Snubbed by Tulane again -dont read if you are already depressed about this cycle

[LodiDodi]

I just had to get this out -its just venting, so only read it if ur bored or curious.

So pretty much, this cycle I wasn't going to apply. I was really depressed this summer and living with my parents with no plans for after graduation (except for med school which didn't happen). I gave Tulane a call about my rejection out of curiosity and perhaps a little out of masochism and was pleasantly surprised when the dean was willing to talk to me. She was cool and encouraged me to reapply, saying I had a good chance if I got myself together. So, I decided to get myself together, scratch up new letters of rec, get a job at a hospital, start informal postbac... I even started tutoring at my postbac institution to get experience working with the community -all this while finishing apps. So, November hits and I'm ready to send out updates. To my surprise, Tulane sends me an email on October 26th saying they are already looking over my app, so I rush to get out a personalized update to them- since Tulane was the school I was most interested in.

You can probably guess what happened from there, being this is a rant not a success story. 3 days after I get out my update, my parents call to say they just got the rejection letter. Guessing from the fact I live in Cali, they did not even get my letter before the rejection.

Its pretty disappointing, but an improvement from last year when I didn't get any rejection notice from them or an email to let me know that they were looking over my app.

Hopefully, later I will have some sort of success story to post, though it seems doubtful. Best of luck to everyone else.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Karen12345]

I just had to get this out -its just venting, so only read it if ur bored or curious.

So pretty much, this cycle I wasn't going to apply. I was really depressed this summer and living with my parents with no plans for after graduation (except for med school which didn't happen). I gave Tulane a call about my rejection out of curiosity and perhaps a little out of masochism and was pleasantly surprised when the dean was willing to talk to me. She was cool and encouraged me to reapply, saying I had a good chance if I got myself together. So, I decided to get myself together, scratch up new letters of rec, get a job at a hospital, start informal postbac... I even started tutoring at my postbac institution to get experience working with the community -all this while finishing apps. So, November hits and I'm ready to send out updates. To my surprise, Tulane sends me an email on October 26th saying they are already looking over my app, so I rush to get out a personalized update to them- since Tulane was the school I was most interested in.

You can probably guess what happened from there, being this is a rant not a success story. 3 days after I get out my update, my parents call to say they just got the rejection letter. Guessing from the fact I live in Cali, they did not even get my letter before the rejection.

Its pretty disappointing, but an improvement from last year when I didn't get any rejection notice from them or an email to let me know that they were looking over my app.

Hopefully, later I will have some sort of success story to post, though it seems doubtful. Best of luck to everyone else.

Perhaps they would be willing to reconsider your case when they get your letter. Maybe you should try contacting someone at the school? You don't seem to have much to lose with them anyway. Why not give it another try (assuming not much time has passed since the rejection)?

 

[RxnMan]

Lodi - It is terrible to be in your situation. I know how you feel. I've had the same sort of SNAFU's happen to me: One admission person would tell me I'd be a good candidate, only to get a rejection after the check for my secondary cleared. There's a lot of confusion, and sometimes it seems that one hand doesn't know what the other is doing.

I wish you luck in your other applications.

 

[LodiDodi]

my stats are
3.54
37 MCAT
some voluteering/shadowing
worked for last 2 years of college\
no research

Sucks cus I just started tutoring this semester (since august) to get some experience in something thats sort of leadership/community oriented like Tulane likes, but I guess it was too late. I also have a hospital job (since late sept.), but it is in the pharmacy so that doesn't help that much. I just said 'working at a hospital' on my update in order to avoid saying what dept I work for...

My plans for next year were to get some more medical volunteering and find a job in research or get a part time job plus do research for free. I want the research to make me a more widely desired candidate (not just one that Tulane would like). I would be retaking MCAT next spring (I'm not going to apply for the upcoming cycle...)

I hadn't really considered doing a formal post back since my GPA and MCAT aren't bad (although I need to retake MCAT since it expires this year). Should I just bite the bullet and try to get into an expensive post back? I would be okay with doing an MPH because it would be useful for more than just medical school... Is it too late to apply for one now ?

Also, would the MPH have enough research involvement and professor contact to be a valuable asset in applying to many different med schools?

Sorry post so long, but thanks for the good suggestions about post bacc + MPH.

