2013-2014 Panic Thread

[SLM914]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

There could also be a bad LOR in there somewhere. That's all I can think of. That's the only area in an application that you don't have full access to review before sending. Just an idea. I really hope somebody wouldn't do that to you though.

That would be really terrible. If someone was going to write me a bad LOR, i would have hoped they would just tell me they won't write one.

 

[SunsFun]

That would be really terrible. If someone was going to write me a bad LOR, i would have hoped they would just tell me they won't write one.

You also could have applied really top heavy in which case you might have just fallen through the cracks.

 

[SLM914]

You also could have applied really top heavy in which case you might have just fallen through the cracks.

Nope. I applied to schools across the spectrum. (I got rejected from Drexel and Hofstra... so definitely not top schools only )

 

[Cambover]

Nope. I applied to schools across the spectrum. (I got rejected from Drexel and Hofstra... so definitely not top schools only )

Maybe contact the schools you were rejected from and ask what would have made the difference in your application.

 

[katiemaude]

This process is super frustrating. I applied late last year (complete in January) to four MD and one DO school. Two ii at MD schools and didn't get to interview until March; predictably it resulted in one waitlist and one rejection.

This year I applied to 18 schools (about half MD and half DO) and was complete in early August. One ii; one acceptance. Two pre-interview rejections (one MD, one DO) and nothing so far from the rest.

Not complaining. Just saying, it's not anything you can predict. And it's sloooooooow.

 

[McRunner]

Two straight weeks of bad news and no good news. Praying for some good news this week. Should be hearing back from the one school I've interviewed at!

 

[jk1006]

Hi all,
I got a 34 on my MCAT (12,11,11), I graduated in 2012 from Boston University with a major in Neuroscience with a 3.5 GPA (3.6 Science GPA) and have been working in a very well know Harvard Medical School Radiology Research Lab for the last year and a half. I have published several papers and have racked up a large amount of clinical and non-clinical volunteer and paid hours. I submitted my application on June 10th and submitted all of my secondaries within a week of getting them. According to my advisers, my essays were very good and my application was in great shape. The head of the BU premed office said I could expect to get around 10 interviews.
I applied to 30 schools and have had 0 interviews so far. My adviser at BU and mentor at my lab haven't been able to understand why this may be. I am a bit confused where I may have gone wrong and I was wondering if anyone here has heard of similar stories.

Thanks!

also a 34, exact same breakdown, 3.6 gpa, 3.5 science. research, volunteering, leadership. finished all secondaries late july early august

19 schools, no interviews

i feel like 34 is cursed. so many 34 MCAT scores I see fall by the wayside...

 

[sourdoughllama]

.

 

[SpartanWolverine]

Two rejection in the last week have broken my 45+ days of silence. It makes me panic a bit more every time I un-follow a school thread... 🙁 Hopefully there will be good news from at least one of the ~ 15 schools that haven't sent a single thing since July.

 

[Member954786]

Hi all,
I got a 34 on my MCAT (12,11,11), I graduated in 2012 from Boston University with a major in Neuroscience with a 3.5 GPA (3.6 Science GPA) and have been working in a very well know Harvard Medical School Radiology Research Lab for the last year and a half. I have published several papers and have racked up a large amount of clinical and non-clinical volunteer and paid hours. I submitted my application on June 10th and submitted all of my secondaries within a week of getting them. According to my advisers, my essays were very good and my application was in great shape. The head of the BU premed office said I could expect to get around 10 interviews.
I applied to 30 schools and have had 0 interviews so far. My adviser at BU and mentor at my lab haven't been able to understand why this may be. I am a bit confused where I may have gone wrong and I was wondering if anyone here has heard of similar stories.

Thanks!

The only thing I could think of is a bad LOR or just really poorly executed secondaries ( accidentally sending the name of one school to another , non specific answers, grammatical errors ETC... You did send them all out quickly perhaps there were errors in the apps [ although that is highly unlikely with all 30 applications] ) I was in such a rush to send all mine out that I know I sent some with errors in them- smh!.....But other than that this is definitely unusual . My assumption is that you are going to hear back from 3/4 schools around the same time by the end of the month or in the month of december.

 

[solitarius]

People can tell you whether you're a competitive applicant, but they can't tell you if you'll be successful in a given cycle. So if they're reviewing your app, they're just seeing if there are red flags. And if not, it means you'll be considered. There is a big gap between this and them saying you'll be interviewed or ultimately accepted.


To get many interview invites and an acceptance right now, you have to be a top-tier applicant and/or a very strong applicant likely to attend that school. That's my ignorant 2 cents.

