2013-2014 Underdawgs Thread ( Lets get it)

[Elevencents]

I think that would be a waste of money. If it doesn't work out this year, I will just reapply this June. I'm retaking the MCAT in March, regardless the outcome.

If you retake you need to kill it. At least a 27. You can assume PCOM is a silent rejection. I think you need to get your ducks in a row for next cycle. Good luck!

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[BestDoctorEver]

I hope to gain some support and/or insight for my current situation.

First try (7/6/11): 7PS, 4VR, 6BS = 17
Second try (5/24/12): 10PS, 6VR, 6BS = 22
Third try: (9/11/12): 9PS, 5VR, 9BS = 23

My cGPA is 3.41, my sGPA is 3.64

I have many shadowing hours and I have been working in the hospital, full-time for the past 7 months as a PCA.

I have applied to 12 schools and received 10 secondaries. Currently, I have two schools on hold (pre-interview) and three that I haven't heard from (pre-interview). The rest are denials.

Thoughts?

Are you ESOL?

 

[chizledfrmstone]

I hope to gain some support and/or insight for my current situation.

First try (7/6/11): 7PS, 4VR, 6BS = 17
Second try (5/24/12): 10PS, 6VR, 6BS = 22
Third try: (9/11/12): 9PS, 5VR, 9BS = 23

My cGPA is 3.41, my sGPA is 3.64

I have many shadowing hours and I have been working in the hospital, full-time for the past 7 months as a PCA.

I have applied to 12 schools and received 10 secondaries. Currently, I have two schools on hold (pre-interview) and three that I haven't heard from (pre-interview). The rest are denials.

Thoughts?

Still waiting (pre-interview): PCOM, LECOM-Erie, KYCOM
On hold (pre-interview): WVSOM, KCOM
Denied: LECOM-Bradenton, DMU, ATSU-AZ, RVUCOM, AZCOM, KCUMB
Still haven't received secondary: VCOM

9 of those schools have averages way above 23.

I have a 27 and I knew there was no way I would get into AZCOM, RVUCOM or PCOM unless I had something special.

LECOM-B and DMU were on the higher side for me. I was lucky to get interviews at both places.

WVSOM, VCOM and KYCOM are the only ones that make sense. Also make sure you check your spam folder. My VCOM secondary went in there.

you could try adding LUCOM, ACOM, LMU, WCU, PNWU and/or PCOM-Ga even though it is late.

This list sounds much more reasonable.

 

[DocWinter]

I think that would be a waste of money. If it doesn't work out this year, I will just reapply this June. I'm retaking the MCAT in March, regardless the outcome.

I agree, don't make further attempts this year. Go for a 25 or higher on the MCAT and apply to the other schools that User3 listed, and you are in a much better place

 

[touchpause13]

Swimming you applied WAY too high. I would suggest retaking the MCAT and applying more realistically next cycle

 

[user3]

Still waiting (pre-interview): PCOM, LECOM-Erie, KYCOM
On hold (pre-interview): WVSOM, KCOM
Denied: LECOM-Bradenton, DMU, ATSU-AZ, RVUCOM, AZCOM, KCUMB
Still haven't received secondary: VCOM

Agree with others that your mix of schools had too few low tiers. Had you applied to the others I listed, you would probably have a few ii's.

Even if your MCAT doesn't go up, I think you should still get enough interviews to get in provided you apply to enough low tiers.

 

[user3]

Also, I don't know where this perception that PCOM is a high stat school comes from. Yes, they get the most applications but their admissions process is so incredibly random and bizarre it's honestly worth it for both high and low stats to apply. People that they've interviewed have been scattered all across the board in terms of stats.

 

[SwimmingSurg20]

Agree with others that your mix of schools had too few low tiers. Had you applied to the others I listed, you would probably have a few ii's.

Even if your MCAT doesn't go up, I think you should still get enough interviews to get in provided you apply to enough low tiers.

I'm hoping that my MCAT score goes up but if it doesn't, what schools would you consider as low tier (other than the ones previously stated)? Also, does being a Texas resident help my chances at UNTHSC?

Do you know which schools look at mixed scores over actual cumulative scores? (as in, they look at the best score in each section to make a cumulative score)

I really like my personal statement. Would it be a bad idea to keep it the same?

 

[BestDoctorEver]

Also, I don't know where this perception that PCOM is a high stat school comes from. Yes, they get the most applications but their admissions process is so incredibly random and bizarre it's honestly worth it for both high and low stats to apply. People that they've interviewed have been scattered all across the board in terms of stats.

Does PCOM have regional bias?

 

[touchpause13]

Does PCOM have regional bias?

