Chances

[redhaireddeamon]

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Everybody's doing this, so I figured I would quell my fears and actually post something.

Some stats: 30P MCAT (11 BS, 10 VR, 9 PS), 3.73 undergrad, 3.86 current grad GPA. I am currently working on my MS from Rush in Anatomy and Cell Biology. I have multiple years of leadership experience working as an RA and SR at Purdue, part of multiple clubs with leadership positions, shadowed doctors in high school and now at Childrens Hosptial and volunteering there weekly. Research I did some of in undergrad but most of the bulk of it has been in my masters-I am doing a thesis route.

I have already been accepted to 3 DO schools (Midwestern, Des Moines, and Ohio University) and rejected from SIU and U of Chicago (not shocked). I guess I wanted to see what my chances are for Rush and University of Illinois at Chicago, as I go to Rush and would really like to stay in the area. Any thoughts?

 

[Catalystik]

When were you Complete at both schools, with all supplemental materials sent in?

And congrats on some very nice acceptances.

 

[redhaireddeamon]

I was complete for Rush, Loyola, and UIC around the end of July/beginning of August. I believe I was complete for UIC the earliest, around the 3rd week of July. (that's secondary, I was verified around the 2nd week of July).

Oh, and thanks!

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

If you don't get accepted to MD this cycle, please don't turn down DO! Don't make the mistake a lot of people on this forum do.

 

[redhaireddeamon]

don't get me wrong, DO is great and I think I like the curriculum a bit better than MD, but I have my heart set of Rush or UIC, mainly because it's less expensive tuition-wise and I wouldn't have to buy a car since they are IN the city. However, if I don't get accepted to any MD schools in Chicago, I will definatly still attend DO.

 

[flodhi1]

don't get me wrong, DO is great and I think I like the curriculum a bit better than MD, but I have my heart set of Rush or UIC, mainly because it's less expensive tuition-wise and I wouldn't have to buy a car since they are IN the city. However, if I don't get accepted to any MD schools in Chicago, I will definatly still attend DO.

Good luck 👍

 

[Catalystik]

I was complete for Rush, Loyola, and UIC around the end of July/beginning of August. I believe I was complete for UIC the earliest, around the 3rd week of July. (that's secondary, I was verified around the 2nd week of July).

I did not see the intensity of humanistic involvement among your ECs that I feel Loyola prefers to see. I think it's highly likely, from what you've shared, that UIC will offer you an interview, eventually. I'd like to think that Rush will want to interview you as well (it would be the courteous thing to do), but they are harder to predict with confidence.

How many recent shadowing hours do you have, and with what specialties?
How many semesters of of clinical experience, where you volunteered at the hospital, were listed on the application?
Did you have at least one semester's worth of research on the application?
Any teaching?
Any nonmedical community service?

Your leadership, as mentioned, looks very good.

 

[redhaireddeamon]

Recent shadowing hours probably around 50 or more. that includes anesteseiologist (can't spell that ever!), surgeons, internal medicine, and pediatrics. on the application, i hade a summers worth of clinical experience, as well as a couple of months that I had just started at the Childrens hospital. I volunteer in the Post Anestesiology care Unit as well.

For research, I had probably about a year, with part being some from undergrad, and alot being from my masters thesis research. Obviously my my masters thesis looks the best, with all the work being done by me.

For teaching, I TAed introductory biology lab.

Community service is wide: I volunteered in a nursing home for a semester; preschool for a semester; part of a National Society of Collegiate Scholars; Secretary, Co-Publicity chair, and survivorship committee with relay for life (that was 2 years); volunteered with Katrina help relief for a spring break (rebuilt homes); volunteered at many racing events in chicago, as well as ran some myself 🙂

 

[Catalystik]

Shadowing is good with a decent breadth of experience.
The teaching is helpful, and your research that you listed was about average.

You have lots of good community service. I hope you put the Relay for Life stuff under Leadership, or at least emphasized that component in the description.

What did you do in the nursing home that involved patient contact? That may have been clinical experience too (which I'd look at as the weakest component of your application since you otherwise mentioned just a summer and a few extra months of it, so I'm very glad you are continuing to gain hours at the hospital).

 

[redhaireddeamon]

So my experience at the nursing home was all about paitient interaction. I walked seniors around, played cards, talked, and helped serve them dinner. I was also lucky enough to shadow the physicans doing routine checkups with them, so it had alot of patient contact.

I checked my status page, and I was actually marked as complete on 8/24, so later than I thought (it was a letter that came in late that tripped me up). I called them and they said that I was still in line to be reviewed. I guess is what I am concered about is that I am a reapplicant, and last cycle, I had the same MCAT and very similar GPA as this cycle and did not get an interview. However, this cycle, I will have my masters degree, more clinical experience, more research, and more volunteering than last cycle. Do you think this is enough to give me a better chance at an interview this cycle or will I be in the same boat as last year? I believe I was rejected in December or January last time.

 

[redhaireddeamon]

Also, do you think If I retook the MCAT in January and got a better score that my chances would be much better off or would it be too late and not worth the effort at that point?

 

[Catalystik]

Also, do you think If I retook the MCAT in January and got a better score that my chances would be much better off or would it be too late and not worth the effort at that point?

Last time I checked, I believe that only one MD school would consider the January MCAT, and it was not a school in Illinois. It is mainly DO schools that will look at the January MCAT in mid cycle.

