contingency plan - what do I do if I have to reapply?

[strider144]

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This might be long. I'm trying to figure out what I do if I don't get accepted this cycle - please forgive the casualness. It's been a long day of waiting and not hearing anything back.

Basics:
- Non-trad
- I'll be 28 in a month
- undergrad: BS in Engineering, minor in Religion at a little ivy
- undergrad cGPA: 3.24, sGPA: 3.12 🙁
- post-bac cGPA: 3.61, sGPA: 3.55
- MCAT: 510

Everything else is complicated. I've worked in a number of fields (engineering, farming, masonry, art, food service...) and was thinking chaplaincy before I opted for medicine - both make a direct impact on people's lives and would make use of my ability to stay calm in a crisis. I have a gap between graduating from undergrad and my first real jobs because I was a homeless trans kid, which is really only the start of it, but I'm scrappy and lucky and I made it out.

In undergrad I did a lot of work around sexual assault on campus (advocacy, awareness, crisis response, etc.). Since then I've just about always had some sort of crisis response work going. I co-founded a non-profit for queer and trans people with disabilities. I don't have a ton of shadowing experience, but I work with providers and patients to educate and facilitate positive experiences for queer and trans patients, which gives me a lot of exposure to the medical field. I manage a chronic condition too, so I have some personal experience. I want to be a doctor because I'm tired of watching my friends die for lack of accessible care, and because there's a huge unmet need that I could fill as a physician (and I love learning about medical stuff, like reading textbooks in my free time love it). I have a lot of community service / leadership experience, god help me.

So I have rather some life experience (only grazing the very surface here), lots of practical skills, a whole bevvy of hobbies, but no pre-med advisor and little family support. There's a lot of stuff where I've just been winging it. I applied super late in the cycle this year because I took a late MCAT as a trial run but found the score was enough to apply on and pulled an app together. I feel like I don't know how best to choose schools, but I like PCOM, University of Vermont, and CMSRU. I'm in PA. I'd gladly move somewhere colder (but not MA) or possibly certain parts of Appalachia (I'm from the south originally and kinda interested in rural medicine).

So far my plan is to apply at the very first opportunity, if I do have to reapply (currently waiting, but hope is waning). I'm not sure what all to do if I have a gap year - I really want to just be in med school already! I currently have a tutoring gig that I'd keep going with, and I'd want to volunteer with a non-profit that does harm reduction around here. I don't have much research experience, and when I compare myself to traditional students I feel like they've done all the things you're supposed to do and I really haven't.

I could definitely do better on the MCAT, but I've been advised that it's better to leave it be, have it 'one and done' with a decent score. My GPA probably won't change much. I'm all resilience and compassion and whatnot, but if you had to give one recommendation for something to do differently for next cycle, what would it be? Please be kind, but is there something that jumps out as a red flag that I should work to correct? Any advice on schools to consider?

 

[coffeemycupoftea]

Clearly, I'm no expert, so take this for what it's worth. But I did have a few thoughts.

If, it comes to reapplying next year are you open to applying to DO schools? I think that might be a good route to try. Also, West Virginia came to mind as a school you might want to consider.

Are you open to doing a postbacc program? Those seemingly can be helpful if GPA is an app weakness.

I agree you don't need to retake the MCAT. You have a solid respectable score (and one quite a few points above mine)!

I hope this is in some way helpful. Sorry if it's not!

 

[coffeemycupoftea]

Also, I'm not sure where in the south you are from but some state schools that take out of state applicants will give preference to those who have close ties to that state (formerly lived there, have family there).

 

[strider144]

I've been in a DIY post-bacc to get all the pre-reqs so I feel like adding another post-bacc would be weird(?), but I have been applying both MD and DO (PCOM and a handful of others) and I'd definitely apply DO again! I've been pretty involved at PCOM so that ought to be a good option, just hit a lot of glitches with their application this year.

Unfortunately, the state I have close ties to is not a state I would consider. I do have family ties in Mississippi, but I'm not entirely sure whether I could handle Mississippi. Tennessee, WV (yes, good call!), maybe VA or NC. Has to be at least one state away from FL!

 

[coffeemycupoftea]

I've been in a DIY post-bacc to get all the pre-reqs so I feel like adding another post-bacc would be weird(?),

Yeah I guess I meant more along the lines of a formal SMP program.

