Better to just apply next cycle?

[jordan789]

overall gpa: 3.96
science gpa: 3.97
mcat: 36 (PS: 12, VR: 10, BS: 14)

only about 60 hours of clinical experience. Also volunteered to help mentally disabled children at a camp for a summer. Did research for a semester and have been a UTA for a 100 level biology course for 4 semesters.

I got my primary in August 22nd. Have done 7 secondaries....still have 3 more to go.

Schools I've finished:
Indiana University (no secondary)
Thomas Jefferson (sidney kimmel)
Temple
Loyola
Ohio State
Medical college of wisconsin
Tufts
Western Michigan

Still to go:
University of Florida
Miami (Miller)
Rush

I'm just wondering if I should just apply again next cycle to better schools. If I built up my ECs this year and then applied June 1st, I think I could have a shot at some really good schools like Duke, NYU, Northwestern, Case Western, Vanderbilt, etc. What do you guys think? I know I posted a similar post asking what are my chances to some of these schools but I didn't get a lot of responses....hoping for some more advice on what I should be expecting to hear from some of these schools or what I should do. Thanks!

Also next year with the different MCAT exam coming in....do you think the old MCAT will be looked at as the same value as a person that took the new MCAT...assuming the two people are in the same percentile range?

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[Goro]

I suggest waiting until next year and applying 6/1/15.

overall gpa: 3.96
science gpa: 3.97
mcat: 36 (PS: 12, VR: 10, BS: 14)

only about 60 hours of clinical experience. Also volunteered to help mentally disabled children at a camp for a summer. Did research for a semester and have been a UTA for a 100 level biology course for 4 semesters.

I got my primary in August 22nd. Have done 7 secondaries....still have 3 more to go.

Schools I've finished:
Indiana University (no secondary)
Thomas Jefferson (sidney kimmel)
Temple
Loyola
Ohio State
Medical college of wisconsin
Tufts
Western Michigan

Still to go:
University of Florida
Miami (Miller)
Rush

I'm just wondering if I should just apply again next cycle to better schools. If I built up my ECs this year and then applied June 1st, I think I could have a shot at some really good schools like Duke, NYU, Northwestern, Case Western, Vanderbilt, etc. What do you guys think? I know I posted a similar post asking what are my chances to some of these schools but I didn't get a lot of responses....hoping for some more advice on what I should be expecting to hear from some of these schools or what I should do. Thanks!

Also next year with the different MCAT exam coming in....do you think the old MCAT will be looked at as the same value as a person that took the new MCAT...assuming the two people are in the same percentile range?

 

[jordan789]

I suggest waiting until next year and applying 6/1/15.

Thanks for your opinion. I'm kind of getting in that mindset. Do you think I have a chance at any of these schools this cycle though?

 

[gyngyn]

Thanks for your opinion. I'm kind of getting in that mindset. Do you think I have a chance at any of these schools this cycle though?

You have a decent chance at any of them if you can still get an interview. What is your state of residence?

 

[jordan789]

You have a decent chance at any of them if you can still get an interview. What is your state of residence?

Indiana. I really don't want to take a gap year....if I had money that would be sweet because I could travel haha but that is not the case. The school I want to go to the most on that list is Jefferson Medical College, followed by Loyola.

 

[Goro]

Concur! What worries me is that the clock is ticking.

You have a decent chance at any of them if you can still get an interview. What is your state of residence?

 

[chemguy79]

You're very late in the game to be finishing secondaries, so I would scrap the schools on the list whose secondaries you haven't completed yet.

You have great stats, but timing is incredibly important. When did you submit your secondaries?

 

[Chansey]

I disagree with what others have said. With your stats, I am 100% sure you will get in somewhere this cycle. I say continue applying. Many schools do NOT have rolling admissions, so you won't be at a disadvantage if you apply late. For example, I recently interviewed at a top 10 medical school, and many of the current medical students I met there didn't submit their application until the deadline.

Here's a short list of schools who don't have rolling admissions. You should consider adding them this cycle. You have the stats for them.

