A Day Late and a Dollar Short?

[booya23]

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Hey there everyone,

I'm putting this out because I am already at my wits' end over the medical school application process. After interviewing at all 5 UCs, I was promptly placed on the waitlist/alternate list/acceptable pool of each. I keep analyzing the entire situation in my head and can't make sense of why this happened. Even a rejection or two would be understandable.

I'm a first-time applicant, the August 2001 MCAT was my first and I scored a 38-T. I graduated from a community college with a double science major, transferred to a UC and graduated two years later, once again as a double science major. My CC GPA was a 3.7, at UC I was a Regent's Scholar and maintained a 4.0. I spent 4 years volunteering in different capacities from being a substance abuse counselor to nurse's aide in the local ED. I conducted research for two years both in CC and at UC, supported by an NSF program, a Beckman award and ulitmately my own NIH grant. I co-authored 3 publications as an undergraduate, and in recognition of my work, earned almost every honor my university could bestow.

In my opinion, what made me different was my background as elucidated in my personal comments. I dropped out of high school twice to take care of my mother when she suffered from cancer. She was a single parent, and I was her only child. We had no other family, and when she needed me, I was there. I gave up admission to an Ivy league school in order to be nearby, hence my attendance of a CC. I worked throughout my undergraduate years to provide for her, both physically and financially. Her cancer returned in my senior year of college, so instead of applying to medical school, I went to work with the State in administration because there weren't any local employment opportunities available for recent sciecne graduates. When she passed away after Christmas 2000, I grieved for a while and returned to academia through a post-bac program to pursue my medical aspirations.

Now all I have to show for all my hopes and dreams are 5 waitlist letters. I didn't even get invited to any other schools to interview. Of all the reasons why I didn't get in yet, two are stuck in my mind. One is that I applied too late in the application cycle and thus interviewed for the waitlist. The other is that my ethnic group and gender aren't underrepresented and that I'm not particularly disadvantaged.

Any comments?

 

[SMW]

It's terrible that this has happened to you, but then, I guess it's also happened to a lot of other worthy applicants. I would say the salient questions are: When did you submit your AMCAS? And did you apply to any other schools besides the UC's? If you submitted late and didn't apply to enough schools (for a CA resident I would think that would be at least 20-25 schools) then I think you have your answer. I would leave the gender/ethnicity/disadvantaged question out of it. You were not interviewing for those spots, so let it be. Reapply, early and to a wide variety of schools, and you will eventually get in.

 

[none]

You sound amazingly competitive. I am also interested in where else you applied. The UCs are very random and definitely should not be relied upon regardless of your stats and experiences. Did you try USC? With those stats, you very well might have received a scholarship there... Also, how late is late? August? September? October?

 

[Kashmar]

Regardless of your stats, applying late places you in a much less competative position. If you must reapply, send in your application at the earliest date possible!!!!!! With your stats, I would recommend applying to the top schools EARLY as well as a wide range of other schools.

You may have also encountered the situation where many schools rejected you for an interview because your scores were too high to justify investing the resources for recruitment as you would have been accepted elsewhere.

If you don't get in this year, next year you may end up in a much better school with more funding options provided you apply earlier. I don't think your ethnic status is a realistic factor in this situation. Best of luck!

 

[gel1]

You sound so well-qualified, that at first I thought this thread was a joke or a parody. Everyone has given good advice, but I wanted to make sure that you know to keep sending letters of interest to all 5 schools to let them know you are still waiting. I don't know if you have already been doing this, but persistance may help make up for your late applications. All of the UCs are such great schools and cheap. Finally, the definition of "disadvantaged" on the AMCAS application is very broad. In many ways it seems like you were disadvantaged. I consider having to drop out of school twice and attend a CC so you could be a primary care-giver a Huge disadvantage. If you have to reapply, you might consider using this option (again, I don't know if you already did this, and others may disagree with me). Good luck.

 

[Sammmeyeam]

Listen man, 5 waitlists is better than 5 rejections... don't lose hope.

I think you have a very good chance of getting into at least one of the UCs.

 

[Sammmeyeam]

I thought of something... the fact that you dropped out of high school 2 times... although it was for a very good reason (to take care of your mom), this may have someohow looked weird to the committee... e.g. - they might be wondering "What if he drops out of Medical School?"...

