514 MCAT/3.80 GPA applicant chances and how to improve for future cycles

[dideperfect123]

I recently applied for this current cycle and have not received a single interview yet. What can I Improve on my application going forward?

MCAT: 514

sGPA: 3.77

cGPA: 3.80

State: IL (strong connection to NJ)

Race: White

Non-Clinical Volunteering

Volunteered at Home for those with developmental disorders- 30 Hours

Volunteer Tutor for an organization that assists recent immigrants: 54 Hours

Volunteering for Fraternity Philanthropy Events: 20 Hours

Volunteer at Food Pantry- 30 Hours

Clinical Experiences (Volunteering and Shadowing)

Shadowing (mostly PCP, but some for other specialties): 130 Hours

Hospice Volunteering: 75 Hours

Hospital 1 Volunteering (Cardiovascular Center): 65

Hospital 2 Volunteering (Wayfinding): 80

Research

ecology research lab (writing manuscript currently, no other publications): 500 Hours

psychology research lab (no publications): 180 Hours

Work

Accepted job as Mcat tutor at my university ( it started yet)

Misc. Stuff

Health and Wellness Chair of Fraternity

Intramural Sports

Photography (personal, not business)

School List

CCOM
Tufts
George Washington
SKMC
Northwestern
UMiami
Harvard
Loyola Stritch
Wayne State
Albert Einstein
MCW
Stony Brook
Rutgers RJW
Rutgers NJMS
UCLA
Vermont
Rush
Emory
Creighton
Drexel
University of Illinois
Hackensack Meridian
Wake Forest
Georgetown
NYU
Dartmouth
Wisconsin
Tulane
Brown
Rosalind Franklin
SIU
Indiana


Any Feedback would be appreciated!

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[Nontrad_FL_LGBT]

Your hours for volunteering and medical are both on the low end of decent but honestly it's weird you haven't gotten any interviews at all. Most of your list is pretty reasonable with a few obvious enthusiastic reaches. The only feedback I have around the ECs is that given you don't have a long-term experience with medicine or volunteering your hours might seem like box checking?

Did you have people review your writing? Any potential issues with any of your LORs? I think this is more likely where the issue is.

I'd add a PRN medical job and find a volunteering thing you can do once or twice a week for a few hours and reapp next year with new essays and after a review of your LORs.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Remember when I commented in your last WAMC?

Your nonclinical hours are very low and don't clearly show service orientation as defined by AAMC. You really need to get off-campus and serve others. Examples include food pantry or delivery, shelter work (women and children, LGBTQ, homeless, etc.), habitat or housing security, or job training for formerly Incarcerated.

What feedback has your advisor and committee given you?

Have you told your advisor/committee about your application success to date? What have your done to address this deficiency (IMO)?

 

[dideperfect123]

Your hours for volunteering and medical are both on the low end of decent but honestly it's weird you haven't gotten any interviews at all. Most of your list is pretty reasonable with a few obvious enthusiastic reaches. The only feedback I have around the ECs is that given you don't have a long-term experience with medicine or volunteering your hours might seem like box checking?

Did you have people review your writing? Any potential issues with any of your LORs? I think this is more likely where the issue is.

I'd add a PRN medical job and find a volunteering thing you can do once or twice a week for a few hours and reapp next year with new essays and after a review of your LORs.

I don’t think any of my LORs were bad enough to kill my app. I unfortunately did not have anyone look at my secondaries. I had two people look at my personal statement but it was a bit rushed as I wanted to get my application in as early as possible tho.

 

[dideperfect123]

Remember when I commented in your last WAMC?

Have you told your advisor/committee about your application success to date? What have your done to address this deficiency (IMO)?

Yes, I do remember, and unfortunately you were correct on me not receiving any interviews. The last time I have contacted my advisor was in early November but I was planning on setting up a meeting with her relatively soon.

As for what I have done to address my deficiencies, I have began volunteering at a food pantry, I have continued to do hospice volunteering, and finally I just accepted a job as an mcat tutor but it has not began as of yet.

 

[chilly_md]

As mentioned, I would suggest gaining significant hours (200+ in each) at the food pantry and hospice. Of your list, several schools were unrealistic either due to your lower stats (Harvard, UCLA, Northwestern etc) or very low hours of service (Loyola, Rush, Georgetown etc). SIU is interested in applicants from south of I-80, not those from Chicago.

If you need the money, continue with the MCAT tutor job, but understand it won’t add much to your application.

With the scattered hospital volunteering and rushed PS, you may not have had a strong answer to why medicine in your application.