Application Cycle One: 2008

• Undergraduate college: XXXXXXX

• Total MCAT SCORE: 513
• MCAT Section Scores: B/B 127, C/P 127, CARS 130   Detailed Breakdown
• Overall GPA: 3.55
• Science GPA: 3.55

Summary of Application Experience

**The following advice is geared toward the mediocre applicant**

Honest advice/feedback/interpretation of process starting from the beginning:

Pre-reqs: Numbers are the main objective measure of this whole process. Do yourself a favor and get as many As as possible. It is hard to get into medical school period. It is even harder with low numbers. I am proud of my grades because of what I learned. However, my 3.5-3.6 GPA is below average. So ace your pre-reqs and move on. Major in something you like because your interest will help your performance. Plus, if you change your mind about med school then you have another option. YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE A SCIENCE MAJOR TO GET INTO MED SCHOOL.

MCAT: The MCAT is a huge determining factor. Do your best so you only have to take it once. Do not underestimate the amount of studying required to get a good score. I studied for 3-4 months for 20-30 hours per week and got a 32, which is an average score. I came out of the test feeling like I had missed every question, so don't focus too much on post-test sentiments. Take the test early enough to get the score back and have your primary submitted early. Leave yourself enough time to take it again and still be early JUST IN CASE.

Personal Statement: This is your life in 5300 characters. Make it count. This is the one chance you have to convey your personality and your passions to the admissions committees. That being said, don't say anything stupid. Don't make statements that MIGHT alienate or offend your audience. Write something that YOU would want to read if you were a committee member. Remember, they will see thousands of these. Start drafting the personal statement early, as it is possible to go through many iterations. I spent 3-4 months revising and re-organizing mine.

AMCAS primary: Prep your activity descriptions with as much care as your personal statement. You don't have a lot of room here so stick to the most important aspects of your activities. Use this space to go into greater detail about what you might have mentioned in your personal statement. In other words, don't repeat what you say in your activity descriptions in your personal statement, and vice versa. Maximize the space with new info. SUBMIT THE PRIMARY AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE. You will thank yourself in the end because it could potentially speed the entire process up (secondaries, interviews, decisions, etc). Request transcripts early and from EVERY school. When entering your courses and grades into AMCAS, use a copy of your transcripts to enter everything in EXACTLY as your transcripts appear. Any differences might slow down the verification process. Also, some courses in non-science departments can qualify as science courses (and be factored into BCPM GPA), as long as their content is 50% (or more) science.

AMCAS Primary School List: Maximize your chances by putting on as many schools as possible. Make sure you meet their course requirements first though. You can add more schools after you submit your application.

Letters of Recommendation: DO NOT PROCRASTINATE ON THESE. Ask early and ask often. Ask your writers if they are willing to write STRONG letters, not just letters. You will never see what they write, and one bad one can sink your entire application. Some schools have different requirements as far as science vs. non-science, so do your homework. I recommend taking advantage of pre-medical committee services at your school. I was a couple years out of school and my committee still took me in.

Secondaries: Once your primary is verified, the secondaries will start pouring in. Focus on having a quick turnaround, but don't sacrifice quality for speed. This is another chance to show who you are as a person and express your own original thoughts. Take them seriously. Some secondaries have no questions at all and some have ten essays on them. Return the short ones immediately to keep the ball rolling. You can recycle answers on some of the other ones, just make sure you stay focused on each school's questions. Secondaries are expensive, but fill out as many as you can to maximize your chances.

Interviews: Don't decline any until you've been accepted somewhere, then you can get more selective. Prepare for the interviews. Know as much as you can about the school, it's curriculum, facilities, research opportunities that might be of interest to you, grading system, etc. Your preparation will demonstrate that you are excited about the school and will set you apart from those who do not prepare or those who do not pay attention during the interview day. Be happy and confident. An interview invite means they already like you. Use the experience to confirm their positive thoughts. Don't offend anyone, don't talk negatively, don't fall asleep or look bored, don't ask stupid questions. That advice might seem obvious...but believe me people will still do it. In the actual interview, focus on having a smooth conversation. Ask questions, make sure the committee member is learning about you and your application, MAKE EYE CONTACT, don't ramble. Go in there and have a good time. It's an honor to be invited to a school and have their staff spend individual time with you. Act like it's an honor...don't act like you are entitled to anything.

Interview Thank-you cards: I don't know about these. I was accepted to more schools to which I didn't write these than to those to which I did. In general, I would recommend writing them, especially if it will ease your mind. Although some schools will actually ask you not to because of the added paperwork and time.

Email communications post-interview: If you are specifically interested in one school, tell them. Schools want students who want to be at their school, so expressing your interest can't hurt. Just don't be too pesky.

Conclusions: Applying to medical school is an incredibly stressful and frustrating experience. It can also be expensive. Here is a summary of my advice:

1) Get good grades. A 3.7/3.7 is the national average, so work hard. Pick a major you like.
2) Don't underestimate the MCAT. A 32 is the national average. Study hard and take TONS OF PRACTICE TESTS.
3) Ask for letters of rec as early as you can. You can always have your writers re-date them later.
4) Prepare and submit your primary as early as possible (like day 1).
5) Turn the secondaries around quickly.
6) Apply to as many schools as you possibly can. You only want to do this application process once, so take the shotgun approach.
7) Make a spreadsheet to keep track of everything you send to schools.
8) Don't be a doofus at your interviews. Have fun and convey your interest.
9) Don't lose hope. This can be a painful waiting game. Much of what happens seems arbitrary and confusing. Be ready for it.