TN, NC, and VA definitely have some options for you to look into. Still hopeful for you for this cycle though!

 

[strider144]

Just imagining what my grandfather would say if I went to Mississippi or University of Tennessee, his alma maters. I really should've applied to University of Tennessee this cycle!

Might even be enough for Papa to forgive me for going up to college with all them yankees 😉 I just need to get into med school while he's still around. Both his sons became doctors. Out of seven grandkids, it looks like I'll be the only one carrying on the tradition. Next, to figure out which of my nieces and nephews need doctor's kits to play with!

 

[strider144]

Still waiting on the one school I interviewed with. Emailed admissions at another school that I really love asking about how long their interview season lasts (might've mentioned that I was still hoping for an II but was also readying myself to reapply should this not be my year. I swear, every time I email admissions, I hit send and then am filled with regret / concern over whether I was formal enough or expressed myself well - is this a common experience?) and got a reply that included a "nice to hear from you" and "I know it's tough but thank you for your patience." They interview through April.

This feels like crummy relationship dynamics. I have all the enthusiasm and I'm so ready to commit and they're doing just enough to keep me hanging on, nothing more, ha ha. Leaves me over here overanalyzing "nice to hear from you." In the meantime, I'm going to keep working on plans and strategies for next cycle.

 

[strider144]

Aaand II for March 30 received today! I don't want to get my hopes up (and blast it, I am going to have a plan B in place), but I am excited.


sorry to keep bumping my own thread, y'all

 

[bears1992]

As someone who is applying this year with almost identical stats, major and work experience to yours, may I ask how many MD and DO schools you applied to and which/how many II you got?

B.S. in M.E.
Few years working as an engineer
cGPA: 3.14 sGPA: 3.38 BCPM: 3.22
postbac: cGPA: 3.76 sGPA: 3.62 BCPM: 3.62
MCAT NS FL: 506

 

[strider144]

As someone who is applying this year with almost identical stats, major and work experience to yours, may I ask how many MD and DO schools you applied to and which/how many II you got?

B.S. in M.E.
Few years working as an engineer
cGPA: 3.14 sGPA: 3.38 BCPM: 3.22
postbac: cGPA: 3.76 sGPA: 3.62 BCPM: 3.62
MCAT NS FL: 506

I applied to maybe a dozen schools, half MD and half DO.
Secondaries for all of them.
Two IIs, one MD and one DO, as of today.
Priority waitlist for CMSRU (MD) as of five minutes ago.
One outright rejection so far (Drexel).

I'm expecting that the positive outcome on the PCOM interview would be a delayed decision - they're handing out a lot of those at this point in the cycle - but we'll see what happens. If that interview goes well, I'll likely be waiting for seats to open up in both schools.

Looking at this, I'm struck by how few schools I applied to. My MCAT attempt was to get an initial feel for the test. I didn't think I'd get a score good enough to apply on - I guess I'd resigned myself to a gap year post-post-bacc at that point - so when I got my score back... well first I waited a few weeks until my doctor friend over at one of the med schools confirmed that it was good enough. Then I pulled together a list of schools, mostly ones nearby, and got apps out.



I, uh, have some regrets on that. I should have been more on top of it, and I should've done a more rigorous job assembling my list of schools. The truth is, I started my post-bacc to see if it would be possible. I may have expected it not to be possible. I may not have been prepared to learn it was possible -- that it wasn't a pipe dream but rather an actionable, attainable dream. I'm still kind of in awe. When I first went back to school, there were three people who believed that I was capable of it. At some point, things changed.

My aforementioned doctor friend says that if it doesn't happen this year, it's only because I applied so late and it will happen next year. I'm taking his word for it. He nudged me into chasing the dream in the first place, and now... I'm going to be a doctor someday.

I'll stop babbling now before this drifts farther into personal essay territory. It's been quite the week for feelings.

 

[bears1992]

I applied to maybe a dozen schools, half MD and half DO.
Secondaries for all of them.
Two IIs, one MD and one DO, as of today.
Priority waitlist for CMSRU (MD) as of five minutes ago.
One outright rejection so far (Drexel).

I'm expecting that the positive outcome on the PCOM interview would be a delayed decision - they're handing out a lot of those at this point in the cycle - but we'll see what happens. If that interview goes well, I'll likely be waiting for seats to open up in both schools.

