33 MCAT 3.5 cGPA & still no interviews...

[emkayveedee]

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Should I be worried? I'm waiting to hear back from:

Rosalind Franklin
Emory
Loyola
Northwestern
Medical University South Carolina
University of Colorado
Rush
Georgia Regents
St. Louis
University of Illinois - Chicago

I'm from Illinois, so I'm not sure how much that will help when it comes to the majority of those schools. I'm just not sure when I should start getting really nervous about having no interviews.

 

[rfvbnmju]

Should I be worried? I'm waiting to hear back from:

Rosalind Franklin
Emory
Loyola
Northwestern
Medical University South Carolina
University of Colorado
Rush
Georgia Regents
St. Louis
University of Illinois - Chicago

I'm from Illinois, so I'm not sure how much that will help when it comes to the majority of those schools. I'm just not sure when I should start getting really nervous about having no interviews.

When did you submit?
The GPA is holding you back especially at U Chicago, Emory and Northwestern.

You should have applied to a bit more school also.

Sent from my phone.

 

[emkayveedee]

When did you submit?
The GPA is holding you back especially at U Chicago, Emory and Northwestern.

You should have applied to a bit more school also.

Sent from my phone.

I submitted right away. All my secondaries were complete by August. I applied to about 7 or 8 more schools but I've already been rejected by them.

 

[CarlosDanger]

MCG-Georgia Regents and MUSC almost exclusively take their in-state residents unless you have very strong ties to those states (usually means you grew up there, have a lot of family there, or spent at least a few years living in those states). Since you applied, I would assume maybe you went to college in GA or SC? If so, apply to USC-Columbia and USC-Greenville, and maybe even Mercer if you can prove you're currently a GA resident.

 

[BenzylAcetate]

Fellow Illinois resident here with similar stats (3.5, 32), although I was a re-applicant. There is still a little time left before you need to worry too much, but it's getting close. For what it's worth, I haven't had any MD interviews and am not expecting any at this point. I was accepted to a DO school, though. Without knowing what the rest of your application looks like I can't really say what the issue might be, but your GPA is a little low. Best of luck to you and hopefully you hear some good news soon, but if you haven't made any significant improvements to your application throughout this year I would strongly consider applying DO next cycle.

 

[Goro]

I'm surprised you haven't had any love yet from these schools. But be patient, it's a long cycle. Suggest that you get shut out this year, contact Admissions deans for input, and apply more broadly to low-tier MD, and DO programs. Also, invest in MSAR to see which public schools show significant in-state preferences.

Rosalind Franklin
Loyola
Rush
St. Louis
University of Illinois - Chicago

I'm from Illinois, so I'm not sure how much that will help when it comes to the majority of those schools. I'm just not sure when I should start getting really nervous about having no interviews.[/quote]

 

[therealfinale]

Depending on when you applied, I don't think you need to worry too much. I did get interviews at SLU (complete late August)/UIC (complete early Sept), but I haven't yet heard back from Rush (complete early Sept)/Loyola (complete late Sept). I'm also an IL resident, and I think you'll eventually get an interview at UIC at the very least.

 

[emkayveedee]

I would feel less anxious if I hadn't gotten my applications in so early. But, since they were in at the very beginning of the cycle and I'm still waiting on any interviews it's a little rough.

 

[theseeker4]

I would feel less anxious if I hadn't gotten my applications in so early. But, since they were in at the very beginning of the cycle and I'm still waiting on any interviews it's a little rough.

Don't worry too much yet. Schools jump on the 3.8 /36 students before they pursue the more average applicants. Don't panic yet, but make sure you are positioning yourself to have a stronger application next year if you end up having to reapply.

 

[BlackBox]

I submitted right away. All my secondaries were complete by August. I applied to about 7 or 8 more schools but I've already been rejected by them.

Were these schools 'high ranking?' I kinda find it odd that you would have this luck (no holds? no IIs?). How do you think your refs look?

With that said, your numbers do seem competitive and all you can really do it wait.

 

[ikdils]

I would assume maybe you went to college in GA or SC

 

[emkayveedee]

I would assume maybe you went to college in GA or SC

Nope, just would really like to live in South Carolina so I figured I'd give it a shot.

 

[3838]

Nope, just would really like to live in South Carolina so I figured I'd give it a shot.

I'm actually surprised MUSC hasn't rejected you yet. Not because you're unqualified to go there, but they really just DON'T take OOS people w/o VERY strong ties.

 

[emkayveedee]

Yeah and I was just rejected by UIC pre-interview so now I'm real anxious. I'm banking on Loyola, especially since I did my undergrad there so hopefully that will help.

 

[Wonton Soup]

I'm applying to Rush as well (and currently in Illinois but not a resident). They hand out legit interviews pretty late in the cycle, just sit tight.

 

[Jennyfishy]

Do you have significant or unique experiences and ecs? That seems to be the other piece of the puzzle we're missing

 

[emkayveedee]

I did a Global Medical Brigade in Honduras in January, I'm the Financial Advisor for our university's branch of Habitat for Humanity, I was a general body member of GlobeMed for three years. I've been a part of research in a developmental psychology laboratory for a year and a half and I've volunteered at Lurie Children's Hospital for over two years.

 

[Jennyfishy]

I did a Global Medical Brigade in Honduras in January, I'm the Financial Advisor for our university's branch of Habitat for Humanity, I was a general body member of GlobeMed for three years. I've been a part of research in a developmental psychology laboratory for a year and a half and I've volunteered at Lurie Children's Hospital for over two years.

Hour-wise, I'm sure you've done a lot across these groups, but your experiences outside of "Pre-Med" seem to only be the Habitat for Humanity, so it may be that you aren't really "standing out" among other people with similar stats/experiences. I have no comment about the Global Brigades since missions/2-4 week programs like these are viewed controversially among many people though.

Since I don't know what your PS, secondaries, or LoRs are like, my guess would be that is that there has to be some kind of deficiency somewhere along these parts in the application packet, and not your stats alone. A 3.5/33 on paper should not be turned away unless there were red flags (IAs, etc.) or other reasons to raise doubt in a reviewer's mind. Good luck, the cycle isn't over yet!