Advice - Late Applicant

[needsomeadvice123]

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Hey Everyone.

I am deciding to apply to medical school after being 4 years out of undergrad. I went to took a couple years off after graduating to work, always wanted to go to medical school but wanted to pay off my loans, etc. I studied Molecular biology at UCLA, graduated with a 3.97 (non science) and 4.0 (science). - Wa native in student gov, and worked in two labs for over 3 years in undergrad. I took the mcat this past september got a 36.

I applied very late in the medical school cycle. Hoping I might, just might get in. I got secondaries to all placed i applied and only two interviews. I am asking for advice on how much does applying late in the cycle affect your prospects of getting in, or is it because I took too many years off from undergrad. In between working I also did volunteering/shadowing at hospitals.

Is my best bet to just try and apply again early in the cycle? any advice would help...

Goodluck to all of you, and congrats to everyone who has gotten in already!

 

[AlteredScale]

Hey Everyone.

I am deciding to apply to medical school after being 4 years out of undergrad. I went to took a couple years off after graduating to work, always wanted to go to medical school but wanted to pay off my loans, etc. I studied Molecular biology at UCLA, graduated with a 3.97 (non science) and 4.0 (science). - Wa native in student gov, and worked in two labs for over 3 years in undergrad. I took the mcat this past september got a 36.

I applied very late in the medical school cycle. Hoping I might, just might get in. I got secondaries to all placed i applied and only two interviews. I am asking for advice on how much does applying late in the cycle affect your prospects of getting in, or is it because I took too many years off from undergrad. In between working I also did volunteering/shadowing at hospitals.

Is my best bet to just try and apply again early in the cycle? any advice would help...

Goodluck to all of you, and congrats to everyone who has gotten in already!

Your mistake was applying late.

Apply early next time. You will def need to make sure you keep building your application (EC's and what not) as you are now noted as a re-applicant.

 

[ridethecliche]

Also, stop starting multiple threads on the same topic:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/medical-school-advice.1119531/

Can a mod merge these? @Winged Scapula @gettheleadout @tantacles

 

[cactus8910]

How late is late?
A ton of people take time between undergrad and med school. It doesn't look bad and won't negatively affect you.
Most likely your timing, which/how many schools you applied to, and maybe your personal statement were the problems. If you give us more information about your application we can be more helpful.

 

[needsomeadvice123]

What would you need to know about my personal statement? General info or more specific?

 

[needsomeadvice123]

Also, stop starting multiple threads on the same topic:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/medical-school-advice.1119531/

Can a mod merge these? @Winged Scapula @gettheleadout @tantacles

Sorry, thought i deleted the other one... Will go back and do it now.

 

[cactus8910]

What would you need to know about my personal statement? General info or more specific?

I didn't mean the personal statement so much as sharing when you were complete at which schools and where you applied (or at least X number of top-tier schools, Y number of mid-tier, etc.)
Do you think you had a strong personal statement? Any possible red flags in your application, or a bad LOR?

 

[needsomeadvice123]

I didn't mean the personal statement so much as sharing when you were complete at which schools and where you applied (or at least X number of top-tier schools, Y number of mid-tier, etc.)
Do you think you had a strong personal statement? Any possible red flags in your application, or a bad LOR?

I applied to a smaller group of schools just because I knew I was applying late.
USC
UCLA
UCSD
UCSF
STANFORD
UCI
JOHNS HOPKINS

got secondaries to all, and after submitting secondaries I have heard a rejection from UCI, and got two interviews one USC and one USCD.
No possible red flags (have never ben arrested/anything of that nature) , and I don't think I had any bad LOR's UNLESS one of the people i asked all of the sudden started to hate me? I asked two professors I worked very closely with in their labs in undergrad, and a boss at work, and the doctor i shadowed.

 

[Heplayer92]

I applied to a smaller group of schools just because I knew I was applying late.
USC
UCLA
UCSD
UCSF
STANFORD
UCI
JOHNS HOPKINS

got secondaries to all, and after submitting secondaries I have heard a rejection from UCI, and got two interviews one USC and one USCD.
No possible red flags (have never ben arrested/anything of that nature) , and I don't think I had any bad LOR's UNLESS one of the people i asked all of the sudden started to hate me? I asked two professors I worked very closely with in their labs in undergrad, and a boss at work, and the doctor i shadowed.

In terms of LoRs, some schools require LoRs from both science and non-science faculty, and some schools want them from profs you took a course with. Could that possibly be an issue? Not sure, just wanted to bring it up as a possibility.

 

[ridethecliche]

You applied to a few very selective schools.

Like I said on the other thread. You have two interviews, make the most of them. If you get in never look back.

However, you should prepare to reapply next year since you applied stupid late in the cycle and are likely getting into one of the last few interview sl0ts at these schools.

 

[DokterMom]

Since you took your MCAT in September, and presumably waited until your scores were back to apply, you were really, really late. Most likely fatally late.

OP - Applying to medical school is a seriously long, strategic process. Please learn how that process works before you further damage your chances for admission. You've got some fabulous numbers; and it sounds like your work experience, research and volunteering are also very strong. You have the ingredients for a top-notch application. But just as you don't bake a delicious pastry by dumping some flour, eggs, butter and sugar into a bowl, then popping it into the oven, you can't get into Hopkins by filling out an application in the Fall and paying your fee. Learn how to cook.

I suppose there's still a chance for this year -- but more realistically, your rushed application, despite its strengths, came off as "WTF - I'll just fill out an application and see what happens..." and the schools you applied to got a sense of 'cavalierness' and decided to pass.

Now you're looking at a do-over. And the good news is, it seems like you're in good shape (and on schedule) to apply this coming year. Spend a few months on SDN and learn how to apply wisely. Apply what you've learned -- then go to medical school and become a doctor.

 

[beachside]

Hey Everyone.

I am deciding to apply to medical school after being 4 years out of undergrad. I went to took a couple years off after graduating to work, always wanted to go to medical school but wanted to pay off my loans, etc. I studied Molecular biology at UCLA, graduated with a 3.97 (non science) and 4.0 (science). - Wa native in student gov, and worked in two labs for over 3 years in undergrad. I took the mcat this past september got a 36.

Many schools only accept August MCAT's or earlier. Did you check that on all schools that you applied to?

I think your best bet may be to be prepared to apply again this year. You may still get into one of those two schools, however.

 

[ridethecliche]

Many schools only accept August MCAT's or earlier. Did you check that on all schools that you applied to?

I think your best bet may be to be prepared to apply again this year. You may still get into one of those two schools, however.

At this time that is the best case scenario.

 

[Goro]

Applying late is as good as asking to be rejected.

So yes, apply 6/1/15.

Hey Everyone.

I am deciding to apply to medical school after being 4 years out of undergrad. I went to took a couple years off after graduating to work, always wanted to go to medical school but wanted to pay off my loans, etc. I studied Molecular biology at UCLA, graduated with a 3.97 (non science) and 4.0 (science). - Wa native in student gov, and worked in two labs for over 3 years in undergrad. I took the mcat this past september got a 36.

I applied very late in the medical school cycle. Hoping I might, just might get in. I got secondaries to all placed i applied and only two interviews. I am asking for advice on how much does applying late in the cycle affect your prospects of getting in, or is it because I took too many years off from undergrad. In between working I also did volunteering/shadowing at hospitals.

Is my best bet to just try and apply again early in the cycle? any advice would help...

Goodluck to all of you, and congrats to everyone who has gotten in already!