28 Secondaries, Only 1 II and 2 R

[deleted1164335]

It's now November, and as much as each week I've been told that "it's still early" and that "there are plenty more interviews to go around", I cannot help but continue to worry that there's something wrong with my application or I was misled in its overall strength. I submitted 28 secondaries of my initial 33 primaries, most of which were submitted in August with a third of them split between late July and early-to-mid September. I still can't figure out if that is considered a "later" submission or if August was considered "on-time/early". So far, I have only gotten 1 II from an OOS school in a state where I have strong ties, along with 2 R from reaches and 1 Hold; otherwise, it's been radio silence from every other school.

Given the following application, should I be worried?:

• 3.97 cGPA & sGPA from T10; 513 MCAT (LM 72)
• 1700+ hours research in biophysics, with a co-first author pre-print undergoing revisions at Nature
• 850+ hours research in plastic & reconstructive surgery, with 1 first author, 1 second author, 1 fourth author publication, with another 1 second author in submission and 1 third author in preparation
• 700+ hours research in health policy/equity, with 1 first author publication in Nature Medicine and 1 third author in different journal
• 150 hours as an instructor for new research program for First-gen/URM students at my university
• 190 cumulative clinical volunteering hours + 2080 anticipated as full-time clinical research coordinator
• 215 hours shadowing across surgical, intensive care, and primary care specialties
• 400+ hours in non-clinical volunteering across STEM education, health, and food security initiatives
• Personal statement + essay focused on a career in academic medicine with personal missions of health equity and education-focused patientcare; personal story as chronic patient

Applied to the following schools:

1. Columbia
2. Einstein
3. George Washington (Hold)
4. Sidney Kimmel
5. Boston University
6. Wash U
7. Case Western & CCLCM
8. Rochester
9. Harvard
10. UChicago (R)
11. Pittsburgh (R)
12. Yale
13. Wisconsin
14. Icahn Mount Sinai
15. Northwestern Feinberg
16. Emory
17. Brown Alpert
18. Tennessee
19. Maryland
20. Dartmouth Geisel
21. Saint Louis University
22. UCSF (Received and submitted secondary within 2 days)
23. Missouri - Columbia
24. Cornell
25. Mayo
26. Tufts
27. UCI
28. Johns Hopkins

All of my mentors suggested applying to all of these schools, however I know that my MCAT is far from a lot of their medians despite falling within their 10th-25th percentile ranges. How worried should I be at this point given this applicant profile?

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[ClashRoyaleKing]

This list is WAY too top heavy. Harvard, WashU, Yale, Mayo, Hopkins, Cornell, Columbia, UCSF probably not even considering you right now. I suggest you look at MSAR and find schools within your MCAT range for next cycle.

 

[gyngyn]

I count 5 schools on your list where you have a fair chance at an interview. That's not usually enough, but let us know how it goes!

 

[Faha]

Your list of schools that you applied to is very top heavy for an applicant with a MCAT of 513. Did you apply to your state public schools ?

 

[deleted1164335]

Your list of schools that you applied to is very top heavy for an applicant with a MCAT of 513. Did you apply to your state public schools ?

Yes I did. My current state school started sending out interviews only last week, while I got an II from a private school in the other state with which I have strong ties.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

My answer to your WAMC. What changed?

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forums.studentdoctor.net

 

[deleted1164335]

My answer to your WAMC. What changed?

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forums.studentdoctor.net

Thanks Mr.Smile12, since posting that I've put in over 700 more clinical hours into my new clinical trials coordinator position, have had my paper go into revisions with Nature instead of just being under review, have had another paper published, and gained even more clinical hours with volunteering in the ICU and ED. I was hoping that this would address your earlier comment regarding not having enough clinical experience.

On top of that, I really tried to put in my all into secondaries, highlighting my efforts in policy and equity as you mentioned, as well as talked about my community engagement in a lot of my essays.

Would really appreciate your feedback. Do I really need to plan to reapply?

 

[TennCare]

Thanks Mr.Smile12, since posting that I've put in over 700 more clinical hours into my new clinical trials coordinator position, have had my paper go into revisions with Nature instead of just being under review, have had another paper published, and gained even more clinical hours with volunteering in the ICU and ED. I was hoping that this would address your earlier comment regarding not having enough clinical experience.

On top of that, I really tried to put in my all into secondaries, highlighting my efforts in policy and equity as you mentioned, as well as talked about my community engagement in a lot of my essays.