 

[greg1184]

my stats are
3.54
37 MCAT
some voluteering/shadowing
worked for last 2 years of college\
no research

Sucks cus I just started tutoring this semester (since august) to get some experience in something thats sort of leadership/community oriented like Tulane likes, but I guess it was too late. I also have a hospital job (since late sept.), but it is in the pharmacy so that doesn't help that much. I just said 'working at a hospital' on my update in order to avoid saying what dept I work for...

My plans for next year were to get some more medical volunteering and find a job in research or get a part time job plus do research for free. I want the research to make me a more widely desired candidate (not just one that Tulane would like). I would be retaking MCAT next spring (I'm not going to apply for the upcoming cycle...)

I hadn't really considered doing a formal post back since my GPA and MCAT aren't bad (although I need to retake MCAT since it expires this year). Should I just bite the bullet and try to get into an expensive post back? I would be okay with doing an MPH because it would be useful for more than just medical school... Is it too late to apply for one now ?

Also, would the MPH have enough research involvement and professor contact to be a valuable asset in applying to many different med schools?

Sorry post so long, but thanks for the good suggestions about post bacc + MPH.

Retaking the MCAT with a 37? Are you kidding me?

 

[LodiDodi]

Sorry, I did not clarify more. I took the MCAT in sp 05 I think, so it will expire this year. Sadly MCAT only has a 2 year shelf life.

I'd be completely insane to take it again for score improvement.

 

[greg1184]

Sorry, I did not clarify more. I took the MCAT in sp 05 I think, so it will expire this year. Sadly MCAT only has a 2 year shelf life.

I'd be completely insane to take it again for score improvement.

Oh, okay. I didn't read your other posts in this thread. That makes sense then. You should be fine then. Be sure to apply broadly and not rely on Tulane. Assuming you get a similar MCAT sore, there are many schools that would love to have you. Your GPA is not spectacular, but it is fine, that shouldn't be a burden.

MPH would be a nice thing to do in your year off to get some experience. Whether this has any bearing on your admissions is up to the ADCOM.

Would you be interested in applying to a place like Miami? They are taking more and more OOS students. Also, apply to OOS friendly schools like a Georgetown, Jefferson, GW, etc. Look at the MSAR.

 

[LodiDodi]

Yeah, I'd be chill with applying to Miami. I actually wanted to go to Florida when I was first applying but their % admissions rates in MSAR were not good enough for me at the time. But, I'd be happy to go there if they would take me.

Though, I don't know how well Disney World would come off if given for my reason to apply...

 

[RxnMan]

my stats are
3.54
37 MCAT
some voluteering/shadowing
worked for last 2 years of college\
no research...

You're kidding, right? With stats like those you should be able to get in quite a few places. How is your application strategy? Are you applying to many places? Are you restricted to a state or area of the country? I also thought that MCAT scores had a three cycle life time.

 

[ShyRem]

It depends on the school -- some take MCAT up to 3 years old, a few 2 years old, and a couple take up to 5 years old (that may have changed since I applied).

 

[TexasTriathlete]

Sorry, I did not clarify more. I took the MCAT in sp 05 I think, so it will expire this year. Sadly MCAT only has a 2 year shelf life.

I'd be completely insane to take it again for score improvement.

Some schools count it for longer. Apply in TX. I think most of them count it for 5 years. So does NYMC, I think. And a few other places.

 

[Perrotfish]

I hadn't really considered doing a formal post back since my GPA and MCAT aren't bad (although I need to retake MCAT since it expires this year). Should I just bite the bullet and try to get into an expensive post back? I would be okay with doing an MPH because it would be useful for more than just medical school... Is it too late to apply for one now ?

Not too late for the MPH. Also if you're interested in the ACP program it's relatively cheap: Only about 15K and it only lasts one semester.

Also, would the MPH have enough research involvement and professor contact to be a valuable asset in applying to many different med schools?

MPHs, from what I understand (take with a grain of salt, I've never done one), seem to be mostly based around classes rather than research. They can't hurt your application in general, but they definitely seem to help most at the school where you actually took the MPH, since you get to know the school pretty well.

 

[RxnMan]

Some schools count it for longer. Apply in TX. I think most of them count it for 5 years. So does NYMC, I think. And a few other places.

TX requires you live in state and have gainful employment for a year before you can apply for residency. Only then can you apply as an in-state-student to their medical schools.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

I wasn't talking about applying in-state. This guy has solid numbers, and should at least have a fighting chance at one of the TX schools as an OOS applicant. Obviously, I don't know much about the rest of his application, and that would make a difference, but its at least worth a shot.

