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Purpose for writing this WAMC:
-NOTE: I am currently an applicant in the 2016 cycle. However, I am only applying to one MD state school this year and have good reasons for doing so. I have already interviewed at this school (it went well) and am hoping to get accepted there, making this post a moot point.
-However, being realistic about my chances of not getting in with only one target, next cycle will be my "main" application season where I apply broadly and very early. I want some feedback on my current application in order to fine-tune it and strategize for next year if another cycle is necessary.
The lowdown:
-White male, 24 about to turn 25, currently living in the Midwest.
-Undergraduate degree is in English from a small liberal arts university.
-I have a very unique experience living with and taking care of a disabled gentleman the past two years since graduation that was my springboard away from law school and towards medical school.
-I went back to school to take chemistry, physics, organic, biology, trig, and biochemistry. Only science classes at my undergrad were nutrition and statistics.
-My cGPA is 3.96, my sGPA is 3.87.
-Took the MCAT once and got a 33.
-40 hours of shadowing with a surgeon and a radiologist.
-80 hours of clinical-voluntering in a hospital setting.
-Volunteering experience with troubled youths and a life-long involvement in a religious community and the various outreaches important there.
-2500+ hours of clinical experience working as a phlebotomist and a phlebotomy coordinator (supervisory position) at a large level-1 trauma center.
-Plenty of leadership in college including a stint on student government, resident assistant, writing tutor, and a work-study position with a department chair.
-At least 3 of my letters of recommendation are going to be very, very strong.
Potential weaknesses in my application:
-Some of my post-bacc prereqs were done at a CC (mostly dictated by non-trad circumstances).
-My MCAT is a little unbalanced. I took it while I was still in my first semester of physics.
-Obviously, research has never been an option.
-No committee letter because, well, that's not an option. My two science LORS from post-bacc may not be nearly as strong as some from undergrad professors who got to know me much better. They'll be fine but nothing special.
Intangible strength:
-My writing. My personal statement and application essays are something I would far and away consider a unique strength in my current application. My writing/verbal skills are reflected in my 100 percentile MCAT verbal score and a 98 percentile writing score on the GRE years ago.
-NOTE: I am currently an applicant in the 2016 cycle. However, I am only applying to one MD state school this year and have good reasons for doing so. I have already interviewed at this school (it went well) and am hoping to get accepted there, making this post a moot point.
-However, being realistic about my chances of not getting in with only one target, next cycle will be my "main" application season where I apply broadly and very early. I want some feedback on my current application in order to fine-tune it and strategize for next year if another cycle is necessary.
The lowdown:
-White male, 24 about to turn 25, currently living in the Midwest.
-Undergraduate degree is in English from a small liberal arts university.
-I have a very unique experience living with and taking care of a disabled gentleman the past two years since graduation that was my springboard away from law school and towards medical school.
-I went back to school to take chemistry, physics, organic, biology, trig, and biochemistry. Only science classes at my undergrad were nutrition and statistics.
-My cGPA is 3.96, my sGPA is 3.87.
-Took the MCAT once and got a 33.
-40 hours of shadowing with a surgeon and a radiologist.
-80 hours of clinical-voluntering in a hospital setting.
-Volunteering experience with troubled youths and a life-long involvement in a religious community and the various outreaches important there.
-2500+ hours of clinical experience working as a phlebotomist and a phlebotomy coordinator (supervisory position) at a large level-1 trauma center.
-Plenty of leadership in college including a stint on student government, resident assistant, writing tutor, and a work-study position with a department chair.
-At least 3 of my letters of recommendation are going to be very, very strong.
Potential weaknesses in my application:
-Some of my post-bacc prereqs were done at a CC (mostly dictated by non-trad circumstances).
-My MCAT is a little unbalanced. I took it while I was still in my first semester of physics.
-Obviously, research has never been an option.
-No committee letter because, well, that's not an option. My two science LORS from post-bacc may not be nearly as strong as some from undergrad professors who got to know me much better. They'll be fine but nothing special.
Intangible strength:
-My writing. My personal statement and application essays are something I would far and away consider a unique strength in my current application. My writing/verbal skills are reflected in my 100 percentile MCAT verbal score and a 98 percentile writing score on the GRE years ago.
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