- Joined
- May 3, 2016
- Messages
- 26
- Reaction score
- 12
Hello everyone,
Here I am applying for the third cycle!
What I learned from the first cycle: I made a poor list (MSAR showed internationals mostly got accepted to top 20 schools, so I mostly applied there instead of schools more in line with my stats that take less internationals)
What I learned from the second cycle: Did not apply to enough schools (applied to RFU, NYMC, Oakland, SLU, MCW, WVU, Kentucky, VCU). Honestly, felt like a waste of time and energy applying due to the low percentage of internationals accepted every year. Also, WVU and Kentucky said I didn't have strong ties to state and this was a strong reason for not giving me the interview. Interviewed at SLU, recently rejected. Also retook MCAT in attempt to improve CARS, which is important for Canadian med schools - turned out to be bad idea as new score was 510: 127/125/127/131.
Changes since last application: retook the MCAT again in attempt to improve CARS for Canada, once again proved ineffective: now back at 514: 130/125/130/129. Done retaking MCAT, hedging pretty much everything on AMCAS.
Added 700 hours of clinical volunteering, which I did not have before.
Added 80 hours of non clinical volunteering
tl;dr Current Application Details
cGPA 3.96, sGPA 3,94
MCAT: 514 --> 510 --> 514 (130/125/130/129)
Current ECs:
700 hours of clinical volunteering
200 hours of shadowing
220 hours of non-clinical volunteering (suicide hotline, food bank, teaching)
400 hours of research (no publications)
110 hours as president of university club
120 hours of employment (manual labor, tutor, call center agent)
5K summer research scholarship award
award for highest average in program
New school list:
rosalind franklin
maryland
george washington
virginia /
georgetown
geisel /
mcw
tulane
loma linda*
west virginia*
kentucky *
case western /
suny
wayne
emory
stony brook
SLU
VCU
colorado
boston/
ucla/
hawaii
sidney kimmel
pittsburgh/
east tenesee
central michigan
nymc
einstein
michigan state *
penn state
/ denotes reach schools
* denotes when I probably can't fit the school's mission (loma linda, maybe I can scrape by since I've spent quite a bit of time volunteering in Christian organizations, although I'm not actually Christian; other schools, just no connection to state since I never lived there/don't know anyone who lives there...I really want a way to get past this problem, can't think of how at the moment)
Some current concerns: I need to apply to many schools, hoping for 4 interviews and two acceptances. But on the other hand, many schools are reaches/can't meet their mission. But if I exclude these schools, I don't have enough schools who accept Canadians/internationals. Didn't apply as early as I could (submitted June 28) and will pre-write secondaries. Considering DO applications...really don't want to do a whole another round of apps and ask for more letters and write more essays, but maybe this is the smartest thing to do.
What do you think?
Here I am applying for the third cycle!
What I learned from the first cycle: I made a poor list (MSAR showed internationals mostly got accepted to top 20 schools, so I mostly applied there instead of schools more in line with my stats that take less internationals)
What I learned from the second cycle: Did not apply to enough schools (applied to RFU, NYMC, Oakland, SLU, MCW, WVU, Kentucky, VCU). Honestly, felt like a waste of time and energy applying due to the low percentage of internationals accepted every year. Also, WVU and Kentucky said I didn't have strong ties to state and this was a strong reason for not giving me the interview. Interviewed at SLU, recently rejected. Also retook MCAT in attempt to improve CARS, which is important for Canadian med schools - turned out to be bad idea as new score was 510: 127/125/127/131.
Changes since last application: retook the MCAT again in attempt to improve CARS for Canada, once again proved ineffective: now back at 514: 130/125/130/129. Done retaking MCAT, hedging pretty much everything on AMCAS.
Added 700 hours of clinical volunteering, which I did not have before.
Added 80 hours of non clinical volunteering
tl;dr Current Application Details
cGPA 3.96, sGPA 3,94
MCAT: 514 --> 510 --> 514 (130/125/130/129)
Current ECs:
700 hours of clinical volunteering
200 hours of shadowing
220 hours of non-clinical volunteering (suicide hotline, food bank, teaching)
400 hours of research (no publications)
110 hours as president of university club
120 hours of employment (manual labor, tutor, call center agent)
5K summer research scholarship award
award for highest average in program
New school list:
rosalind franklin
maryland
george washington
virginia /
georgetown
geisel /
mcw
tulane
loma linda*
west virginia*
kentucky *
case western /
suny
wayne
emory
stony brook
SLU
VCU
colorado
boston/
ucla/
hawaii
sidney kimmel
pittsburgh/
east tenesee
central michigan
nymc
einstein
michigan state *
penn state
/ denotes reach schools
* denotes when I probably can't fit the school's mission (loma linda, maybe I can scrape by since I've spent quite a bit of time volunteering in Christian organizations, although I'm not actually Christian; other schools, just no connection to state since I never lived there/don't know anyone who lives there...I really want a way to get past this problem, can't think of how at the moment)
Some current concerns: I need to apply to many schools, hoping for 4 interviews and two acceptances. But on the other hand, many schools are reaches/can't meet their mission. But if I exclude these schools, I don't have enough schools who accept Canadians/internationals. Didn't apply as early as I could (submitted June 28) and will pre-write secondaries. Considering DO applications...really don't want to do a whole another round of apps and ask for more letters and write more essays, but maybe this is the smartest thing to do.
What do you think?