Looking at this, I'm struck by how few schools I applied to. My MCAT attempt was to get an initial feel for the test / because it seemed like fun. I didn't think I'd get a score good enough to apply on - I guess I'd resigned myself to a gap year post-post-bacc at that point - so when I got my score back... well first I waited a few weeks until my doctor friend over at one of the med schools confirmed that it was good enough. Then I pulled together a hasty list of schools, mostly ones nearby, and got apps out.



I, uh, have some regrets on that. I should have been more on top of it, and I should've done a more rigorous job assembling my list of schools. The truth is, I started my post-bacc to see if it would be possible. I may have expected it not to be possible. I may not have been prepared to learn it was possible -- that it wasn't a pipe dream but rather an actionable, attainable dream. I'm still kind of in awe. When I first went back to school, there were three people who believed that I was capable of it. At some point, things changed.

My aforementioned doctor friend says that if it doesn't happen this year, it's only because I applied so late and it will happen next year. I'm taking his word for it. He nudged me into chasing the dream in the first place, and now... I'm going to be a doctor someday.

I'll stop babbling now before this drifts farther into personal essay territory. It's been quite the week for feelings.

If you applied to only (6) MD and (6) DO late in the cycle and ended up with (2) II, then your overall GPAs are not holding you back. Most students with your GPAs apply to (20) DO schools and maybe get (2) II so schools are certainly considering you a competitive candidate. Your story gives me hope because I am applying to (30) schools (20 DO and 10 MD) and I would be happy with just (1) II. Refine your school list and double your apps for next cycle (if you have to reapply). This cycle has already proven that you are competitive. Good luck!

 

[wonder12]

You have a really great story. If you end up reapplying, I'd make sure your story is focused. Have as many people as possible read your PS. You don't need to include everything, just make it a compelling story arc that also conveys your interest in medicine. Good luck!

 

[strider144]

You have a really great story. If you end up reapplying, I'd make sure your story is focused. Have as many people as possible read your PS. You don't need to include everything, just make it a compelling story arc that also conveys your interest in medicine. Good luck!

I cover a lot of ground in my essays, and I do think it's really important to convey my story (and hard to do with sufficient brevity for these apps!), but it can make interviews awkward. Second question in during my first ever med school interview and I get "so, I see you've had some experiences with homelessness?" Uh, yeah. Lol.

 

[strider144]

If you applied to only (6) MD and (6) DO late in the cycle and ended up with (2) II, then your overall GPAs are not holding you back. Most students with your GPAs apply to (20) DO schools and maybe get (2) II so schools are certainly considering you a competitive candidate. Your story gives me hope because I am applying to (30) schools (20 DO and 10 MD) and I would be happy with just (1) II. Refine your school list and double your apps for next cycle (if you have to reapply). This cycle has already proven that you are competitive. Good luck!

Aw, thanks! In writing my apps, I ran with the theory that I wasn't going to get in for my stats, I was going to get in for my experiences. I'm not a perfect pre-med, but when I could've been shadowing properly, I was doing crisis response / founding a non-profit / surviving in some adverse conditions instead. I wanted them to know about my interpersonal skills (I wouldn't host a cocktail party, but in a crisis situation I'm the one you want in the room), belief in duty, ability to handle whatever gets thrown my way, and the way I just light up when I talk geeky. If I reapply, I'll rewrite things, but I'll go with the same strategy. I'm non-traditional. I want to sell them on the ways that makes me a better candidate and give them reasons to disregard holes in my resume and sub-optimal GPAs.

 

[bears1992]

I cover a lot of ground in my essays, and I do think it's really important to convey my story (and hard to do with sufficient brevity for these apps!), but it can make interviews awkward. Second question in during my first ever med school interview and I get "so, I see you've had some experiences with homelessness?" Uh, yeah. Lol.

I have a typical non-trad engineer story, but I certainly did not overcome many of the obstacles that you have been faced with. For a non-URM, you probably have one of the best stories that I have seen here.

 

[strider144]

I have a typical non-trad engineer story, but I certainly did not overcome many of the obstacles that you have been faced with. For a non-URM, you probably have one of the best stories that I have seen here.

Ha ha ha, glad I can use that crap to my advantage once in a while! You totally have non-trad skills you can sell - you've been out in the world, so you have perspective and better understand the commitment you're making. You've worked and encountered coworkers and managers and deadlines. I feel like a lot of what I'm advertising is essentially me saying "Hi, I'm an adult," but hey, DO schools like non-trad students, and there are reasons for that.