 

[cookiemonsters]

Hi all,
I got a 34 on my MCAT (12,11,11), I graduated in 2012 from Boston University with a major in Neuroscience with a 3.5 GPA (3.6 Science GPA) and have been working in a very well know Harvard Medical School Radiology Research Lab for the last year and a half. I have published several papers and have racked up a large amount of clinical and non-clinical volunteer and paid hours. I submitted my application on June 10th and submitted all of my secondaries within a week of getting them. According to my advisers, my essays were very good and my application was in great shape. The head of the BU premed office said I could expect to get around 10 interviews.
I applied to 30 schools and have had 0 interviews so far. My adviser at BU and mentor at my lab haven't been able to understand why this may be. I am a bit confused where I may have gone wrong and I was wondering if anyone here has heard of similar stories.
Thanks!

Not having a single interview is kinda strange, but I think 10 was way too optimistic. To be blunt, your GPA is approaching the 10th percentile at a lot of schools, so I would imagine that is the major hole in your application, especially if you are ORM. While 34 is a good MCAT, my (perhaps misguided) opinion is that it does not deflect enough attention away from your GPA. But it's hard to say exactly without seeing a list of schools that you applied to. Keep in mind that any top 20 school was essentially a reach with your stats.

 

[SilentSoldier]

Ugh, holidays are the worst, no updates from schools

 

[hotredlips]

I submitted secondaries mid-september and so far only have one ii. Was I too late? Are interviews still being given out.

no, you're not too late. i did mine mid-september and i've received IIs (just got one a few days ago, actually). i know everyone keeps saying this, but just sit tight! >w<;

 

[circulus vitios]

I like how 10 of the 14 MD schools I've applied to have said absolutely nothing beyond the occasional small pool or whatever.

 

[eizeral]

An interview is certainly not a guarantee for admission. I commonly see 30-50% quoted as "acceptance rates". However, there is nothing wrong with a December interview... nor is it really that late. Of course this depends on many things (i.e., when you submitted, your stats, the schools, etc.). Your stats don't matter all that much one you get an interview -- at that point, you just need to own the interview. There's really nothing else you can do, right? They wouldn't have invited you if they didn't think you could be a good fit for the school.

I think it is far more likely that you will get interviews at more schools... so it's premature to freak out about the one you currently have an interview at. Don't waste a single minute thinking about what your friends have accomplished. I have friends at HMS, Michigan, JHU, etc... there will always be people who are apparently more successful. Just speaking from my experiences. 🙂

Good luck!

The bolded part is basically what I have been praying for since I got II's. I'm confident in my ability to interview; I think it's where I shine, to be honest. Well, more so than in any other areas. I'm just afraid certain shortcomings in my stats might affect my acceptance, so to hear you say this really helps put me at ease!

 

[swift3y]

The bolded part is basically what I have been praying for since I got II's. I'm confident in my ability to interview; I think it's where I shine, to be honest. Well, more so than in any other areas. I'm just afraid certain shortcomings in my stats might affect my acceptance, so to hear you say this really helps put me at ease!

Hate to break it to you but for many schools the interview is only one part of the final file that the adcoms look at in their final review of you. That said if you do interview well it'll certainly help a lot!

 

[eizeral]

Hate to break it to you but for many schools the interview is only one part of the final file that the adcoms look at in their final review of you. That said if you do interview well it'll certainly help a lot!

Oh. Okay, then I'm probably screwed. Who would want to admit a 3.97 GPA and 27 MCAT, lol.

 

[SpartanWolverine]

Hate to break it to you but for many schools the interview is only one part of the final file that the adcoms look at in their final review of you. That said if you do interview well it'll certainly help a lot!

I think that depends somewhat on the school. I've had a director of admissions tell me flat out that, if you're invited to interview, you're someone who has the academic background needed (and that the interview is therefore the real determining factor). Of course that may vary from one school to another.

 

[eizeral]

I think that depends somewhat on the school. I've had a director of admissions tell me flat out that, if you're invited to interview, you're someone who has the academic background needed (and that the interview is therefore the real determining factor). Of course that may vary from one school to another.

One school I interviewed at told me that I wouldn't be at the interview stage if they didn't believe I was competitive and capable of succeeding at their school. So hopefully the interview was the final (and most significant) determining factor at that point.

 

[zacharyw]

4.0 and 40 MCAT vs 3.7 and 32 MCAT... It is true that both have the background needed to succeed, but even if the first person had a worse interview, I can see how adcom might still prefer the first person to raise the school's average stats and gloss over the less than stellar interview performance.

If the stats are closer, then interview might possibly be the deciding factor.

 

[ynot89125]

Hate to break it to you but for many schools the interview is only one part of the final file that the adcoms look at in their final review of you. That said if you do interview well it'll certainly help a lot!

I agree. I have heard that its more like a ladder the below post is something i found to be accurate.

Quoted from pyrrion89
"The prevailing idea is that your application places your location on the ladder. The interview can move you up or down a bit.

