Application Cycle One: 2005

• Undergraduate college: University of Michigan
• Undergraduate Area of study: Foreign Language/International Studies

• Institution: University of Maryland - College Park
• Area of Study: Foreign Language/International Studies
• Degree Obtained: -
• Institution: Ohio State University
• Area of Study: Premedical Studies
• Degree Obtained: -

• Total MCAT SCORE: 524
• MCAT Section Scores: B/B 131, C/P 132, CARS 132   Detailed Breakdown
• Overall GPA: 3.55
• Science GPA: 3.41

Summary of Application Experience

6/1/05: Just submitted primary AMCAS application. Originally had 10 schools, but hearing about other people's experiences I panicked a little and upped it to 16.

6/20/05: Added Yale and Penn, up to 18!

6/27/05: 'Withdrew' from Eastern Virginia and MUSC. I don't like my chances and I don't think they're worth the secondary application fee, AND they're at the bottom of my list. So, they're gone. ('Withdrew' just means 'not submitting secondary') I plan to submit 16 secondaries.

7/5/05: submitted hopkins secondary! first one! also, withdrew from northwestern and wayne state. should've done my homework - don't want to live in detroit or chicago.

7/10/05: submitted GWU secondary. working on yale.

8/1/05: ok, i guess an update is in order. i've submitted several secondaries in the past few weeks, and there had been a lull until i got stanford and cincinatti today - cincinatti's done (and cheap!) but stanford will take a little while. it's a doozy. i hear some people have already gotten interviews at michigan and gwu, but not me. still plenty of time!

8/12/05: got my first interview a couple days ago, michigan! submitted maryland. working on duke.

8/18/05: duke is done, so most of the heavy lifting is over with.

8/26/05: got my second interview - OSU! submitted wright state.

9/16/05: interviewed at OSU on wednesday, Michigan today. impressed with both, but michigan seemed to go much farther toward making an impression (OSU seemed to just shuttle us in and out, too quickly). really very impressed with michigan.

9/17/05: first rejection! stanford. i don't feel too bad about it, since everyone at stanford is stupid and smelly. plus, at least they told me instead of dragging me along until spring.

9/27/05: really liked cincinnati - liked all the schools so far! must... be... more... discerning... (note that i can now spell 'cincinnati' - learn something new every day)

10/4/05: interviewed at muo yesterday. liked it okay, but not that impressed. probably my last interview (won't go to wright state if i get good news on 10/15, and probably won't get any other interviews). got maryland rejection today.

10/13/05: first acceptance! cincinnati put it on their website today.

10/17/05: got some decisions to make. will go on second looks in the spring.

11/13/05: wasn't expecting to make this update, but it looks like duke wants to interview me! i thought i was done with this whole process, but i'm still excited to be going.

12/9/05: very impressed with duke. the curriculum is unique, but seems tailored for students interested only in academic medicine. i haven't made up my mind on that front, so i have some thinking to do.

12/21/05: was offered a scholarship by ohio state. won't say how much here. also, my wife is pregnant, due in late july!

3/17/06: well, wait-listed at duke. but i was offered the presidential scholarship by muo, full tuition and fees for all four years. barring any unusual happenings, it'll come down to osu and muo.

3/31/06: michigan scholarship was a surprise, to be sure. my wife and i have a lot of talking to do.

5/7/06: well, it's done. i'm going to michigan. this process has been a series of surprises. i was surprised to get so few interviews, honestly. then i was surprised to get so many acceptances, and i was definitely surprised to get the scholarships, especially to michigan. now i get to go back to ann arbor and attend one of the greatest schools in the country, so, no regrets. go blue!