Advice for a reapplicant?

[settlerofcatan]

Hey guys!

So I applied this cycle and its looking like I'm going to have to reapply :/

1. Stats
-GPA 3.75 cumulative with a 3.67 science. Microbio major
-MCAT 9 physical, 10 verbal, 15 bio (unbalanced unfortunately :/ should I retake this?)

2. ECs and LORs
-70 hours of shadowing in family medicine and in an ENT office
-1000+ hours of research in an immunology lab with a couple school awards
-200 hours community volunteering in the summers
-100 hours of some basic hospital volunteering
-700 hours doing cultural activities
- a great LOR from my research PI, a couple solid LORs from a science and a non-science professor, and probably an average LOR from my second science professor

Since applying I've also added...
-a publication in PLOS from my undergrad immunology lab
-1000+ hours as an ER medical scribe
-50 hours in a free clinic

3. Schools I applied to (Im a CA resident)
No II
BU
Creighton
UCLA
George Washington
Georgetown
Loyola
NYMC
Rush
Rosalind Franklin
UCSD
UC Davis
U of Rochester
Wake Forest
Brown
UC Riverside
Colorado
Temple
Drexel

II and Waitlisted
Keck USC
UC Irvine

Any advice on things I can do to better myself/my app would be much appreciated! I personally think that my biggest weakness was in my essays. After a year of reflection and working in the ER however, I hope to produce a much better PS/secondaries this time around. Also any advice on schools I can add to my application list would be great too!

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[GrapesofRath]

You were relatively light on the non clinical service(particularly with the less fortunate populations) and clnical experience. You have more of the latter now.

I see about a half dozen or so schools you could say going in you had a reasonable shot per se at getting a II at. In CA, that's a pretty low number. This list was full of schools that were either had some of the highest OOS app/OOS matriculant ratios in the country or schools with a commitment to service(ie Rush, Loyola, Creighton, Gtown). Not high yield for you in other words. A number of schools I think your odds might have been best at(Medical College of Wisconsin UIC etc) you didnt apply to.

The fact you got 2 IIs at very competitive schools indicates the written parts of your app likely were fine. More non clinical service like I said would certainly help. But if you apply broadly to a good set of schools in your range that you arent a reapp at, youll likely generate interest and get IIs

Dont retake a 34 that hasnt expired

 

[settlerofcatan]

You were relatively light on the non clinical service(particularly with the less fortunate populations) and clnical experience. You have more of the latter now.

I see about a half dozen or so schools you could say going in you had a reasonable shot per se at getting a II at. In CA, that's a pretty low number. This list was full of schools that were either had some of the highest OOS app/OOS matriculant ratios in the country or schools with a commitment to service(ie Rush, Loyola, Creighton, Gtown). Not high yield for you in other words. A number of schools I think your odds might have been best at(Medical College of Wisconsin UIC etc) you didnt apply to.

The fact you got 2 IIs at very competitive schools indicates the written parts of your app likely were fine. More non clinical service like I said would certainly help. But if you apply broadly to a good set of schools in your range that you arent a reapp at, youll likely generate interest and get IIs

Dont retake a 34 that hasnt expired

Thanks for the advice! I was definitely going to change up the schools I apply to and add Wisconsin to the list. Do you have any other suggestions?

 

[tantacles]

Thanks for the advice! I was definitely going to change up the schools I apply to and add Wisconsin to the list. Do you have any other suggestions?

My biggest suggestion is that rather than applying again right now, wait a year, do something productive with your life, continue all of your volunteering, and then apply again next year. It is extremely difficult to substantially improve an application without taking more time in between cycles.

 

[Cookiess]

As a CA applicant, you had interview invites from two solid schools. You have a little over a month until AMCAS opens for submission, so I would increase your non-clinical volunteering hours between now and then. I would also have many people read your personal statement and activities. Apply early (within first week that AMCAS opens) and apply broadly. As a CA applicant, you might want to apply to more than 20 schools. Your numbers are fine and I would not retake a 34. EVMS, VCU, and Tulane are schools you might consider adding.

In the meantime, send in update letters if USC Keck and UC Irvine take them. I know UC Irvine takes update letters and I anticipate a good amount of waitlist movement there. I would send in an update letter within the next few days.

 

[myinterest22]

Re-applicant for 2017 cycle - Need valuable input

IL resident. Canadian science undergrad from a top university. sGPA 3.65, CGPA 3.68, MCAT 32, repeat 29.
1 research paper in publication and 1 research presentation in regional medical conference (cadeaver lab experience and radiology techniques),
More than 500 hours of volunteering in palliative care facility (during grade 11 and grade 12) - attending to patients
More than 100 hours volunteering in bio-liver surgery/research unit attached to a hospital
More than 200 hours volunteering in dialysis clinic
50 hours as a TA
More than 250 hours in patient transportation and pediatric ward
More than 80 hours volunteering in Neurological ward attending to patients
1 year paid intern (300 hours) in a eco-sustainability initiative on campus
VP of Health related club on campus

2016 cycle outcome - 32 applications - 1 interview, 1 alternate list

Appreciate any input..what should I work on?

 

[Rainbow Zebra]

Thanks for the advice! I was definitely going to change up the schools I apply to and add Wisconsin to the list. Do you have any other suggestions?

I would suggest Ohio State University, they are OOS friendly. VCU was OOS friendly for me too. Oakland U and WEstern are both private in Michigan, but CA friendly. Best wishes to you.