2 wailtlists and 2 more interviews in March... Too early to get discouraged?

[chaosomin]

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My stats are cGPA 3.78, sGPA 3.88, MCAT 32M (VR 8, PS 12, BS 12). (English is my second language and I don't think I can improve my verbal in couple months)

I have 3~4 years of both research and clinical exposure (still continuing) and strong letters (i think) from volunteer, lab, and from professors I TA'd with. Bottom line, I thought I was a strong applicant...

I just found out that I'm waitlisted to the last two schools I interviewed in January and I have 2 more interviews coming up in March but I feel like I'm interviewing for another waitlist spots...

I submitted my app really late around Sept and finished my secondaries around November.

I'm already frustrated and getting discouraged for the whole process.
When is the time that I should I just move on and prepare for the next application cycle? apply early this time? Should I re-take the MCAT?

I'm tired of people telling me everything's gonna be fine and just wait.
Do i really just ....wait?

😡😡😡😡😡😡

 

[Geneticist]

Where all did you apply?

 

[acb88]

That 8 in VR is probably what is hurting you. I realize English is not your first language, but it honestly doesn't matter when it comes to applying. You need a good score on that section. I would suggest retaking the MCAT to bring that section up. Even though you don't think you can do any better, take a bunch of VR practice tests and try to get that score up.

Other than that, my only suggestion is to apply earlier.

 

[gravitywave]

Do i really just ....wait?

yep, you really do. half of the pain of applying late is that you tend to interview late and get accepted late, thus prolonging the agony - even with good stats (ask me how i know!!)

with four interviews, the numbers are in your favor. but yeah, be thinking about what next year might look like if you don't get it. consider submitting AMCAS in June, for starters.

 

[Trojan50]

That 8 in VR is probably what is hurting you. I realize English is not your first language, but it honestly doesn't matter when it comes to applying. You need a good score on that section. I would suggest retaking the MCAT to bring that section up. Even though you don't think you can do any better, take a bunch of VR practice tests and try to get that score up.

Other than that, my only suggestion is to apply earlier.

While an 8 is not ideal, I have seen plenty of applicants get into good schools with an 8. The trick is recognizing which schools in the MSAR have students in their class with an 8, so you don't get rejected based off of a strict number cutoff.

Also to the OP, has the 8 been brought up in your interviews?

 

[chaosomin]

Where all did you apply?

I submitted 20 secondaries mostly by regions where there is dental schools close by (So. Cal {hometown}, Pennsylvania, NY, etc... I thought I applied to wide range of schools) because my girlfriend is applying for dental school. She got accepted pretty much everywhere but my waitlist is destroying our plan to stay close by. (Their deadline to commit to one school is sometime in April I think)

Anyways, Thanks for the replies y'all😳

 

[chaosomin]

While an 8 is not ideal, I have seen plenty of applicants get into good schools with an 8. The trick is recognizing which schools in the MSAR have students in their class with an 8, so you don't get rejected based off of a strict number cutoff.

Also to the OP, has the 8 been brought up in your interviews?

Nobody mentioned about my 8... yet.
I actually took MCAT before I did some serious study and got 25L (7 VR, 8 PS, 10 BS). Verbal improved by 1 😕 afterwards.
I was still working while I was studying for about 1.5~2 months so I feel like I can improve science scores if I dedicate myself 100% on it but not verbal🙁. Other SDN posts also recommend not to take MCAT again if it is 30+. Is it really worth doing it to improve 2~3 points or go do some different activity like international volunteer during spring~summer (what I have planned if I was accepted) .

Thanks again!

 

[acb88]

Nobody mentioned about my 8... yet.
I actually took MCAT before I did some serious study and got 25L (7 VR, 8 PS, 10 BS). Verbal improved by 1 😕 afterwards.
I was still working while I was studying for about 1.5~2 months so I feel like I can improve science scores if I dedicate myself 100% on it but not verbal🙁. Other SDN posts also recommend not to take MCAT again if it is 30+. Is it really worth doing it to improve 2~3 points or go do some different activity like international volunteer during spring~summer (what I have planned if I was accepted) .

Thanks again!

I think you shouldn't retake if you have a balanced 30+, but unfortunately your score isn't balanced. However, if you really think you can only improve on the sciences, it will make the 8 VR look even worse and taking the MCAT again would not be to your advantage. Like someone above said, take a good look at the MSAR and see which schools the 8 is in range for.

 

[rHinO1]

Although the 8 is on the lower side, if you apply smartly then you can still get in. However, the fact you applied late and still got 4 interviews is a sign that you DID apply to appropriate schools.


You still have two more interviews, focus on selling yourself well at those interviews. Don't dwell on the 8 in verbal, instead go in there confident and tell them how you believe you will be successfull at their school. Also, tell them you have prepared yourself well for a career in medicine by doing x, y, z... And furthermore, you see yourself as being happy at [insert name of school].

If those schools don't pan out, then remember people do get in off waitlists. So you are still in the game, you just might have to wait a little longer.

 

[Badancil]

I feel your pain man,

I have similar stats, although my volunteering and research are a lot less (about a year of each).

I applied to 20 schools as well. and am on two waitlists as well... i did get a few more interviews, but in the end, we're both waiting on that acceptance, which is frustrating.

We can do it. i believe it.

 

[EpicBearMan]

2 waitlists + "on hold" post interview without an acceptance yet here too. I've still got a decision pending and one more interview. Hopefully the waitlists are kind this year!

 

[theteaguy]

Don't lose hope. kill your next two interviews and you'll be fine. And if you don't hear back from schools in the next two months, write a good letter of intent to them describe why you want them and why they want you.

If the worst happens, don't re-take the mcat unless you just happen to be super lucky during the test day. I got an 8 first time in verbal, took it again and got a 7 (trust me, I did over 200 practice passages). It sucked really bad because I read through the passage too fast the second time in an effort to save some time. but obviously it had the opposite effect. Based on this, I would suggest you to expand your experience (research/clinical/lor) and strengthen your apps that way. Oh yeah, and apply early!

just my .02