Hello SDN !
I am writing this post to ask for some advice on what's best for me to do after this cycle.
A quick summary of what's been happening so far. I applied to about 35 schools! A whole bunch. I completed every single secondary and submitted it prior to September and the huge majority before August. The result of that so far has been that I have received 4 interview invites, so far I have gotten 6 rejections and 3 Pre-II waitlists. Those 4 interview invites have panned into 2 waitlists and 2 schools not getting back to me. Now I acknowledge that it isn't over till its over and that I haven't quite failed to get accepted into a school quite yet. Nevertheless, I would like to know what I should work on changing for the real possibility of reapplication. I am in this process for the long haul and I am willing to keep working at it for as long as I can. I am just not entirely sure what the best path is too get myself over the hump.
A brief overview of my app: cGPA: 3.7ish sGPA:3.5ish and MCAT: 509.
My extracurriculars are pretty strong. I did have a ton of leadership experience. I had 500 hours of clinical volunteering, over 500 non clinical. Had some shadowing. I lack any research so that is a clear weakness in the app, but I was told by some folks that it isn't absolutely necessary. Perhaps im way off on that thought.
The question I am posing is which path I should undertake to improve myself sufficiently. Should I try and retake the MCAT and aim for a score larger than a 515 ? Do you believe that would push me into getting an A? Should I take some sort of post-bacc or SMP? Should I try to find research somehow? I am not sure what the path I should search for is and this is the best reason I have for making this post. I really appreciate all of the potential help I will get. Thank you !
I am writing this post to ask for some advice on what's best for me to do after this cycle.
A quick summary of what's been happening so far. I applied to about 35 schools! A whole bunch. I completed every single secondary and submitted it prior to September and the huge majority before August. The result of that so far has been that I have received 4 interview invites, so far I have gotten 6 rejections and 3 Pre-II waitlists. Those 4 interview invites have panned into 2 waitlists and 2 schools not getting back to me. Now I acknowledge that it isn't over till its over and that I haven't quite failed to get accepted into a school quite yet. Nevertheless, I would like to know what I should work on changing for the real possibility of reapplication. I am in this process for the long haul and I am willing to keep working at it for as long as I can. I am just not entirely sure what the best path is too get myself over the hump.
A brief overview of my app: cGPA: 3.7ish sGPA:3.5ish and MCAT: 509.
My extracurriculars are pretty strong. I did have a ton of leadership experience. I had 500 hours of clinical volunteering, over 500 non clinical. Had some shadowing. I lack any research so that is a clear weakness in the app, but I was told by some folks that it isn't absolutely necessary. Perhaps im way off on that thought.
The question I am posing is which path I should undertake to improve myself sufficiently. Should I try and retake the MCAT and aim for a score larger than a 515 ? Do you believe that would push me into getting an A? Should I take some sort of post-bacc or SMP? Should I try to find research somehow? I am not sure what the path I should search for is and this is the best reason I have for making this post. I really appreciate all of the potential help I will get. Thank you !
