Brief Profile:
Double major in physical sciences and English literature, while doing a thesis in literature. Spending a year working with an underserved clinic while I do interviews. I had a lot of extracurricular activity in public health and volunteering. No bench research.
I\'ll add something about my background and interests that I mentioned on AMCAS and secondaries. I am interested in Family Medicine and eventually living in a underserved area. Disadvantaged background too.
So far, my interviewers have been saying something similar. They think my application makes sense, that I\'m consistent in my interests. My grades aren\'t the highest, but my app has other strengths. Disadvantaged background guy, alot of work with underserved/public health, and after graduating I\'m still working in a similar area. The common thread seems to mean a lot to ad coms.
// Applications //
Application Cycle One: 06/04/2010
Undergraduate college: Harvard University
Undergraduate Area of study: Physical Sciences
Total MCAT SCORE: 511
MCAT Section Scores:
B/B 127,
C/P 125,
CARS 132
Overall GPA: 3.40
Science GPA: 2.88
Summary of Application Experience
9/8/2010
-Even with my low stats, I was told by my pre med advisors that I had a good chance of getting in if I applied early and broadly. I was really intimidated, but I decided to follow their advice and I submitted AMCAS the first week I could. I was verified a few weeks later and by that time all my letters were in and my file was complete before July. Was very happy and surprised to get early interviews from such great schools.
-Its been pretty difficult to keep sending out secondaries since I applied to so many schools. I finished two thirds of all my secondaries with a pretty good turn around time (under 2 weeks). So, I am really loosing enthusiasm with writing for the last third. But, I know that I really shouldn\'t get complacent.
-Already visited U Pitt so I\'ll document the experience. I wonder how important the interviews are for this school, because both were closed file. My interviewers did not know my low stats so that took a lot of the pressure off and they both went really smoothly. It was easy to be impressive if all they knew about me were my extracurriculars.
The school itself is great. So many awesome resources, departments and opportunities. Its ranked really highly too in reserach, which is a big focus at the school. Pittsburgh the city is ok. Though I wasn\'t crazy about the city, it would not dissuade me from coming if they accepted me. Its not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. The students also had a really great impression on me. They were all energetic, humble, willing to help me out, and fun. Such a good experience and I would be lucky to go here. Low cost of living and great public transport system. Plus the big emphasis on research for medical students is only a good thing.
10/12/2010 -Brown: Though it is a great school, I was kinda bummed because I felt like I did not mesh with the people there. Positives: Great programs that speak to my interests, small class means individual attention, beautiful campus. The only negatives I have to say about this school are abstract. I felt lik I didn\'t get along with the faculty/students that I talked to. We didn\'t see to have the same sense of humor or interests. But, even with the negatives I have to say that I am glad I went to the interview and would love to get in.
-UCLA/CDU: So impressed with this program. Though CDU has gotten a lot of bad press in the past, I loved my interview here and I would be excited to go there. CDU offers the best of both worlds. You get an education/diploma from UCLA medical school, but you get to spend your time with people that feel strongly about the social mission. The interview day went by fast too. From 9am-1pm: Fac interview, student interview, group interview, writing propmt and question session with students. I was surprised with the pace of this interview given that my other ones have lasted all day and we didn\'t do half as much things. The group interview was not as stressful as I thought it would be. We just discussed a prompt that they gave us about what we would do if given a grant. There are no wrong answers to the exercise, so that took the pressure off. Would be excited to go here especially since so much of my family lives in or near LA.
USC: Don\'t think it went well, but I am still impressed with the school.
12/4/2010
UC Davis: MMI is ridiculous. Duke: amazed to interview here. Don\'t think they liked my lack of background in research since they are so into it.
Was shocked to get into USC before December. I was accepted despite my interview performance and I am excited to go there next year. I am still waiting on Drew and Duke, but they won\'t let me know for a while. I\'m withdrawing from Ohio State and Case, and most of the schools that still have not gotten back to me. I\'m not too excited about Davis, but I still want to know their desicion. I feel like I can finally relax.