Would really appreciate your feedback. Do I really need to plan to reapply?

Granted your interview goes well at TN, as an in-state applicant I do not see why you would need to reapply. Why no ETSU? Is the thought of living in Johnson City that bad?

 

[deleted1164335]

Granted your interview goes well at TN, as an in-state applicant I do not see why you would need to reapply. Why no ETSU? Is the thought of living in Johnson City that bad?

The II was not from TN, it was from Saint Louis University, but I'm really hoping I can get an II from TN in the coming weeks. I hadn't applied to ETSU since I felt I was a poor mission fit as they really emphasize rural medicine and primary care.

 

[6'0 OGFLYERCI]

The II was not from TN, it was from Saint Louis University, but I'm really hoping I can get an II from TN in the coming weeks. I hadn't applied to ETSU since I felt I was a poor mission fit as they really emphasize rural medicine and primary care.

Dude your research is nuts! Congrats on being so successful! The problem I see is that I don't see enough clinical experience or volunteering your time to serve those who are less fortunate. I doudt you'll have to reapply, but if you do, work on these two things and your research makes you a canadidate at top schools in my opinion, despite your lower mcat score.

 

[deleted1164335]

Dude your research is nuts! Congrats on being so successful! The problem I see is that I don't see enough clinical experience or volunteering your time to serve those who are less fortunate. I doudt you'll have to reapply, but if you do, work on these two things and your research makes you a canadidate at top schools in my opinion, despite your lower mcat score.

Thank you! I had a little over 400 combined hours volunteering with children in inner city schools, students at refugee/asylum-status international centers, and at food pantries, do you think this would be sufficient? I do agree my clinical experience could have been stronger, I had only about 175 hours in direct patient clinical volunteering and 215 shadowing, but another about 100 working as a student researcher in a surgery clinic to interview patients. Otherwise the 2000+ clinical hours as a clinical trials coordinator were considered anticipated since it is in this current year.

 

[LeaveNoTrace]

Consider an MCAT retake if you're gunning for those top schools; make sure it's at least a 518, preferably a 520. Good luck! If you're reapplying, don't shoot quite as high and find schools that really like research.

 

[lacrossegirl420]

Your MCAT is far too low for the schools that will like your GPA/EC’s, I would either retake the MCAT (aim for 518+) or apply more mid-tiers

 

[deleted1164335]

Your MCAT is far too low for the schools that will like your GPA/EC’s, I would either retake the MCAT (aim for 518+) or apply more mid-tiers

Got it, thank you. Do you know how much of a disadvantage it would be to be reapplying to these schools? I know they want to see improvement between cycles, but would it look bad to have a third MCAT attempt and be a reapplicant?

 

[lacrossegirl420]

Got it, thank you. Do you know how much of a disadvantage it would be to be reapplying to these schools? I know they want to see improvement between cycles, but would it look bad to have a third MCAT attempt and be a reapplicant?

Shouldn’t be a problem, I think Harvard definitely doesn’t like reapplicants (it’s implied on their site) but I doubt most of the other top schools would care
From my understanding, two MCATs is completely fine but three looks a little weird (unless your first score expired), what was your first score?

 

[deleted1164335]

Shouldn’t be a problem, I think Harvard definitely doesn’t like reapplicants (it’s implied on their site) but I doubt most of the other top schools would care
From my understanding, two MCATs is completely fine but three looks a little weird (unless your first score expired), what was your first score?

The first score was a 508, both exams were taken four months apart but during my last, most rigorous semester of undergrad, so I did not really give myself enough time, but I thought the other parts of my app would help uplift the lower score.

 

[candbgirl]

The first score was a 508, both exams were taken four months apart but during my last, most rigorous semester of undergrad, so I did not really give myself enough time, but I thought the other parts of my app would help uplift the lower score.

Are you aware that many schools average MCAT scores? And there really isn’t a list of what schools do. Unless you are consistently scoring 520+ on FL practice tests don’t retake.
Be careful when you describe those thousands of hours as a clinical research coordinator. Sometimes that job title can look more research oriented or even administrative than direct patient contact.
You have a very nice application. With a reasonable and appropriate school list you should have much application success . Getting into med school is hard even for super stars. Be realistic when developing your list.
You only need 50 hours of shadowing as long as you have some with a primary care doc. So stop shadowing.

And nothing will uplift the lower score. There are thousands of applicants that have stellar applications so schools can be picky.