 

[LodiDodi]

You're kidding, right? With stats like those you should be able to get in quite a few places. How is your application strategy? Are you applying to many places? Are you restricted to a state or area of the country? I also thought that MCAT scores had a three cycle life time.

I'm not kidding, but I am also a California resident which hurts OOS and its highly competitive in state. Last year I applied to all my state schools, UIC, Washington University, a few stretches, Tulane (for the 1st time), NYMC, Chapel Hill, cant remember exactly what else but it was 17 in all. No interviews, all secondaries completed. I knew I applied too narrowly, but its a little late to worry about that now. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I took my MCAT a year early.

This cycle I could only afford to apply to a few schools so I chose Tulane, Drexel, SUNY Downstate, and Northwestern (obviously a stretch), but I figured I prolly would not get in anyways so who cared... Drexel is still my best chance, but it's getting late.

So it seems that I might benefit from just applying to every school that will accept my MCAT next year...
Also, about research, I am really worried about my lack of research hurting my chances, is it still worth it to try next cycle again in light of this deficiency?

 

[Perrotfish]

Also, about research, I am really worried about my lack of research hurting my chances, is it still worth it to try next cycle again in light of this deficiency?

You can go to pre-allo and get some more enlightened opinoins but honestly with a 37 and over a 3.5 you should have gotten in somewhere. Ya got screwed, then got discouraged and didn't apply broadly enough the second time. I'm not sure your app needs anything other than another chance, though the programs I mentioned can only help.

Also, maybe apply DO? Don't they take older MCATs? Is their application cycle even closed yet? Help from a DO here?

 

[MedStudentWanna]

There's some hole or red flag in your application. A 3.5/37 should have multiple interviews at the very least. Do you have clinical experience? You said you got a job at a hospital. What kind? Does it have direct patient contact? If not, get some ASAP even if it means you have to volunteer. You said the Dean at Tulane told you to get your stuff together. What does that mean? Did she give you any specifics?

An MPH won't help you. An SMP won't really help either unless it's a direct feeder into a med school. Otherwise, it won't prove anything because regular SMPs are for people with poor grades/MCAT scores to prove they can hack the academic courseload of med school. You've already proved that with an average GPA and above average MCAT score. There are other holes in your application.

 

[Perrotfish]

There's some hole or red flag in your application. A 3.5/37 should have multiple interviews at the very least

Maybe, but don't rule out bad luck. An average CA applicant with these stats would get what, 4-5 interviews out of 17 applications? It's possible Lodi won the shiitluck lottery and didn't get any based on random chance.

 

[MedStudentWanna]

Maybe, but don't rule out bad luck. An average applicant with these stats would get what, 4-5 interviews out of 17 applications? It's possible the shiitluck lottery and didn't get any based on random chance.

With a 37 MCAT? I'd say they'd get more than 4-5 interviews, assuming everything else was in order. If someone has clinicals, good PS, good LORs, some research, with a 3.5 and 37 MCAT and applies to 17 places, I'd count on 8-10 interviews at the least.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

The thing is, each school looks for something different, and what Tulane may be looking for may not be found in a 3.5/37. They want something else from you, obviously, and I don't know what.

I've been rejected pre-secondary by DO schools, and offered interviews at MD schools. The whole state of TX won't even look my direction, and I've lived here my whole life. ****ers.

The point is, you can't put all your hope in one school, because, even with numbers well above their averages, they may just have something else in mind that they want to see. It may even be something that you think is stupid.

I wouldn't say its a crapshoot. I think what each school does is calculated. But from our perspective, it is a crapshoot, because we have no idea what they are trying to find. So that is why we apply broadly.

 

[LodiDodi]

If this will help you guys analyze the problem here is an approximate list of my activities:

clinical-
shadowing neurologist practice 4 months, once weekly, ~6 hrs/ wk
volunteering- hospital transitional care unit, 2 months once weekly, 5 hrs/week
(direct patient care, I played card games and read to patients on ventilators)

working-
clerical 2 yrs during school

scholarship frosh year

honors list for 2 semesters

few political clubs that aren't really important, but I might take those off next app because at this point I wonder if they might be affecting my app.

no research.

major is BS biochem

update sent to schools: got job in hospital this sept ( but its in the pharmacy) however, I did not mention the department on my update. Thinking maybe I should get some volunteering this spring to supplement this part of my app.

