Reapplicant here. Not sure what to change on application!

[txlonghorn2314]

I applied last year in late July, but hadn't taken the MCAT yet. I took the MCAT in late August and scored a 21, and opted out of even filling out any of my secondaries. One of the medical schools I was in contact with said my application looked good and that the only crippling factor was the MCAT score. So this past year, all my time was committed to improving my MCAT score (which I did by 6 points), finishing my degree, and also working.

Given that I feel like I had a strong application last cycle (solid PS and what not) minus the horrid MCAT score, could I just resubmit the same application I submitted last cycle but with the updated score? I also wondered how many schools didn't even look at my application last year solely because of the MCAT score.

Any advice is very much appreciated! Thanks!

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[mashinator]

I applied last year in late July, but hadn't taken the MCAT yet. I took the MCAT in late August and scored a 21, and opted out of even filling out any of my secondaries. One of the medical schools I was in contact with said my application looked good and that the only crippling factor was the MCAT score. So this past year, all my time was committed to improving my MCAT score (which I did by 6 points), finishing my degree, and also working.

Given that I feel like I had a strong application last cycle (solid PS and what not) minus the horrid MCAT score, could I just resubmit the same application I submitted last cycle but with the updated score? I also wondered how many schools didn't even look at my application last year solely because of the MCAT score.

Any advice is very much appreciated! Thanks!

Hi! I'm applying this upcoming cycle and thought I'd help out. So just the obvious - it might look kinda weird that you went an entire year without doing anything - your AMCAS app will show that, right? Also, I think keeping the PS the same won't hurt you, unless schools read primaries w/o secondaries. Perhaps someone who served on the adcom committee can answer that for you!

 

[ndafife]

A 27 still is a really low score and won't be competitive at many MD schools. And many schools will still see the 21 along with the 27. So try to find a list of schools that superscore or only look at the most recent MCAT.

Make sure you have lots of clinical experience, leadership, research, etc... The rest of your application needs to be great to make up for that shortcoming.

 

[Catalystik]

it might look kinda weird that you went an entire year without doing anything

I agree. Haven't you continued your involvement in some volunteering or added some shadowing time? You'll need to update the End Dates and Total Hours of involvement and add new, relevant activities you've begun.

 

[Vain Brother]

your bigger issue is still the MCAT (for MD at least). if you were working and going to school, it's not going to HURT you that you haven't added much to it, assuming your ECs were stellar (which they have to be with a 27 MCAT)

 

[txlonghorn2314]

I agree. Haven't you continued your involvement in some volunteering or added some shadowing time? You'll need to update the End Dates and Total Hours of involvement and add new, relevant activities you've begun.

I have volunteered some but not shadowing. 100% of my time has been spent on improving my mcat, working, and finishing school

 

[txlonghorn2314]

I might add that I'm a texas resident applying early in state with a 3.6 cgpa/ 3.8 sgpa

 

[KillaKitteh]

Any medical schools you did apply to more than likely kept a record of your last AMCAS--please please please update your PS. You don't have to drastically change it, but revise it and update it to reflect how the events of this last year have impacted your desire to be a doctor, go into medicine, etc. Even if they didn't read it, there is still a huge chance they will still take out both and compare the old to the new. I was a reapplicant and updated my PS after reading such advice.

I believe @Goro and @gyngyn would give similar advice, correct me if I am wrong.

 

[KillaKitteh]

On a different note, you'll want to add in any new experiences or extra time, even work, to your AMCAS.

Like others have said, your MCAT still has you at a bit of a disadvantage. Apply to MD schools within your reach and perhaps Texas schools, especially if they tend to favor in state applicants. Also, I would strongly suggest considering and applying at the same time to DO schools, where you would be more competitive.

 

[Catalystik]

I have volunteered some but not shadowing. 100% of my time has been spent on improving my mcat, working, and finishing school

Now that you aren't studying for the MCAT, you have a few months to buff up some of your activities and make them current.

Nice job improving your MCAT by 6 points, BTW.

 

[DokterMom]

I have volunteered some but not shadowing. 100% of my time has been spent on improving my mcat, working, and finishing school

I might add that I'm a texas resident applying early in state with a 3.6 cgpa/ 3.8 sgpa

Sorry - but you're still not in the high margin of success zone for IS TX applicants. Your grades are fine. MCAT still on the weak side, but not a 'kiss of death' like the 21 was.

Bottom line -- For an applicant with your [marginal] numbers, the rest of your application needs to be incredible. You NEED shadowing - at least 50 hours. You NEED substantial volunteering. Or more appropriately -- YOU need substantial volunteering.

ECs can be the factor that differentiates the 'superstar with 'meh' numbers from the 'meh' candidate. The good news is that these ECs are entirely within your control.

 

[Goro]

A 27 is still circling the drain for MD schools. Your best luck will be with the TX schools (including TCOM).

Otherwise, either try and do better on a 3rd MCAT, or try the newest DO schools, like MUCOM, ACOM or VCOM.

