Brief Profile:
Found that MDAPPS of others were quite useful in creating my application list. Thought I would do the same for other applicants. Took an earlier MCAT in 2013 with a dismal 26 score (could not finish any of the sections).. Retook Nov 2014, with an accommodation due to a learning disability, and was able to finish the sections. The documentation for MCAT accommodations was quite a beast to prepare, needed to get my neuropsych testing redone (another 8 hours for the complete test), sending in history of all my standardized tests back to middle school and college accommodations.
Total Cost for this whole thing to get an acceptance to medical school: $6,965 so far.
EC/Work Activities Hours Summary:
Paid Employment Clinical 3,000 ED Scribe Research Lab 1,000 Volunteer Medical/Clinical 100 Volunteer Non Medical 250 Shadowing 15 Teaching 750 Leadership Conference 50
Total Hours in AMCAS 5,000+
// Applications //
Application Cycle One: 05/31/2015
Undergraduate college: Big State School
Undergraduate Area of study: Biological/Life Sciences
Total MCAT SCORE: 516
MCAT Section Scores:
B/B 130,
C/P 129,
CARS 126
Overall GPA: 3.95
Science GPA: 3.92
Summary of Application Experience
End of July, all the Secondaries I received are finally submitted. That was a lot of work. Now I wait at end of July. Hopefully I'll get an interview invite sometime in August.
Mid August and 3 II. The Gods are smiling on me. Now to prep for interview (not my strong suit, very introverted).
September 1, traveling to interview tomorrow, and lo and behold, my alma mater sends me one of their first II. YEAH!! The Michigan Trifecta rec'd within 2 days, MSU, OUWB and WMED. Or is that a hat trick?? Don't know my sports.
September 14, got an II from University of Michigan.
9/22 first rejection of the season, but with 7 II, not too sad. Thank you Pittsburgh for not stringing me along.
October, interview season in full swing. Sort of getting the hang of the interviews, but the financial aid stuff gets really repetitive, and very boring.
10/12 Interview invite from Mayo Clinic. Totally surprised and excited!!! Rochester, here I come.
2 waitlists and finally on 10/16 and acceptance at VCU (like Richmond, and MCV is a large academic med center with the Level 1 Trauma Center). Such a relief. Looking forward to being more confident and relaxed at my next interviews. Gearing up for the U of Michigan in December - - the holy grail for me.
10/27 On my way to an interview, and lo and behold, an email from THE Ohio State University!! Accepted after being deferred on 10/15. A couple of others and I received an email to check our portal. Usually Dean Capers called, so I was scared it was a mistake. Appears to be real. Maybe a Buckeye next year. What a great way to enter an interview, with confidence and relaxed.
10/27 Rejected from U of Rochester, but as I have an II from Rochester MN (Mayo), not too sad. Overall, very surprised at how well this cycle is going, being from a large state school that is usually second banana to U of Michigan. Go Green, Go White, but maybe Go Blue??? OSU still in the mix (can a Spartan become a Buckeye, whose parents/siblings are Wolverines?? Who knows, but BIG TEN RULES!!
11/5 Got 7 interviews down, now onto the BIG interviews with Mayo and U of Michigan. Not gonna lie, these are the big time, dream schools, but they can be picky about who they take. It is an honor to be asked to the dance.
Interview season winding down,my 2 last interviews in the next couple of weeks. I also decided to give up my VCU spot, and while I like my interview day in Richmond VA, I would not attend VCU over OSU.
Started to tally up all the costs from MCAT prep classes and materials, to primary/secondary fees, travel to interviews, hotels/meals, etc. Holy, Moly, $6,965 so far. Not sending in any updates to schools that I haven't heard from, as I am happy with my 2 options so far with OSU and VCU acceptances. If I didn't have any acceptances, I would be sending in updates.
11/21, done with interviewing. Now I wait to see what my options will be. #1 U of Michigan, #2 Mayo, #3 Ohio State. Very surprised how well my application was received, given my 2 MCATs. Seems the most recent MCAT is definitely more heavily weighted.
12/15 Waitlisted at U of M. Very sad, this was my number one. One day of grieving, then moving on. Buckeyes are looking even better today.
