Re-applicant Success Story

[Epidemiology93]

Hi all,

I wanted to provide you with information regarding my application cycle for the entering class of 2016 (and subsequently 2018), which I thought may be helpful for fellow re-applicants out there. I want to give you hope and tell you that, if you really want something, try as hard as you possibly can to get it. Here's my story.

I applied to the entering class of 2016 and was rejected from all the schools which I applied to, after receiving 3 interviews total. Overall, I had applied to 32 top schools. For background, I was on track to graduate magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Xi from a top liberal arts college in 2016. However, upon self-analysis there were clear weaknesses in my application. I neglected adding my clinical work as an experience in my experiences section; I did not do enough volunteering otherwise; and my MCAT score of ~88th-percentile was weak for the selective medical schools I was applying to.

Immediately following graduation, I retook the MCAT after 2.5 months of studying and scored in the 99th-percentile. To further boost my application, I took an additional two years off, with plans to apply for the entering class of 2018. For the first year, I did a research fellowship, took classes at night in medical subjects, volunteered for a tutoring organization to create biology content, led a volunteer group to a homeless shelter and nursing home, and volunteered at a hospital each week. I applied to a range of scholarships to fund a master's degree, and ultimately was awarded one which funded my second year of activities.

Ultimately, I applied to (almost) all the same schools. I will now be attending a top 10 medical school and just had my white coat ceremony today.

My hope is that this post is informative, and hopefully a bit inspirational too. Whether it's in medicine or not, working tirelessly to achieve your goals drastically increases your chances of success, and I truly hope that all of you find success in whatever you end up doing.

"It's how you deal with failure that determines how you achieve success" - Charlotte Whitton



Feel free to ask any questions. I will try to respond in a timely manner.

All the best to all of you.

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[I'mJustCurious]

First off, congratulations! Second, how did you prepare for the MCAT and would you be able to talk more about the research fellowship (duration, requirements, etc.)?

 

[Epidemiology93]

First off, congratulations! Second, how did you prepare for the MCAT and would you be able to talk more about the research fellowship (duration, requirements, etc.)?

I prepared by using exam krackers, kaplan, and princeton review. I did all the questions in exam krackers as they most reflect the test, and the other books were secondary. Khan Academy was the backbone of my knowledge as their videos are guided by the AAMC, so all that information is directly relevant to the test. I kept a notebook of facts I didn't know and studied that notebook consistently. Starting ~3 weeks before the test I was doing practice tests every other day, with priority being AAMC actual tests most important then exam krackers, then princeton review, then others. I would recommend doing a research assitantship at a major hospital or research center or the NIH IRTA postbac program. Against persistence is key, I sent out like 50 e-mails before getting offers, probably because of timing difficulties and having funding for an assistant. I worked full time for a year as a researcher and throughout college. If you should passion for something else, pursue that to its fullest.

 

[Luftwaffle]

Congratulations on the turn around! I wanted to ask, what scholarships did you apply to to fund your masters program?

 

[Epidemiology93]

Congratulations on the turn around! I wanted to ask, what scholarships did you apply to to fund your masters program?

I applied for the Rhodes, Marshall, Gates, Fulbright and Rotary Global Grant Scholarships. I was not a Rhodes or Marshall Scholar

 

[Harambe]

When were you file complete at most schools, and when did your interviews mostly arrive?

 

[Sheiko]

When did you get your first acceptance? I first applied in 2016 and am reapplying right now. I've had four interviews so far (had two in my first cycle) and the only post interview feedback I've had so far is a waitlist. I'm starting to get nervous about my chances for this year.

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