Thinking it could also be poor PS (worked on it a bunch but mostly my friends and parents proofed it) or maybe luke warm letters of rec - I didn't know any of my major professors all that well. I'm thinking of maybe hiring some one to help me with my app next year if I can find about 20 schools that will accept my MCAT.

Anyways thanks for all your help guys. Your advice is really useful in considering my issues with med school.

 

[MedStudentWanna]

The only thing I can suggest is beef up the clinicals. You don't have too much of that and some schools scrutinize over it. You only 4 months of shadowing and 2 months of volunteering (and I assume they overlap for a total of 4 months of clinical experience). The schools I'm looking at have an unwritten requirement of at the very least 6 months and many applicants have more than that. Two months really only looks like you did it to say you did. It's kind of a non-starter, if you know what I mean.

How did you write your PS? Did you tell a story or did you just lay out the facts of why you want to be a doctor?

I don't think the research thing is a big deal unless you're applying to research-heavy schools (Harvard, Dartmouth, Duke, etc.).

I assume you have no criminal convictions or academic dishonesty charges?

Have you ever wondered if maybe you have one bad LOR that's throwing your application off? A friend of mine trusted one of his favorite professors to write him an LOR and the guy basically said my friend was lazy and had a poor work ethic. My friend had no idea during his first application cycle. After that, he pulled all his LORs and started fresh. He finally got his hands on that particular letter and was furious when he found out.

 

[RxnMan]

...The whole state of TX won't even look my direction, and I've lived here my whole life. ****ers...

That's unfortunate, but keep the language clean, please.

...Thinking it could also be poor PS (worked on it a bunch but mostly my friends and parents proofed it) or maybe luke warm letters of rec - I didn't know any of my major professors all that well. I'm thinking of maybe hiring some one to help me with my app next year if I can find about 20 schools that will accept my MCAT.

Anyways thanks for all your help guys. Your advice is really useful in considering my issues with med school.

Take a look at the Re-App faq on writing a PS. Seriously, most people won't know what to put in a PS that will excite a reviewer. About your LORs, a well-written letter that is informative about you is better than some big name. Don't worry about the prestige of the writer.

 

[LodiDodi]

No criminal/dishonesty or reason for bad recs. Mostly I just think the recs might have been just kinda bland. Although, I did get one new one this year from a really nice prof who asked that I give him updates on my progress. He was a humanities prof tho so I don't know if that helps as much as having a solid rec from a science prof.

As far as the PS (referring to this admissions cycle), I actually looked a lot at the faq and even bought a book of other people's essays to look at. The PS went through (chronologically) my adolescent involvement with raising animals and how it led to passion for science and eventually a passion for medicine because of family experiences with medicine due to a illness in my family, and my shadowing experience, which although short, was very meaningful and influential in my decision to become a doctor.

Overall, my PS was not poorly written or overly whiny (my opinion); even re-reading it now I feel that it was alright. The only problem might be the mention of my involvement with animals, which some readers might feel is inconsequential to medicine or leads them to believe I should have been a vet. I did not mention this involvement (although it was important to my decision to go into medicine) in my first PS because I was afraid it might elicit that kind of response. This time around I decided to include it because I was just taking a gamble with this cycle anyways and felt it made an interesting introduction.

In reference to my first PS, it was similar to my one for this cycle but was a little more self-oriented which is a big no no for medicine. Although I did have the doctor I shadowed for read it over and give me some advice. My first PS was likely too focused on my personal journey to medicine rather than why to become a doctor versus anything else.

For next PS, I will perhaps try the route of describing one definitive event in my decision to become a doctor, perhaps the volunteer experience I am about to get. Talking about my experiences with animals is too risky for next time and I feel that too much family/ personal business makes a PS appear narrow and even whiny.

I think for the future, although the PS is important, I will focus mostly on beefing up my activities (research and volunteering, which will in turn give me more to write about on the PS) and not scoring below my first MCAT if I need to retake. This spring I am going to start requesting one day of work off per week to focus solely on volunteering and medicine related activities. The few classes I'm taking right now should also help to improve my GPA a little, which cannot hurt.

I will also look for new letters of rec which come from people who know me well and are willing to write strongly positive recommendations. For non-trads, we can have three from any profs/recent employers, right?

Thats pretty much my game plan for now.

