Any advice welcome

[dundermifflinthisispam]

Hello all!

I decided to write this post because I am unclear about how to best improve my application for my next cycle (if necessary, hopefully won’t be but probably will be) as I believe I have multiple identifiable weaknesses, and any advice would be much appreciated! Here is my current situation:

UC graduate (2017) and CA resident
Majored in Physiology and Neuroscience
cGPA: 3.68
BCPM: 3.61
MCAT: 521 (131,130,131,129)

Generally average EC’s:
-four months of clinical research in the ED of a local children’s hospital (will have an abstract by Jan)
-two years spent as an Ophthalmic assistant, during which I also watched over fifty eye surgeries
-two years volunteering with a local group that performs free eye surgeries to the underserved as a scrub tech

I am in the middle of my first cycle and applied to 25 schools (in retrospect my list was very top heavy, but that’s a topic for another discussion), and have received one interview from a great school (waitlisted) in addition to 12 rejections so far.

I think that I could possibly benefit from either a post-bacc or SMP (as well as a good deal more volunteer work), but I am not sure which would better suit my situation? If you have any insight into which would make my application stronger in the eyes of an adcom, I would greatly appreciate it! I would personally prefer to do an SMP, but I’m not sure if it would be a waste of time (in terms of GPA improvement).

Also, with these stats, which schools would you recommend applying to next cycle as a re-app?

Thanks for your help!!

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[s_tian]

Hi! Honestly I think your stats are great, they're around average/above average for matriculants at most schools, and your MCAT is way above average. If anything, shadowing a PCP among other specialists would be a nice addition.

What is your school list?

 

[Faha]

Which schools did you apply to? When did you complete your secondaries?

 

[dundermifflinthisispam]

Thank you for your responses @Faha and @s_tian!

Here is my school list (very top heavy, due in part to LOR requirements - no non-science professor letter):

UCSD
UCSF
UCLA
UCI
UCD
Geisel
Cornell
Georgetown
Rush
USC
Rosalind Franklin
BU
Tufts
NYU
U Mich
Albany
Columbia
Icahn
VTC
UNC
Vanderbilt
Yale
Stanford
Colorado
U Wash

Most secondaries complete by mid-August, a couple were complete early September (received after secondary screen). I interviewed at UCSD in the fall, but that has been my only positive response.

 

[snowballll]

I would definitely get more shadowing in with a PCP as suggested along with increasing your non-clinical volunteering. Also, if you end up having to apply again (I hope not!!!), I can share my school list with you. I also couldn't secure a non-science professor letter, have similar-ish stats as a CA resident (higher GPA, but slightly lower MCAT), but had a somewhat different list than you.

ALSO: Did you have multiple people read over your personal statement/works and activities and/or secondaries?

 

[Faha]

You could still receive interviews in February or March. I suggest adding these schools if you reapply:
Vermont
Rochester
Hofstra
Einstein
Pittsburgh
Case Western
Washington University
Cincinnati
Tulane
Miami
Ohio State
Indiana
Illinois
Iowa
Arizona (Tucson and Phoenix)
any new schools that may open for 2019 (Kaiser, Roseman, NOVA MD, Seton Hall)

 

[dundermifflinthisispam]

Thank you for your suggestions @Faha! Your input much appreciated

 

[dundermifflinthisispam]

I would definitely get more shadowing in with a PCP as suggested along with increasing your non-clinical volunteering. Also, if you end up having to apply again (I hope not!!!), I can share my school list with you. I also couldn't secure a non-science professor letter, have similar-ish stats as a CA resident (higher GPA, but slightly lower MCAT), but had a somewhat different list than you.

ALSO: Did you have multiple people read over your personal statement/works and activities and/or secondaries?

Duly noted, thank you for your suggestions! I’m definitely going to get more involved in non-clinical volunteering in the next month or so, and I will look into finding a PCP to shadow as well to prepare for a potential reapp. It’s good to know I’m not alone in lacking an non-science letter, if you don’t mind sharing your school list I’d really appreciate it! I’d be interested to see where we have overlap as similar applicants.

I had two individuals read over my personal statement, one was a friend and creative writing major, the other I did not know personally, and it helped a great deal. However, I submitted my secondary and work/activities essays without seeking review, because I was inordinately rushed. This was certainly a mistake, that I will not repeat next cycle (if it comes to that).

Thanks again for your help, and I wish you the best in your cycle/med school!

 

[dundermifflinthisispam]

Bumping this thread since it looks like I'll be reapplying, would really appreciate feedback on my new school list!

Stats are almost identical to last year:

MCAT: 521
cGPA: 3.70
sGPA: 3.61

What has been added to my app since last cycle:

- clinical research (1 poster presentation/pending co-author pub) - 400 hours
- non-clinical volunteering tutoring underserved/first gen. high school students - 80 additional hours
- new leadership position as the clinic manager of the ophthalmology clinic I have been at for 2 years - 420 hours
- 3 quarters of spanish for healthcare professionals (all A's)
- new LOR from PI
- will be starting a 1 year SMP at Columbia this Fall in Human Nutrition (my motivation is interest in the program itself and not to raise GPA)

prospective school list (schools were I will be a reapplicant are in bold):

UCSD
UCLA
UCI
UCR
UCSF
Cal Med
USC
Einstein
BU
Columbia
Hofstra
Duke
Geisel
George Washington
Mt. Sinai
Temple
NYU
Case Western
Rush
SUNY - Upstate
SUNY - Downstate
Tufts
Pritzker
Pitt
Cornell
Albany
U Mich

 

[Faha]

Which schools interviewed you this past cycle ? Any wait list ?
I suggest these schools when you reapply:
Vermont
BU
Tufts
Quinnipiac
Rochester
New York Medical College
Hofstra
Einstein
Mount Sinai
NYU
Pittsburgh
Jefferson
Drexel
Temple
Seton Hall
George Washington
Virginia Commonwealth
Eastern Virginia
Case Western
Cincinnati
Oakland Beaumont
Western Michigan
Medical College Wisconsin
Rosalind Franklin
St. Louis
Washington University
Tulane
Miami
NOVA MD
Duke
Arizona (Tucson and Phoenix)
California University (new school)
Kaiser (when it opens)
Your CA schools

 

[dundermifflinthisispam]

Thanks for your feedback @Faha ! Only one interview this cycle at UCSD which resulted in a waitlist. I will definitely add a good number of the schools you mentioned to my list! Do you think the changes I've made are significant enough to warrant re-applying this cycle?

 

[Faha]

You should be able to receive more interviews this cycle but I recommend a much larger school list. You do not want to be in the same position a year from now with no acceptances.

 

[Goro]

Thank you for your responses @Faha and @s_tian!

Here is my school list (very top heavy, due in part to LOR requirements - no non-science professor letter):

UCSD
UCSF
UCLA
UCI
UCD
Geisel
Cornell
Georgetown
USC
BU
Tufts
NYU
Albany
Columbia
Icahn
Vanderbilt
Yale
Stanford


Most secondaries complete by mid-August, a couple were complete early September (received after secondary screen). I interviewed at UCSD in the fall, but that has been my only positive response.

Agree 100% with Dana.

Rewrite all essays

 

[dundermifflinthisispam]

Will definitely start essays from scratch and broaden my school list, thank you! @Faha @Goro