discrimination?

[G. I. Joseph]

I havent heard from schools like Harvard and Upenn, but the only middle tier school I have yet to hear from (app complete in early Nov) is Mt Sinai. Considering I have a decent gpa and Mcat (3.6-math and bio, 37S), I should atleast get an interview from them.
Do you guys think it might have anything to do with the fact that Im muslim and from Pakistan?
I really like the school and spent a lot of time writing their essay and stuff. Im just very confused.

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[sandflea]

i highly, highly doubt that the reason you haven't heard from some schools is because of your heritage. rather, the fact that you haven't gotten interviews from school you apparently expect to hear from just goes to show you that you can't expect anything in this process. a certain GPA and MCAT is never a guarantee of anything--interview, acceptance, OR rejection--at any school anywhere. this has been discussed everywhere on SDN, but other 'non-quantitative' factors matter a lot too. your grades and MCAT aren't an automatic ticket for interviews and don't entitle you to anything--adcoms are generally interested in the whole package and what you as a person can contribute to their student body.

 

[med student]

it could also be that they have 1000 applicants with the same general GPA and scores as you so for places like harvard you need something other than grades and GPA to set you apart. So it might just be possible that you are not what they consider a "perfect" applicant which is pretty much what you have to be to get noticed at schools like harvard. so I would be careful jumping to conclusions about why you did not get an interview because you will never know why you caught some schools interest but not others.

 

[jargon124]

I agree strongly with what's been said. Sorry, but it's really annoying to read what you wrote. You expect interviews just because your numbers are above average? Come on. Also, to be blunt, a 3.6GPA isn't exactly gonna knock Harvard/Penn/Sinai's socks off.

 

[Doctora Foxy]

Another thing is that you've only been complete since Nov. I'm sure some applicants have been complete since September, so you may have to wait a little longer. I've been complete since Dec, so I don't expect to hear anything for a while. Just be patient

 

[Maple]

Hey GI,

Did you apply to other schools in NY? NYMC, Albany etc? Your numbers are great..so I hope you applied to as many schools as you can afford in every "tier". That's safer then applying only to the top universities. I don't think your background is the reason why you haven't heard yet. Btw..when did you get your app in? Turning it in late also delays the process, as does taking the August test..although none of these factors were as signifcant this year..thanks to AMCAS!

One a positive note..most schools will be interviewing much later this year then before. For examples..Finch will be interviewing through June! Loyola at least thru march..etc so you still have a shot.

Good luck!

 

[G. I. Joseph]

Jargon,
Thanks for you input. Im sorry you dont consider a 3.6 very high, but its in math and bio, taking mostly graduate classes. Lots of premeds take b.s classes to expand their gpa, which I did not.

 

[Doctora Foxy]

Finch unitl June???? That's great!!!!

Todavia hay esperanza

 

[jargon124]

G.I.

I'm sorry if I came off as mean or dismissive. A 3.6 in math/bio is a good GPA to be sure, I was just pointing out the it is near or below the average for schools like Harvard and Penn (Penn is especially numbers-driven in my opinion). As was said earlier, you have to realize that there is a theme of randomness that seems to be built into this process, and we should all be careful when making conclusions about what exactly the reasons were for our not being invited for an interview at a particular school. Good luck to you!

 

[italianlove]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by jargon124:
•I agree strongly with what's been said. Sorry, but it's really annoying to read what you wrote.•••••Amen to that brother! (oops, was that discriminatory? :wink: ) Seriously though, when I hear stories like this one I'm thinking to myself, 'Cry me a river!' <img border="0" alt="[Pity]" title="" src="graemlins/pity.gif" /> The fact that you sent in your apps in November has a lot to do with why you're not hearing stuff yet, and though you have a great MCAT score and a decent GPA, you can't expect top-ten schools to call you down for an interview if that's all you got. If you want to get into a great school based solely on numbers I suggest taking the LSAT and applying to law school, otherwise just grin and bear it like the rest of us in the admissions process.

I tried really hard to avoid the Pakistani comment but I just have to say that this is ridiculous! We thrive on diversity here in America. We don't try to force other people into a cookie-cutter scheme like some other foreign governments. The faster you get this stupid notion out of your head the better off you'll be.

Okay, I realize that the last paragraph was somewhat emotional and anyone who has read my posts can see that usually I'm a pretty nice guy, but this one really made me upset. I apologize if I offended anyone, but these are my feelings and I thought I'd share. G.I.--good luck to you, hope you hear from some of your first-choice schools soon. Take care all, ciao.

