NCPremed
Application cycles: 06/05/2012
Demographics: Male, 35, Caucasian
Home state: North Carolina
Last Active: 02/05/2013

Brief Profile: I am a re-applicant hoping to matriculate in fall 2013. Last cycle I applied to 11 schools, received 3 interviews (Einstein, NYU, and UNC), and was waitlisted at 1 school (NYU). With my stats, I thought I'd get in somewhere, but it just didn't work out that way. If you are dead set on going to med school, you need to apply early, apply broadly, and spend a lot of time making your secondaries stand out. That said, I think there are two main reasons I did not get in last year:

1. I applied to too many "reach" schools.
2. I did not turn secondaries around very quickly, and when I did, they were not as polished as they could have been.

As for my MCAT, I took it one time, wayyyy back in spring 2010. I took the Kaplan class through my university, but it didn't help much because I didn't really do much outside/independent studying until ~3 weeks before the exam. As others have said, I think the class isn't really necessary, and it can be hit or miss in terms of the teachers. Anyway, in my three weeks of intensive study, I took all the available AMCAS practice tests, scoring between 29 and 36; this accurately predicted my final score, a 33. At several schools, this is my last year of MCAT eligibility...yet another reason to succeed this cycle!

Some of my ECs include:

Research
-Previous journal publication (5th author) and recently accepted 1st-author paper in well-known journal
-Extensive research through major federal government agency; have co-authored several agency publications
-Poster presentation through university
-Two-time recipient of institutional undergraduate research award

Clinical
-~250 hours as a paid nursing assistant in a hospital
-~50 hours shadowing various doctors
-~40 hours of working as a nursing assistant in a rural assisted living facility
-Short but intense international clinical experience

Volunteer
-A major experience traveling while raising money and awareness for a major social issue in the US
-A couple fundraising endurance events
-A few standard, long-term volunteer experiences
-International health education

Other
-Phi beta kappa
-Summa cum laude
-Been working in a research/scientific writing position (related to human health) for over a year.
-Have some other, somewhat unique job experiences and hobbies.
-Speak some Spanish

// Applications //

Application Cycle One: 06/05/2012

Undergraduate college: North Carolina State University
Undergraduate Area of study: Biological/Life Sciences

Total MCAT SCORE: 514
MCAT Section Scores: B/B 127, C/P 129, CARS 129
Overall GPA: 3.76
Science GPA: 3.74

Application Complete

Albert Einstein of Yeshiva University

Yale University

Jefferson Medical College

New York University

Harvard University

Loyola University Chicago

Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Columbia University

Application Complete, Rejected

Cornell University

Dartmouth College

Brown University

University of Chicago

Duke University

Johns Hopkins University

University of Virginia

University of Pennsylvania

Northwestern University

Attended Interview, Rejected

East Carolina University

Attended Interview, Waitlisted, Withdrew

Georgetown University

Applying for combined PhD/MSTP? No
Submitted: 07/05/2012
Secondary Completed: 07/14/2012
Interview Invite: 07/23/2012
Interview Attended: 09/13/2012
Waitlisted: 10/30/2012
Accepted: No
Rejected: No
Summary of Experience: I applied to Georgetown last year and was rejected in early September, pre-interview. In retrospect, my secondary essays were not very good and I took nearly three weeks to submit my secondary.

This year, I worked hard to tailor my essay for Georgetown (it was themed around "cura personalis") and have been invited to interview. I'll update with my experience in September!

UPDATE: Interviewed at Georgetown last week. Here are my pros and cons:

PROS: Awesome location, lots of opportunities for research and policy work, unique curricular opportunities (mind-body-medicine, health justice scholars track, etc). Service to the underserved does seem to be an institutional philosophy. Georgetown is a very prestigious institution (especially for undergrad and law), and there are many "high powered" individuals that teach or come to campus to lecture. Also, as a med student you have access to any undergraduate course if you can find time in your schedule.

CONS: Cost, somewhat outdated facilities, students complained (a little bit) about having too much lecture time, the grading system (honors/high pass/pass/low pass/fail) does not seem very popular.

Also, we found out that most interviewees are waitlisted (very few acceptances offered initially). To get off the waitlist, you MUST submit letters of interest, or else you will have virtually no chance of getting in.

Early December Update: I'm going to withdraw from the "competitive applicant pool." I already have a few strong acceptances and I don't feel like writing even more letters/essays to be actively considered here. Also, I slightly prefer the curriculum at George Washington University, where I've already been accepted.
View School >

Accepted

George Washington University

Boston University

Wake Forest University

Virginia Commonwealth University

University of North Carolina

MD Applicants

NCPremed