Chances at Mayo?

[betheltim]

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So what do you guys and gals think of my chances at Mayo? I understand they may be low or non-existent, but I have to try.

My GPA for each semester has gone up (minus one), starting freshman fall to end of junior spring: 3.01, 3.61, 3.44, 3.67, 3.91, 4.00

My cumulative GPA has risen from 3.01 to 3.65, and my recent 4.00 was with four lab sciences, research, choir, and a 10 hour/week job, so I've definitely been incredibly busy along with better grades.

I have been a physics tutor and TA, chemistry tutor and TA, and will be a biology TA and a science tutor (chemistry, biology and physics) in group and individual sessions. I've been in the concert/college choir all three years (and will be my fourth), took voice lessons and was in the jazz choir, have been involved with the art department and photography (2 years of class and directed study), and been in a handful of juried art exhibitions.

I am currently a student research assistant for Medtronic through my school working on 2 or 3 different projects involving protein/metal interactions, (insulin) drug pump research, and biocompatible metal surface texturing, all likely/possible to continue through the fall. I will be a part of the school's outreach program working on a couple/several volunteer groups each week.

I'm extremely interested in Mayo for a number of reasons: Obviously I want to go into medicine. After being at a smaller private school here in Minnesota I realized I thrive on smaller class sizes with interaction between faculty and students and I really enjoy that, and I also love Minnesota. Additionally, being that Mayo is on the forefront of technologies and procedures, I am incredibly interested in Biomedical research and applicable research (see Medtronic).

If I assume my MCAT scores are around 33R or so, what do you think my chances are? Anyone familiar with Mayo or part of any admissions committees that have an opinion? PARTICULARLY, do you think my extracurriculars are varied enough and do you think I have enough, and do you think Mayo would look highly upon that kind of improvement in grades?


Okay, whew, so what do you all think? Thanks a ton for your time!

 

[Phoenix.]

So your overall gpa is a 3.65, but what about your science gpa? While Mayo seems to be a little more forgiving of a 30 MCAT, they do seem to prefer really high gpas. I would think a 3.65 is fine, but if your science is signifcantly lower that would probably be a problem. Also, you're MUCH better off if you did very well in your pre-req classes.

And I'm also concerned that it sounds like you've only had research experience, and didn't mention clinical experience. Mayo loves research experience, but they're also big on exceptional doctor-patient interaction, and I would think it would be a problem if you have no clinical exposure or clinical volunteering (unless you're applying MD/PhD, in which case it might be ok). Read up on Mayo's mission posted on their web site. I think it's called the Mayo Standard of Care.

Anyway, assuming a 3.65 overall, a 3.65 science gpa, a 33 MCAT, and some decent clinical exposure/volunteering, I'd say you have a much better chance than most if you're a Minnesota resident. I don't know the exact number of instate applicants Mayo takes (might want to check the MSAR), but I know that they always take a good number of MN residents when you consider the total class size, so the odds of getting an interview and acceptance will definitely be more favorable for you than for residents from other states. I believe that improving MN health care is definitely a mission of theirs, and thus the larger number of MN acceptees.

If you get past the screen and get the secondary, I'd send a letter of interest with your secondary and expound on exactly why you love Mayo, why you'd be a great fit for their mission, and what you'd add to the class in terms of diversity and perspective. (Diversity could mean anything). Be specific and be passionate. My gut says that if everything in your app is up to snuff, and the letter is sincere and persuasive, you've got an excellent shot at an interview.

Mayo really is a special place, and I wish you the best of luck with your application!

 

[betheltim]

Thanks a lot for your support and recommendations!

My BCPM GPA is exactly the same as my overall GPA at 3.62. However, these are my past three semesters:

Spring Sophomore year:
Modern Physics - A-
Computer Science I - B+
General Chemistry I - A

Fall Junior year:
Organic Chemistry I - A
Physical Chemistry I - A
Electricity and Magnetism - X (Audited)

Spring Junior year:
Organic Chemistry II - A
Intro to Molec/Cell Bio - A
Intro to Organismic Bio - A
Advanced Inorganic Chemistry - A

So I suppose it will be very clear to them I've improved significantly (I got two C+'s my first year...), which is also the focus of my personal statement. Do you think they take note of that sort of improvement in grades as a sort of growth, maturity, or motivation?


My main problem, as you and others have pointed out, is my lack of clinical experience. Unfortunately I don't know any doctors and am not really sure where to start in terms of shadowing or clinical experience... I can always get my CNA and work at a nursing home/assisted care home, but I'm not sure I'll have a LOT of time this semester (I'll be taking three lab sciences, a psychology course, golf for a gen. ed., research, choir, tutoring/TAing, and volunteering probably twice a week). What do you think? Are you a MN resident too? If so, got any ideas for places to go for clinical experience or anything similar? Haha..

I see you're going to Mayo this next year! Congratulations!

 

[Phoenix.]

Sorry, I'm an IL resident. If I were you, I'd make clinical volunteering/experience a PRIORITY right now. Drop tutoring or something else if you have to. Virtually every school will notice the absence and may reject you for it. If you can start some clinical experience ASAP, you can send an update letter in the fall letting them know. If I were you I'd do some online searches. See if there are any free health care clinics in your area you can volunteer at. Also, call every hospital in your area and ask if they have any volunteer opportunities. It doesn't matter what you do so long as you get direct contact with patients (even if it's just handing out blankets). You could also start calling every doctor you know and asking if you can shadow. Obviously this will work much better if these are doctors you already know or have a connection to (your personal doctor, friend of the family, etc.). Just imagine that this will be the one defining gap in your application. Doesn't your undergrad have a pre-health/pre-med advising office? If so, go ask them about volunteer opportunities at hospitals in the area. Oh, and you could also check out nursing homes, the VA, hospices, etc. You just need to be in that environment and actually see patient-doctor interactions first hand, and what it's like to work with patients all day.