People can bomb their interviews and still get accepted if they were placed very highly to begin with. Similarly, people can ace their interview and get WL/rejection if they were placed very lowly to begin with. The problem is people have this theory that the interview is everything, so they believe a good interview = acceptance, poor interview = rejection, so when their results are not congruent with their theory's predictions, they dismiss interviews altogether."

 

[TheShaker]

Accepted to SLU, a school that interviewed and wait listed me last cycle. I just...can't believe it. I felt like it was obligatory to announce it in this thread since so many people from last cycle have pushed through this journey with me. 🙂

 

[dnovikov]

Accepted to SLU, a school that interviewed and wait listed me last cycle. I just...can't believe it. I felt like it was obligatory to announce it in this thread since so many people from last cycle have pushed through this journey with me. 🙂

Congrats! I have been rooting for you since last cycle!

 

[DrCharlemagne]

Accepted to SLU, a school that interviewed and wait listed me last cycle. I just...can't believe it. I felt like it was obligatory to announce it in this thread since so many people from last cycle have pushed through this journey with me. 🙂

So many congrats! Any thoughts as to what was different this time around that tipped the scales in your favor?

 

[jk1006]

i wish i could get an interview... just be niceto have my foot in the door

 

[nabilesmail]

i wish i could get an interview... just be niceto have my foot in the door

ME TOO! we have almost the exact same stats and the same exact submission date !

 

[jk1006]

ME TOO! we have almost the exact same stats and the same exact submission date !

yea ive noticed that, we have some school overlap too.

just waiting everyday is killer. even though people say its still (somewhat) early, and that they interview from now til march, doesnt help seeing other people get acceptances and invites

hits me right in the feels

 

[nabilesmail]

yea ive noticed that, we have some school overlap too.

just waiting everyday is killer. even though people say its still (somewhat) early, and that they interview from now til march, doesnt help seeing other people get acceptances and invites

hits me right in the feels

Yeah it seriously sucks. To be honest, I don't think it'll work out for me. I'll be applying to D.O. schools and Post-Bacc SMP's that have high linkage rates with no glide year. I'm also going to send a grade update letter in December. Good luck man! I hope things work out for us.

 

[zacharyw]

Remember the AMCAS verification thread? Majority of the people on SDN submitted by mid-July even though we know in reality less than half of all submission happened prior to that date. I'd imagine same thing with II and acceptances, it's all skewed as if all II and acceptances have gone out.

 

[CyberMaxx]

Remember the AMCAS verification thread? Majority of the people on SDN submitted by mid-July even though we know in reality less than half of all submission happened prior to that date. I'd imagine same thing with II and acceptances, it's all skewed as if all II and acceptances have gone out.

I hope so but I'm not as optimistic. I keep telling myself that its fairly likely to get interview up through December, but I'm less confident each day

 

[BecksTriad]

Accepted to SLU, a school that interviewed and wait listed me last cycle. I just...can't believe it. I felt like it was obligatory to announce it in this thread since so many people from last cycle have pushed through this journey with me. 🙂

congrats man! now we're both in 🙂

 

[premed2000]

Accepted to SLU, a school that interviewed and wait listed me last cycle. I just...can't believe it. I felt like it was obligatory to announce it in this thread since so many people from last cycle have pushed through this journey with me. 🙂

congrats man! now we're both in 🙂

congrats guys! right there with you guys on the "panic thread 2012-2013". We will all be doctors!!

 

[medschoolmyname]

starting to really lose it here. the problem for most of us is the fact that AMCAS was delayed to such a significant extent that the normal processes for most schools has also been thrown off. I am still waiting on 20 schools to just respond after secondaries, the good news is their not rejecting me which seems like what is mostly going on right now... unless im wrong? anyone care to shed some light on whether or not this is indeed true?

 

[jaybird117]

Fourth rejection today, still only the one interview...

 

[BillrothI]

the fact that AMCAS was delayed to such a significant extent that the normal processes for most schools has also been thrown off.

Wasn't it only delayed by a couple of weeks?

-Bill

 

[SpartanWolverine]

starting to really lose it here. the problem for most of us is the fact that AMCAS was delayed to such a significant extent that the normal processes for most schools has also been thrown off. I am still waiting on 20 schools to just respond after secondaries, the good news is their not rejecting me which seems like what is mostly going on right now... unless im wrong? anyone care to shed some light on whether or not this is indeed true?

Yeah, I'm not sure if that's really the case. It seems like schools are excruciatingly slow to me, but this is also my first (hopefully only ) cycle. The opinions here seem to vacillate between a very slow cycle or just a quiet presence on SDN this year.

