2014-2015 Panic Thread

Started by ftp902
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reapplicanthelpme2014 said:
I had 6 interviews
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Thanks so much, that's great advice! Did you get feedback from the schools you interviewed at also? Sorry if it's too personal but I am interested in learning from your experience. I feel like people will say that every year is more intense too. Chin up though! It's quite a ride!
 
reapplicanthelpme2014 said:
PMed you!
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Jumping on the bandwagon if you don't mind PMing me also? I've been glued to sdn while waiting to get at least one II and if I ever do I would really like to hear the feedback you received. With each passing day without an invite it looks like I might have to be a reapplicant and any advice would be appreciated if you don't mind!
 
I am a re-applicant as well and I am really starting to lose hope again. One interview so far from the same school that interviewed me last year. I applied early this year and improved most of the weak parts of my application. I feel that the thing that is holding me back is a bad LOR. If that's the case then I feel there is nothing I can do at this point.
 
I'm feeling sick to my stomach again. I've only received 2 IIs, 1 hold, 1 pre-secondary rejection... and SILENCE. I'm losing it. I'm worried these are going to be my only two. How do some people have like 5 or 7, let alone 12+??? I'd like just a few more to feel comfortable. But apparently it's sounding like many schools are almost completely done giving IIs.
 
Just got rejected by my state school where my LizzyM is almost three points higher than their average matriculated student. And, I know it's more than just stats but I mean, with in-state bias and such I honestly thought I would at least attain an interview or be put on hold.

What am I doing wrong???
 
where is everyone getting rejections? I have heard absolutely NOTHING from my schools, rejections & holds included. and at most Ive been complete for at least a month now. I have even been constantly logging into the app portals just to see if anything is listed on there. I mean, i'm glad to not have been rejected anywhere yet (knock on wood), but not hearing ANYTHING is making me very anxious.
 
OOS. I'm sure you'll have much better chances as an IS applicant. I just had to try cause I love Minneapolis. 🙂
 
ConsultantMD said:
Thanks so much, that's great advice! Did you get feedback from the schools you interviewed at also? Sorry if it's too personal but I am interested in learning from your experience. I feel like people will say that every year is more intense too. Chin up though! It's quite a ride!
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reapplicanthelpme2014 said:
PMed you!
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spockprime said:
Would you mind PMing me as well if it's not too much trouble? I had the same question and would greatly appreciate learning about your experience.
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I'm also curious to know, if you don't mind PMing me as well...thanks :s
 
rachel993 said:
where is everyone getting rejections? I have heard absolutely NOTHING from my schools, rejections & holds included. and at most Ive been complete for at least a month now. I have even been constantly logging into the app portals just to see if anything is listed on there. I mean, i'm glad to not have been rejected anywhere yet (knock on wood), but not hearing ANYTHING is making me very anxious.
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It was a 4 week minimum wait period (for ANY type of response) for me, and I applied the first day AMCAS opened with immediate secondary turnaround. You applied with the majority of applicants, meaning your wait time to hear back is going to be minimum 2-3 months for 99% of schools. Not saying you're not allowed to panic, but if you were wondering what to expect.....:corny:
 
Hearing about applicants with a half dozen interviews getting rejected from everywhere is extremely unnerving... Especially since I don't think my interview days went all too well 🙁

I just wonder what I'd do if I'm faced with a whole lot of nothing at the end. Reapply? Refocus on another path?
 
kewlboy88 said:
Just out of curiosity, what have you thought about doing?
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Primarily I've thought about the fact that I'd be a re-applicant at all of my favorite schools... as far as what I'd do, if I don't get in this cycle I will definitely try to focus on getting clinical volunteering and more shadowing. I'm 2+ years out of school and I have a full-time job with other activities so it's been hard to find time to get more clinical exposure. I'd say that's probably the weakest part of my app. What about you?
 
M12B said:
Primarily I've thought about the fact that I'd be a re-applicant at all of my favorite schools... as far as what I'd do, if I don't get in this cycle I will definitely try to focus on getting clinical volunteering and more shadowing. I'm 2+ years out of school and I have a full-time job with other activities so it's been hard to find time to get more clinical exposure. I'd say that's probably the weakest part of my app. What about you?
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I am a re-applicant for the top 10 schools. And I've got II from many of those. I think it's perfectly fine to reapply as long as what you have done in the process make sense. It took me 3 years to reapply though. It's a tough process but it'll be a worthy trip if medicine is really what you want and when you look back you'd be happy.
 
gooeyzoe said:
Do you think it's too late for us if we submitted in July/August and haven't heard back?
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Not at all. I submitted late July/early August and got IIs this past week. I also got several emails from schools saying that they're backed up and haven't gotten to my application yet, so they may not have even seen your application yet
 
Started a new job and hate it so all I can think about is that email. Pleassseeesss beginning to think those of us complete in August will be waiting mad long
 
FFH said:
I am a re-applicant for the top 10 schools. And I've got II from many of those. I think it's perfectly fine to reapply as long as what you have done in the process make sense. It took me 3 years to reapply though. It's a tough process but it'll be a worthy trip if medicine is really what you want and when you look back you'd be happy.
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Would you mind sharing what you did in the interim to improve your application? Congrats on all the II's!
 
kewlboy88 said:
Would you mind sharing what you did in the interim to improve your application? Congrats on all the II's!
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I got some required courses done. then I mostly I did what people normally do when they are trying to figuring out if medicine is their calling: more research/spending time in the clinical environment. Along the way I consistently did what counted as EC but really were just some non-medically related activities that I have been passionate about. During my conversational interviews, almost everybody asked about these activities and complimented my persistence. Follow your passion. It'll show. But the more clinical exposure the better of course--it helps you decide if you like the work and if it's worth decades of sacrifice.
 
kthxbai said:
Hearing about applicants with a half dozen interviews getting rejected from everywhere is extremely unnerving... Especially since I don't think my interview days went all too well 🙁

I just wonder what I'd do if I'm faced with a whole lot of nothing at the end. Reapply? Refocus on another path?
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I wouldn't worry yet. It is statistically improbably that you get that many rejections. Sure it is possible. Just very unlikely.
 
Hopeful for some luck post-October 15th, when people get acceptances and start withdrawing from other schools. Until then, thinking about update letters and trying to swallow this panic.

2 rejections and 3 holds btw.
 
NYCdude said:
So if we don't hear from a school despite being complete almost 2 months ago, should we just assume bad news? 🙁
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I wouldn't throw in the towel, bro. I've heard of many people (who I'm sure would corroborate my statement) who got IIs months after completion.
 
I also find that it helps a lot if you get everything turned in early! My first time around (last cycle), I got severely delayed by the transcript verification process, so I didn't finish most of my secondaries until the end of August. As a result, I held on to some for too long, and some of them weren't very well-written or personal. I feel that writing in a more personal and refined style this cycle has helped me build a stronger case for myself. I think so far my cycle has been going much better than last cycle (2 II's total last cycle, both from in-state public schools).

EDIT: Also, to first time traditional applicants, you have no idea how awesome it feels to take a break from schooling, even though I know that I didn't feel that way a year ago. I can actually appreciate the leaves changing color with a cozy cup of coffee or nice autumn craft beer without worrying about assignments or tests.
 
kthxbai said:
I wouldn't throw in the towel, bro. I've heard of many people (who I'm sure would corroborate my statement) who got IIs months after completion.
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I appreciate the optimism man, but it seems like this particular cycle is ultra competitive due to the new MCAT changes.
 
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