No one knows. PCOM-GA does

 

[BestDoctorEver]

No one knows. PCOM-GA does

Thanks...PCOM-GA will be one of my top choices next cycle...My home state borders GA. I don't if that will help though.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Thanks...PCOM-GA will be one of my top choices next cycle...My home state borders GA. I don't if that will help though.

I thought you were already a doctor...

 

[user3]

I'm hoping that my MCAT score goes up but if it doesn't, what schools would you consider as low tier (other than the ones previously stated)? Also, does being a Texas resident help my chances at UNTHSC?

Do you know which schools look at mixed scores over actual cumulative scores? (as in, they look at the best score in each section to make a cumulative score)

I really like my personal statement. Would it be a bad idea to keep it the same?

in addition to the ones I listed, you could try CUSOM (although they might have a 24 cutoff) and MUCOM. And yea, your IS status would help with TCOM although it would still be a huge reach.

I would call schools and ask about the PS. DO schools are generally less finnicky about reapplicants than MD.

 

[BestDoctorEver]

I thought you were already a doctor...

A sexology doctor--not a medical one! Lol...

 

[DoctorSwoleMD]

Since it's late and I'm just now finishing all of my crap with some fall retakes, what do y'all think about my chances this cycle?

Cum: 3.57
Sci: 3.47
MCAT (9/12/13): 22 - 8/7/7
MCAT (1/23/14): ??? - took the MCAT again this morning and felt much better about it. Thinking realistically, 27-32. (10/8/11 my best guess).
Roughly 500 hours of shadowing and interning DO and MD + volunteer service.

Schools I applied to: ATSU-KCOM / ATSU-SOMA / Alabama / AZCOM / Campbell / Lake Erie Bradenton / Lake Erie Seton Hill / Lincoln / Marian / OSU / PCOM / Touro NY / Touro NV / KYCOM / Western Pamona / William Carey


I haven't had one rejection and almost EVERY school has had me on hold since December for my new MCAT score. Both Lake Erie campuses and Touro campuses have not sent me a secondary at this point (on hold / MCAT) and William Carey "hasn't made a decision" on even sending me a secondary. All of the campuses I applied to accept January MCAT's so I'm wondering what y'all think / advise at this point!

 

[user3]

Since it's late and I'm just now finishing all of my crap with some fall retakes, what do y'all think about my chances this cycle?

Cum: 3.57
Sci: 3.47
MCAT (9/12/13): 22 - 8/7/7
MCAT (1/23/14): ??? - took the MCAT again this morning and felt much better about it. Thinking realistically, 27-32. (10/8/11 my best guess).
Roughly 500 hours of shadowing and interning DO and MD + volunteer service.

Schools I applied to: ATSU-KCOM / ATSU-SOMA / Alabama / AZCOM / Campbell / Lake Erie Bradenton / Lake Erie Seton Hill / Lincoln / Marian / OSU / PCOM / Touro NY / Touro NV / KYCOM / Western Pamona / William Carey


I haven't had one rejection and almost EVERY school has had me on hold since December for my new MCAT score. Both Lake Erie campuses and Touro campuses have not sent me a secondary at this point (on hold / MCAT) and William Carey "hasn't made a decision" on even sending me a secondary. All of the campuses I applied to accept January MCAT's so I'm wondering what y'all think / advise at this point!

24+ and you should get some ii's

 

[BestDoctorEver]

Since it's late and I'm just now finishing all of my crap with some fall retakes, what do y'all think about my chances this cycle?

Cum: 3.57
Sci: 3.47
MCAT (9/12/13): 22 - 8/7/7
MCAT (1/23/14): ??? - took the MCAT again this morning and felt much better about it. Thinking realistically, 27-32. (10/8/11 my best guess).
Roughly 500 hours of shadowing and interning DO and MD + volunteer service.

Schools I applied to: ATSU-KCOM / ATSU-SOMA / Alabama / AZCOM / Campbell / Lake Erie Bradenton / Lake Erie Seton Hill / Lincoln / Marian / OSU / PCOM / Touro NY / Touro NV / KYCOM / Western Pamona / William Carey


I haven't had one rejection and almost EVERY school has had me on hold since December for my new MCAT score. Both Lake Erie campuses and Touro campuses have not sent me a secondary at this point (on hold / MCAT) and William Carey "hasn't made a decision" on even sending me a secondary. All of the campuses I applied to accept January MCAT's so I'm wondering what y'all think / advise at this point!

If you get that 27+, you should be able to get in somewhere...