Early December, and some of the schools I have had total silence since submitting my secondary in July/August, I'm expecting rejections as interview slots are probably winding down. List of rejections by date, no interview offered:
12/4 UCSD 01/6 Dartmouth (College of Dr. Seuss) 02/5 University of Cincinnati 02/11 Northwestern 02/19 Baylor 02/29 Emory 03/03 Quinnipiac 03/08 Yale 04/08 University of Toledo (wins for the least amount of communication)
January 3 and a surprise interview invite from Iowa (Carver). Will be there at the last interview date.
January 15, and "No longer considered" by Mayo. Twas a dream, now onto reality.
January 25/26 and a late interview invite from Wayne State for which I am IS. and U of Miami, all within 2 days. I decided to turn down the II, as I would not attend Wayne State or U of Miami over OSU. Go BUCKS!! Still a lot of silence from schools I applied to back ins July. Will post when finally rejected.
3/2 OMG just checked my portal for U of M, and accepted off the waitlist. Screaming in Ann Arbor aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh. Go blue!!!!!!!
Applied, Withdrew
Vanderbilt 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:
Not feeling the compressed first year, M1s on the Vandy thread say it is intense. Happy with the other schools that have a happy student body. Not offered a secondary, won't complete it if offered.
Summary of Experience:
Probably not going to complete secondary, the compressed first year, really long essay questions, diversity statement not all that inclusive beyond URM. Also don't have pre-req of Psychology and Sociology (this is the only school that has them required on my list. Just not getting a good feel.
Summary of Experience:
Secondary received early July, woo hoo. Born in California, can I return? We'll see. Dream school, but as OOS, not holding out much hope.
Axe finally fell early December. Nice rejection letter though.
Summary of Experience:
Sort of conflicted about no recording lectures. May not be a student friendly school. Not too sad about this rejection, but a very nice rejection letter.
Summary of Experience:
Interview Invites all done, calling it a reject now, though didn't get an official response from Northwestern. Finally rejected officially on 2/11
Summary of Experience:
Finally 5 months after secondary, I get an II. I withdrew, as I won't attend Wayne over OSU. GO BUCKS!! Best wishes to all Wayne State candidates!!
Summary of Experience:
LORs requested 7/9. Woo hoo, complete on 7/22, II on 10/12. Will be there in mid-November. Loved my interview day, put on hold in mid-December with just about everyone else on SDN. Waitlist is formed in January, we'll see if I make the waitlist cut Nope like my brother got an II, but rejected afterward..
Summary of Experience:
OOS, miracles of miracles, a II on a Sunday evening, Jan 3. Thought it over, and will attend the interview, though will need some merit aid to be competitive with my OSU acceptance (and ability to be IS after 1 year). Iowa keeps you OOS forever!!
Summary of Experience:
Didn't like the MMI at all. Community based program, not a large academic medical center. Pretty low on my list, so not that crushed by the waitlist.
Summary of Experience:
Go BLUE! IS DREAM SCHOOL, Interview scheduled in December 2015, they moved it up to November. So sad, waitlisted. No waitlist movement in years, so effectively a rejection. Sigh. Go Blue anyway. OMG,ACCEPTED, off the waitlist
Summary of Experience:
Chillax place, beautiful facilities. Columbus is a nice city, medical campus is huge. People were very nice, even sent me back a thank you email to my thank you. Sadly, deferred decision on 10/15, but accepted at next ad com meeting on October 27. I'm IN!!!
Summary of Experience:
Richmond is a nice city, with a very southern feel. Enjoyed my interview. The most inane acceptance letter, send money BTW congratulations. Giving up my spot, would not attend over OSU.
Rainbow Zebra took the old MCAT and scored a which is in the percentile of all old scores.
We converted this to a on the updated scale which is in the percentile of the updated MCAT. We also converted Rainbow Zebra’s section scores as follows:
Rainbow Zebra scored a 13 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.
Rainbow Zebra scored a 12 on the Physical Science section of the old MCAT which is approximately equal to a 129 on the Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems.
Rainbow Zebra 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.
