Applicant Question

[Pup1_2_3]

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Advice

 

[Magus5454]

Hi,

So I applied to a lot of DO schools with the following stats and have either been rejected (2 schools), been put on hold (3 schools) or have heard nothing (most schools). Are my stats good to get an interview or should I retake the MCAT. I applied in June and July and haven’t heard much back and it’s October now so is that bad?

UG GPA: 3.2
UG science GPA: 3.01
Graduate (MS) GPA: 3.65
MCAT 1: 495 and MCAT:505

Thanks for any advice

Define alot and which schools. Need to know when you took each MCAT, and your ECs

 

[Pup1_2_3]

Define alot and which schools. Need to know when you took each MCAT, and your ECs

I have over 900 hrs of clinical experience from working as a nursing aide. Over 1500 research hours from basic science research in academic lab plus biotech companies and clinical research. Shadowed a DO and got a letter. First mcat was in 2016 and the second was 2018. Does that help?

I don’t want to give a list of schools— but I applied to almost all the DO schools 🙂

 

[Magus5454]

I have over 900 hrs of clinical experience from working as a nursing aide. Over 1500 research hours from basic science research in academic lab plus biotech companies and clinical research. Shadowed a DO and got a letter. First mcat was in 2016 and the second was 2018. Does that help?

I don’t want to give a list of schools— but I applied to almost all the DO schools 🙂

You should have at least gotten one interview by now, imo. You might have a bad letter or some other flaw sabotaging you

 

[HanSoloYolo]

Your stats are good enough for an interview, but I would keep your head up. The DO cycle runs longer and you might be surprised at the end of the month with an II or two. Can I ask which two schools rejected you?

 

[Pup1_2_3]

Your stats are good enough for an interview, but I would keep your head up. The DO cycle runs longer and you might be surprised at the end of the month with an II or two. Can I ask which two schools rejected you?

So far, I’ve gotten rejected from CCOM and MUCOM.

 

[Pup1_2_3]

You should have at least gotten one interview by now, imo. You might have a bad letter or some other flaw sabotaging you

I hope I don’t have a bad letter... that would be super ****ty. I’m pandering if it’s the low GPA because I did a Grad program but I don’t know how that factors into everything when it’s submitted...

 

[Magus5454]

So far, I’ve gotten rejected from CCOM and MUCOM.

CCOM is no surprise, they like high MCAT's

I had a low GPA(31.7/3.29s), but a higher MCAT.

thats a decent grad GPA, but your sGPA is very low.

 

[dial1010usa]

I hope I don’t have a bad letter... that would be super ****ty. I’m pandering if it’s the low GPA because I did a Grad program but I don’t know how that factors into everything when it’s submitted...

Something to do with your app and/or secondaries.
How about your personal statement? Have your friends checked it?
When did you re-take 2nd mcat in 2018, after submitting your app or before?
Your usgpa is low but graduate gpa is good.
All the best!

 

[PapaGuava]

Keep pushing forward, we look forward to hearing good news!

 

[Pup1_2_3]

Something to do with your app and/or secondaries.
How about your personal statement? Have your friends checked it?
When did you re-take 2nd mcat in 2018, after submitting your app or before?
Your usgpa is low but graduate gpa is good.
All the best!

I hope no one wrote me a bad letter... But I don' think it's my personal statement because I had a lot of people read it. Maybe could also be secondaries, I don't know.

I re-took the MCAT before I submitted my application (took it april 2018)

I will gladly be open to any advice anyone has. So far it's been rejection (2 schools) and being put on hold (3 schools).

Also, does anyone know what it means to be on hold? Is that basically a soft rejection?

 

[crazymedguy123]

Maybe this is an unpopular opinion, but I don't think you automatically have bad essays or a rec or anything of the like. Your grad GPA is good but your undergrad stats (3.2/3.0) and MCAT (averaged to 500- best way to view the two scores together) don't scream early II's/acceptances. You said you applied to most DO schools so I am guessing you applied to at least 25 of them, so two rejections and 3 holds (which isn't an automatic rejection as some people still get II's from hold schools later in the cycle) doesn't mean they will all be rejections.

You didn't list any volunteer experience. Do you have any? That would be more likely a red flag.

If you applied to a lot of schools it may just be a bit until you get some interest. The DO cycle is much longer than the MD one and you do have a promising app, but maybe one that isn't going to have schools jump on you. I think it is pretty early to automatically assume that there's some application flaw that is getting you thrown out.

 

[On_The_Way_Up]

Was your graduate program mostly science classes?

No need to retake MCAT. If anything take some upper divisional level science classes to increase the sGPA.

Do you have any non-clinical volunteering?

 

[arc5005]

I hope I don’t have a bad letter... that would be super ****ty. I’m pandering if it’s the low GPA because I did a Grad program but I don’t know how that factors into everything when it’s submitted...

Just for perspective... I have a lower gpa than you do, and I have 3 interviews, 2 interview waitlists, 3 rejections, & silence from 8 schools so far in the DO cycle.

 

[On_The_Way_Up]

Just for perspective... I have a lower gpa than you do, and I have 3 interviews, 2 interview waitlists, 3 rejections, & silence from 8 schools so far in the DO cycle.

What is your MCAT?

 

[Pup1_2_3]

Just for perspective... I have a lower gpa than you do, and I have 3 interviews, 2 interview waitlists, 3 rejections, & silence from 8 schools so far in the DO cycle.

If you don’t mind me asking, what schools are/did you interview at? And what was your mcat?