 

[BushBaby]

I don't think they are discrimminating against you because you are Muslim or from Pakistan.....you have the grades to get in.

But that doesn't mean there aren't people out there who will block your @ss from getting into a school because of reasons like the ones you mentioned. Remember, even if you had great answers to all the interviewers questions, if she/he is against you....then all she/he has to do is give you a bad review then go to the committee and lie about how unqualified you are. I know some interviewers write notes during the interviews....who is say they are necessarily writing something in your favor? I've never seen/heard it happen but it's one of thoses where you just never know.

 

[Assassin]

•••quote:••• I tried really hard to avoid the Pakistani comment but I just have to say that this is ridiculous! We thrive on diversity here in America. We don't try to force other people into a cookie-cutter scheme like some other foreign governments. The faster you get this stupid notion out of your head the better off you'll be. ••••I will not take sides in the argument, but I just wanted to point out the naivete of the preceding comment. While it certainly sounds good, it is nevertheless an ideal that's not always [understatement!] attained in medical school admissions or elsewhere.

 

[charleb32]

None of us knows, and we cannont assume either way. I think we all need to stop making such cut and dry responses like were the expert on the issue when we really don't know if it's discrimination or not.

 

[BushBaby]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by charleb32:
•None of us knows, and we cannont assume either way. I think we all need to stop making such cut and dry responses like were the expert on the issue when we really don't know if it's discrimination or not.•••••I guess you are right charleb32...No one really knows what goes on in the minds of these Adcoms.....!

 

[G. I. Joseph]

I do not feel that I 'deserve' an interview based on those numbers. however, I have not been doing nothing in college and have even taken a year off to do really cool research. Places where I have interviewed, they have always said: wow, how did you have the time to do all this stuff?
I've had to face quite a few racist remarks from professors at my undergraduate schools when I told them I was applying to med school. Using the same logic that one of you used in a post, a professor at Duke emailed all the people applying from southasia that he did not want to go through the trouble of distinguishing b/w terrorists and actual students and that we should all 'clean out our own gutters'.
I love this place and these people are few and far between. However the medical profession is still a bit of a club and more difficult for some to get into than others.

 

[mdhopeful]

GI - be patient. Those are some of the top schools in the country you are talking about. They are looking at roughly 30-35 applicants per spot and these are the upper tier in terms of the total medical school applicant pool. I doubt they are discriminating based on your religious faith. Based on your country of origin I see no reason for discrimination. However, I have heard that medical schools are not keen on accepting applicants who are not citizens or without a green card, and have no desire to practice medicine in the US. US medical schools are not in the business of educating doctors to go to other countries to practice. So, unless you fall into that group, I see no reason to worry.

 

[SMW]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by G. I. Joseph:
• the only middle tier school I have yet to hear from (app complete in early Nov) is Mt Sinai. Considering I have a decent gpa and Mcat (3.6-math and bio, 37S), I should at least get an interview from them. •••••As I understood the question, it was about why GI Joe hasn't heard from Mount Sinai, not the very top-ranked schools.

GI Joe (love your name), welcome to SDN!! I too had the same question until a couple days ago, when I finally got the email invite from them. I'm am also an August MCATer and my stats are not as good as yours (3.5 cum, 3.4 science, 30M). I've been rejected without interview at 4 schools that I thought I was competitive at by virtue of my total application, and for which I thought I wrote killer essays (I'm especially peeved that Pitt dismissed my ethical dilemma essay out of hand!!! and disappointed that Case didn't like my fishing essay ). Btw, I didn't think my essays for Mount Sinai (about studying abroad, and why I like their school) were nearly as good! This is a really random process we've decided to expose ourselves to, and I wouldn't be a bit surprised if some discrimination comes into play in some of the decisions that are made, but I'd also be very surprised if your background didn't work for you in many instances. Don't give up hope just yet on Mount Sinai, but if you don't hear from them, I'd caution against reading too much into their decision not to interview you. I'm curious about how many schools you applied to, and how many interviews invites you've received thus far. Best of luck with the whole maddeningly frustrating process!!!

 

[DesperatelySeekingMD]

Admissions are fickle you will learn that quickly...I don't think that it has anything to do with your heritage. I have been admitted at Hopkins and a few other very excellent - very competative schools (6 in total so far, but waiting on a few others)...have had 10+ interviews...but have heard nothing from Mt. Sinai. Believe me I am not losing any sleep over it since I got into Hopkins...I just think it is a random process at some level-many levels.