 

[bears1992]

Ha ha ha, glad I can use that crap to my advantage once in a while! You totally have non-trad skills you can sell - you've been out in the world, so you have perspective and better understand the commitment you're making. You've worked and encountered coworkers and managers and deadlines. I feel like a lot of what I'm advertising is essentially me saying "Hi, I'm an adult," but hey, DO schools like non-trad students, and there are reasons for that.

A few more questions I was hoping to ask:

1) Did your grades/GPA come up in your interview?
2) Did you have a big upward trend?
3) Did you get any C's in your postbacc?
4) Did schools seem to be drawn to your engineering degree/background?

 

[strider144]

A few more questions I was hoping to ask:

1) Did your grades/GPA come up in your interview?
2) Did you have a big upward trend?
3) Did you get any C's in your postbacc?
4) Did schools seem to be drawn to your engineering degree/background?

1. Not really, but I wouldn't be surprised if they did. I have an explanation prepared. My sense of it is that being honest and taking ownership will pay off. My grades weren't my top priority: these are the things that were. I didn't perform to my potential but I persevered.
2. Not really? My post-bacc is A's and high B's except for one, so that is better than my undergrad, but then my undergrad had way less grade inflation and a ton of upper-level engineering courses. My undergrad grades were better in my earlier semesters. I do at least have much better study habits now.
3. One, second semester of organic chemistry. The prof who gave me the C wrote one of my LORs, and did so with great enthusiasm. I don't know if they even notice, but I feel like it means something when profs who saw you struggle and gave you low grades still vouch for you. Doesn't keep me from being all self-conscious about it!
4. There are a lot of former engineers in medicine, so I felt like it didn't stand out as much as I expected it to, BUT: There are a lot of engineers getting interviews and acceptances, and that means there's something about us that med schools like! I would say that's a yes.

Honestly, I think one of the bigger problems is how slowly I've done pre-reqs. I'm in a diy post-bacc, and they limit you to two courses per semester. Pre-req shenanigans and timing conflicts meant I was often taking one class at a time, and they want to see that you can handle multiple courses at once (apparently undergrad is not proof enough). I wanted to get around it by taking one course online through another school, but I was advised against that because it can look like you're gaming it to get the easiest classes possible.

 

[bears1992]

1. Not really, but I wouldn't be surprised if they did. I have an explanation prepared. My sense of it is that being honest and taking ownership will pay off. My grades weren't my top priority: these are the things that were. I didn't perform to my potential but I persevered.
2. Not really? My post-bacc is A's and high B's except for one, so that is better than my undergrad, but then my undergrad had way less grade inflation and a ton of upper-level engineering courses. My undergrad grades were better in my earlier semesters. I do at least have much better study habits now.
3. One, second semester of organic chemistry. The prof who gave me the C wrote one of my LORs, and did so with great enthusiasm. I don't know if they even notice, but I feel like it means something when profs who saw you struggle and gave you low grades still vouch for you. Doesn't keep me from being all self-conscious about it!
4. There are a lot of former engineers in medicine, so I felt like it didn't stand out as much as I expected it to, BUT: There are a lot of engineers getting interviews and acceptances, and that means there's something about us that med schools like! I would say that's a yes.

Honestly, I think one of the bigger problems is how slowly I've done pre-reqs. I'm in a diy post-bacc, and they limit you to two courses per semester. Pre-req shenanigans and timing conflicts meant I was often taking one class at a time, and they want to see that you can handle multiple courses at once (apparently undergrad is not proof enough). I wanted to get around it by taking one course online through another school, but I was advised against that because it can look like you're gaming it to get the easiest classes possible.

I am 90% sure that we are the same person... I too got all As and Bs in my DIY postbac but will most likely get my only C in... Orgo II lol. I really appreciate you answering all these questions in such detail. I haven't found any students that have applied with similar backgrounds and stats as me so it is really nice to see someone that has similar stats and background that had success (and by background I mean academic and work, you have a very unique story that is much more difficult than mine).

 

[strider144]

I am 90% sure that we are the same person... I too got all As and Bs in my DIY postbac but will most likely get my only C in... Orgo II lol. I really appreciate you answering all these questions in such detail. I haven't found any students that have applied with similar backgrounds and stats as me so it is really nice to see someone that has similar stats and background that had success (and by background I mean academic and work, you have a very unique story that is much more difficult than mine).