I dunno... but lots of luck to you.

 

[bujji13]

•••quote:••• Also, how late is late? August? September? October? ••••That was going to be my question too; the OP said he took the August 2001 MCAT. Those scores, experiences, grades, etc. are all absolutely REMARKABLE, but he/she would have had her application reviewed/screened for the first time in mid-October, at the earliest. If this person applied again this year, I am willing to bet he/she would get in ANYWHERE.

 

[paean]

Make sure the UCs know you are still interested. I was told when I called UCSF (I'm on their alternate list) that I should keep them updated with letters periodically, even if they were just to say that I am still interested, and that my address hasn't changed. They also said that they haven't started taking anyone off their alternate list yet, so don't lose hope unless you are in the same position in August.

If you are looking for answers as to why you don't have an acceptance yet, I concur that you applied too late (I got two of my three acceptances from the schools where I interviewed before your MCAT scores were out, and my later interviews mostly led waitlists).

 

[paean]

Make sure the UCs know you are still interested. I was told when I called UCSF (I'm on their alternate list) that I should keep them updated with letters periodically, even if they were just to say that I am still interested, and that my address hasn't changed. They also said that they haven't started taking anyone off their alternate list yet, so don't lose hope unless you are in the same position in August.

If you are looking for answers as to why you don't have an acceptance yet, I concur that you applied too late (I got two of my three acceptances from the schools where I interviewed before your MCAT scores were out, and my later interviews mostly led waitlists).

 

[Jalby]

I thought (LOOK I SPELLED IT RIGHT!!!!!) this post was a joke when I first read it. You are extremely qualified applicant in every aspect that we can see. But generally, people I know who are like you (should get in everywhere, but rejected or waitlisted) the first thing I think of is how they would interview. And most of the time, those people are people who I just get a bad vibe when I'm around them normally. So I would guess that your interview is your major malfunction. Or could be your personal statement. I think you'll get in somewhere, but if you don't write the schools and ask them why you didn't get in. Practice interviewing. Just my .02

 

[Bikini Princess]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by Jalbrekt:
•I thought (LOOK I SPELLED IT RIGHT!!!!!) this post was a joke when I first read it. You are extremely qualified applicant in every aspect that we can see. But generally, people I know who are like you (should get in everywhere, but rejected or waitlisted) the first thing I think of is how they would interview. And most of the time, those people are people who I just get a bad vibe when I'm around them normally. So I would guess that your interview is your major malfunction. Or could be your personal statement. I think you'll get in somewhere, but if you don't write the schools and ask them why you didn't get in. Practice interviewing. Just my .02•••••Yep. I thought it was a joke at first too. In fact, i'm still a bit skeptical.. the whole 4.0/38 mcat, and the URM stuff..the poster might be trying to make some social commentary.

Whatever it is, don't give up. I've heard of schools not accepting over-qualified applicants because they think of it as a wasted acceptance. That is, they're sure that they'll go to an ivy league, so why bother?

Assuming this wasn't the case, your interviews/PS are at fault..these are easily remedied though - just practice! 🙂

 

[booya23]

Thanks for the comments...

My 4.0 was hard earned, but then again I had only 6 quarters to maintain it. My MCAT score was surprising, but I believe my Post-Bac program's prep class was most benefical.

I admit I applied late, my primary app went out that fateful day last September. I applied to a total of 12 schools, the most I could afford given that I qualified for a fee aplication waiver, though I am a full-time college student, I still pay for my late mother's lingering medical expenses. I did apply to all the in-state schools including USC and three back-up schools out of state. My secondaries with the exception of the one for UC Davis were returned by December.

I interviewed in late February, late March and late April, all at UCs. And I heard nothing until the middle of May. As for my interviewing, it may have been that, for all I know I have some sort of personality flaw that precludes me from becoming a physician. But I didn't get that feeling when I interviewed, quite the contrary, at UCLA my interviewer told me I was the most impressive candidate she'd seen in twenty years and was excited at the prospect of a new generation of physicians such as myself entering medicine.