 

[Kandy2012]

LodiDodi, in response to Perrotfish's comment, I would recommend the MPH program at Tulane. I am from California, a reapplicant, and finishing up my first semester of this program. I have had 5 interview offers to date including Tulane. If you really want to attend Tulane, one of the programs Perrotfish mentioned might be a great route for you. If you want to go elsewhere, the MPH would help your app out (although from what I read, I can't understand why you have not been accepted yet...great stats). Good Luck!

 

[Jolie South]

in just reading over your app, I feel like you don't have a lot of the intangibles. Your stats are great, but there needs to be something more convincing.

*you are a little low on the clinical side. the stuff that you have done is good, but you haven't been doing it for a long time.

*you haven't had a huge service commitment. is there anything that you would enjoy doing that is service oriented? i.e. habitat for humanity, helping out a local girl scout troop, helping at a homeless shelter, etc. find something and do it.

*do you have any other interests outside of medicine that would show your well-roundedness as an applicant? i.e. athletics, playing a musical instrument, etc. if so, that could probably be played up.

i'm sure that you are committed to medicine, but you need to show the adcoms that this is true.

I think an MPH might be a good thing, but I wouldn't do it unless you are really interested in that field. What would be your backup plan if you don't get in? Find a graduate degree that would support that and go for that.

Otherwise, I think you should maybe find a research job after you graduate and get more involved in the community.

 

[CA0708]

I just had to get this out -its just venting, so only read it if ur bored or curious.

So pretty much, this cycle I wasn't going to apply. I was really depressed this summer and living with my parents with no plans for after graduation (except for med school which didn't happen). I gave Tulane a call about my rejection out of curiosity and perhaps a little out of masochism and was pleasantly surprised when the dean was willing to talk to me. She was cool and encouraged me to reapply, saying I had a good chance if I got myself together. So, I decided to get myself together, scratch up new letters of rec, get a job at a hospital, start informal postbac... I even started tutoring at my postbac institution to get experience working with the community -all this while finishing apps. So, November hits and I'm ready to send out updates. To my surprise, Tulane sends me an email on October 26th saying they are already looking over my app, so I rush to get out a personalized update to them- since Tulane was the school I was most interested in.

You can probably guess what happened from there, being this is a rant not a success story. 3 days after I get out my update, my parents call to say they just got the rejection letter. Guessing from the fact I live in Cali, they did not even get my letter before the rejection.

Its pretty disappointing, but an improvement from last year when I didn't get any rejection notice from them or an email to let me know that they were looking over my app.

Hopefully, later I will have some sort of success story to post, though it seems doubtful. Best of luck to everyone else.

Have you ever considered being a phleobotomist. I think you might have a better chance there.

 

[LodiDodi]

As far as well-roundedness
I was very involved with political clubs on campus for my last two years of undergrad so that should help a little. The only problem with these clubs was that they are very controversial, so I don't want to risk mentioning them in the next app.

I am tutoring at my informal post back institution for the moment, but will probably have to quit this if I get a research position at another institution, so I will end up with about a year of tutoring involvement total.

I'm thinking about setting aside some time to volunteer at a hospice next semester. Along with classes and work that should pretty much take care of my time. I'll try to start thinking of other ways to show that I am a well-rounded candidate by researching organized activities in my areas of interest.

Phlebotomy doesn't sound like too bad of an idea either, but this depends on time, expense, and salary as compared to my current job.

 

[Doc11Hopeful]

Like a couple of people have already said on here, your application seems solid enough to get you at least a few interviews. I agree that there may be some big red flag in your application that you may not be aware of.

A good friend of mine had an amazing application (upper 30s MCAT, 4.0, tons of ECs) and he was getting a lot of rejections early in the cycle and no one could figure out why. Then, during an interview, he was asked to explain why one of his recommenders thought he was arrogant. Apparently, one of his letters from a professor he thought was a friend said he was cocky and didn't like being told what to do. He got rejected from everywhere. It literally killed his application.

I'm not sure if something like that is happening to you but something is wrong. You should be getting interviews.

 

[gman33]

I think you are lacking in the clinical/volunteer department. Get a volunteer position at a hospital and do that for a year or two.

Also, try to get some info on you LORs. If you are using a premed advisor, ask that person to review them and let you know if there are any that are negative.

With a little more clinical experience and some excellent LORs, you should get some interviews.

 

[PlayMeSomeMusic]

I'd agree on looking into lor. my committee letter the first time around had something not good in it I believe because my premed advisor was ademtately (sorry for spelling) against me graduating a year early and I did it anyways. one school I followed up with even recommended I use individual lor instead of my committee although they didn't give any details.