I'm from Florida, too, just haven't lived there in a while!

Orgo II was hard! I did really well in Orgo I, but Orgo II was a beast. And yeah. Especially doing my diy post-bacc, I didn't meet students who were like me. I have found students with similar backgrounds when I've talked with current med students. Like with engineers in general, there are people like us getting in and succeeding in med schools. I think that, at least for some schools, real-world experience and all the positive traits that come with it plus the determination that it takes to go back to school for the pre-reqs can help balance out GPA issues. I mean, do you have young classmates? Compare your skills and qualities. They might have nice pretty resumes, but there's a lot that you've seen, learned, and done since undergrad that makes you a more desirable candidate, and I think it can win you a little forgiveness in other areas of your app. That said, if you think you can pound out a higher MCAT score, that never hurts!

 

[bears1992]

I'm from Florida, too, just haven't lived there in a while!

Orgo II was hard! I did really well in Orgo I, but Orgo II was a beast. And yeah. Especially doing my diy post-bacc, I didn't meet students who were like me. I have found students with similar backgrounds when I've talked with current med students. Like with engineers in general, there are people like us getting in and succeeding in med schools. I think that, at least for some schools, real-world experience and all the positive traits that come with it plus the determination that it takes to go back to school for the pre-reqs can help balance out GPA issues. I mean, do you have young classmates? Compare your skills and qualities. They might have nice pretty resumes, but there's a lot that you've seen, learned, and done since undergrad that makes you a more desirable candidate, and I think it can win you a little forgiveness in other areas of your app. That said, if you think you can pound out a higher MCAT score, that never hurts!

I have a feeling that I'm going to run into you during a med school tour...

I'm doing a DIY postbac at a local state school and almost all of my classmates are 16-22 (I'm 24). I worked full time throughout college so I've been averaging 9-12 credits a semester, I'm hoping that does not cause a problem. Orgo II is certainly on par with my engineering courses. None of the other prereqs not so much but wow, people were right about orgo.

 

[Goro]

You have a good app, but your past-bac work is on the weak side for MD (most successful reinventors for MD have GPAs > 3/7 and MCAT > 513). Your best best is your state MD school, and some of the low tiers, like Gtown, Loyola, Netter, Drexel and Rush.

You're fine for any DO school, including mine.

IF you get shut out, then you need to identify whatever the deficts are in your app, and fix them.

Always have a Plan B.

This might be long. I'm trying to figure out what I do if I don't get accepted this cycle - please forgive the casualness. It's been a long day of waiting and not hearing anything back.

Basics:
- Non-trad
- I'll be 28 in a month
- undergrad: BS in Engineering, minor in Religion at a little ivy
- undergrad cGPA: 3.24, sGPA: 3.12 🙁
- post-bac cGPA: 3.61, sGPA: 3.55
- MCAT: 510

Everything else is complicated. I've worked in a number of fields (engineering, farming, masonry, art, food service...) and was thinking chaplaincy before I opted for medicine - both make a direct impact on people's lives and would make use of my ability to stay calm in a crisis. I have a gap between graduating from undergrad and my first real jobs because I was a homeless trans kid, which is really only the start of it, but I'm scrappy and lucky and I made it out.

In undergrad I did a lot of work around sexual assault on campus (advocacy, awareness, crisis response, etc.). Since then I've just about always had some sort of crisis response work going. I co-founded a non-profit for queer and trans people with disabilities. I don't have a ton of shadowing experience, but I work with providers and patients to educate and facilitate positive experiences for queer and trans patients, which gives me a lot of exposure to the medical field. I manage a chronic condition too, so I have some personal experience. I want to be a doctor because I'm tired of watching my friends die for lack of accessible care, and because there's a huge unmet need that I could fill as a physician (and I love learning about medical stuff, like reading textbooks in my free time love it). I have a lot of community service / leadership experience, god help me.

So I have rather some life experience (only grazing the very surface here), lots of practical skills, a whole bevvy of hobbies, but no pre-med advisor and little family support. There's a lot of stuff where I've just been winging it. I applied super late in the cycle this year because I took a late MCAT as a trial run but found the score was enough to apply on and pulled an app together. I feel like I don't know how best to choose schools, but I like PCOM, University of Vermont, and CMSRU. I'm in PA. I'd gladly move somewhere colder (but not MA) or possibly certain parts of Appalachia (I'm from the south originally and kinda interested in rural medicine).

