Advice from an applicant last year

[Ihateverbal]

Hi everyone,

Last year at this point, I was freaking out big time as I had no acceptances. A little about myself: I was a California resident,i did my undergrad at UCLA, Asian American male, 3.80 GPA and 29 MCAT (I got a 6 on verbal). This was my second time sitting for the MCAT...my first time on the MCAT, I also got a 6 on Verbal..

I applied to many many many schools...so many schools, I lost count how many rejections I received..I ended up with 4 interviews (1 of which was a california interview)...all waitlists and I wrote letters of interest and updated my file numerous times...didn't seem like it was helping...however, I wrote a letter of interest to the school I am currently attending on May 15th, and on May 17th I got a call for an acceptance! The letter of interest was not something where you can copy and paste to every single school you applied to...I reserached about the school, about their clinics and why I wanted to participate in them. I was specific and I named the clinic, and I stated why I would be a good fit working with the clinic and why I embodied the school's philosophy because my entire application screamed working with underserved populations and primary care.

I'm lucky to have gotten an acceptance with a verbal score of that nature...I know if I applied this year, I may not have been so lucky...the most important thing is to be passionate and be specific. General things on your letters are not going to do anything but waste paper.

My best recommendation is to write a letter of interest when the time is approaching. That would be May 15 because most schools aren't really looking at them until they know they will need to fill up their spots. Save up what you want to say , and wow them when the time comes.

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[zpiff]

Thanks for the advice and congrats on the acceptance!

 

[pride4jc727]

Hi everyone,

Last year at this point, I was freaking out big time as I had no acceptances. A little about myself: I was a California resident,i did my undergrad at UCLA, Asian American male, 3.80 GPA and 29 MCAT (I got a 6 on verbal). This was my second time sitting for the MCAT...my first time on the MCAT, I also got a 6 on Verbal..

I applied to many many many schools...so many schools, I lost count how many rejections I received..I ended up with 4 interviews (1 of which was a california interview)...all waitlists and I wrote letters of interest and updated my file numerous times...didn't seem like it was helping...however, I wrote a letter of interest to the school I am currently attending on May 15th, and on May 17th I got a call for an acceptance! The letter of interest was not something where you can copy and paste to every single school you applied to...I reserached about the school, about their clinics and why I wanted to participate in them. I was specific and I named the clinic, and I stated why I would be a good fit working with the clinic and why I embodied the school's philosophy because my entire application screamed working with underserved populations and primary care.

I'm lucky to have gotten an acceptance with a verbal score of that nature...I know if I applied this year, I may not have been so lucky...the most important thing is to be passionate and be specific. General things on your letters are not going to do anything but waste paper.

My best recommendation is to write a letter of interest when the time is approaching. That would be May 15 because most schools aren't really looking at them until they know they will need to fill up their spots. Save up what you want to say , and wow them when the time comes.

Hi Ihateverbal,

I am also in the same situation right now this year. I am an NJ resident and a Filipino and I applied to 16 schools, got only 3 interviews, and 2 waitlist decisions. For the 3rd and final school that I was interviewed at, I got a letter saying that the adcom has placed me on the very competitive category and that a decision will be made during this month. My pre-med advisor has told me to send update letters even before this. However, when I asked about sending an LOI, he told me that I shouldn't because that would appear pushy. I am going to visit the school, UMDNJ-RWJMS, this coming Friday for an orientation session and tour for all interviewed applicants. The reason I am doing this then is because my interview fell on a day that did not have these admission events. Would you suggest writing an LOI anyway against the advice of my pre-med advisor? Thanks.

 

[nick_carraway]

Hi Ihateverbal,

I am also in the same situation right now this year. I am an NJ resident and a Filipino and I applied to 16 schools, got only 3 interviews, and 2 waitlist decisions. For the 3rd and final school that I was interviewed at, I got a letter saying that the adcom has placed me on the very competitive category and that a decision will be made during this month. My pre-med advisor has told me to send update letters even before this. However, when I asked about sending an LOI, he told me that I shouldn't because that would appear pushy. I am going to visit the school, UMDNJ-RWJMS, this coming Friday for an orientation session and tour for all interviewed applicants. The reason I am doing this then is because my interview fell on a day that did not have these admission events. Would you suggest writing an LOI anyway against the advice of my pre-med advisor? Thanks.

I would definitely do it. There's not much to lose at this point, and you'll kick yourself in the end if you don't send the letter and you don't get into the school.

Living with regrets isn't the way to go.

Good luck!

 

[Ihateverbal]

You can go ahead and send letters..but I think at most med schools, they won't really look at your interest letters until they need to start filling their spots...at this point, most med schools are full...

I mean if you look at my situation, notice how I was accepted 2 days after I send my letter of interest. Coincidence? I highly doubt it.

 

[Ihateverbal]

Just had to throw this in...I'm not quite sure why they say verbal really matters for med school....I mean I got a "6" two times on the MCAT, and I'm nowhere on the bottom half of my med school class. Boo to the verbal section.

 

[Sagar2008]

Just had to throw this in...I'm not quite sure why they say verbal really matters for med school....I mean I got a "6" two times on the MCAT, and I'm nowhere on the bottom half of my med school class. Boo to the verbal section.

I second that. I absolutely hate verbal too. I got a ONE my first time around. Although, I thought that was a mistake by the AAMC, because 1 means that I only got 4 out of the 40 questions right. Which seems VERY unlikely. I am bad at verbal, but not THAT bad.

My second time I got a 7, which still is no where close to being good. I got a 11 on BS and 8 on PS. I am thinking about taking it a third time. If anyone on here has any advice on studying or applying, please let me know.