 

[RugbyJC]

A little late, but maybe this can help you or someone else.

First, your stats should get you interviews, as everyone else has said, no matter what state you live in.

Second, your clinical work is weak. Reading to patients or playing cards is noble, and very good volunteer work, but does not constitute patient care, although shadowing a neurologist does look good. Try to get more activities like the latter...even a job that incorperates medical skills or patient contact with your time off. EMS? Orderly? CNA? Be real and honest with these activities. I saw one applicant who put down every race for a cure she attended and another who did not think it was important to include that she shadowed a neurosurgeon for 3 months.

Also, make sure your personal statement and medical related activites scream, I WANT TO BE A DOCTOR! (and that it couldn't possibly offend anyone or come across as arrogent or something). Show examples of this and that you are compassionate and really want this profession for altruistic purposes. That you are motivated and that you know what you are getting yourself into. Of course this should all be true, but you want to sell it.

Including even odd hobbies or activities you have participated in are fine...as long as your political groups are not along the lines of Nazi supports or ISO or something like that. If you have any leadership positions or organized anything (side from a protest to take down the president), let it be known.

Also, make sure that your school actually sent your paperwork. I do know a few people who have gotten rejections because their documents were not received. GETTING YOUR APPLICATION MATERIALS IN AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE IS A MUST. YOUR CHANCES ARE BETTER!!

Hope at least some of that was helpful. I could write a lot more (im pretty bored right now), but these are some basics that seem to be important in applicants.

 

[LodiDodi]

Right now I’m working in a hospital as a pharm tech. I’m not sure how that will look; I have a lot of contact with nurses, but very little with patients. I don’t suppose that accidentally walking into c-sections, peeking into cath lab, or having to rush up meds during codes will count for a whole lot. I plan on getting a position which relates more directly to medicine, possibly in research within the next two months. I am also setting aside one day per week for the two years to do volunteer work either at a hospital or hospice.

I had all my docs in by September 1st this year and by September 30th last year. That’s not early, but not late. The next time I apply, however, I am going to get the primary done June 1st and the secondary apps done in July.

Probably will exclude my political groups on the next app. I was in one that was considered fairly controversial –not anything bad, but I don’t want to automatically alienate anyone.

About LORs, all mine were confidential –how should I go about figuring out if they are bad?

 

[Perrotfish]

About LORs, all mine were confidential –how should I go about figuring out if they are bad?

The way I did it was that I had my recomenders submit them to my saint of a premedical advisor, who then agreed to copy them and send them out to the schools. He wouldn't tell me exactly what they said, but he did read them and gave me either a thumbs up or a thumbs down.

 

[LodiDodi]

I have no pre med adviser and the people at the Career Center are pretty much evil. Should I maybe talk to the Career Center where I am taking post bacc classes and see if I can forward the letters to them and have them tell me a good or bad response?

 

[Perrotfish]

If there's one of them you trust, and you trust them to get the letters out in time, then definitely. It can't hurt to ask.

 

[RxnMan]

I have no pre med adviser and the people at the Career Center are pretty much evil. Should I maybe talk to the Career Center where I am taking post bacc classes and see if I can forward the letters to them and have them tell me a good or bad response?

I did all of mine myself and confidentially. My letter writers got a standard package:

- My CV (so they could write about my accomplishments)
- a list of addresses (emailed MS Word doc., so they could cut and paste addresses into their letter)
- a stack of pre-addressed, pre-stamped envelopes (so they could send everything out confidentially without me)

Sometimes letter writers asked for me to write them a draft letter. If you are asked this, do it. It is a chance for you to tell the ADCOM exactly what you want them to know. It also gives you a chance to say things that your letter writer may not know about you. You don't want to go overboard ("Applicant X is the best student I've ever seen or had the pleasure to be in the presence of"), but remember that, if your writer doesn't like a statement, they can delete it.

This makes it much easier on the letter writer, even when I was applying to 40+ schools.

Interfolio I hear makes all of this obsolete.

 

[RxnMan]

I would like to add that the support that some schools give their pre-meds is amazing. Pre-med committee letters? Guidance? Advisors? Pre-med interest groups? I had none of these things. I had to learn how to play the admissions game the hard way. Some schools really want to get their kids into MD/DO school, and if you have the support of the school, I would take advantage of it.

