Could I have my mentor call the Admissions Dean/Office post-interview

[muchhope_lessstats]

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I have an interview, quite literally by the grace of God or some other benevolent force, at my reach school. my GPA is <3.5, and MCAT is below their 10th percentile cutoff by 4 points. They typically accept people ~3.9 and 520 MCAT and I absolutely do not fit that profile.

I have fairly good ECs and currently work at a strong research institution where I have a very close relationship with my mentor (PI) who is an MD as well as a few other PIs who are MDs here. I have had a mock interview with him as well as a couple other doctors here and they say they are happy with my application and think I interview well. Despite that, I feel like most applicants interview well and wanted to do something post-interview besides standard thank you notes to kick it up a notch. I thought it may be a good idea to ask my PI to make a call on my behalf to the Admissions Director or the admissions office a couple weeks after the interview to emphasize what he thinks of me (essentially put his recommendation letter into verbal words and then some since I have accomplished more recently since he wrote his rec letter in June). I could even have another recommender from my college call and emphasize my capabilities as a student (since I was close to him as well).

I understand I may be over thinking this and it may seem unnecessary, but I just want to do everything I can to turn this dream/chance into a real opportunity.

Thank you everyone for the advice! Good luck with the cycle!

 

[Toutie]

Don't do it!

 

[muchhope_lessstats]

Don't do it!

...can I hear the rationale as to why?

 

[takeurmeds02]

This is literally the last thing you want to do. Them calling on your behalf changes nothing in how view your application and only wastes their time; especially if they have no relationship with the person calling.

If they're interviewing you, they are interested in you. Go interview, give it your best, and let chips fall how they may.

Do not have anyone call for you.

 

[Stagg737]

The only time they should do this is if they have a direct connection to the school or personally know someone there, in which case they can talk to that person. If the connection already exists then use it. If not, you're just wasting everyone's time and possibly annoying the ADCOMs.

 

[gyngyn]

As previously noted, unless your PI is a personal friend of the admissions dean, there is no value to such a call. There is a potential risk.

 

[muchhope_lessstats]

In that case, what about another recommendation? Or a letter vouching for me? I guess a letter of support someone would write for an applicant who was on a waitlist? I don't know, I just feel like such an on-the-fence applicant and want to give them as many reasons as possible to accept me more so than why I may be iffy

 

[muchhope_lessstats]

@gyngyn @Stagg737 @teeayejay @gonnif @Goro

 

[gyngyn]

Additional letters (to MD schools) must go through AMCAS.
Deadlines for submitting them close on Nov. 1st at many schools. The odds of such a letter having any effect is quite small, even if were still possible to upload one.
The strategy you are outlining is not consistent with success. It is consistent with desperation, not a good look.

 

[Goro]

In that case, what about another recommendation? Or a letter vouching for me? I guess a letter of support someone would write for an applicant who was on a waitlist? I don't know, I just feel like such an on-the-fence applicant and want to give them as many reasons as possible to accept me more so than why I may be iffy

Additional testimonials aren't going to do anything for you.

You should consider yourself rejected until you get the accept email in your inbox. As such, as Gonnif has mentioned above, you should be working on your plan B

 

[muchhope_lessstats]

Additionally, having an LOR/third party letter sent directly to the school would violate AMCAS rules that govern the schools. If you were to send in such a letter it could be considered suspect and could potentially trigger an investigation. Lastly, some schools that were to get a phone call concerning an applicant would consider it undue influence and flag your application to make sure it wasnt some doing on your part.

So lets make this clear, there is nothing you can do now to make yourself stronger and anything you try to risks making the situation worse. If you want to do anything to make yourself stronger, start increasing your record for a possible reapplication

Not me personally, but my PI. I see where you are coming from though... I just have heard of stories here and around my institution where doctors/mentors have done that for people on the waitlist who they believe in. I was just thinking that I could ask them to do that preemptively (if he wanted to) to help a little more.

 

[Stagg737]

Not me personally, but my PI. I see where you are coming from though... I just have heard of stories here and around my institution where doctors/mentors have done that for people on the waitlist who they believe in. I was just thinking that I could ask them to do that preemptively (if he wanted to) to help a little more.

Again, unless they have a connection I wouldn't have them do it. If you get waitlisted and it gets later in the season (Feb/March) then you can contact the school with a LOI with relevant updates about what you're doing. Sometimes this helps, sometimes it's a waste. Contacting multiple times or having others contact for you will likely hurt more than it will help. Just hang in there and keep doing what you can to strengthen your app.

As a side note, you said this is your reach school. Do you have other interviews or acceptances? Is this your top choice?

 

[muchhope_lessstats]

Again, unless they have a connection I wouldn't have them do it. If you get waitlisted and it gets later in the season (Feb/March) then you can contact the school with a LOI with relevant updates about what you're doing. Sometimes this helps, sometimes it's a waste. Contacting multiple times or having others contact for you will likely hurt more than it will help. Just hang in there and keep doing what you can to strengthen your app.

As a side note, you said this is your reach school. Do you have other interviews or acceptances? Is this your top choice?

I have an interview at two of my state schools. This is indeed my top choice. I am still working for my mentor and we should be getting another publication out in the next few months, though it will probably take another 2-3 months after submission for review to be completed.

 

[Stagg737]

I have an interview at two of my state schools. This is indeed my top choice. I am still working for my mentor and we should be getting another publication out in the next few months, though it will probably take another 2-3 months after submission for review to be completed.

A publication is a worth-while update if you did not include it in your application. Would be a good way to update your app and add a little "this is why I'd love to attend your school" paragraph. I would mention this at the interview anyway though.

 

[candbgirl]

Have you had the interview yet? As @Goro always says once you have the interview invite getting accepted is 100% on you. (Or something like that.) So stop worrying about getting someone to call ( bad idea)etc and prepare well for your interview. Put the fact that you feel you are well below their metrics out of your mind. This school picked you for an interview now go kill it. Good luck