Quick answers to various questions:
a)
Declaring in-state on AMCAS --> you can't list Ohio residency if you apply during your MS year, but if you're accepted same cycle and follow the financial aid office's instructions you will be eligible for in-state tuition all four years of med school.
b) Regarding
MCAT retakes (if it hasn't/won't expire when you expect to apply) --> The gist of the advice that most people have gotten when they met with admissions was to only retake if their MCAT scores weren't balanced or less than ~33 (UC's average is a 33.xx with a 34 median). Again, not an absolute rule, but that seems to be the criteria for who was advised to do what. Total score > balance unless it's a pretty extreme imbalance. Also, you should research which schools will accept the old MCAT (see my earlier post), especially if you're not applying same cycle.
c)
Program GPA ---> I know this was a question of mine when I was accepted because a numerically strong GPA is important when applying places that don't know the SMP. Getting into the ~ ±3.7 GPA range is definitely Do-able, but very hard work.
d)
Whether or not to apply same cycle: If you got interviews in a previous cycle, definitely apply same cycle---just make sure to have EVERYTHING done before classes start. (I definitely had to cut my losses on a few schools whose secondaries I wasn't able to get to in a timely fashion.) If you're planning to do a gap year---still apply to UC and maybe 2-3 others same cycle (although it substantially adds to the neuroticism of the master's year
).
--> I was told that next year's interview dates will be much more front-loaded (majority of dates before winter break, conclude in February), with fewer dates but larger interview groups. It's anyone's guess how this will play out for 2016's MS class, but it's something to keep in mind if the strength of your application is very heavily contingent on having med block grades in.
e)
Jobs --> probably a better question to ask on last year's thread until further notice. Getting a job that pays well with a bio-type degree has never been a cakewalk and Cincinnati isn't flush with biotech companies or anything. If you have a business-type degree, Cincinnati has many options and I bet you could tap into UC's undergrad co-op program to get your foot in the door somewhere more easily. However as long as you keep up with shadowing and volunteering, the opinion from [UCCOM] admissions seems to be that it doesn't matter all that much what sort of job you get.
f) Yes, I'm going to bed now---and will have sweet dreams of endocrine dysfunction.
)
(in which case the official policy is: too bad. Show up.).
