Getting interview from previously interviewing school

[Food]

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Is it reasonable to expect an interview from a school that invited me for an interview last cycle, interviewed me, and then wait-listed me? Just wondering how many re-apps end up getting a 2nd interview from a school.

 

[just one]

Did they have a rejected applicant information session to address your weakness last year? If so, what did they say? Kinda depends on what they thought of you and your application. Gut instinct, I would expect another interview.

 

[Looking Glass]

Is it reasonable to expect an interview from a school that invited me for an interview last cycle, interviewed me, and then wait-listed me? Just wondering how many re-apps end up getting a 2nd interview from a school.

It depends, did you apply early or late the last time? What improvements have you made to your application since reapplying. How strong is your application in relation to the school's average GPA and MCAT score?

 

[Food]

It depends, did you apply early or late the last time? What improvements have you made to your application since reapplying. How strong is your application in relation to the school's average GPA and MCAT score?

I applied around the middle of the cycle, and interviewed around the middle as well. I have added substantial medical and non-medical volunteering experience, as well as shadowing experience. However, my GPA has diminished very slightly (senior year grades). My GPA is far below the average GPA but my MCAT score is decently higher. These are the exact words I got from them when asking about whether to enroll in an SMP:

"
It would not hurt your application to enroll in the master's program at XYZ. It is entirely your choice. You are on the alternate list which mean the committee feels that you are capable of handling the academic course load. The main thing to remember if you are not accepted into any medical program is do not stagnate; Continue to do the shadowing, volunteer activities and if feasible take some additional courses. You do not necessarily have to enroll in a specific master's program or degree program.
"

 

[buffywannabe]

I am having the best luck at the schools that I had not applied to last year. I got an interview at Ohio state before and was waitlisted and they already rejected me this year and I made a ton of improvements so who knows.

 

[Food]

Wow. That's actually a little discouraging to hear about Ohio State...Did they give you any feedback this year or last year?

 

[gman33]

You have a great MCAT, but that GPA is going to hurt at a lot of places.
Having your grades take a dip, when they were already low is also not a good sign.

Any reason you applied to so few schools? A reapplicant, with anything below average should apply to 30+ schools. The extra money spent is nothing compared to sitting out another year.

Not to be negative, but what are you doing this year? Until you get in, I'd always be trying to improve your app. Work on the GPA so you are a better applicant next year just in case.

To answer your original question, you probably need to show improvement in your app to get invited for a second interview. There are too many strong candidates out there for a school to waste time with someone they already rejected who didn't improve. If that MCAT is a new one, that would be a very good start.

Good luck with this cycle. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.

 

[calimed214]

Being a reapplicant, this thread scares me, especially since my dream school already gave me an interview last year and I didn't make the cut. 🙁 I'll keep my fingers crossed for you Food, because apparently I need the luck as well.

 

[Food]

You have a great MCAT, but that GPA is going to hurt at a lot of places.
Having your grades take a dip, when they were already low is also not a good sign.

Any reason you applied to so few schools? A reapplicant, with anything below average should apply to 30+ schools. The extra money spent is nothing compared to sitting out another year.

Not to be negative, but what are you doing this year? Until you get in, I'd always be trying to improve your app. Work on the GPA so you are a better applicant next year just in case.

To answer your original question, you probably need to show improvement in your app to get invited for a second interview. There are too many strong candidates out there for a school to waste time with someone they already rejected who didn't improve. If that MCAT is a new one, that would be a very good start.

Good luck with this cycle. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.

I figured my best shot would be at state schools. Everything I added after that was just on a whim. Unfortunately my MCAT is the same one I applied with last year.

 

[Food]

Being a reapplicant, this thread scares me, especially since my dream school already gave me an interview last year and I didn't make the cut. 🙁 I'll keep my fingers crossed for you Food, because apparently I need the luck as well.

Thanks - good luck to you as well.

 

[dingyibvs]

Wow. That's actually a little discouraging to hear about Ohio State...Did they give you any feedback this year or last year?

You have to keep in mind that it's Ohio State, though. They're notorious for not liking reapplicants(as in reapplicants to OSU, they wouldn't care if you didn't apply to them specifically last cycle). In fact, on their school's website, there is a specific section warning reapplicants not to reapply on the very next cycle because they believe that one year is too little time to improve.

You've already received an interview from a school that rejected you, albeit before an interview, last year, indicating that your application has already improved. However, you should definitely apply to more schools.

 

[Food]

You have to keep in mind that it's Ohio State, though. They're notorious for not liking reapplicants(as in reapplicants to OSU, they wouldn't care if you didn't apply to them specifically last cycle). In fact, on their school's website, there is a specific section warning reapplicants not to reapply on the very next cycle because they believe that one year is too little time to improve.

You've already received an interview from a school that rejected you, albeit before an interview, last year, indicating that your application has already improved. However, you should definitely apply to more schools.

Thanks - I know, I got your PM about applying to more schools. I've got a few hundred dollars left...and I haven't figured out what the best use for it is in terms of schools to apply to. I have secondaries for Emory and Rosalind Franklin and Pritzker. I feel like I have virtually no shot at Pritzker, a very tiny shot at Emory, and am reserving judgment on my chances at RFU. They're all about $100 too! Ugh. Grrr. What do you think? Also - since it's been ~ month since completion at UF, is it time to give up on getting an interview invite from them?

 

[JRod72]

I am having the best luck at the schools that I had not applied to last year. I got an interview at Ohio state before and was waitlisted and they already rejected me this year and I made a ton of improvements so who knows.

My friend was waitlisted at 5 schools last year and none came through. He is so mad he is taking a year off. I was waitlisted to 1 school last year but it was because I applied to too few of schools and too late (February). I applied very early this year and was accepted very early. My GPA and MCAT are a little above average so I really think Early and many schools is the trick. Another one of my friends had a GPA of 4.0 in Biology, Honors, worked 30 hours a week, volunteering, the works with a MCAT of 37R and was only accepted to 3 of the 11 medical schools he applied to!!!! It was like watching a 10 year old knock out Mike Tyson!!!! I thought that if he didn't make it with a perfect score, how am I going to make it.. well, I made it. Good Luck!!!!

Sorry about the scary story!!!

 

[rocketbooster]

I'll let you know in a week.