Took MCAT 3x (PS/VR/BS) + Late Application thanks to retake #3 = BOO
Work/Activities
-Competitive & Formerly nationally-ranked athlete in a sport for 12+ years including college -Basic Sciences Research 2.5 years--1 abstract submitted, 1 manuscript in making -Board member of NGO -Tutor for Organic Chemistry & Physics -Physiology 'TA' (I don't grade) -Clinical Research in Pediatrics 3 months--2 poster presentations -Volunteer at University Hospital--70 hours -Care-taker for old relative (could not speak English) 3 months--150 hours -Volunteer tutor & TA for underserved kids at local elementary school 3 months--50 hours -Tutor & mentor for little kids at another elementary school in OC--300 hours -Real Estate intern/bitch--200 hours -Clinical Research assistant at University Hospital (currently) --1200 hours & counting AND 2 publications :D -Bench Research Assistant in Hospital (currently)--1000+ hours by June 2015
MCAT
Practice test scores ranged from 29-39. Most were 32/33.
GPA
Gah, if only I had better time managment and didn't get so involved in ECs, I would have better grades AND have more fun in college. :( Oh well.
ECs
Ok, not super "wow" by SDN standards but I think they're pretty impressive.
LORs
Provost of School/Science Prof (Strong) Chairman of Biology Professor (Strong/Above Average) Research PI (Strong-ish) Social Sciences Professor ("Stellar") NGO/Non-Profit President (Very Strong)
Personal Statement: I spent a good 3 weeks doing mine but it sure felt longer. I don't think it's "MAGNIFICENT" but it's very genuine and honest and many people said it was good. It doesn't suck that's all I know.
My other regret? -- I wish I majored in Economics or Business so I could be working at some job where I could be paid > $0 during my gap year :( Ideally it'd be cool if I was a consultant like some of my friends are but yeah anyways....graduated with ZERO LOANS though!!!
Tl;dr throwing out some cyber love for mehd schools
// Applications //
Application Cycle One: 06/01/2014
Undergraduate college: Private University
Undergraduate Area of study: Biological/Life Sciences
Total MCAT SCORE: 513
MCAT Section Scores:
B/B 130,
C/P 128,
CARS 126
Overall GPA: 3.64
Science GPA: 3.65
Summary of Application Experience
MEMORABLE INTERVIEW MOMENTS: 1) At School "X" where I really really really liked
Interviewer Dr.: So unlike everyoone else today, you will receive two interviews....but we're both interviewing you at the same time.
Me: Ok....
Interviewer Dr. (turns to interviewer Med student): So have you read RX78's file?
Interviewer Med Student: No not yet.
Interviewer Dr.: Quite interesting. So you're going to be a tabula rasa since I meticulously went over his file a lot
Me (internally): Gulp.
Interviewer Dr: RX78, have you heard of Tabula rasa?
Me: yes I do! It's John Locke's philosophy on self-determination and clean slate, etc etc.
Interviewer Dr: well. What is your opinion on his philosophy of self-reliance.
Me: O__o
School "Y"
Interviewer faculty was at a separate location had to take a shuttle. Arrived 30 minutes early. Decide to take a piss and I enter the bathroom in a building where I am the only interviewee apparently. As I am doing my business I see a doctor walk in and I glimpse at the name tag. It's the doc who wil interview me. And since the only young people in suits are med school interviewees, well pretty sure he knew who I was.
School "Z" BLIND/Closed-file interview
Interviewer: So you do research right now?
Me: Yup! I do it on [insert topic] over at--
Interviewer: With Dr. A correct?
Me: Yeah! Do you know Dr. A?
Interviewer: no. *blank expression*
School "A" Open File
Interviewer MS1: So...you're a reapplicant. What happened?
Me: Insert spiel of how I improved and what happened.
Interviewer MS1: Did you get feedback? What'd they say?
Me: Yeah, it varied. Most said the same thing about late app, some said I had too much research...
Interviewer MS1: Too much research????
Me: I mean...they phrased it as "well we noticed you had a research-heavy background and we're a community-driven school. we think you would be a better fit at a school that has similar interests and a more suitable mission for you." Like that.
Interview MS1: Oh.....
Costs so far: AMCAS: $1492 (MOTHEROFGAWDDATCOST)
Secondaries: UC Davis $90 GWU $125 FIU $30 Mt. Sinai $110 Loyola $85 Georgetown $130 <-- TT___TT Jefferson $80 Boston University $110 Albert Einstein $120 University of Cincinnati $25 Dartmouth $130 <--- Double TT____TT UCI $90 Tufts $ 109 Ohio State $80 NYMC $120 Oakland $75 UCSD $90 U of Iowa $60 St. Louis $100 U of Arizona Phoenix $85 UMiami Miller $75 USC Keck $100 Temple $75 MSU CHM $80 VCU $80 Rush $90 Wake Forest $100 RFU $105 Penn State $80 UVermont $105 WMU $85 USF Morsani $30 <-- YAY not so high fee! UCLA DGSOM $80 TCMC $100 Drexel $100 MCW $85
Applied
Tulane University
Applying for combined PhD/MSTP? No
Submitted: Yes
Secondary Completed: No
Interview Invite: No
Interview Attended: No
Waitlisted: No
Accepted: No
Rejected: No
Summary of Experience:
Decided not to apply. Could not think of a good "Why Tulane" and it's too late now
I honestly thought this was the hardest or 2nd hardest secondary. Have no idea why everyone on SDN thinks its the funnest or easiest....those were HARD questions!!
Interview Day: Very similar to last year's but I had a very nice student interviewer unlike last year and a stoic faculty interviewer.
RX78 took the old MCAT and scored a 32 which is in the 88th percentile of all old scores.
We converted this to a 513 on the updated scale which is in the 89th percentile of the updated MCAT. We also converted RX78’s section scores as follows:
RX78 scored a 12 on the Biological Science section of the old MCAT which is approximately equal to a 130 on the Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems.
RX78 scored a 11 on the Physical Science section of the old MCAT which is approximately equal to a 128 on the Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems.
RX78 scored a 9 on the Verbal Reasoning section of the old MCAT which is approximately equal to a 126 on the Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills.
