- Joined
- Jun 3, 2014
- Messages
- 151
- Reaction score
- 54
I attend a smaller satellite campus off of a larger state university. We have a great biology program, but no pre-med committee. Our advisors here are great, but they just don't have all of the answers when it comes to applying to medical school. I only know of three other people at my school that are applying to medical school this cycle. Our circle is small and it's hard to get the information you need. I wanted to share some things I learned this application cycle. These may seem like obvious things, but when you go to a small school and have to learn everything on your own, they can be hard to figure out.
- Ask for your letters of recommendation NOW. If a letter writer asks, "When is the deadline? When's the latest I can submit it?" ask someone else. My biggest setback was my application not being complete because of one letter not getting in until November.
- Apply ASAP. As soon as the AMCAS application opens up, start filling it out. Get all of your stuff submitted as soon as you possibly can. Haven't taken your MCAT or don't have the scores yet? Don't have all of your letters? Doesn't matter. Submit what you can. Just get it in. Don't wait. Even if you got a 24 MCAT, it's still better to apply in the summer and get your name in the line. Submit. Early. Always.
- If your grades are good enough for an early decision program, go for it! Even if you don't get in, you'll still be added to the regular decision pool. Show your interest.
- Have your personal statement done at the beginning of summer so that you can get feedback. Have people from different professions look at it: professors, advisors, friends, parents, financial aid administrators. Read it. Read it again.
- It all comes down to numbers. It does not matter if you worked throughout the entirety of your undergrad or kept your schedule filled with extracurriculars. You could work in patient care full time and save the elderly from burning buildings daily but unless you have a good MCAT and GPA, it does not matter. Schools look at your numbers before everything else. Yes, the other stuff matters, but it ultimately comes down to whether or not you can learn material or not.
- Use SDN. Check back frequently. There are so many people who are on this journey with you and they are incredibly helpful and supportive. Ask for help. Does your question sound kind of dumb? Ask it anyways. It's a lot dumber to not get into medical school because you were afraid of asking a question.
- Start saving money now. The MCAT alone costs $300. I've easily spent a thousand dollars in this application cycle and that doesn't include going to any interviews.
- Some people may tell you to apply to MD schools and then apply to DO schools. Nah. Apply to them both at the same time and as early as possible.
- Find classmates that are also applying. Use them as a reference. Have they gotten any interviews? Rejections? Acceptances? What inside info do they know?
- You need a set schedule of what you will study and how long you will study when you study for the MCAT. There are so many resources here on the site to help with that.
- Buy stamps. Invest in some thank you cards. Always snd them.
- Remember that your patients will not care where you went to school. All they care is that you have information that will help them. Don't get too caught up in getting into specific schools. My favorite doctor told me just last month, "It doesn't matter what school a person walks into. What matters is the person walking into that school."
