it cannot harm you in any way.

Best of luck and pray you're in the right place at the right time.

Comments welcome.