Biggest Regret in the Application Process

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dartmed

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What's the biggest regret that you have had when you applied to medical schools?

For me, it's not applying to the Mayo Clinic. I think I might have had a shot at the school because my friend with similar stats and same unique ecs just got in. I underestimated myself. 🙁

Oh well, there's always residency!!!
 
Same coupled with unique sounds like an oxymoron :laugh:

What if they would've rejected both of you or only accepted one because you were too similar?
 
sworzeh said:
Same coupled with unique sounds like an oxymoron :laugh:

What if they would've rejected both of you or only accepted one because you were too similar?
Click to expand...

True. I guess I should just be happy that I got in. 🙂
 
Not applying early despite very competitive stats leading to me having to reapply, but I have terrible senior grades which means I can no longer reapply and must do a post-bacc despite an overall still strong (but less strong gpa) and a good MCAT.

I essentially prolonged the medical school process by 2 years because I did not apply 2 months early (assuming I would of gotten an acceptance)

I hate my life lol
 
nabilesmail, when did you apply?

I am planning on having the initial AMCAS app finished June for verification, taking the MCAT mid July, and having my schools added as soon as I get my score.

I'm reading quite frequently that this isn't the best idea, but I really don't want to take a gap year. 🙁
 
Assess your situation on your MCAT score, if your scoring 28-30 I would wait to apply, if your scoring well 33+, then try it out. PRE-WRITE YOUR SECONDARIES, your app depends on that. If you don't you will be late and it will be detrimental, if you pre-write them all and have them submitted before september. You will still be hurt but you could be okay.

I submitted August 9th and had a mid july MCAT, sec complete late sep to mid oct
 
Applying late. Not selling myself at interviews because it makes me feel dirty.
 
Not preparing the best way for the MCAT. I think I could have done better if I retook it. I didn't really figure out what worked for me until late in the game.
 
Not applying early enough. Even though I submitted June 21st and was verified July 18th.

With the 4 C's on my transcript, I felt that if I had submitted earlier, I would have received more interview invites.

I am thankful for the ones I got, but I do regret not doing it early enough.
 
My interviewing skills were not good early this year when I started. I wish I'd put my top choice school interviews later in the cycle, or prepared better for them. Definitely did not present myself as well as I could have, but you learn. 🙂
 
nabilesmail said:
Assess your situation on your MCAT score, if your scoring 28-30 I would wait to apply, if your scoring well 33+, then try it out. PRE-WRITE YOUR SECONDARIES, your app depends on that. If you don't you will be late and it will be detrimental, if you pre-write them all and have them submitted before september. You will still be hurt but you could be okay.

I submitted August 9th and had a mid july MCAT, sec complete late sep to mid oct
Click to expand...

Lol. SDN is crazy. Wait to apply if you score a 30? What, if it's not a full-ride to Harvard or Hopkins, it ain't worth doing?

A lot of med schools (mine included) have an AVERAGE mcat below 30, but God forbid you apply with the class average.
 
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the impression that once you get that interview, your date of completion at the school no longer matters? But of course, submitting early will probably get you a couple more interviews.

One of my good friends took a late MCAT (early August), ended up with a 31, had an average GPA, and complete most secondaries September-November. She ended up doing fine. Granted, she had her interviews quite late, and thus her acceptances came in later. And she's ORM.
 
dartmed said:
What's the biggest regret that you have had when you applied to medical schools?

For me, it's not applying to the Mayo Clinic. I think I might have had a shot at the school because my friend with similar stats and same unique ecs just got in. I underestimated myself. 🙁

Oh well, there's always residency!!!
Click to expand...

Its funny bc Mayo was one of my top choices when applying. Looking back, I don't think I would've really been happy there since the things I valued when applying didn't turn out to be that important in the end. I also wasn't really a fan of their mandatory classes, dress code, Rochester, and the tiny class size. Mayo's def not for everyone.

Fast forward to today, I'm filling out paperwork for a rotation there next month. Sometimes it all just works out in the end.

I'll echo what others have said about applying early. My primary was submitted at the end of Jun and I finished secondaries in Aug. But, I've always wondered if I could have gotten a few extra interviews if I'd submitted on day one.

TheShaker said:
Applying late. Not selling myself at interviews because it makes me feel dirty.
Click to expand...

humblebrag
 
Doctor Strange said:
I regret not stuffing my face with more free food.
Click to expand...

+1

I kind of regret not taking a year or two off to do what I wanted/beef up my application more. I'm incredibly happy and grateful for where I've gotten, but I think I could have had a lot more experiences, maturity and generally would have had a more successful application cycle.
 
Learning alot from you all. Nice thread 🙂
 
yehhhboiii said:
agreed. i didn't want to play the game and now i feel like i should have
Click to expand...

