Application Cycle One: 2006

• Undergraduate college: Dartmouth College
• Undergraduate Area of study: Foreign Language/International Studies

• Institution: Southern School
• Area of Study: Computing and Information Science
• Degree Obtained: MPH
• Institution: Northern School
• Area of Study: Premedical Studies

• Total MCAT SCORE: 513
• MCAT Section Scores: B/B 127, C/P 128, CARS 129   Detailed Breakdown
• Overall GPA: 3.37
• Science GPA: 3.13

Summary of Application Experience

6/29/06- Submitted AMCAS (already have problems- got some transcripts in in May but somehow they were filed under applying for 2006; resent transcripts)

6/30/06- Got GWU secondary. There wasn't much to it so I turned it around same day. Now I am waiting on my letters of recommendation and committee letter.

7/05/06- Called AMCAS because they had listed 2 of my transcripts as going towards application year 2006. They slowly rectified the situation. I should have called earlier though because my application didn't go into the review pile until almost 2 weeks after I originally submitted it because of these transcript issues. Tip- get transcripts in early but not too early (e.g. late May, early June).

7/24- Got 2 secondaries in, after struggling a bit with UnivChic essays; AMCAS still not verified and I don't know what the problem is. They said it could take up to 6 weeks. My composite letter writer was MIA but I called around and found her. I'm finding more and more how necessary it is just to call and check in. It seems to speed things up.

7/26/06- Had some down time at work and I discovered by purusing med school Web sites that some schools allow you to complete and submit secondaries before they have sent you an email or letter or anything. Obviously these are the schools that don't screen but it doesn't hurt to check it out. Submitted my Tulane secondary today because of this new nugget of knowledge. (Besides Tulane, you can access Yale's secondary from their site).

8/31/06- Got in the bulk of my secondaries (15 out of 21- still waiting for 4; holding back on ECU and GU because I'm lazy but will probably submit those soon as well)
Am slightly annoyed with how long some schools are taking to update my 'status'. I have had my LORs in for one week and only 5 schools have said that I am complete. Yale has cashed my check and has everything but still says only have received AMCAS.
After reading SDN and this site I feel really bottom of the barrel and somewhat late in submitting my stuff. Would love comments- be harsh, I don't care.

9/15- Submitted secondaries to 19 schools. Complete at most. Some are just painfully slow updating their pages or don't have online status checks at all (Tulane!). Got first interview at Carolina which is a nice feeling. Now I just have to prove I'm in-state. Its a complicated issue. From reading SDN boards, I think I am rejected at UChicago but we shall see.

10/04- Submitted secondaries to 20 schools (finally coughed up the exorbitant $130 for Gtown), complete at 19. Tulane, I love you, but I think you may be retarded. Like they say, 'its not the heat, its the stupidity.' Happy to have 2.5 interviews since I think I am a borderline applicant. Carolina is giving me the run-around with my residency status but I don't really fault them. I think my residency is questionable too. I just wish that they would decide (preferably in my favor) so that I could do the Wake and Carolina interview together.
Since nothing is nice and pretty in this process, I don't think my wishes will come true.

10/20: Happy to get the Georgetown invite this week even if its not my favorite school in the world. My negative opinion is based largely on what I have heard about the med school on SDN- too much work, students don't go to class, no friendly feel. In the end, I don't care where I go as long as I get in to 1 school.
Had a major disappointment last week- was declared a non-resident of NC. States' rights SUCKS!!! I feel like a foreigner in my own country because I am stateless. Nevertheless, I will fill out the stupid ridiculously long residence form for ECU so that they too can have the chance to tell me I am not a resident and to go away. At least I have a speck of a chance at UNC as an OOS. Bitches are going to make me pay $20k more in tuition if I get in just because I like to travel and not be a redneck country bumpkin who never goes futher than 30 miles from one's birthplace.

11/03: Interviews went pretty well. Carolina felt snooty- they have a very high opinion of themselves. Wake was nice, great contrast to UNC. I think UNC interviewed me accidentally too. Doesnt seem to have been communication between residency office and admissions. Whatevs, tarheels. One UNC interviewer even told me I have as much chance getting in there as I do getting into Harvard. I wanted to say 'I should have applied to Harvard then because I'd rather go there.' Snarky comments remained firmly in brain.

11/15: I've been feeling kind of depressed and disappointed this week mainly due to reading too much SDN and looking at stats. Just one little acceptanec would make all the difference in the world. I am very excited about the Tulane interview because I would have been really POed if they didn't respond. It only took 4 months for them to complete my application though I thought I might have fallen through the cracks but they came through. I am trying to be happy with what I have because this is such a demoralizing experience.

12/28: I fucking hate this. 4 waitlists and nothing. Making contingency plans. Trying to decide who I want to beat up.

4/3: Have the one acceptance under my belt so the bitterness is lessened. However, most schools just jerk you along. There is something to be said for those who were decisive back in September. Not interested. Thank you. Goodbye. Clearly, I gave up on interview offers in February as I left the country for 6 months and clearly none will be extended to me so why dont you stupid schools pull the trigger, spend the 38 cents or 0 cents that an email costs and reject me! Carolina is just one big pain in the ass. 5 months mutherfucker!
Being out of the country does make me think about all of this less though. I highly recommend this plan to others.

5/18: So I am in the middle of the Wake waitlist and in the top third of the UVM list. What does this mean? Nothing. They wont tell you how many people are on these waitlists so this information is practically meaningless. It sort of says that I have a better chance than some people, those theoretical people who are on the bottom of the list but clearly, as people have already been accepted and rejected out right, I am in the middle of that group too. Its like being a novice poker player. Your poker teacher tells you that you have a good hand but relatively you have no way to judge what that means AND you dont know what other people have. I dont know if that makes sense but there really is no good metaphor (or simile) for this bullshit process.

6/11: Got accepted of the Wakelist June 5th. Though UVM was my top choice, WFU makes a lot of sense for me and my family. I will attend. Now I just have to fill out a gabillion forms. I dont think I will update this anymore but for those of you who are interested and reading this far down, the schools that just say secondary sent and that are not marked rejected, that is because of today, they havent rejected me.