CA Reapplicant, GPA 4.0, MCAT 32

[snorlax]

So I am on 4 waitlists right now, but I am extremely concerned and I want to send in a new AMCAS for next year without spending the whole summer waiting for the results. Although I attended 7 interviews this cycle, there are some weaknesses that prevented me from gaining an acceptance. The obvious thing is that I applied with no clinical experience (I knew this would be a problem, but I was eager to apply). Another thing that still worries me is my MCAT score, which is 12BS + 12PS + 8VR. It seems to me based on what I have read on this site that a score below 10 in the verbal section can be a huge problem.

I have devoted my entire gap year to gaining clinical experience and also to a research project. At this point, I have accumulated about 250 hours of hospital volunteering, all of which involves direct patient contact and helping patients. I also have done 30 additional hours of shadowing. Also I have spent about 600 hours with my translational research project, and I am currently writing a manuscript and abstract that will be submitted for publication later in the summer. These experiences have really confirmed my motivation to pursue medicine, and the new volunteering and research activities will be 2 of the most meaningful that I designate on my AMCAS.

My question at this point, is- what are my chances if I apply with a brand new AMCAS but the same MCAT score? Ideally, I would want a higher MCAT score but I am not sure if I can achieve that in a limited time. I am registered for the June 20 MCAT and I have been studying for it, but there is a lot on my plate right now in terms of research, volunteering, sending update letters, writing a new personal statement, etc., and I can't devote all my attention to the MCAT. There is also the possibility that my verbal score will stay the same or go down on a retake, and that's a huge concern.

Should I take another year off in order to try for a higher MCAT score, or should I apply now in light of my experiences in my gap year? Just for reference- the interviews I attended this year include 3 UC's, 2 SUNY's, and 2 private schools- and I would be aiming for something similar next year.

I'd appreciate any advice - this has been a chronically stressful year, and the stress is going to continue for the next few months.

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[huskydock]

I'm impressed that you got a fair amount of interviews without clinical experience! That tells me (and you) that it wasn't your MCAT score that put you on the waitlist. Yes, an 8 in verbal is low, but unless you have some insight that you will do significantly better, like at least a 3-4 point increase, then I'd hold off. A 32 is a good MCAT score and it's not worth potentially getting a lower or same score.

You'll have a good essay to write for the reapplicant "what have you done different this past year" prompt. I think if you apply early, you'll experience a lot of success. Did you send the waitlist schools updates about your gap year activities? That could be the nudge that'll tip you over the edge.

 

[snorlax]

I'm impressed that you got a fair amount of interviews without clinical experience! That tells me (and you) that it wasn't your MCAT score that put you on the waitlist. Yes, an 8 in verbal is low, but unless you have some insight that you will do significantly better, like at least a 3-4 point increase, then I'd hold off. A 32 is a good MCAT score and it's not worth potentially getting a lower or same score.

You'll have a good essay to write for the reapplicant "what have you done different this past year" prompt. I think if you apply early, you'll experience a lot of success. Did you send the waitlist schools updates about your gap year activities? That could be the nudge that'll tip you over the edge.

Thanks for your insight! I guess I will hold off on the MCAT then, and take it sometime next year in case that it doesn't work out for me next cycle. Sounds like it is better to be an early applicant than be a later applicant and take a gamble with the MCAT.

As for this cycle, I have sent several updates to all the schools I am wait-listed at, but I am worried that they won't be taken into consideration. My interviews were way back in August-September before I started my new activities, so I was hoping that my new experiences would get me off the wait list.

Do you have any advice about what to do during this second gap year? I would like to continue with my research, but I am a volunteer and I can only afford to work part-time - I spend 4 hours and $16 per day commuting back and forth. I have enjoyed and gotten a lot out of my hospital volunteering, but it also is a long commute, and I am thinking that maybe I should try something new. What I wanted to do more than anything was to study abroad, but being out of the country for an extended period of time won't be possible unless I get an early acceptance.

 

[Goro]

Concur with the advice given by the other posters. With your research experience, you might try looking for a technician's job. Good lab techs are hard to come by.


Do you have any advice about what to do during this second gap year? I would like to continue with my research, but I am a volunteer and I can only afford to work part-time - I spend 4 hours and $16 per day commuting back and forth.


Not all volunteering has to be hospital-based. Try nursing homes, hospice, camps for sick/disabled children, be a Big Brother/Sister, work as an EMT or volunteer firefighter; read for kids at the library, or try Habitat for Humanity.


I have enjoyed and gotten a lot out of my hospital volunteering, but it also is a long commute, and I am thinking that maybe I should try something new. What I wanted to do more than anything was to study abroad, but being out of the country for an extended period of time won't be possible unless I get an early acceptance.[/QUOTE]

 

[snorlax]

Concur with the advice given by the other posters. With your research experience, you might try looking for a technician's job. Good lab techs are hard to come by.

Not all volunteering has to be hospital-based. Try nursing homes, hospice, camps for sick/disabled children, be a Big Brother/Sister, work as an EMT or volunteer firefighter; read for kids at the library, or try Habitat for Humanity.