I applied last year in late July, but hadn't taken the MCAT yet. I took the MCAT in late August and scored a 21, and opted out of even filling out any of my secondaries. One of the medical schools I was in contact with said my application looked good and that the only crippling factor was the MCAT score. So this past year, all my time was committed to improving my MCAT score (which I did by 6 points), finishing my degree, and also working.

Given that I feel like I had a strong application last cycle (solid PS and what not) minus the horrid MCAT score, could I just resubmit the same application I submitted last cycle but with the updated score? I also wondered how many schools didn't even look at my application last year solely because of the MCAT score.

Any advice is very much appreciated! Thanks!

 

[LChristmas]

I might add that I'm a texas resident applying early in state with a 3.6 cgpa/ 3.8 sgpa

Your stats are very average for TCOM. You would probably receive an II if you get your ECs and shadowing in order. Keep in mind that TMDSAS opens May 1st, so you should get on improving your app ASAP.

Source: TCOM Entering Class Statistics

 

[caffeinemia]

MD is probably not going to happen-- or if it does, you've won the lottery. However DO might be possible.

It was a good improvement, but unfortunately the absolute value is still insufficient.:-/

 

[ImmunoLove]

Update your app. Refine/rewrite w&a, edit the PS. Hopefully you've had time to do other ECs to show you've improved yourself as an applicant (in addition to your MCAT), and are dedicated to medicine.

 

[Catalystik]

I have volunteered some but not shadowing. 100% of my time has been spent on improving my mcat, working, and finishing school

I disagree with some of the cautionary notes being provided to you. You would get more on-point commentary if you were to post details of your application, as you did in your previous WAMC posts.

 

[txlonghorn2314]

I disagree with some of the cautionary notes being provided to you. You would get more on-point commentary if you were to post details of your application, as you did in your previous WAMC posts.

Here's a general outline of what I have so far:

• 3.6 cGPA and 3.88 sGPA
• Worked as a medical scribe- 4 months
• Shadowed interventional cardiologist-50 hours
• Shadowed family doc- 40 hours
• Volunteered at hospital- about a year
• Volunteered at boys and girls club- about 10 months
• Biochemical research- roughly 10 months
• Co-Social chair and philanthropy chair of fraternity, helped organize major event raising over $10k for charity -1 year
• Recording artist (singer/songwriter/producer)- Released multiple albums online and at one time accumulated over 200,000 hits to music page

That being said, here is my activity over the past year

• Got a 21 on MCAT
• Dropped down to one class in the fall, lived and breathed MCAT, and raised score by 6 points.
• Taking 11 hours (2 lab classes) and all difficult courses and working as a waiter this spring

That being said, I plan to apply in May. Is it worth trying to squeeze time to do something else real fast before I apply? Or should I just focus on finishing my last classes with a 4.0 before I graduate. Also, not sure if the schools even looked at my app because of the 21 so wasn't sure about the personal statement thing. It just feels weird because on paper, it looks like I haven't done much this past year because I was so committed to improving my MCAT

 

[Catalystik]

How do you judge your Spanish fluency? Did you use this skill during any of your activities?

 

[MDporfavor8888]

i think most people who have already commented make very valid points

i understand you're proud of your MCAT jump but you have to realistically understand and accept that you went from a very low score to a low score. if you had made a 6 point jump from a 25 to a 31, that would've helped you significantly.

if you really committed that much of your time and got a 27 on the MCAT, you should seriously consider not taking it a third time unless you are absolutely positive you can get the equivalent of a 30+ on the new MCAT

your GPA is good but your science GPA is great. I think your gpa will definitely help when you apply to MD schools. you also have a very unique EC (music career), so that might help you stand out. your clinical experience seems about average.

that being said, i think you should apply to texas MD schools and if you want to also fill out AMCAS, apply to a select few low-tier MD schools as well. aside from that, definitely apply DO if you insist on applying this coming cycle. good luck

 

[Vain Brother]

your best chances are with the texas schools and DO schools

 

[txlonghorn2314]

How do you judge your Spanish fluency? Did you use this skill during any of your activities?

When I was 16 I was fluent enough to be the life of the party at my cousins wedding in Monterey, Mexico. In the last 6 years or so I have hardly spoken it so it's pretty weak at the moment, but am getting Rosetta Stone in April and am very confident that I can quickly come back up to par. I did speak spanish to patients at times, but very sparingly (basically to tell them that I speak Spanish but not well enough to be of great help and that the doctor and I would return in a few minutes with a translator).


To add to my post, I'm very set on getting into TTUHSC, however the MCAT average I believe is over a 32. They do have a post-bacc premedical masters program there and didn't know if it's worth it to apply and risk a year of my family being in limbo, or to apply to the masters (it's only a net difference of one extra year, since the program is two years but starts this August, and for medical school I'd start next year, giving me a 16 month gap of no school or anything until then.

 

[MDporfavor8888]

When I was 16 I was fluent enough to be the life of the party at my cousins wedding in Monterey, Mexico. In the last 6 years or so I have hardly spoken it so it's pretty weak at the moment, but am getting Rosetta Stone in April and am very confident that I can quickly come back up to par. I did speak spanish to patients at times, but very sparingly (basically to tell them that I speak Spanish but not well enough to be of great help and that the doctor and I would return in a few minutes with a translator).