 

[LodiDodi]

Rxnman,

Who are you going to ask for letters since as re-applicants we don't have to do the traditional 2 science, 1 humanities ? Boss, volunteer supervisor, maybe post-bacc profs?

This is still a while off for me, but I'm curious to know what others are doing.

The draft letter is a really good idea. I gave all my profs a profile (with my pic to remind them of who I was because some on my profs probably had upwards of 50 letters to do) and my transcripts, but the draft letter makes it nice and easy -meaning they are less likely to say something mean because that would take more effort.

My undergrad school had a letter service, but I will probably use interfolio the next time around. Even schools with their own LOR template are okay with the interfolio letters, right?

 

[RxnMan]

Rxnman,

Who are you going to ask for letters since as re-applicants we don't have to do the traditional 2 science, 1 humanities ? Boss, volunteer supervisor, maybe post-bacc profs?...

I'm actually in my 2nd year of MD school. I don't have to kiss up for LORs for a little while longer yet, and that'll be for residency. It is a challenge to get LORs when you're not there in class with your letter writers. But if you're one year out, I'm positive you can talk to your previous writers and ask them again. Getting one from a current boss, just to give an idea of how you're doing now, is a good idea.

...I gave all my profs a profile (with my pic to remind them of who I was because some on my profs probably had upwards of 50 letters to do) and my transcripts, but the draft letter makes it nice and easy -meaning they are less likely to say something mean because that would take more effort...

This is also a good idea, but when I read it, I thought of something like this:

It's a good idea, but I can also imagine how one could go overboard

...My undergrad school had a letter service, but I will probably use interfolio the next time around. Even schools with their own LOR template are okay with the interfolio letters, right?

Couldn't tell you - I never used the service. Search the pre-allo forum because that subject pops up every now and again.

 

[Daydreamer2008]

I just had to get this out -its just venting, so only read it if ur bored or curious.

So pretty much, this cycle I wasn't going to apply. I was really depressed this summer and living with my parents with no plans for after graduation (except for med school which didn't happen). I gave Tulane a call about my rejection out of curiosity and perhaps a little out of masochism and was pleasantly surprised when the dean was willing to talk to me. She was cool and encouraged me to reapply, saying I had a good chance if I got myself together. So, I decided to get myself together, scratch up new letters of rec, get a job at a hospital, start informal postbac... I even started tutoring at my postbac institution to get experience working with the community -all this while finishing apps. So, November hits and I'm ready to send out updates. To my surprise, Tulane sends me an email on October 26th saying they are already looking over my app, so I rush to get out a personalized update to them- since Tulane was the school I was most interested in.

You can probably guess what happened from there, being this is a rant not a success story. 3 days after I get out my update, my parents call to say they just got the rejection letter. Guessing from the fact I live in Cali, they did not even get my letter before the rejection.

Its pretty disappointing, but an improvement from last year when I didn't get any rejection notice from them or an email to let me know that they were looking over my app.

Hopefully, later I will have some sort of success story to post, though it seems doubtful. Best of luck to everyone else.

Hi LodiDodi! Cute bunny. anyways, I was also in your boat last year. I am a Cali resident, and applied to 18 schools and got 0 interviews. For this cycle, I redid my personal statement, made it a lot better. I took another science course during the summer, and I started volunteering in a hospital last January 2007. I applied to around 34 schools. Keep in mind I have a 3.4 UG GPA, 32 mcat (3.9 MPH gpa). This year has been a lot better for me. You just gotta keep at it even though you may go bankrupt! I have a AAMC fee waiver so that helped me out a bit. did you apply for a fee waiver? anyways keep at it if this is your passion!!! I now have an acceptance at EVMS and an interview at UCSF next week! I never imagined I would be in this position today. YOU WILL GET IN! Make sure those adcoms know how much you want it if you need any advice please PM me, I can give you some good info if you need help.

 

[Daydreamer2008]

Ok, i just looked at ur mdapplicants. I think you applied to a lot of reach schools. With your GPA, unfortunately you are not very competitive at most of those schools. You should take a look at lower tier schools as well. Get the MSAR, that will help!

 

[LodiDodi]

Thanks for the advice, will apply next to many schools (like thirty) with few reaches, although most schools are reaches for me.. hah ha

Prolly will skip this cycle to improve my app.

I'm glad you like the bunny, she should be cute, I won 3rd place at the holland lop national convention with her -not that you would know what that was unless you are a huge aggie nerd like me.