So far my plan is to apply at the very first opportunity, if I do have to reapply (currently waiting, but hope is waning). I'm not sure what all to do if I have a gap year - I really want to just be in med school already! I currently have a tutoring gig that I'd keep going with, and I'd want to volunteer with a non-profit that does harm reduction around here. I don't have much research experience, and when I compare myself to traditional students I feel like they've done all the things you're supposed to do and I really haven't.

I could definitely do better on the MCAT, but I've been advised that it's better to leave it be, have it 'one and done' with a decent score. My GPA probably won't change much. I'm all resilience and compassion and whatnot, but if you had to give one recommendation for something to do differently for next cycle, what would it be? Please be kind, but is there something that jumps out as a red flag that I should work to correct? Any advice on schools to consider?

 

[strider144]

You have a good app, but your past-bac work is on the weak side for MD (most successful reinventors for MD have GPAs > 3/7 and MCAT > 513). Your best best is your state MD school, and some of the low tiers, like Gtown, Loyola, Netter, Drexel and Rush.

You're fine for any DO school, including mine.

IF you get shut out, then you need to identify whatever the deficts are in your app, and fix them.

Always have a Plan B.

The GPA is a bummer. 6 As, 1 A+, 1 B+ (in bio II), and then that C. One A is in a non-science, but all the rest are sciences, mostly 200- and 300-level. It's just the C. I really struggled in that course, and on top of that I had my car broken into and my backpack stolen one week before an exam, so I no longer had a textbook, answer guide, or any notes. I could pull the MCAT score up significantly - I hadn't taken much bio or any biochem, and (I feel like a jerk every time I admit this) I studied for a little more than two weeks while taking summer classes - but I only have two more classes unless I get desperate enough to try to find more.

That said, I'd happily go DO or for some of the less-elite MDs. As for in-state MD there's Penn State, and I think with the right additions I might catch Temple's interest. I don't expect UPenn or Jefferson to be interested or a good fit.

 

[Goro]

I can't recommend Penn State as their parent body protected a child molestor for > 25 years.

The GPA is a bummer. 6 As, 1 A+, 1 B+ (in bio II), and then that C. One A is in a non-science, but all the rest are sciences, mostly 200- and 300-level. It's just the C. I really struggled in that course, and on top of that I had my car broken into and my backpack stolen one week before an exam, so I no longer had a textbook, answer guide, or any notes. I could pull the MCAT score up significantly - I hadn't taken much bio or any biochem, and (I feel like a jerk every time I admit this) I studied for a little more than two weeks while taking summer classes - but I only have two more classes unless I get desperate enough to try to find more.

That said, I'd happily go DO or for some of the less-elite MDs. As for in-state MD there's Penn State, and I think with the right additions I might catch Temple's interest. I don't expect UPenn or Jefferson to be interested or a good fit.

 

[strider144]

I can't recommend Penn State as their parent body protected a child molestor for > 25 years.

Yeah. I'm not super excited about Penn State. But then, my undergrad regularly refused to let students report sexual assault on campus and bullied anyone who tried while protecting repeat offenders... so my baseline assumption is that any institution, if given the chance, is fully capable of doing atrocious things.

And yet, I feel like I would cringe every time I said the name. For PA, I'd still be hoping for PCOM or Temple (while also applying to Jeff, Drexel, etc.).

 

[star.buck]

Current M1, non traditional (33, ex-musician).

Just wanted to say, reading your story and the reasons you want to be a doctor... keep at it and don't give up. You're inspiring, and will be a phenomenal doctor to a population that greatly needs you.

If you do have to apply again, have the app ready to submit on day 1, and potentially look at new schools. Shameless plug: apply to CMU college of medicine in Michigan. It's a little semi-rural based school, but we have been actively doing things to raise awareness of the needs of the LGBTQ community in health care with the students of the school. The school's mission is to serve the underserved. Because it's a new school, and because you are non traditional, and because of your compelling story, you may stand a chance here as well as other newer schools. And: I'd greatly appreciate you as a classmate!

No matter what happens, I will greatly appreciate you as a colleague.