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

24+ and you should get some ii's

Comment censored by author of comment as he does not wish to be banned.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

If you get that 27+, you should be able to get in somewhere...

Most schools don't accepted January mcats

 

[touchpause13]

Comment censored by author of comment as he does not wish to be banned.

Haha

 

[BestDoctorEver]

Most schools don't accepted January mcats

The poster said schools that he/she listed accept January MCAT..

 

[user3]

Comment censored by author of comment as he does not wish to be banned.

I'm really surprised how few ii's you received serenade. Someone last year applied with 3.7/26 and landed 18 interviews. I guess they were not a typical case, or it is that much harder this year

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

I'm really surprised how few ii's you received serenade. Someone last year applied with 3.7/26 and landed 18 interviews. I guess they were not a typical case, or it is that much harder this year

Or the application cycle is a complete crapshoot.

 

[user3]

AND hvilledoc now has a 4th ii (WVSOM) with his 22 mcat.

Another UD (lutzsh01) has received 4 ii with 3.2/3.1/25 (LECOM-SH, CUSOM, VCOM, and PCOM)

 

[chocolateislife]

Hi!

Shoutout to the underdogs!

I did not expect to get into medical school let alone even receive interviews and I have so far been accepted to one school and I have two more IIs coming up!

Good luck to you all! I feel so blessed!

3.4, 24

 

[brew]

On average how long do most schools take after submitting a secondary to invite for an interview? Getting anxious here... First post in UD thread!

 

[user3]

Hi!

Shoutout to the underdogs!

I did not expect to get into medical school let alone even receive interviews and I have so far been accepted to one school and I have two more IIs coming up!

Good luck to you all! I feel so blessed!

3.4, 24

your numbers are not bad, just on the lower end of competitive. congrats though

 

[chocolateislife]

your numbers are not bad, just on the lower end of competitive. congrats though

thanks! i got into wvsom and have IIs at lecom sh and pcom (instater) so Im pretty excited!

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

On average how long do most schools take after submitting a secondary to invite for an interview? Getting anxious here... First post in UD thread!

There are too many factors for a real answer. I'd go ahead and say that it's probably 2 months on average, but it could range between 2 days and 6+ months admittedly.

 

[hippiespeak]

I had posted as an underdog earlier this cycle and was recently accepted into PCOM-GA. I had a 24 MCAT and a 3.9 sGPA 3.94 GPA. Just fyi to anyone curious.

 

[user3]

I had posted as an underdog earlier this cycle and was recently accepted into PCOM-GA. I had a 24 MCAT and a 3.9 sGPA 3.94 GPA. Just fyi to anyone curious.

not an UD...your GPA more than made up for your marginal MCAT

 

[SweetC]

I had posted as an underdog earlier this cycle and was recently accepted into PCOM-GA. I had a 24 MCAT and a 3.9 sGPA 3.94 GPA. Just fyi to anyone curious.

How do you like PCOM? I have heard some good things about it. Hoping to get an II there soon

 

[user3]

another highly successful underdog, victoriax87. 3.13/2.90/27. Not URM and a CA resident. Again, most would have said not to waste money applying.

EIGHT interviews. LMU, ACOM, CUSOM, LUCOM, Touro-NY, Touro-CA, MUCOM and NSU

 

[DbDan]

Hey I didn't create it @DbDan did

Hey now, I'm pretty sure I didn't come up with the formula, someone else did. I just put it in the spreadsheet. I was just responding to someone's guidelines. I didn't even remember what the formula was lol

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

another highly successful underdog, victoriax87. 3.13/2.90/27. Not URM and a CA resident. Again, most would have said not to waste money applying.

SIX interviews. LMU, ACOM, CUSOM, LUCOM, Touro-NY, and NSU

There are probably more examples of people not getting anything with that gpa from this thread alone. I'm all for UDs, but applying under 3.0 usually doesn't lead to success. I also think now DO is a two tier system where the surprising interviews she got are NSU and TU-NY.

 

[user3]

There are probably more examples of people not getting anything with that gpa from this thread alone. I'm all for UDs, but applying under 3.0 usually doesn't lead to success. I also think now DO is a two tier system where the surprising interviews she got are NSU and TU-NY.

Agree. That's why applying to the RIGHT schools is key for those with lower stats.

I mean, look at the person earlier with 3.4/3.6/23 and no ii's. They applied to way too many upper tier and too few low tier. The people with 22's I mentioned earlier have nearly all of their ii's from newer/lower tier programs. Not applying to enough low tiers is perhaps the most common reason for unsuccessful DO applicants.