Thanks for your advice. I know I would be a great lab tech, but it doesn't sound like a "fun" option. I have 2 years (20 hrs/week) and a summer of basic research lab volunteer work in undergrad in addition to my gap year research. The pro is that at least I would be making money, which seems like the responsible thing to do at this point. As for volunteering, I guess I should look for something new and closer to home. I wasn't previously considering anything non-medically related but I guess this would be an option now that I have a decent amount of clinical exposure. My hope is to find one interesting full-time activity/job to commit to. I don't like the idea of doing a bunch of miscellaneous activities for another year. Any other suggestions besides lab tech?

Also, it looks like my plan at this point is to forgo the June 20 MCAT and retake it in 2014 in case I need to apply again the following year. I want to be able to spend the next weeks making my AMCAS as good as possible, and I also need to devote much time to research (writing manuscript) and my volunteer commitment. Trying to juggle MCAT with all this is not practical, and so a higher MCAT score won't be an option for this coming cycle. Is that a good idea, or is it a horrible idea? i.e., instead of reapplying with my current MCAT score, should I force myself to take another year off so that I can potentially achieve a higher score?

 

[geoffreyy]

a verbal of 8 should be okay.

your lack of clinical is holding you down, do some shadowing, clinical voln etc and provide a quick update!

good luck!

 

[WilsonFan]

I don't think you need to worry about a second gap year. I think there are several things about your application that are evident by your current year's success:

1) your application last year (stats, PS) - was good enough to intrigue 7 schools to interview you - this means that there are no "red flags" in your application that you need to change (including your MCAT, which is fine. Don't retake!).
2) 4 out of 7 want you to come to their program, but not badly enough for an acceptance. This means that your application was overall great but there were one or 2 below-average areas that others were better at.

It sounds like it was your lack of clinical experience that made them choose other candidates over you, but that your application otherwise is spot on. One gap year doing the great stuff you outlined will put you over the edge for a great acceptance.

The other thing is, you mentioned 7 interviews, but out of how many schools? Perhaps one of the reasons you didn't get an acceptance this year was because you didn't apply to enough schools. I think if you spent this gap year bolstering your clinical experience with research on the side, and apply to 20-25 programs about the same ranking and some higher ranking as this past cycle, you'll do great. Your post also has a lot of good PS-material that can be pulled straight off it - make sure to write that you 1) knew your app had deficiencies in clinical skills because you decided late you wanted to be a doctor, but that you wanted to try anyway due to enthusiasm, while lining up a gap year in advance to fix those deficiencies, and 2) that not only has this not discouraged you, it has made you more passionate than ever to do medicine. Good luck!

 

[snorlax]

I don't think you need to worry about a second gap year. I think there are several things about your application that are evident by your current year's success:

1) your application last year (stats, PS) - was good enough to intrigue 7 schools to interview you - this means that there are no "red flags" in your application that you need to change (including your MCAT, which is fine. Don't retake!).
2) 4 out of 7 want you to come to their program, but not badly enough for an acceptance. This means that your application was overall great but there were one or 2 below-average areas that others were better at.

It sounds like it was your lack of clinical experience that made them choose other candidates over you, but that your application otherwise is spot on. One gap year doing the great stuff you outlined will put you over the edge for a great acceptance.

The other thing is, you mentioned 7 interviews, but out of how many schools? Perhaps one of the reasons you didn't get an acceptance this year was because you didn't apply to enough schools. I think if you spent this gap year bolstering your clinical experience with research on the side, and apply to 20-25 programs about the same ranking and some higher ranking as this past cycle, you'll do great. Your post also has a lot of good PS-material that can be pulled straight off it - make sure to write that you 1) knew your app had deficiencies in clinical skills because you decided late you wanted to be a doctor, but that you wanted to try anyway due to enthusiasm, while lining up a gap year in advance to fix those deficiencies, and 2) that not only has this not discouraged you, it has made you more passionate than ever to do medicine. Good luck!

a verbal of 8 should be okay.

your lack of clinical is holding you down, do some shadowing, clinical voln etc and provide a quick update!

good luck!

Thanks for all this advice! It is very reassuring to hear that it was the lack of experience rather than the MCAT score that held me back during my application cycle. So it sounds like I should proceed to apply, and during this second gap year, I should continue my research and volunteering from the first gap year and find a part-time job?

The only thing that worries me at this point is that I have sent substantial updates and additional letters of recommendation to each of the schools I am wait-listed at, and so far these have had no impact on my application as far as getting me off the waiting lists. I'm not sure if this is because the way I presented myself in my original application and at the interview left a negative impression that cannot be rectified with update letters, or because although my updates are compelling, they are not taking them into consideration as far as their ranking of wait-listed candidates.

Is this something I should worry about, or can I confidently apply in the upcoming cycle? Thanks!

Also, I did apply to 24 schools last cycle- broadly in terms of ranking but narrowly in terms of geography. I have a much better sense now of what considerations are important to me and where I might be a great fit, and so I will have a much better school selection this time.