Harvard (average MCAT 35.7)
Cornell (average MCAT 34.8)
Penn (average MCAT 37.0)
Columbia (average MCAT 35.8)
Duke (average MCAT 34.0)
Yale (average MCAT 35.4)
Pitt (average MCAT 35.0)
Dartmouth (average MCAT 34.0)

You GPA is also well above the average for these schools. (Note: I am using last year's data, so some of the numbers may have changed.) I think you have enough clinical experience - just be able to talk about your experiences and what you learned.

Medical school admissions is largely a numbers game. Apply broadly and to enough schools, and you will get into a good program. Of course, I understand if you are burned out from writing secondaries and want to stop. I feel the same way.

Good luck! Let us know what you decide.

 

[jordan789]

You're very late in the game to be finishing secondaries, so I would scrap the schools on the list whose secondaries you haven't completed yet.

You have great stats, but timing is incredibly important. When did you submit your secondaries?

My primary got verified on september 8th and I received many of the secondaries on the 9th so I started on that day. I submitted Jefferson first on the 9th because that is my number 1 and then have been working on them since...just submitted OSU a few days ago...coursework as been very time consuming this semester unfortunately. I think I should at least get an interview at Indiana University because many of my friends with not as good credentials didn't get their primaries in until september/october and still got in....but I don't think it's going to be like that for the other schools.

Just got an email from MCW saying my application got moved to a smaller group of applicants that are potential interviewees....Don't know whether this is good or bad....since I didn't get the interview right away...sounds like a waitlist for an interview, no?

 

[jordan789]

I disagree with what others have said. With your stats, I am 100% sure you will get in somewhere this cycle. I say continue applying. Many schools do NOT have rolling admissions, so you won't be at a disadvantage if you apply late. For example, I recently interviewed at a top 10 medical school, and many of the current medical students I met there didn't submit their application until the deadline.

Here's a short list of schools who don't have rolling admissions. You should consider adding them this cycle. You have the stats for them.

Harvard (average MCAT 35.7)
Cornell (average MCAT 34.8)
Penn (average MCAT 37.0)
Columbia (average MCAT 35.8)
Duke (average MCAT 34.0)
Yale (average MCAT 35.4)
Pitt (average MCAT 35.0)
Dartmouth (average MCAT 34.0)

You GPA is also well above the average for these schools. (Note: I am using last year's data, so some of the numbers may have changed.) I think you have enough clinical experience - just be able to talk about your experiences and what you learned.

Medical school admissions is largely a numbers game. Apply broadly and to enough schools, and you will get into a good program. Of course, I understand if you are burned out from writing secondaries and want to stop. I feel the same way.

Good luck! Let us know what you decide.

Thanks man. I'm glad someone likes my chances.....I thought about applying to Duke when I first submitted my primary application.....how did you find out what schools don't have rolling admissions? I believe you and all but before I spend $36 extra dollars on adding schools, I'm wondering if there is a website I can look at or do they say that on their websites?

 

[gyngyn]

Thanks man. I'm glad someone likes my chances.....I thought about applying to Duke when I first submitted my primary application.....how did you find out what schools don't have rolling admissions? I believe you and all but before I spend $36 extra dollars on adding schools, I'm wondering if there is a website I can look at or do they say that on their websites?

Non-rolling admissions schools deplete their interview slots at the same rate as rolling schools. The difference is in when they inform the applicants of the outcome.

 

[Chansey]

Yes, many schools say on their website whether they are rolling or non-rolling. For instance, in their FAQ, Harvard Medical School says they are non-rolling. I believe most "ivy league" schools are non-rolling, unless you're doing a special program like MD/PhD, in that case it depends on the school.

Most medical schools also tell you if they are non-rolling when they send you a secondary. You can also look at the MSAR. For the list I posted, I looked at a previous SDN thread.

Yes, interview slots get taken at the same rate, but interviews go until February. There are still plenty of interview slots left.

 

[gyngyn]

Yes, interview slots get taken at the same rate, but interviews go until February. There are still plenty of interview slots left.

Many schools are filled through January already. This has been an accelerated year.