I tend to agree with you, and I'm very much in the same position. I also think this varies by school, because, personally, I've seen some filling the class at a "historical" rate and others filling just about a monthish in advance. I'm with you hoping that non-rejection and silent consideration is still a good thing. 👍

 

[Member954786]

I cm

I think that depends somewhat on the school. I've had a director of admissions tell me flat out that, if you're invited to interview, you're someone who has the academic background needed (and that the interview is therefore the real determining factor). Of course that may vary from one school to another.

I completely agree. It depends on the school. In many schools your interview score is simply another factor they consider in reviewing your entire application. How heavily the school weighs the interview itself, is entirely dependent on the school. Considering the rungs on the ladder makes perfect sense, but will drive you crazy to think about! I'm sure the schools that are more stats heavy will use this method. I still think an interview can be a game changer no matter where you stand on this ladder.

 

[Wonton Soup]

Still just one interview and waiting on 12 schools. Out of a combined sense of desperation and panic I've finally decided to submit two more secondaries from schools I originally didn't want to apply to even though it's pretty late in the cycle, so now I get to prolong the waiting anxiety even more, yay!

 

[pyrrion89]

I cm


I completely agree. It depends on the school. In many schools your interview score is simply another factor they consider in reviewing your entire application. How heavily the school weighs the interview itself, is entirely dependent on the school. Considering the rungs on the ladder makes perfect sense, but will drive you crazy to think about! I'm sure the schools that are more stats heavy will use this method. I still think an interview can be a game changer no matter where you stand on this ladder.

I still believe in the ladder idea... Though I think anyone invited to the interview is considered to be high enough on the ladder that, in theory, a perfect interview could raise them just enough above the threshold to get accepted. At least, I hope a school would never interview a student they disliked so much that even a perfect interview could "save them."

 

[drscholls]

Accepted to SLU, a school that interviewed and wait listed me last cycle. I just...can't believe it. I felt like it was obligatory to announce it in this thread since so many people from last cycle have pushed through this journey with me. 🙂

Don't use this account anymore, but I happened to be on here today and I saw your post! Congratulations! I've been rooting for you since around this time last year.

 

[Aquahelix]

Submitted secondaries for 29 schools between late September to late October, rejected from 4 schools, no news from the other 25.

 

[jk1006]

Yeah same. Submitted secondaries from early to mid October. 1 hold, 1 rejection and still waiting to hear from the other 8 schools. I'm wondering when us October folks will receive our first II? Most of my statuses say "application under review". Are they really reviewing or have they not gotten to my app yet? lol

well im only just one person, but considering i was done in late july/early august and still have plenty of "under reviews" it could be either. maybe theyve gotten to you, maybe they havent

 

[gobigorgohome22]

well im only just one person, but considering i was done in late july/early august and still have plenty of "under reviews" it could be either. maybe theyve gotten to you, maybe they havent

+1
Done in the same time frame and still have under review statuses from like 12 schools. They probably wont get to October complete applicants until end of November to mid December unless your stats are high enough for the application to stand out and get put to the top.

I should be hearing from 2 schools I have interviewed at in a week or two, lets hope it turns out well 🙁🙁. Good luck to all of you guys waiting. Its not over yet (at least that's what I tell myself...).

 

[PreMedMaverick]

*drops luggage on ground*

I am officially moving into the purgatory that is the panic thread.

Only one II so far (state school) and silence from 10 schools after the secondary submission. (Complete around October 7)

Here are some words of wisdom to any underclassmen that might run across this post: Apply EARLY. I didn't submit my AMCAS until September because I was waiting on an MCAT score, and I am feeling the pain.

My LizzyM is 74, but the late submission is going to hurt me.

 

[Yuyukachoo]

*drops luggage on ground*

I am officially moving into the purgatory that is the panic thread.

Only one II so far (state school) and silence from 10 schools after the secondary submission. (Complete around October 7)

Here are some words of wisdom to any underclassmen that might run across this post: Apply EARLY. I didn't submit my AMCAS until September because I was waiting on an MCAT score, and I am feeling the pain.

My LizzyM is 74, but the late submission is going to hurt me.

I think a lot of people were complete in September in the same boat as you. If you were complete on Oct. 7th I don't think it's time to panic yet...

 

[DrCharlemagne]

Feel free to bust out the world's smallest violin if you like, but I got my first rejection today. Serious sad face.

 

[Wonton Soup]

Feel free to bust out the world's smallest violin if you like, but I got my first rejection today. Serious sad face.

I'm shredding on my invisible violin right now. Hope it gets better from here on out (for all of us)!

 

[Donald Kimball]

Feel free to bust out the world's smallest violin if you like, but I got my first rejection today. Serious sad face.

sorry brother

 

[hopefloatsss]

Day one million and one, still no IL...

Submitted early Sept, completed end of Sept/early October...

I forget that I am waiting to get an interview and then I remember and then I check my email and then despair.

Cry cry cry.

Stay strong everyone.