 

[user3]

ok

the more examples I post, the more I will hopefully make you and others realize competitiveness begins around 3.0/27, 3.2/24, 3.5/22, etc. you always write me off as a citer of anecdotes, but whenever I ask for people with these numbers that truly applied broadly and got no interviews, I get crickets.

FWIW, I told you early on that you would get ii's out the wazoo, and I was right. Your freaking out over your chances was not justified.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

the more examples I post, the more I will hopefully make you and others realize competitiveness begins around 3.0/27, 3.2/24, 3.5/22, etc. you always write me off as a citer of anecdotes, but whenever I ask for people with these numbers that truly applied broadly and got no interviews, I get crickets.

FWIW, I told you early on that you would get ii's out the wazoo, and I was right. Your freaking out over your chances was not justified.

Have you considered that people who don't get interviews... Don't want to talk about it?

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

I will also request that you stop using the word competitive unless they're over the schools averages or the over DO average.

 

[user3]

Have you considered that people who don't get interviews... Don't want to talk about it?

they do on pre-allo

 

[user3]

I will also request that you stop using the word competitive unless they're over the schools averages or the over DO average.

my definition of competitive is stats high enough to land at least 1 acceptance

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

they do on pre-allo

Because pre-allo an interview is legitimately 5% of your application. It's not that way at DO schools.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

my definition of competitive is stats high enough to land at least 1 acceptance

Well until you get your own dictionary lets use the established definition.

Sigh, look I'm not trying to be a jerk but lets not lead people down the wrong road.

 

[chizledfrmstone]

my definition of competitive is stats high enough to land at least 1 acceptance

Most of the admissions faculty that I've spoken to consider someone competitive if they are at average stats for their own school.

One thing I will admit is you've made me realize getting 1 acceptance is a major thing. I've spoken to a few people who spent years trying to get into medical school and here we are talking about people with 7-10 IIs and 2-3 of them being potential acceptances. It just takes 1 acceptance to change someone's life.

 

[user3]

Most of the admissions faculty that I've spoken to consider someone competitive if they are at average stats for their own school.

One thing I will admit is you've made me realize getting 1 acceptance is a major thing. I've spoken to a few people who spent years trying to get into medical school and here we are talking about people with 7-10 IIs and 2-3 of them being potential acceptances. It just takes 1 acceptance to change someone's life.

were these MD applicants? If so, having multiple interviews and even multiple waitlists but no acceptances is quite common in the MD world.

But honestly, why fuss about the definition of competitive? People just want to know if they have the stats to get in somewhere. That is what is important.

 

[chizledfrmstone]

were these MD applicants? If so, having multiple interviews and even multiple waitlists but no acceptances is quite common in the MD world.

But honestly, why fuss about the definition of competitive? People just want to know if they have the stats to get in somewhere. That is what is important.

1/2 of them were at established DO schools. One guy mentioned 4 cycles with pretty solid stats.

Being competitive at LUCOM is different than being competitive at DMU.

Btw, I just like playing devil's advocate.

 

[user3]

1/2 of them were at established DO schools. One guy mentioned 4 cycles with pretty solid stats.

Being competitive at LUCOM is different than being competitive at DMU.

but in the whole scheme of things, a DO is a DO whether from MSU or LUCOM. Although I have great respect for one and very little for the other, they will both lead to the same destinations.

People who don't get in because they think they are too good for the newer schools and don't apply to them...deserve to be rejected

 

[chizledfrmstone]

but in the whole scheme of things, a DO is a DO whether from MSU or LUCOM. Although I have great respect for one and very little for the other, they will both lead to the same destinations.

People who don't get in because they think they are too good for the newer schools and don't apply to them...deserve to be rejected

I'm so curious where you got accepted. Looks like LUCOM is off the list... 30 more to go...

 

[Elevencents]

the more examples I post, the more I will hopefully make you and others realize competitiveness begins around 3.0/27, 3.2/24, 3.5/22, etc. you always write me off as a citer of anecdotes, but whenever I ask for people with these numbers that truly applied broadly and got no interviews, I get crickets.

FWIW, I told you early on that you would get ii's out the wazoo, and I was right. Your freaking out over your chances was not justified.

One of the most neurotic people earlier on, oh how things have changed

People need to get off user3's balls. He's just posting numbers to give people hope. It's nice to see after all the condescension and bickering earlier on. This is an UNDERDOG thread, lets tout some underdog success.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

One of the most neurotic people earlier on, oh how things have changed

People need to get off user3's balls. He's just posting numbers to give people hope. It's nice to see after all the condescension and bickering earlier on. This is an UNDERDOG thread, lets tout some underdog success.

Final Fantasy 10 had someone who gave false hope...