On both my UC application and AMCAS I designated myself as disadvantaged, both for socioeconomic and ethnic criteria. I was raised in a predominantly hispanic agricultural community, yet I am not hispanic. The Post-Bac program I've been a part of for the past year also required that its participants be of a disadvantaged or underrepresented status. The reason I think that may be of some significance is because I was told that at UCLA, applicants in this category are reviewed by a different committee, though I was led to believe that in the end the fate of all applicants are decided by a single admissions commitee.

I am still wondering what I am supposed to do next. On a weekly basis, I send letters, faxes and e-mails to each and every school reiterating my interest in their programs. However I can't seem to shake the thought that maybe my aspirations to become a physician were not meant to be.

 

[scootad.]

Based on your post, the only logical reason you didn't get in anywhere is cos you applied WAY too late. Hang in there on the waitlists, send update letters, and if you don't get in this year, chalk it up to applying too late and just apply again next year, this time as early as possible. Its sounds like you dont need to change anything on your application. You might want to add a few more out of state safety schools to your list too.

 

[TweetyPie]

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[TweetyPie]

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[gel1]

booya23, I am sorry for the loss of your mother. I hope you get in to the UCs if that's what you want.

 

[efex101]

I agree with the above poster (I am URM so I was not offended at all). If you are URM then by all means check the box, but if you just (not that it is not important) grew up in a predominatly Hispanic barrio then obviously you are not considered URM. Now for the disadvantaged status, I think that on the AMCAS application it is pretty specific that you have to be really really poor to qualify (food stamps, very low family income, etc.) so be really careful about this. Although you did have an extremely difficult time I do not think that it qualified for disadvantaged. Do you think that possibly that hurt you? with those stats unless you inteview poorly or come off as arrogant you should get in soon. Good luck!

 

[Tobtolip]

Wow, I'm impressed and in total awe. Makes my life, experiences, and stats look like something you scrape off the bottom of a toilet compared to his 😀

 

[paisley1]

I don't mean to discount the validity of your experiences but I was wondering if you could clarify a point you made in your post.

You were accepted to Harvard and Wash U. as well, if I remember correctly. So, are you concerned because you weren't admitted outright to the UCs? I think many people are under the impression that you don't have any acceptances.

P.S. It seems as though you've forgotten: Berkeley runs on the semester system. :wink:

 

[booya23]

Thank you all for your valuable advice and comments.

One point of clarification though with regard to my URM/Disadvantaged status. As in my personal statement and in my own life, I rarely mke mention of my racial and socioeconomic background because I never though of it as being of any consequence. The AMCAS and UC primary apps were the first time I had to actually consider my own cultural identity.

Some are uder the impression that I'm white, and though for much of my youth I wish I could have been, I am not. My father immigrated from Honduras, my mother was 1/2 Mexican and 1/2 Ohlone (an AI tribe). My parents ended their marriage shorthly after my birth, and my mother, being an only child herself, raised me on her own income. Like many others, I too know the stigma of using food stamps at the grocery store, wearing hand me downs from the salvation army and having holiday dinners with the less fotunate in an armory hall. However I never though of my ubringing as an excuse for who I am today.

 

[Cambrian]

Booya23,

I respect your determination and constitution for overcoming these staggering odds. Your academic and MCAT success in spite of these harsh life circumstances prove that you have what it takes to become a doctor and the medical community would be lucky to have you. As for your lack of success with the UC's, all I can say is that it's the UC's. They are notorious for arbitrary decisions. But then again, with your stats and life circumstances, it would have been impossible for you to not get in. I mean, you are the poster child for what medical schools want. One thing I can point out is that you applied as disadvantaged. I know a guy who applied last year as disadvantaged. He was very qualified but was put on the waitlist by a few UC schools. Words got out that what was holding his application back was his disadvantaged status. And the school that confirmed this was UCI. Since he applied as disadvantaged, UCI was hesitant on giving him an acceptance. They look at the disadvantaged applicants very thoroughly. But I don't think this would apply to you because your life circumstances definitely qualify you as disadvantaged; no if's and but's about it.

You are a very qualified applicant and it was the UCs' lost for not accepting you. If you did get into Harvard and WashU, then may be the UC's did you a favor by making your decision easier. If not, I guarantee that at least one of the UC's will give you a spot from their waitllist.

Also, I don't think your interviews were the problem since you did mention that a UCLA interviewer commented positively on your situation.

I hope you'll get in. Good luck.