I actually found that they're really looking for honesty and genuine interest. The one where I sold myself hard, I was waitlisted (my first interview). After that I got more relaxed. By the end I was so tired of talking about how each school's identical curriculum was so unique and special that I actually admitted to my interviewer that they all looked the same at this point. He laughed. Accepted with a scholarship!

My biggest regret is that I applied late back in 2010 and now I'm starting med school two years later than if I had just applied on time.
 
Not applying to UCLA, UCD, and even LL and UCR along with the others.


Now it's another 4 years before I even have the potential to make it back to CA.
 
FSU2013 said:
Lol. SDN is crazy. Wait to apply if you score a 30? What, if it's not a full-ride to Harvard or Hopkins, it ain't worth doing?

A lot of med schools (mine included) have an AVERAGE mcat below 30, but God forbid you apply with the class average.
Click to expand...

Well for most MD schools the average is above a 30 and you can never just bank on one school taking you. The average student getting into med school now has an MCAT of 32-33.
The point is, don't sell yourself short.

With that. My biggest regret is my undergrad grades my first 2 years. Without those I would have probably had a killer cycle this year. No point in crying about the past though.
 
Applying to UMichigan with less than a 35 MCAT and average research. What a waste of time/money that was, and all they did was spam my inbox for 6 months.
 
gmcguitar4 said:
Well for most MD schools the average is above a 30 and you can never just bank on one school taking you. The average student getting into med school now has an MCAT of 32-33.
Click to expand...

But don't 'Lake Wobegon' yourself. Fully half of the students in each medical school class are average to below. Apply even if your stats are below average...
 
Not getting more input from my research mentors regarding the descriptions of my research essays (MD/PhD app.) Also, I wish I would have practiced interviewing with faculty at my institution who have experience with the MD/PhD admissions. I also wish I would have looked up the secondary essays to all the schools I sent my primary to. There were a couple that I decided not to do because the secondaries were too daunting. What a waste of money. In my defense though, finding recent versions of MD/PhD prompts is harder than finding the MD-only ones.
 
pv515 said:
Applying to UMichigan with less than a 35 MCAT and average research. What a waste of time/money that was, and all they did was spam my inbox for 6 months.
Click to expand...

See's email from Michigan. Get's butterflies in stomach.

"We're having another TweetChat session."

+pissed+
 
pv515 said:
Applying to UMichigan with less than a 35 MCAT and average research. What a waste of time/money that was, and all they did was spam my inbox for 6 months.
Click to expand...

Also, applying to UMich after September when they give out 500 interview invites in August and 3 interview invites for the rest of the year.
 
- Applying to schools that don't really take people from my undergrad or state (Rush, Rochester, BU, etc)
- Not practicing enough for interviews after my initial interview prep momentum died down
- Probably should have saved some $$ and went to fewer interviews (I went to 12 total). Some of the schools I had no interest in attending whatsoever.
 
Not really starting any non-research ECs other than shadowing until ~4 months before submitting my primary apps due to being totally clueless.
 
What do you define as "average research?"

Michigan is one of my top choices, and I'm really concerned about not having had enough research to date.

Thanks.



pv515 said:
Applying to UMichigan with less than a 35 MCAT and average research. What a waste of time/money that was, and all they did was spam my inbox for 6 months.
Click to expand...
 
Not starting volunteering/research/TAing until Junior year
Only spending 1 month studying MCAT
Late MCAT
Late application
Submitting secondaries on the deadline
Half assing personal statement
Half assing secondaries
Not preparing for interviews
Not knowing which schools to apply to so just picking every school in your state

Never again
 
Baklava said:
What do you define as "average research?"

Michigan is one of my top choices, and I'm really concerned about not having had enough research to date.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Average research for most premeds is typically 1 or 2 semesters w/o any pubs or poster presentations.

However, it does vary by school. The more research intensive the undergrad, the higher the average.
 
Permavirgin said:
Not starting volunteering/research/TAing until Junior year
Only spending 1 month studying MCAT
Late MCAT
Late application
Submitting secondaries on the deadline
Half assing personal statement
Half assing secondaries
Not preparing for interviews
Not knowing which schools to apply to so just picking every school in your state

Never again
Click to expand...

👍 pretty good summary of all the common errors involved
 
I'd say applying to twenty schools was my regret. I applied to a bunch of schools that were within/below my LizzyM score just because of that reason and without any true interest in the school. In the end I ended up withdrawing from most of the interview invites to those schools and it ended up costing me a lot of money. Only apply to those schools where you think you could see yourself going. Unless you have the "any medical school works" mentality.
 
mcloaf said:
Not really starting any non-research ECs other than shadowing until ~4 months before submitting my primary apps due to being totally clueless.
Click to expand...
Did this get brought up a lot in interviews? I work at a restaurant to pay for school and am an SI leader for a freshman biology course (a leadership position) and I've shadowed but that is about...I worried what interviewers will think when I start volunteering the months before applying
 
Good thread. I'm taking notes. 🙂
 
I probably would have studied more for the MCAT and taken it at a different time. It's really hard to test during the semester. There was also one question on my MCAT that is haunting me to this day (1 year+ later) after I second-guessed myself into the wrong answer (checked later).
 