I would think your upward trend is great, and that they'll take note of it. But you should really get on top of the clinical problem. I know a couple of good applicants last year that didn't get in anywhere, and when they called the schools to ask why, they were told it was because they lacked clinical experience. Granted, the higher your MCAT turns out, the better your chances, and the better the chances that a higher MCAT could make up for less clinical experience in some school's eyes. Also, the more research intensive a school, the more likely I would think they might be to overlook your lack of clinical experience given your great research experience. But they may wonder in that case why you're not applying MD/PhD, or straight PhD....

 

[betheltim]

Great, thanks for your help, I really appreciate it!

You know, all this time I've been looking at hospital websites in the area, Googling various things, and I don't think I once searched the hospital websites for "volunteering." I just did that and a variety of opportunities came up on multiple hospital websites.

I wonder why I never searched for that before...

Now, if I have a year of volunteering experience in two hospitals, for example, I suppose that will seem much better on an application, huh?

I assumed coming into this that my chances of getting into somewhere like Mayo are limited this year, but I figure by next year, my GPA will have risen to 3.72 (assuming I keep getting those A's), I'll have had significant clinical/hospital volunteering, and I'll be able to improve my MCAT if I don't do well this round!

 

[Phoenix.]

If you apply broadly and early this year, I don't think you'll be reapplying next year. Especially if you send updates about your new in-progress clinical experiences.

 

[betheltim]

True, but my real goal is to get into Mayo Med. Of course, all med schools are great schools, but Mayo just seems like it would be a better fit for me, considering my aforementioned reasons. But we'll see what happens, and if I'm accepted to others but not Mayo Med, I'll have time to think about what I want to do. 🙂

 

[Phoenix.]

True, but my real goal is to get into Mayo Med. Of course, all med schools are great schools, but Mayo just seems like it would be a better fit for me, considering my aforementioned reasons. But we'll see what happens, and if I'm accepted to others but not Mayo Med, I'll have time to think about what I want to do. 🙂

Just don't put yourself in a bad situation. I.e., let's say you apply to your MN state school, get an interview and are accepted. Then you decide to decline to reapply to Mayo next year. That would be a VERY bad move. If you apply to other schools, decide after you interview at them whether you would rather attend if accepted, or reapply next year for another shot at Mayo. If you know you'd rather reapply, then immediately withdraw after interviewing. Don't wait for the acceptance.

 

[betheltim]

Good point, I didn't really think about that... I suppose that would look terrible to the school that accepted you, huh...

Got any other tips as helpful as the ones you've given me? Haha, I need all the tips I can get!

 

[betheltim]

I do have another question.. Two actually...

First, what was Mayo's secondary like?

Second, what types of things did they ask you/talk to you about in the interview?

 

[Phoenix.]

Check out the official secondary question thread from last year in pre-allo (the questions for each school are posted there). I don't recall off-hand what the questions were, but I can tell you that the secondary was two essay questions, each allowing an answer of a half a page (you answer them in a word doc that you emailed back).

For the interview, I'd suggest going to the SDN interview feedback forum. There are tons of entries by school with the questions you'll be asked at interviews and what it's like. I'd write more, but I'm trying to get some work done now. Check those Mayo entries out for now and let me know if you have any other questions. 🙂

 

[Lokhtar]

By the way, Computer Science is not considered a science.

 

[Phoenix.]

By the way, Computer Science is not considered a science.

👍 Thanks - my eyes glazed over as I skimmed that.

 

[betheltim]

Haha, yup, I'm aware, I didn't include it in my BCPM GPA, but thought it was still relevant.

Thanks though!

 

[betheltim]

Since you (both) have been helpful, I was wondering if either of you knew of websites, books, magazines, etc. that note med schools and their respective specialties (what they're known for, what their emphasis is, etc.).

Thanks again.

 

[betheltim]

Good deal, thanks for your help (again)!

 

[Phoenix.]

FYI - I just posted it in the Mayo 2009 thread in pre-allo, but there will be no phone interviews or essays this year. Looks like it'll be straight from the primary to the interview invite.

 

[betheltim]

Why are you so dang helpful Phoenix? I better get into Mayo and be able to meet you next year...

 

[Phoenix.]

Why are you so dang helpful Phoenix? I better get into Mayo and be able to meet you next year...

Next year?? I expect to see you on interview day, betheltim! 😀

 

[betheltim]

That would be AMAZING! Well, I would love to have an interview at Mayo. I'm only worried that, after looking at my MDapp, I look like an average applicant! I'm gonna have to get an interview to show them I BELONG there, haha.

 

[betheltim]

Actually, I'm not positive I'm going to put a LOT of weight into this year's cycle. I think I might end up just applying to MN schools and seeing where those go... Because of my limited clinical experience, I don't feel like I have the fullest application possible, and thus I'm debating whether I want to just apply to the schools at which I'd be the happiest or apply broadly and debate after. Considering my best shot at being given fair consideration to the schools I am highly interested in won't come until I have significant clinical experience, I may just go with the former. Additionally, in my defense, I'd be saving significant amounts of time and money, and since my AMCAS application and MCAT scores roll over to next year, I'd have an easier time preparing my complete application very early in the cycle.

I mean, does that make sense? I'm not sure how much I'd be happy out of state (I love Minnesota), but is that a legitimate/excusable reason? I'm torn, but I know that I love the philosophies and setting of Mayo...

Of course, wherever I do apply this year, you can bet I'll be putting my energy and devotion into them!