 

[Catalystik]

So my experience at the nursing home was all about paitient interaction. I walked seniors around, played cards, talked, and helped serve them dinner. I was also lucky enough to shadow the physicans doing routine checkups with them, so it had alot of patient contact.

If you have spun the experience right, many adcomms will consider this clinical experience, too, which would help you immensely (though you'd still have below the average for clinical experience). Other adcomms will distinguish between retirement centers and skilled-care nursing homes (where near very one is bed bound), looking at the former as nonmedical community service and the latter as clinical. The fact that you had physician contact in the facility should be helpful.

this cycle, I will have my masters degree, more clinical experience, more research, and more volunteering than last cycle. Do you think this is enough to give me a better chance at an interview this cycle or will I be in the same boat as last year? I believe I was rejected in December or January last time.

Having significant improvements certainly gives you a better chance. Let's cross our fingers that it's enough. I hope that late letter will be worth the wait.

 

[redhaireddeamon]

I believe the letter will be worth it. Do you think me being marked as complete on 8/24 is late?

 

[Catalystik]

No.

 

[redhaireddeamon]

alright, so I will be sending an updated transcript and an update letter to UIC this week. (and Rush, if theyll let me). Some people have said that an update letter is pointless, but I will be adding 170 additional research hours, 70 shadowing and volunteering hours, more chigoland volunteering events, and a research presentation date. Would you say this is worth sending? Would it make that much of a difference in my application?

I called the admissions lady at UIC and she said that they mainly look at your submitted application. 🙁

 

[latony]

alright, so I will be sending an updated transcript and an update letter to UIC this week. (and Rush, if theyll let me). Some people have said that an update letter is pointless, but I will be adding 170 additional research hours, 70 shadowing and volunteering hours, more chigoland volunteering events, and a research presentation date. Would you say this is worth sending? Would it make that much of a difference in my application?

I called the admissions lady at UIC and she said that they mainly look at your submitted application. 🙁

I tried sending an update to Rush and they stated that they do not accept update letters. Their response stated: 'Though we very much appreciate your offer to update your application information, the only items the Committee on Admissions will use in making its admissions decision are the required application materials and the interview assessments." Hope this helps!

 

[Catalystik]

alright, so I will be sending an updated transcript and an update letter to UIC this week. (and Rush, if theyll let me). Some people have said that an update letter is pointless, but I will be adding 170 additional research hours, 70 shadowing and volunteering hours, more chigoland volunteering events, and a research presentation date. Would you say this is worth sending? Would it make that much of a difference in my application?

I called the admissions lady at UIC and she said that they mainly look at your submitted application. 🙁

Some schools value update letters greatly as a sign of continued interest, some take them into account if you're on a cusp, some not so much, and others throw them in the trash. With all those significant goodies to mention, you need to let schools know (if they will accept updates), so you know you gave it your best possible effort.

For Rush, you might look into whether your PI would consider including that information in a supplemental LOR (unless that was the late one you mentioned and much of the information was already included).

 

[redhaireddeamon]

Thanks for the help! I talked to Rush, and they won't accept any update info, so no luck there. Catalyst, thanks for the input, it's been very helpful. When do you think "eventually" getting an interview is? More around January or later? God, I hope not....

 

[Catalystik]

Eventually means before the end of May, as they have run that late in past years for those applying near the deadline. I can't fine-tune a guess accurately enough to be reassuring, but I'd intuit it will be before that. (Big help, huh?) Just be patient. Maybe follow the school specific thread in PreMedAllo and see when folks with stats like yours and earlier Complete dates get an invitation.

 

[redhaireddeamon]

Eventually means before the end of May, as they have run that late in past years for those applying near the deadline. I can't fine-tune a guess accurately enough to be reassuring, but I'd intuit it will be before that. (Big help, huh?) Just be patient. Maybe follow the school specific thread in PreMedAllo and see when folks with stats like yours and earlier Complete dates get an invitation.

before the end of May?! Alright, I'm gonna try to talk myself down from the ledge....haha. I've been looking at the thread, and it seems like alot of people getting interviews right now were verified a month before or up to the time around my application. I sent in my update letter and transcripts today, and I made an appointment to speak with an admissions counselor at UIC, but now I am wondering what exactly I should say....besides "ACCEPT ME PLEASE!" any suggestions of things to ask?

 

[Catalystik]

"What can I do to become a more competitive applicant for your school?"

Also, be prepared in case you are asked what draws you to UIC. You never know if the advisor might add some impressions to your file, so be prepared to impress.

 

[7712]

I think you have a very good chance of getting an interview and, eventually, an acceptance 🙂 Believe it or not, it is actually still very early in the cycle--most of my interviews took place between December and March last year and I was still accepted at all of those schools. I actually had the last possible interview date at Rush (March 31st) and was still accepted. So there's no reason to freak out now whatsoever! And congratulations on the acceptances you already have. Best of luck! Also, I ended up choosing UIC at Chicago which is a bit disorganized, so if you don't hear from them in a timely manner don't take it personally...

 

[redhaireddeamon]

thanks for the advice! and what are your stats? im curious 🙂 It's nice to hear words of encouragement

 

[redhaireddeamon]

It's hard not to act obsessed when this is the second time around....and when I'm at Rush everyday and see the interviewing candidates come in every week 🙁