To add to my post, I'm very set on getting into TTUHSC, however the MCAT average I believe is over a 32. They do have a post-bacc premedical masters program there and didn't know if it's worth it to apply and risk a year of my family being in limbo, or to apply to the masters (it's only a net difference of one extra year, since the program is two years but starts this August, and for medical school I'd start next year, giving me a 16 month gap of no school or anything until then.

generally postbaccs or SMPs are for people with lower GPAs. i think your GPA is fine. the problem is your MCAT. unless you plan to retake the MCAT after completing any of those programs, i don't think they will be of much use to you.

 

[txlonghorn2314]

generally postbaccs or SMPs are for people with lower GPAs. i think your GPA is fine. the problem is your MCAT. unless you plan to retake the MCAT after completing any of those programs, i don't think they will be of much use to you.

Especially with the new MCAT, wouldn't you think a post bacc program could significantly raise the score (all the sciences at least). I've been battling the MCAT on and off for 18 months, so I'm too burnt out to go at it again for at least a long time anyway

 

[MDporfavor8888]

Especially with the new MCAT, wouldn't you think a post bacc program could significantly raise the score (all the sciences at least). I've been battling the MCAT on and off for 18 months, so I'm too burnt out to go at it again for at least a long time anyway

that's understandable. a postbacc or SMP will definitely help you with your sciences on the MCAT. as long as you're dedicated and can keep up your GPA in those programs, i guess it can't hurt... but you'll be drowning in debt like i am by the time you enter med school.

 

[MDporfavor8888]

I'm interested in the personal statement focus of this thread.

I'm sitting on waitlists this cycle and going to re-apply. If my main reasons for "Why Medicine?" haven't changed since last June, is it absolutely necessary to rewrite/update the PS? I'll be explaining my activities this year in the experiences section. Also, if only the primary was submitted (no secondary), will schools be likely to pull it up and compare it to the completed app next cycle?

yes, you should write a new PS. reapplying sucks in many ways and schools expect your application to be vastly improved. anything you can change or improve on, you should do.

 

[Catalystik]

I'm sitting on waitlists this cycle and going to re-apply.
1) If my main reasons for "Why Medicine?" haven't changed since last June, is it absolutely necessary to rewrite/update the PS? I'll be explaining my activities this year in the experiences section.
2) Also, if only the primary was submitted (no secondary), will schools be likely to pull it up and compare it to the completed app next cycle?

1) Yes, yes, yes. If it didn't work the first time, it would display magical thinking if you suppose that it might result in a better outcome if used again.
2) It happens, especially at the many schools that want a run down of how you've improved since last applying.

 

[txlonghorn2314]

1) Yes, yes, yes. If it didn't work the first time, it would display magical thinking if you suppose that it might result in a better outcome if used again.
2) It happens, especially at the many schools that want a run down of how you've improved since last applying.

Sorry I know this is a late reply. I appreciate the response! I know that overall, changing my PS would be necessary, but in my situation wouldn't there be a good chance that my app was screened out and not even reviewed, given that it was not submitted w/ an MCAT score until the tail end of September and the MCAT score was a 21? I feel like no schools would have even taken the time to review a late app with such a low MCAT score.

 

[Catalystik]

Sorry I know this is a late reply. I appreciate the response! I know that overall, changing my PS would be necessary, but in my situation wouldn't there be a good chance that my app was screened out and not even reviewed, given that it was not submitted w/ an MCAT score until the tail end of September and the MCAT score was a 21? I feel like no schools would have even taken the time to review a late app with such a low MCAT score.

Maybe it wasn't reviewed at that time, but that doesn't mean they can't check back now to see what it looked like. Here on SDN we've seen tales of how an interviewer actually had a paper copy of the previous file next the the new one and commented on it. We've read of deprecating comments made by interviewers when the PS was the same. Maybe these aren't common events at every school. But why take that risk when you can prevent it now.

At a minimum, tweak the first paragraph so it doesn't look the same with a quick glance.

 

[DokterMom]

Sorry I know this is a late reply. I appreciate the response! I know that overall, changing my PS would be necessary, but in my situation wouldn't there be a good chance that my app was screened out and not even reviewed, given that it was not submitted w/ an MCAT score until the tail end of September and the MCAT score was a 21? I feel like no schools would have even taken the time to review a late app with such a low MCAT score.

You're probably right that they didn't get past the 21 to review your PS then, but @Catalystik is so right -- they'll take the time now. Take 3 hours to rearrange, edit sentence structure, substitute a few words here and there. Your core message can be the same (should be similar), but the superficial impression should be that it is not the same PS.

As to an SMP: Those are good for repairing a poor GPA, which you don't have. I could see how perhaps an SMP might help you improve a future MCAT attempt, but you indicate that's not part of your plan. (Plus it's an expensive and indirect way to go about that...)

I'd suggest you apply to ALL TX schools on the TMDSAS (maybe skip UTSW) and spend the rest of your application energy on DO schools. Your MCAT is much more competitive for DO, and that's the appropriate 'safety net'