unbalanced MCAT, downplay family in reap?

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Considering my reapplication:
My gpa is 3.91, bcpm 3.88 (graduated in 1999, but have more recent graduate work)

Is my unbalanced MCAT (12bs, 12vr, 9ps O) hurting me?

Should I not mention my child in applications and interviews? The experience of pregnancy and the medical care I received during pregnancy was crucial to my decision to apply to medical school...

I have lots of research, interesting ECs (I'm non-traditional, so more time to accure them)

I had no clinical experience last round and I know this hurt me, now will have 100 hrs hospital volunteer and shadowing of several doctors.

I applied to 8 schools, interviewed at 4, three waitlists, one rejection.

Given your GPA (Actually regardless of your GPA) your MCAT is great. I think the lack of clinical experience is what hurt you the most. About your child: If you focused on it *too* much then I'd probably focus on it a bit less. However, if it was one the seminal events that lead to your path to medical school, then definitely need to mention it!

Originally Posted by lobita

Considering my reapplication:
My gpa is 3.91, bcpm 3.88 (graduated in 1999, but have more recent graduate work)

Is my unbalanced MCAT (12bs, 12vr, 9ps O) hurting me?

Should I not mention my child in applications and interviews? The experience of pregnancy and the medical care I received during pregnancy was crucial to my decision to apply to medical school...

I have lots of research, interesting ECs (I'm non-traditional, so more time to accure them)

I had no clinical experience last round and I know this hurt me, now will have 100 hrs hospital volunteer and shadowing of several doctors.

I applied to 8 schools, interviewed at 4, three waitlists, one rejection.

The bolded stats are great. If you didn't have any clinical experience, then that is probably what hurt you. But look at it another way - you got 50% response rate (4 interviews from 8 apps). A lot of kids in Pre-Allo would kill for the number of interviews you got. With some clinical experience, and more applications (as good as you are, you should apply to more places [min. 20]), you should do better.

And I wouldn't downplay your family. A family is a stabilizing thing (in most cases), not a detriment. As an aside, I wouldn't want to attend any place that held my family against me, for whatever reason.

Get as much clinical experience as you can before the next app. Your numbers are all good and they shouldn't hold you back at most schools. Your MCAT would only need to be improved if you are shooting for Harvard or something like that. Apply to 15-20 schools this time to give yourself better odds. If you did that last time, you'd probably have an acceptance.

It's good to mention your family, but put in in the context of how that will make you a better student and doctor. Good luck.

when I applied, but I went for way more schools and did well. The last few years have been really competitive and if I were you I would continue the clinical experience and apply to at least twice as many schools (20 should be a "safe number). There seem to many more applicants of your quality now than there were in years past and breadth will be key for you. Definitely hit 1 or 2 safety schools as well as this is basically your last chance to look credible before an admissions board.

Originally Posted by lobita

Should I not mention my child in applications and interviews? The experience of pregnancy and the medical care I received during pregnancy was crucial to my decision to apply to medical school...

Well you'd obviously want to mention your medical care when you are asked "Why do you want to be a doctor"...Also many schools consider being a parent a "leadership role", as well they should.

I'd definitely apply more broadly next time - many more than 8 schools!

OP here - thanks everyone for your insights. So I am going to quit worrying about my MCAT score and try and get as much more clinical experience as I can in the next three months.
I applied to:
Pitt - waitlist
Cornell - post interview rejection
Mount Sinai - waitlist
SUNY Downstate - waitlist
NYMC
Einstein
NYC
Columbia

I really want to stay in NYC area, since DH has difficult to find good paying job here.
I am thinking of also applying to:
Stonybrook, Albany, Temple, Drexel, Jefferson, Penn, and Yale. (I realize last two are a reach.)This still doesn't give me the 20 schools everyone is suggesting I really need!

Just echoing what others have said, but the lack of clinical experience was absolutely the crucial factor under your control that has likely kept you out this year. I'm surprised they would waitlist you without it. It is one of those things in the med school app circles that you don't have to excel at (unlike the MCAT and grades), but you generally need it on your app. to be considered. Good luck with the waitlists...

Quick Question - Your experience with pregnancy and birth....Was any part of it negative towards your physician? Did you tell the adcom's that?

That is my problem, my pregnancy experience was a bad one with my OBGYN - but at the same time that is one of the reasons why I was led to medicine. I've heard people say that it is not good to talk about a bad experience with a physician in your personal statement/interview.

I've decided to leave that part out how my doctor was such an *****.

OP here again -
I started volunteering and shadowing in December so I was able to talk about it at two interviews in Jan & Feb, which may account for the waitlists.

I didn't mention anything negative about pregnancy in my personal statement. I used it more to explain what I saw about the way doctors work and what appealed to me about it. (That isn't to say I had a 'perfect' pregnancy and delivery, but I didn't bring it up in my PS or anywhere in the application process.)

Originally Posted by lobita

OP here - thanks everyone for your insights. So I am going to quit worrying about my MCAT score and try and get as much more clinical experience as I can in the next three months.
I applied to:
Pitt - waitlist
Cornell - post interview rejection
Mount Sinai - waitlist
SUNY Downstate - waitlist
NYMC
Einstein
NYC
Columbia

I really want to stay in NYC area, since DH has difficult to find good paying job here.
I am thinking of also applying to:
Stonybrook, Albany, Temple, Drexel, Jefferson, Penn, and Yale. (I realize last two are a reach.)This still doesn't give me the 20 schools everyone is suggesting I really need!

This is going to sound harsh, I'm sorry for that. I understand that family ties can be an issue in selecting places to apply, but at a point if your whole family (partner+kids) isn't into it you will not do well. My family left a good lifestyle to live as paupers for 4 years so I could get an MD (no vacations, house -> tiny apartment, no frills, etc.). That there are already limits on what you all will do for this is not a good sign and the admissions people do spot this easily. Given that you have already been rejected from one round I wouldn't even count Penn & Yale in that "magic 20" that you need. Really think about your strategy and goals this year because this is your final realistic chance at getting in. Have a talk with your spouse in the vein of "what are you prepared to do to get through this?".
Consider NYMC too.