PreMedRookie said:
Did this get brought up a lot in interviews? I work at a restaurant to pay for school and am an SI leader for a freshman biology course (a leadership position) and I've shadowed but that is about...I worried what interviewers will think when I start volunteering the months before applying
Click to expand...

It didn't really come up as something interviewers asked me about. I would bring it up myself when they asked me about regrets from my time in undergrad. I just planned my undergrad time foolishly since I didn't know what I wanted to do when I started, which led to 3 science courses w/ lab and working in a lab for credit most semesters for the latter half of undergrad. They seemed to think that made it worth being a little more lenient about, though having strong research and stats helps. Basically, if you apply broadly and have an otherwise strong application it shouldn't necessarily keep you out of med school, but it will limit your choices. With stronger ECs I have no doubt that I'd be choosing between more schools, but all things considered I don't have anything to complain about. None of this is set in stone, however, so YMMV.
 
alpinism said:
Its funny bc Mayo was one of my top choices when applying. Looking back, I don't think I would've really been happy there since the things I valued when applying didn't turn out to be that important in the end. I also wasn't really a fan of their mandatory classes, dress code, Rochester, and the tiny class size. Mayo's def not for everyone.
Click to expand...

Same here. I even interviewed and was swiftly rejected at Mayo. Was devastated. And now 2 semesters into med school, I honestly don't think I would have been a good fit there for the reasons mentioned above (I'm definitely a learn at home on my own type of person...so I probably would have alienated myself from the rest of very small class...and I like living in a bigger city).
 
I regret taking a gap year. Even though I learned a lot and had a ton of fun during my gap year, I've knew before junior year ended that I wanted to go into medicine. I feel like I delaying something that makes me so excited and passionate about. Also, taking a gap year = one less year to work = potential $150k+ loss in income over my lifetime + one less year of service as a physician. Even though finances shouldn't be the #1 factor, it's still a strong consideration when planning to have a family, getting a mortgage, etc.

Also, not taking all my interviews. Should have interviewed at vandy, BU, Colorado, and Iowa, but money was holding me back (I'm paying for apps/interviews/medical school myself)

I also regret over exerting myself during undergrad with a double major, minor, and being president of a 150+ student organization. Should have lessened to load to increase my GPA. Never was I once asked about my classes or my majors. Even though the intangibles have probably made me a better person and critical thinker, I probably could have also done without.
 
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earf said:
I regret taking a gap year. Even though I learned a lot and had a ton of fun during my gap year, I've knew before junior year ended that I wanted to go into medicine. I feel like I delaying something that makes me so excited and passionate about. Also, taking a gap year = one less year to work = potential $150k+ loss in income over my lifetime. Even though finances shouldn't be the #1 factor, it's still a strong consideration when planning to have a family, getting a mortgage, etc.

Also, not taking all my interviews. Should have interviewed at vandy, BU, Colorado, and Iowa, but money was holding me back (I'm paying for apps/interviews/medical school myself)

I also regret over exerting myself during undergrad with a double major, minor, and being president of a 150+ student organization. Should have lessened to load to increase my GPA.
Click to expand...

Hm, that's the first time I've heard someone say something negative about taking a gap year.
 
I hope this thread has been helpful for those applying. And I agree with a lot of the advice given in this thread. Good luck to those applying in less than two months!
 
My advice: Even if you question your competitiveness, don't short change yourself by applying to a ton of places you feel like you might have an easier time getting into. Keep an even balance between what you think are "reach" and "match" schools since you may either be underestimating or overestimating yourself - this will prevent situations where you're either accepted nowhere, or accepted to a lot of places you won't go to.

Second piece of advice: Even if you feel like you wouldn't mind staying near home, apply to schools outside of your comfort zone (away from undergrad/hometown) just in case you decide later that you feel like being somewhere new.
The app cycle is quite long and your desire to stay might change over the course of that year...
 
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.
 
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I'm fairly satisfied with my cycle, but if I could go back and do anything differently, I wouldn't have wasted my time applying to any OOS state schools. Even though the applications were cheaper, it was still a waste of time and money.

When I started my cycle, I had put down 10 schools in June because that's all I wanted to spend the money on, then the fellows I work with told me I had to put down at least 5 more (in late August). I ended up getting accepted to one of the second 5. I wish I would've put these schools in the original submission of AMCAS.

A higher MCAT score would have been nice, but not necessary. It would have just prevented questions about it. But regardless, I got into my top choice. 👍

Edit: Maybe a little less panic, too. :laugh:
 
Applying to too many schools. Aka, I should have been more selective in choosing schools.
 
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Not checking requirements for certain schools thoroughly enough.

Nothing bums me out more than throwing away monies.
 
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